Convert and edit FO3 ESP to TTW Alpha version

[StarletHologram]

Hey there!. When  I started using TTW Demo version, I read somewhere that if you wanted to convert mods from FO3 to be used with TTW, you’ll have to change the master Fallout3.esm to FalloutNV.esm in FO3edit and later tick them on in FOMM. If those mods happened to use FOSE, you’d even have to open them in FNV GECK and recompile the scripts in order to increase the chance for them to work properly. I followed the instructions and most of the FO3 mods that I converted worked in TTW Demo version. I was able to open and even edit them in GECK, something I wasn’t able to do when I used to use RFCW.

There’s a useful utility called FNV Plugin Utility by ScripterRon, that allows you to merge plugins (ESP)

http://newvegas.nexusmods.com/mods/39655

Thing is that this program only works with ESPS created with FNV GECK. I was happy to found out that once you saved the converted ESP with FNV GECK (with converted I mean with the master ESM changed) they immediately were compatible to be used with FNV Plugin Utiliy. I even merged some of the FO3 converted mods, and they worked flawlessly.

The issue now is that with the Alpha version of TTW I cannot open/edit  converted FO3 plugins anymore with the GECK. I can tick them on in FOMM and they work great in the game, but I can’t edit them nor merge them. I’m aware that in the DEMO Version the FNV and FO3 get  merged together as soon as you run the patches, and that TTW Alpha version leaves  FNV resources alone, all the changes go to TaleOfTwoWastelands.esm

 So, do you have any ideas of how to be able to edit the converted FO3 plugins with FNV GECK now?.    I even tried to add FO3.esm and TaleOfTwoWastelands.esm to the converted F03 ESP in FO3edit, but it didn’t worked.

Thanks in advance for your help and attention!.

Greetings!.

 

 

[thermador]

With the Alpha version, you don't have to change the master file of the Fallout 3 plugins anymore, since Fallout3.esm is still present.

So you can usually just download the original Fallout 3 plugin from Nexus, install it to your New Vegas folder, and use it straight away, unless it requires FOSE or something.

If you made custom edits to those plugins (besides changing the master), well unfortunately there are a lot of differences between the Demo Version and the Alpha Version.  For the plugins that I use, I had to start over and make those custom edits again.

[StarletHologram]

Thanks for answering thermador. Not sure if its only my case, but if I try to use FO3 mods like that (with Fallout3.esm) both game and GECK crashes. If I convert them changing Fallout3.esm to FalloutNV.esm they work ok, but they cannot be edited or opened in the GECK. Isn't it weird?. Perhaps I did something wrong?.

Fortunately, I found there's a version of the plugin merger program for FO3 ESPS:

FO3 Plugin Utility by ScripterRon

 

http://fallout3.nexusmods.com/mods/5104/?tab=3&navtag=%2Fajax%2Fmodimages%2F%3Fuser%3D0%26id%3D5104

 

That really came in handy for reducing load order sake, so one issue less ;).

 

I'm using the GECK powerup 1.4 you suggested in the FAQ comments. Do you have any tips about what to do in GECK crashes situations?.

 

Thanks again for your help thermador!.

 

[thermador]

Heh, my GECK crashes all the time.  Nature of the beast.  Save frequently, and back up your work often.

Did not think about this, but obviously, you should be editing Fallout 3 mods in the Fallout 3 version of the GECK.  Note that there is a main file and an update file. 

There is also a GECK PowerUp for the Fallout 3 version of the GECK.

[StarletHologram]

Thanks thermador!. Haven't thought about that option, I'll check it out. 

[thermador]

Yeah the workflow for converting FO3 mods should probably be something like:

1. 
   Download the FO3 mod and install it to the Fallout 3 directory


2. 
   Edit as needed in the FO3 GECK and FO3 edit, etc.


3. 
   Copy the ESP/ESM files for the mod from the FO3 Data folder to the FNV Data folder


4. 
   Copy any other files that came with the mod (meshes, textures) to the FNV Data folder


5. 
   Test and see how it works.

 

[StarletHologram]

I did as you described and it worked!!!. Besides, I was even able to merge them with FO3 Plugin Utility and they worked like a charm XD!. Thank you! ;) Now I can customize those mods to my liking and even keep my load order short.

The only limitation to this is that I can't put FNV content in that mods in FO3 GECK. I'm trying a weird experiment and will tell you later how it worked ;)

[thermador]

OK, glad that worked.  I have added a lot of this stuff to the FAQ page.

[StarletHologram]

I finished the experiment. It worked!!!. Perhaps it's not the way it's supposed to be, but having not other option here it is:

I installed the TTW Demo version; installed all the resources of the FO3 mods I wanted to use in FNV except the ESPs; I changed the master Fallout3.esm to FalloutNV.esm in those esps with FO3edit, merged them all together with FO3 Plugin Utility... I cut and paste the merged ESP to FNV data folder and opened it with FNV GECK to edit it. When I finished I switched to Alpha version and cut and paste the converted/merged/edited FO3 ESP and voalaaa!!. It worked!!!!.

The reasons I had to do this are the following:

If I put the ESPS with the Fallout3.esm master directly, both my game and GECK crash. Definitely I had to change the master to FalloutNV.esm for them to work.

If I want to edit certain FO3 with assets from FNV, that option is not available if I edit them with the FO3 GECK.

Just wanna let you know, thanks for your help XD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TJ]

In my experience the difference is in the plugin version. FO3 (and Skyrim for that matter) uses 0.94 plugin version. FNV uses 1.32 and 1.34. TESSnip can be used to edit the header of a FO3 plugin. If you change the version number to either one of those numbers you can edit the file in NV Geck. I used this method to put a reloading bench into the basement of the Megaton House Redesigned (or Revisited, not sure which atm). This worked flawlessly on the demo version. I haven't tested on the alpha version yet because I haven't played FO in a good while.