There's no mod I can recommend higher than FO3Phalanx. I swear by it. You won't be disappointed.

Sounds good, in theory, but if you're playing "dead is dead" getting to the GNR at low levels is no easy prospect...

EDIT: The way I roleplay it is as follows: I'm told I have to get to GNR, but I'm also told that it's in the DC ruins, which are crawling with Supermutants and other baddies. I'm told to steer clear, lest it cost me my life. Alone, and with limited skills and resources, I figure I'm as good as dead if I set off in that direction. Instead, I vow to get there, but that I need to try and get a party together, as well as supplies for that party, if I'm going to make it. I search all of Megaton for party members, but only Jericho is willing and he needs $ from me for supplies instead of the other way around, so not much help there. I ask the caravans if they'll take me to GNR, but they won't go into the DC ruins (they say their commitment is to the settlements). They will, however, let me accompany them to the other settlements where I hope to drum up followers and supplies...

FO3 Phalanx looks awesome. Does it conflict with FWE/MMM/WMK?

After Follower's Enhanced was made into a separate .esp, yes it's fully compatible, as long as you give follower's vanilla weapons (weapons not added by any mod, such as a Wattz 1000 Laser Pistol, but they can use edited vanilla weapons as long as they still use the ammo they had in vanilla.) They used Weapon Distance based scripting that relies on Ammo used by the weapon to determine when a follower switches between short, medium, and long ranges. I believe Tarrant has added support for Broken Steel and The Pitt Weapons in seperate .esp files.

Right now Tarrant is working on revising the script so mods like FWE can make simple patches to a FormList style system to add ammo to the weapon distance system.

Sounds great, thanks!

The problem I had with Phalanx is that companions start off with thousand(s) of ammo. Considering how difficult it is to find ammo in FWE, this really doesn't seem to fit.

And thanks for the tips, everyone. I'll try hitching a ride with one of the caravans, seeing as I'm in Canterbury, and refuse to fast travel to Vault 101.

Also, could someone to tried the alternate travel plug-in tell me if it's actually usable and fun, or if it's just tedious. As for the motorcycle, it seems like it might clash with the atmosphere... I recall reading something about going to the manufacturer to install upgrades. =/

Sorry for being a little off topic but... Is it critical to install Phalanx before recruiting companions? If so, when using Master Update, is it possible to select which esp's get updated... like, for example, only the Phalanx plugins (whose readme says to use master update or suffer problems in some areas).

Not sure if I want all my esp's to be esmified. I stopped playing FO3 when this stuff became an issue and have just gotten back into it. :confused: (have yet to read the FO3Edit manual)

I didn't realize followers start off with so much ammo. That IS a big problem in terms of FWE "compatibility" imo. The alternate travel plug-in is great and should've been part of the vanilla game imo. The motorcycle I haven't got working tbh. I think it's great though and very plausible how it's done.

I was looking a bit more at the Phalanx mod. There are certain things I LOVE about it (companion commands, etc.), but some things seem incompatible (in terms of gameplay/design, not in terms of technology/coding/whatnot) with FWE. Like, the stimpacks. I shouldn't be able to heal my companion's crippled limb with a stimpack because, with FWE, it requires a medical brace, right? Stuff like that.

I would like to try it though. Is it better to load it before or after FWE??? Also, should I not load "follower's enhanced" now (confused about your previous post)?

Thx

EDIT: Also, what about compatibility in terms of the command headset from FWE/Kai (iirc) vs. the group commands in Phalanx--problems?

Thx

Don't load Followers Enhanced AND Phalanx. ONLY ONE.

The Stimpacks thing I can allow because the HoT/Triage thing would be nightmarish to manage with followers. It's enough managing it yourself.

As for the Ammo: You can always not take their ammo and use it yourself, the way I see it, you spend 1,000 caps to get Clover or Jericho, and 2,000 to get Charon if your not a Bartering Pro, I think it'd be downright irritating to spend every last cap hiring them and then have to buy weapons and ammo for them, especially if your used to them having unlimited ammo from vanilla.

I'd unhire all followers before activating Phalanx. Tarrant's preference is starting a brand new game with Phalanx installed the day your character is born. But not everyone will do that, but that's what he'd recommend, I think. Like I said, not necessary, but it's what I do.

LOAD PHALANX LAST.

To the best of my knowledge, you can't use Phalanx with FWE followers enhanced. They alter much of the same stuff. I think you eventually get headsets in phalanx, anyway, something to do with the military base. As for the load order, loading after MMM worked when I tried it out.

FWE/WMK/MMM War story time !

