Mods: your experiences

[PZ]

Most of the games I've purchased lately, and all of the ones that require an online launcher w@&k without the CD/DVD in the drive - I guess that is a benefit of the newer anti-piracy mechanisms.

I too installed AWOP not too long ago, and found it to be an excellent mod - greatly enhances the life in the FONV world.  :-X

[deadman1]

I went to Vegas yesterday for a new game with a few mods installed, among others A world of pain and Underground hideout. Awop looks really cool, I have found a couple new places around Goodsprings. The UHO are a little different compared to the FO3 version, here´s some examples:

- It doesn´t come prestocked with ammo, you have to suppply that yourself.
- The displaywall in the armory doesn´t have prefixed places for specific weapons and modded weapons won´t show up on the wall when you put them there. They don´t dissappear, the textures just won´t materialize on the wall and you can still pick them up if you want to.
-Remember that picture I once posted of a 6room in the FO3 hideout that I didn´t know what it was for? Well turns out it´s a displayroom. If you find some nice things in the desert that you want to put on display, just drop them om the floor and pick them up using "Z" and position them where you want them.
- The teleporter now needs a powersource in order to teleport you home and back. You are able to set up some favorite locations in the teleport but I haven´t really gotten in to that so I don´t know exactly how that´s going to w@&k.
- Among the weapons that you find in the bedroom (there´s a wallstand there) there is a very nice silenced sniperrifle with what looks like a nightvision scope on it.

I think I´m going to enjoy this trip through the desert  >:D

[PZ]

UHO is one of my favorite mods for both FO3 and FNV.  The sorters w@&k very well, as do most of the other things.  Your companions can also call this home - I recall in FO3 using a gun that turns NPCs into slaves (using some kind of slave collar as I recall) - I somehow managed to turn a raider into a slave, and then had her call this place home, which she did- complete with walking around, using the bathroom, sleeping, etc.

Check the teleporter settings deadman, if you want to change how it works, you can change the setting to use more, less, or no power.

[deadman1]

UHO is one of my favorite mods for both FO3 and FNV.  The sorters w@&k very well, as do most of the other things.  Your companions can also call this home - I recall in FO3 using a gun that turns NPCs into slaves (using some kind of slave collar as I recall) - I somehow managed to turn a raider into a slave, and then had her call this place home, which she did- complete with walking around, using the bathroom, sleeping, etc.

Check the teleporter settings deadman, if you want to change how it works, you can change the setting to use more, less, or no power.

I have left the teleporter at default for now, it costs me 5 powercells each teleport but since they are´nt that rare it should be enough of a challenge. The AWOP mod really lives up to it´s name. I found a place just outside nipton that turned out to be not only enormous ( haven´t finished searching through it yet) but also packed with enemies. Really good stuff  :-X

[Ricamundo]

Ahh, you must be referring to the Nipton sewers. :-X I explored that area yesterday, and it is enormous and lots of fun. I like how the modder is interconnecting some of these newer underground areas with existing areas, giving you ways out without having to retrace your steps. 8)

I see the modder is preparing another update for next week some time. I encourage you guys to go to Nexus and endorse his mod, as i did. I want him to keep it up! :-()

[PZ]

Indeed - I particularly like the mods that either increase the areas or expand on quests - almost like having DLC addon.  There is one mod I just installed which does away with the borders (invisible walls) on the map so that you can roam even more freely.  I've yet to test it thoroughly.

[PZ]

I occasionally see the term "lore friendly" when reading about mods - anyone know exactly what that means?

[Art Blade]

they don't interfere with the main mission (lore)  :)

[PZ]

I see - thanks!  :)

[PZ]

I installed the RustTown area mod and it is quite nice - almost like it was supposed to be in the game from the beginning.  It's nice to see new areas added that need nothing more than a .esp file that uses the vanilla components.

[PZ]

Wasteland Defense is a fantastic mod!  This is the one where you build a fort, and then man it with securitrons and/or human guards.  Here is how it basically works:

   
• Decide on a place where you want your fort - I initially chose a site north of Vegas, but then reloaded and decided on the east edge of Goodsprings.
• You start with the plans for a water tower in your Pipboy - activate it and you'll be able to place the tank wherever you want using your mouse for precise placement.
• You are then presented with plans to guild a storage unit (which looks like one of the old trailers) - place it wherever you want.
• Next comes the headquarters building - after it is placed, you build a door for entrance.
• Then come barracks and a marketplace.
• You are then prompted to place a guard, which is done by proper menu choice.
• Once your basic fort is placed, you will have 4 signs on fence posts that describe the boundaries to your fort - equip each one in turn, and start walking away from the center of your fort - once the sign turns green, you can place it in the ground.
• After all 4 boundary signs are placed, you are instructed to open the control system in which you can set a raiding party to come attack your fort - this is a demonstration of how battle will w@&k in the future.
• There are too many options for me to remember them all, but you can erect walls, stairs, add more guards - they automatically patrol the area, and lots of other fun stuff.

