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Fallout 3 modding FAQ

From Vault-Tec Labs

Contents

[edit] Can I mod Fallout 3 on the Xbox 360?

Modding Fallout 3 on the Xbox 360 is very much possible but limited in its capabilities.

You cannot however use the console, the G.E.C.K. or use PC mods on the Xbox 360.

To mod Fallout 3 you need to extract your save from the 360 and modify it. Although modding is limited it does have enough uses to keep playability ongoing.

Here are some of the things that can be achieved:

Swapping items for other items (This includes equipment, cut content, NPCs and even static objects such as staircases, beds etc. Basically anything that has a base id.)

  • Changing the condition of equipment above even 100% (This can have the effect of overpowering the item, being able to make a 2 DR armor give you 85 DR and having a low DAM weapon kill anything in one hit should you choose to boost condition by that much.)
  • Changing your characters race (Including those not normally able to be chosen such as Ghouls and races from DLC if you have them such as Tribals.)
  • Changing the scale of objects to nearly any size. (This is a very complicated process so this would probably be better left for people more experienced in modding the game.)
  • Plus many other things.

To be able to do this you will need an assortment of programs and a device to connect your 360 HDD to your PC. The websites mentioned at the bottom of this section have resources on everything needed.

It should also be noted that modding Fallout 3 will not get you banned as it is a single player game and modding it does not affect anybody's experience across Xbox LIVE but carelessness can cause irreversible damage to your game saves so always be sure to back them up.

The following websites have all the resources, guides and support to successfully mod Fallout 3 on the Xbox 360:

[edit] Can I mod Fallout 3 on the Playstation 3?

It is actually impossible to mod Fallout 3 on the PS3 as of right now.

There have been videos found about modding games such as Call of Duty 4/5 and Unreal Tournament 3 on the Playstation 3. So it may be possible to also mod Fallout 3 on the Playstation 3 too, though information and resources on this are very limited.


[edit] Will an editor be available?

The official editor for Fallout 3, called the G.E.C.K. (Garden of Eden Creation Kit), has been released. It is available here: http://fallout.bethsoft.com/eng/downloads/geck.html

[edit] What is the editor like?

The editor is similar to the ones for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, which used an earlier version of the same engine.

[edit] What file formats are used by Fallout 3?

All asset files are stored within "BSA" archives in Fallout's "/data" folder. All other game data is stored in "fallout3.esm" which can be edited with the Fallout 3 Construction Set.

Graphics

  • 3D Models: NetImmerse/Gamebryo "NIF" files (version 20.2.0.7)
  • Textures: DirectDraw Surface "DDS" files (DXT1, DXT3, and DXT5 format)

Animation

  • Skeletal Animation: NetImmerse/Gamebryo "KF" files (version 20.2.0.7)
  • Lip Sync: Bethesda(?) "LIP" files (created with the Fallout 3 Construction Set)

Audio

  • Speech: Ogg Vorbis "OGG" files (Mono, 44.1 kHz)
  • In-world 3D Effects: Waveform Audio Format "WAV" files (Mono, 22 kHz, 16 bit, PCM format)
  • Ambient Effects: Waveform Audio Format "WAV" files (Stereo, 22 kHz, 16 bit, PCM format)
  • Music and PipBoy radio: MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 "MP3" files (Stereo/Mono, 44.1 kHz, 192 kbps)
  • In-world 3D radio: Waveform Audio Format "WAV" files (Mono, 22 kHz, 16 bit, PCM format)

[edit] How do I extract data from the BSA files?

How to unpack BSA file format

[edit] Where can I obtain mods?

[edit] Where can I get modding help?

[edit] Modding Guides, Q and As

[edit] What about Performance Tweaks?

Oblivion and Fallout 3 share the same engine, so tweaking the fallout.ini and falloutprefs.ini files are very similar to Oblivion.ini

Examples of things to Change:

  • Open up Fallout.ini(in "My Documents/My Games/Fallout 3") and search the document for "thread". Any setting that has "=0" after it and the word "thread" in the name, change it to "=1". This should make better use of Dual and Quad-core systems. Also, increase iNumHavokThreads to 5 or so. Making these changes can disrupt the communication between the CPU and graphics card, causing the game and computer to lock, Particularly when exiting straight from the game. A work around, is to exit to the main menu, then exit the game.
  • NOTE -- It has been reported that the above tweaks may actually decrease performance (as noted in the this thread on the same subject in Oblivion).
  • TIP: If you experience your system to hang upon exiting the game try settting "bMultiThreadAudio=" to "0".


Also Change: 

ifpsclamp=0   -> ifpsclamp=60

This should help with mouse lag and stuttering.

Please note, this should be only used as a last resort. It is preferable to simply lower the texture sizes to increase performance. What this option does is lock the frame rate to 60 frames per second. In this game there are brief sequences where the frame rate jumps to much higher than 60 frames per second. In practical terms, setting this option to 60 will slow down the time it takes to raise the pipboy 3000, it makes the reload time agonizingly slow and disrupts the VATS system.

Supposition, it is likely when making this game the programmers animated these sequences with many frames. However each event, such as reloading, has a set time for it to occur in irrespective of lagging and frame rate. The tweak that has a lock on frames overrides this set time.

Remember to back up any .ini files before you start "tweaking", and to experiment with each change to see what works best with your system.


12/09/09 - Lyddie Steel

Win XP, AMD (Something or other, Dual Core 2.4ghtz) 2gb RAM, Ge 6150le (128mb)

Fallout_Default.ini Changed

iPreloadSizeLimit=54428800
; was 26214400

iNumHavokThreads=3
;changed from 1

Compatibility Settings Changed to "Win 2000"


I was able to play ~30 mins with no CTD. On Low settings and below min specs! Load times have been increased by about 225% But Stability and almost no stuttering make it worth the wait!

[edit] What kind of file formats are in Fallout 3 for Xbox 360?

For all games on the Xbox 360, there are two main types: LIVE and CON. LIVE are typically used for anything downloaded off of the marketplace (DLC, Premium Themes, movies, etc). CON File means CONtainer Files. Those are typically used for saves, profiles, etc. LIVE Files, at the moment, can not be resigned to make them work on the hard drive after being edited (or added after not already existing on the hard drive) that is why GECK plugins can not work on the Xbox 360, because you would have to convert them to a LIVE File and then be able to resign them to make them work on the HDD (Hard Drive Disc). Because of Fallout 3 saves being CON files and there being a CON Resigner, you can edit these and have them working on the HDD again.

[edit] References

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