Party: My background character, along with Dogmeat, RL-3 and Jericho (Jericho is in Enclave Power Armor because some Enclave spawned near Megaton..go figure).

"We were hell bent on penetrating the Outcast base, my scavengers instincts combining with my amnesia preventing me from realizing the full depth of my goals stupidity.

Backing up a full Outcast squad, led by Defender Morrill, we slowly began our insertion into the area. Resistance was mid-range...a few SM infantry, a brute, and a berserker....then, IT happened...

Entering the first ruined door of a dilapidated building, an echoing inhuman roar rang out, followed by stomping which shook the building itself...a Behemoth! Turning to my companions, I quipped "You maggots wanna live forever?" as the bloodlust slowly settled over my mind."

----------

During the course of our assault on the SM positions, we encountered over 30 Super Mutants ranging from Infantry to Behemoths, along with a couple of floaters...and no less than THREE behemoths.

Fortunately, I had spent a lot of time with the caravans, as well as having assaulted several key locations such as Evergreen Mills (a disaster..ask me about it sometime) and Minefield, and had racked up over 150 kills on Raiders, let alone various types of wasteland fauna, so I was armed for bear.

Loadout: Missile Launcher (20 rounds), scoped .32 rifle (50 rounds), 23 frag grenades, 6 plasma mines, 10mm submachine gun (340 rounds), sniper rifle (47 rounds), spiked knuckles, Metal Armor, Pre-war hat, Lucky Shades.

Stats: all into INT, followed by boosting CHA back up to 2 (so far..going for 5).

---

So you can see, we werent the most powerful party...I think Jericho was packing a .223 pistol and 150 rounds or so of 556mm.

The ensuing battle took almost an hour of real time, and I nearly died at least 6 times. Thank god for stimpacks, braces, surgical supplies and lots of walls and desks for cover!

Guys..I wish I had FRAPS working, you would have ADORED the video footage.


FWE+WMK+MMM is the BEST damn mod combo I've ever seen!

Cut FOOK2 in there as well and you can have your cake...

Not until a lot more of the FOOK weapons can be modified with WMK

That...and they give me a soviet flak cannon to play with, and a Dragonuv and Barrets that do at least as much damage as the regular sniper rifle...preferably a lot more.

As far as I know, there is a 25mm Soviet Flak Cannon in FOOK2. It's in the added weapons table, at least. I think I saw a BOS patrol leader using one (it was like a frigging A-10 cannon). And most of the weapons can be modified (and every version of FOOK will add more weapons customized by WMK). While the patch for FWE and FOOK2 is not officially supported or sponsored, it is highly recommended by the authors of both mods. WMK compatibility for both mods is also on the FOIP page.

Great, thanks! Good call on the ammo thing, I agree! I forgot that I gave Jericho 1000 for supplies--he better have 1000 worth

Alright My RPing Story:

I'm a Doctor. Dad used to work in Rivet City, before he left years ago. Preston Taught me how heal and Rivet City Security taught me how to kill, and hours of watching Paulie the Junkie taught me to steal. I left Rivet City for Megaton, hearing rumors from the trade caravans that someone looking like my father headed there. Following dead end leads into various Raider hellholes, stumbling into Fort Independence, and making fast friends with the Outcasts.

I traded tech I came across searching for my long lost father, until I hit a lead that wound me up knee deep in a hellish fight between muties and brotherhood, saluaging Powered Armor and high tech weapons to trade with the outcasts, in return the outcasts trained me in Power Armor and gave me a suit of it with a Black and Blood paint job, I decided against wearing it so not to attract gunfire from BoS, and fitted some Enclave PA instead, they both may shoot me just the same, but the Enclave tech will protect me more.

Finally found dad in a underground chamber, he'd been trapped there for years. He thanked me, and told me to meet him back in Rivet City. I said I'd see him there. I'll take my time though.

Is there any way to tweak the Phalanx mod settings? Specifically, the amount of ammo Malcom and Jericho have. Leaving Megaton at level 1 with two followers with 1000s of rounds of ammo + a robotic dog doesn't make the wasteland feel very harsh. Also, the medic in Megaton now has a bazillion stimpacks?! I LOVE the follower commands and Malcolm (not a fan of the robot dog)--I always felt that there should be a good follower in Megaton (Jericho = evil in vanilla) and Malcolm fits the bill nicely. But Jericho starts with 1000 10mm, 1000 5.56, and 600 .32--holy crap batman! There's no way I could buy 2600 rounds for $1000.