The bottom line is that you now have a central fort that you can place wherever you want, and can continuously build/improve the area.  Of course foes will attack, but if you have companions and guards, you can make quick w@&k of them.

What a great way to increase the fun in the game!  :-X

[PZ]

New Vegas Bounties I is another highly-recommended mod.  This one adds a shack which is manned by a guy that issues assassination contracts - you get paid for going out into the wasteland and doing your dirty deed in an almost Far Cry2-like way.  He issues the mission, and then you find the intended victim.  This is somewhat of a pleasant departure from the sometimes boring quests where your only task is to accumulate things that you find in the FNV world.  I've only done the first mission, but I can see that this is going to be loads of fun because the missions are designed more like shooter missions.

Spoiler

My first mission involved some rogue ranger that was a crazy sniper - as I made my way to his position, I equipped my binoculars (another mod that highly improves on the vanilla version) and saw him near a campfire on a bluff overlooking the valley.  As I continued to watch, some of the wasteland animals also noticed him, and a pack of dogs tore him to shreds - all I needed do was to find his body (easy) and remove his finger as proof to the bounty guy that he was dead.

[Ricamundo]

Ive played thru the New Vegas Bounties mod twice good fun, and its got a few surprises for ya, enjoy! ;) A new mod called RustTown looks good, but im leery of trying it as its place of embarcation is the Emergency railway station, i think its called, and it was modded in the AWOP (A World Of Pain) so there may be a conflict there. Wasteland defense looks interesting.

I just noticed that you already have tried the RustTown mod PZ. I take it there are no conflicts with AWOP? Also a number of others have mentioned a lot of lagging in the Rustown area, how is it for you?

[PZ]

RustTown works great, and it is well worth the experiment.  It is fun to take the train, and once you do, a new map marker for RustTown appears in the southwest corner of the map.  I have AWOP installed as well, and no conflicts so far.  I've been to RustTown a couple of times now, even with my companions, and everything appears to w@&k well.  I'm not experiencing any lag, at least nothing more than the vanilla game - it feels like a normal extension of the original game.

Just be sure to make a game save before you do the installation, so in case you have a problem, you can delete RustTown and revert to the save before the installation.

I think you'll enjoy Wasteland Defense - although I've just started, it has been fun to start my fort near Goodsprings.  In fact, you might consider wandering throughout the wasteland to see exactly where you might want to place the fort.  Depending on the location you choose, there could be lots of activity  :-X

[PZ]

A World of Pain had been updated on 1/15/2011

LAST UPDATED 15/01/11
Version 0.3 is complete!
Battle your way into The Underground in a new four part quest.
10 new locations added and three major locations altered & expanded.
UPDATE WARNING: Due to the changes made in this version of AWOP it will play best from a new game and *may* result in crashes (I don't get this but it has been reported) if you choose to carry on from a save quite far in. If you want to finish your current game it is best to leave downloading this version untill you are happy to start again.

[Ricamundo]

I installed the newest version of AWOP, and its even better. :-X I walked into Frankie's Ammo shop, and there's now a merchant who can buy and sell, and gives you a quest, so Goodsprings is better for a home base. I started a new game just to make sure there wouldnt be any issues, and i had some great fights in the Goodsprings sewer, as well as  massive underground tunnels and sewers in the Bonnie Springs area. Fun fun fun ! :-D

[Ricamundo]

Just a little update on the AWOP mod. This is easily my favouite mod so far, even better, imho than NV Bounties. The update for AWOP adds about 10 extra locations, which have been combined into one massive level called "The Underground". You have to complete a quest from Frankie, the Goodsprings gun merchant first. (not to be confused with Chet, the vanilla NV gun merchant) After completing Frankie's quest, he gives you a key that unlocks The Underground's entrance, which will have a map marker. Lots of fun. :-X

[PZ]

Just a little update on the AWOP mod. This is easily my favouite mod so far, even better, imho than NV Bounties. The update for AWOP adds about 10 extra locations, which have been combined into one massive level called "The Underground". You have to complete a quest from Frankie, the Goodsprings gun merchant first. (not to be confused with Chet, the vanilla NV gun merchant) After completing Frankie's quest, he gives you a key that unlocks The Underground's entrance, which will have a map marker. Lots of fun. :-X

Cool - are there things to do in the Underground?  New characters/quests?

