Fallout 4 FOU4; Is mods necessary for a run?

Crilloan

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Long time no see

I´m hard at work on my backlog and finally finished Fallout 3 a couple of months ago and grinding my way through New Vegas now (on sick-leave for a leg in cast, does wonder for playing time..)

Im starting to loose interest in New Vegas and looking towards Fallout 4.

I will in all likelihood only play it once, limited time.
I dont use VATS (feels like cheating and less of a thrill in combat)

I would be very grateful for tips on "must have" mods.

And yes, i like my games pretty :)

/C
 
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"Must have" mods is such a difficult thing. Mods are like food, colors, books, clothes, artwork … extremely dependent on the person.

Even some mods people might consider mandatory (UI changes, unofficial patches, AE, etc.) are not considered must have by many.

If you want what is popular must have mods … which is perhaps the only way to determine must have mods if not selecting them yourself … then just go to Nexus and sort by downloads and/or endorsements:

https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/trendingalltime/

Or do it by category to get more selective.

As an example I have modded FO4 since it came out and have over 2000 hours in it now. My current line up has 113 plug-ins (ESP) and 232 mods. Not a single one of them is in Couch's list above (ENBoost is part of ENB files and I don't really consider it a mod … although I always play with ENB).

I would say at least 70% of all my mods are for visuals. I like the best looking game I can make it. So I spend tons of time on HR texture packs and always hunting down those small texture gems to continue to fill in gaps.

My favorite texture artist is FlaconOil - just superb job and very lore friendly: https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/3747

I also use some texture packs from Luxor who does a great job. Best to just browse through his list: https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/users/50525966?tab=user+files

I also have packs from some other authors but not home now so can't look up the names - Stromberg, Tapioks are the author names I believe).

I have visual bug fixes (about a dozen), a variety of custom armors and just a couple weapons (like a claymore and crossbows).

Lots and lots of HR textures for weapons, armor, places, critters, etc.

I only use Vivid for his wood textures - I didn't care as much for his landscape work in FO4 or some other things as much as I liked it in Skyrim.

I go for lore friendly looks and my grass and trees reflect that.

I have a couple of companion make-over mods which are very taste based. I have some settlement building mods but none of the big ones, although I highly recommend Woodys Wasteland if you like lore friendly options … again very taste based.

I also play hard core on survival mode but I don't like overhaul mods at all so have no mods that touch difficulty, balance, or the like.

EDIT: I also use none of the mods Joxer lists. I focus on immersion, visual quality, and keeping mostly to the lore (an exception is I love the large moons made by AGreatWeight based on the Pilgrim mod … don't use Pilgrim but like his moons and use a larger than normal sized one).

I own all the DLC's and have played through the game multiple times. Just started a new one last night :)
 
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Hrm...I actually played without mods, used the survivor difficulty which was patched in later after release afaik, but didn't miss mods a lot.
The interface is clunky ofc, but it worked anyways.
 
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"
..
I like the best looking game I can make it..

I only use Vivid for his wood textures - I didn't care as much for his landscape work in FO4 or some other things as much as I liked it in Skyrim.

I go for lore friendly looks and my grass and trees reflect that.
..
I also play hard core on survival mode but I don't like overhaul mods at all so have no mods that touch difficulty, balance, or the like.

.. I focus on immersion, visual quality, and keeping mostly to the lore ..

I own all the DLC's and have played through the game multiple times. Just started a new one last night :)

I haven't bought it yet, but with Bethesdas games I always wait until all DLC are out :)

Immersion foremost and visual quality is the name of the game for me.
Lore,. no busty anime girls thank you (not that I mind busty Per se..)

Fallout 4 will be the first game I play in survival mode. It have bored me to no end to be drowning in ammo as I have been in New Vegas and I have never been forced to build something.

Tank you all for input, much appreciated!

If you have more tips on how to enjoy it I´m open to suggestions

C

PS
can you manage with only using vortex?
 
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Hrm…I actually played without mods, used the survivor difficulty which was patched in later after release afaik, but didn't miss mods a lot.
The interface is clunky ofc, but it worked anyways.

SM did come after release as a free patch in.

I played the game for almost two months when it came out without mods and finished the main quest. After that mods started coming out and I enjoy these games much more with mods - although my taste in mods mainly center around visuals, immersion, and characters.

ENB took a bit longer and so learned ReShade. Then made some ReShade presets I later joined with ENB. Created a few mods as well.

Now the modding community for it is very robust and a lot of options.

Still I fully enjoyed the game without mods as well - just that if replaying, which I do a lot as well as story writing and image sets, I find mods critical to keep the game fresh and fun. For me anyhow. It was the same for Skyrim.
 
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PS can you manage with only using vortex?

I have been a diehard NMM fan so take that for what it is. I tried MO and did not like it at all. I kept to NMM on Skyrim and still use it for Skyrim.

At one point I had to do a complete rebuild of my FO4 game. I know that NMM is not supported and for future games I had to bite the bullet and learn to use Vortex. So I switched for all games except Skyrim (as I have a very large and complex skyrim build I don't want to touch as it took me a long time to get it the way I want). I use Vortex for FO4, FNV, and Pathfinder Kingmaker.

I am fine with it now but I was cursing mightily the first three weeks of learning it. But I wanted to give it a chance. I am used to it now and I am "OK" with it. I still prefer NMM overall.

I might like it more if I used profiles or liked MO but I don't use profiles and don't like MO.

It has some really nice features but also you have to give up some very nice user friendly features I miss a lot. Sort order is horrible in Vortex. In NMM it was simple drag and drop. In Vortex you have to go through major hoops and complex set-ups to control your sort order ... unless you like what it does for you.

Two of my friends who switched to it all gave it up do to the sorting or mods and hating how Vortex does it. Me and one other grappled with it and managed to get it to do what we wanted with some effort. But its my least favorite feature.

I do like how it remembers your overwrite options and gives you some better control on that. It also knows if you make changes manually (outside of Vortex) and will then ask if you want to keep those changes or revert back to the original. That comes at the price of it keeping all folders from mods installed with a tracking file ... and even when you completely remove a mod that tracking file and folder remains ... which can be annoying if you have any OCD at all and hate seeing left over folders. I always clean them up afterwards as it bugs me.

That being said, for me, with my simple mods (I have lots of mods but they are simple ones and the few with scripts are made by very competent, professional even, mod authors who know what they doing), Vortex works fine for FO4 and after getting over the learn curve I will stay with it.

Everyone's mileage will vary though - some hate it, some like it, many shrug and accept it.
 
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Reaching fatigue on my FONV play through so I put my grubby hands on Fallout 4 GOTY
Thoughts after the first hour run on a pristine version.
1. Even un-modded FO4 is prettier than FONV.
2. Its still ugly and unrealized and needs mods.
3. Interface, as in all Bethesdas games, sux
4. The intro, good one.
5. Is it possible to play without using VATS on survival? had my ass handed to me by some over-sized mosquito's
6. going back to FONV feels like a chore

C
 
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