The Fallout series is universally acknowledged as one of the best western RPG series of all time, having launched as a CRPG with thrilling storylines and plots until Bethesda took over and converted it into a first-person exploration-shooter hybrid with the same soul as their Elder Scrolls titles.
The launch of Fallout 4 was highly publicized, with lovers of the franchise ecstatic at the prospect of returning to the great universe of The Commonwealth. This was particularly interesting for PC gamers, who would have been able to play a completely brand new Bethesda game with a wide spectrum of mods to enrich the gaming experience.
If you have given modding a shot in Fallout 4, you understand how challenging it can be. Files are jumbling up and getting mixed all the time, and mods are being overwritten by other mods. It makes your game lag, the performance looks clunky, it becomes prone to crashes and provides a poor overall experience. So how do we go around mods and get them right?
What is a mod load order in Fallout 4?
By and large, a load order outlines the sequence in which Fallout 4’s contents will be stored. Pretty much every single mod you download will include a .esp file that has to be loaded when Fallout 4 boots up. It is crucial to assess the sequence in which your mods get installed.
Bethesda games install files in sequential order, with the file at the bottom of the list taking precedence. If two mods overwrite the same content, it could be an issue. You can place a mod’s file lower in your load order if you want it to overwrite another. Although a good load order isn’t the ultimate and end-all answer to mod conflicts, a faulty load order ignites issues regarding stability and can cause your Fallout 4 to lag or perform poorly.
Things to do before changing mod load order in Fallout 4
Make sure that you have deleted all the pre-existing mods on your device. You should start with a fresh Fallout 4 installation. Go over to Documents, select ‘My Games’ and delete the folder name ‘Fallout 4’. Also, make sure that the game is not installed in any one of the two folders labelled ‘ProgramFiles’. Open up the Fallout 4 folder and click on the Data file. Here, you should delete all cc files. When all this is done, you should right-click on Fallout 4, hit ‘Properties’ and disable updates from the ‘Automatic updates’ drop-down menu if you are a Steam user.
What are mod managers?
A mod manager is required for every gamer who wishes to mod Fallout 4. This application will download, install, and manage your mods without causing problems with your Fallout 4 installation. There are two mod managers available, Nexus Mod Manager and Mod Organiser 2. You must pick only one mod manager out of the two, and it completely depends on you and what you want out of them.
However, for Fallout 4, many pros of the industry consider Nexus Mod Manager a must. It is user friendly, simple and easy to use. Mod Organiser 2, on the other hand, is considered the top standard by many. It offers support for mod profiles and sorting load orders as well as for adjusting. There are many tutorials available on the internet, especially on youtube and the discord server for load orders that give detailed guides on how to use it for different purposes.
What can a good load order do for Fallout 4?
A good load order not only avoids issues with how a game runs but can also buff up the performance if done well. A well-sequenced load order for Fallout 4 can bring in some valuable enhancement in how the game works.
1. Texture Optimization
There are 15.ba2 files related to textures in your Fallout 4/Data folder that total up to 17.5 GB. When you start installing mods for better textures, especially those heavy in size or performance textures, their sizes get added upon the already 17.5 GB of textures. It can downgrade the gaming experience with unstable and poor performance. With a well-designed load order, the game will look amazing with exquisite lore-friendly graphics. They can double the aesthetic aspect of Fallout 4. The game isn’t brand new, but appropriate mods and a fitting load order for them can make them look so.
2. UI/HUD and Camera
Mods and a well-suited load order take the camera and UI/HUD up a notch, and pretty much the gameplay overall. The camera and HUD are both designed to be immersive and simple to use. The presets provided on the website of Nexus Mods can help you optimize their performance to an excellent degree. The whole experience can be enhanced with simple fixes, from the worlds to combat and power armours. It can really be the ‘it’ for players who got bored of the original Fallout
3. Armours, gadgets, weapons
Load orders have great additions in the Fallout 4 weapons and armours. There are mods available that can significantly improve the graphics and visuals of NPCs, add to visible weapons, vault suits, mercenary packs as well as flashlights. The right load order can, on top of these fun additions, improve the body movements of the characters and the looks of the arsenal to closely resemble the real world.
4. Factions
Mods like ‘We are the minutemen’ and ‘Raider Overhaul’ have polished the appearance of factions. With a proper lineup design for load orders, the mods can add many intelligent upgrades to the settlements. With a load order that aids in the smooth performance, you can explore a lot around Fallout 4 and have the best of everything. You can check more Fallout 4 mods in this list.
Conclusion
Bethesda games are notorious for a host of factors, from their stunning visuals to the seemingly endless number of bugs that each game has. Despite this, the one thing that keeps games like Fallout 4 fresh for years after their launch is mods. Laying these mods in the right order is essential for a smooth run and to use them to their full extent. Well-suited load orders are the perfect tools for correcting many flaws that exist with installing too many mods and any game can benefit from them.