[Ricamundo]

Hmmm, not really. its ultimately a shoot n loot, although this may change eventually. There's a lot of potential in this mod for quests and npc interaction, but the modder has stated clrearly he's a pure noob in scripting quests and dialogue, so he's waiting for some help, or learning it the old fashioned way.

There's a huge player home deep in The Underground, which strikes me as odd as its too far away from the wasteland and fast travel to be of much use. Ironically, its probably the only room in any of his locations that isnt loaded with enemies or loot. it's pristine, and not even some stimpacks or radaways, just furniture and a kitchen, and lots of empty closets, boxes and footlockers, oh, and a non functioning jukebox. ::)

Lots of interesting levels just getting there tho. 8)

[PZ]

That sounds good - my kind of game where there are bad guys to shoot  >:D

Even though the quests can be kind of fun, I like the gunning aspects more, even though the weapons are kind of cheesy when compared to a FPS.

[Ricamundo]

Speaking of weapons, i have to say the M versions that can be scavenged in AWOP are pretty good. :-X Im now @ level 29, and i concentrated my level ups on Guns, and lockpick, so they're both at the 100 max. this, combined with some of the perks, ive chosen have given me pretty good firepower. My current fave is the 10mm SMG M version, that has both its mods installed, reduced recoil, and a larger magazine, which adds to the already larger mag on the standard M 10mm. i have a 55 shot clip, and using the hollow point ammo that i can get in large quantities from the Weapon House mod, i can pretty much chew thru anybody or thing. >:D

The other M weapons i like, are the 9mm smg, 12.7 silenced pistol, and smg, and the Light Machine Gun, which reminds me of the one in FC2. One other item to look for when you're scavenging the AWOP levels, are the portable storage containers, (cant quite remember the name). These are must haves, as they add considerably to your carry weight. Now with 3 of those containers, plus the endurance implant, and the carry-weight increase perk, im up to something like 650 lbs. Ridiculous, i know but i love it.

[deadman1]

Speaking of weapons, i have to say the M versions that can be scavenged in AWOP are pretty good. :-X Im now @ level 29, and i concentrated my level ups on Guns, and lockpick, so they're both at the 100 max. this, combined with some of the perks, ive chosen have given me pretty good firepower. My current fave is the 10mm SMG M version, that has both its mods installed, reduced recoil, and a larger magazine, which adds to the already larger mag on the standard M 10mm. i have a 55 shot clip, and using the hollow point ammo that i can get in large quantities from the Weapon House mod, i can pretty much chew thru anybody or thing. >:D

The other M weapons i like, are the 9mm smg, 12.7 silenced pistol, and smg, and the Light Machine Gun, which reminds me of the one in FC2. One other item to look for when you're scavenging the AWOP levels, are the portable storage containers, (cant quite remember the name). These are must haves, as they add considerably to your carry weight. Now with 3 of those containers, plus the endurance implant, and the carry-weight increase perk, im up to something like 650 lbs. Ridiculous, i know but i love it.

Those portable containers, are those the ammoboxes you can buy at some of the merchants?

[Ricamundo]

Hiya Deadman, nope, they are found in random lockers, and gun/ammo cabinets in some of the AWOP levels. One may be on one of the baddies after you off him, but i cant remember for sure. I know one of them i found by accident, as i was wandering around some kind of multi story office type area, that was partially flooded, ie: water up to your waist or so, when i walked into a room that had a large hole in the floor, only i didnt notice it. I fell thru to a flooded room underneath, and picked a locked cabinet underwater that had one of those things inside. Thank goodness you dont drown while lock picking!

[Art Blade]

Thank goodness you dont drown while lock picking!

Too bad they didn't know that on the Titanic. Might have saved a few thieves  ;)

[deadman1]

Hiya Deadman, nope, they are found in random lockers, and gun/ammo cabinets in some of the AWOP levels. One may be on one of the baddies after you off him, but i cant remember for sure. I know one of them i found by accident, as i was wandering around some kind of multi story office type area, that was partially flooded, ie: water up to your waist or so, when i walked into a room that had a large hole in the floor, only i didnt notice it. I fell thru to a flooded room underneath, and picked a locked cabinet underwater that had one of those things inside. Thank goodness you dont drown while lock picking!

Hmm I may have the wrong version of AWOP (the old one), so that´s another thing to lookout for during the next playthrough.  :)