When I play FWE/MMM/WMK I tremble in fear at the prospect of Springvale School, Superdupermart. With Phalanx I want to hit those locations first thing. Definitely changes the challenge level for the worse imo.

Phalanx would be an AWESOME mod if simply transitioning from the vanilla game (followers have unlimited ammo, isn't that challenging to begin with). But, when wanting a FWE/MMM experience, imo this is a downgrade

A mod I've been (ashamedly, I admit) using heavily (although not on this runthrough!) is the Underground Hideout mod.

It places a shelter 'tube' near some junked cars on the edge of land easterly of the ruined section of Rivet City.
Unfortunately, it comes complete with an active, pre-found fast travel icon (I'll get to this below in case the author reads this).

When you go inside, you find two holotapes and a note pinned to the door frame of a bunker.

Follow the quest line (it updates slow, so after each 'section' give it 5 to 10 seconds to update your quest marker) and the bunker is YOURS!

It is fully navmeshed and supports your companions entering and wandering around, has idle markers, and even has bedrooms you can toss them in and leave them for a bit.

The base has everything from a Jacuzzi that will drop your rads, to all the 'base' player home objects (work bench/infirmary/lab/etc).

and an online shopping system tied to Rivet City. This is why I feel a little ashamed when I use this...the prices on the terminal are WAY too cheap! (100 rounds of 556 for 100 caps, no charisma or barter modification). Everything you order is dropped off by a Rivet city delivery guy into a box outside the shelter 'tube' above the bunker.

The computer has all the vanilla weapons, vanilla T-45 power armor, combat armor, recon armor, etc.

There is an entire 'secret' area to the base (wander around poking things to find the switch) that has some very nice stuff in it.

There are various 'sorter' machines, and the computer can also initiate stripping you and sorting gear into containers.

There is also a 'sort of secret' wall panel in your main bedroom that slides open to reveal some decently strong (by vanilla standards) custom weapons. Unfortunately these are NOT affected by FWE/WMK, and so their damage is pathetic compared to even an FWE/WMK 10mm pistol....but its cool to have them.

The Katanas on the wall on the other hand, are pretty potent, and I found myself using one until I crafted a Mark 2 fire sword from vanilla, which I eventually dumped too when I found FISTO!


This mod SCREAMS loudly for some updating and judicious editing, including making it FWE/FOOK/WMK/MMM 'aware', so the weapons are updated, and an updated 'shopping list' that makes more weapons available, but would, I would prefer, base WHAT is available WHEN, on your LEVEL.

Anyway, food for thought. If you are a decent way into the game and have explored around Rivet City, this mod would be a good player base.

Oh...it also has a teleporter pad, and a teleportation item that lets you set custom locations to bampf back and forth between. I never used it much, but given the 'Science!' background of the people who built the bunker, the teleporter is...if perhaps farfetched...at least not beyond the realm of believability.

Thanks for the cool stories Elanthil and T3T :tops:

Has anyone else noticed that the vast majority of combat crashes in Fallout 3 are against RAIDERS and SUPERMUTANTS?

This is true in vanilla, as well as modded games.

I'm starting to wonder if their meshes have anomalies.

The other major crashes I bet are due to errors in terrain generation or LOD's.

Hmm. You know...my card is a 9600 GT OC...which means its SLIGHTLY overclocked from the factory. I wonder if there is a way to UNoverclock it for stability?

My only issue with FWE is that it makes playing a dedicated melee character impossible without cheating or playing on lower difficulty. Very gun-centric mod.

Well FWE is completely balanced around 'normal' difficulty for one thing. But yes, in general you will get shot to pieces before you can close to melee distance if you don't stealth.
There are a few ways around this. First you should max out your unarmed weapon skill. We implemented a hidden dodge script. It's checked everytime you would get hit and if you make your dodge roll, you receive no damage. The higher your unarmed skill and the less armor you wear, the more likely you are to dodge.
Bullet time and sprint should also help close distance without getting hit.

And you can also try out my FWE tweaks mod, which lowers global damage and increases survivability rate. In the next FWE version(which is not far off anymore) Mez has also implemented a menu that let's you change the global damage modifier.

If you have any suggestions however, we're all ears. Balancing melee is definitly difficult since FWE is very firearms centric.
I would also suggest taking a look at UPP, which offers several great melee-centric perks.

You may want to take a look at "Savage Wasteland", which edits spawn points to create more melee enemies - always helpful to a melee character if they're not getting shot at

I haven't taken a look at that mod, it's possible it could conflict with FWE and MMM in more ways, I'll have to check. I think using our Worn Weapons plugin would be the simpler solution.