Hi I'm returning to FO3 after years of not being able to play it. Since it's been so long, I figure it's worth getting updated on what I'll need. (I've forgotten the mods I used) Btw, I do have the PC in case that matters for some of you.

I figured the nexus is the place to go, so I'll visit their in just a moment. But one thing the nexus rarely lets a person know is the tools I'll need. I do have the NMM, but what script extender do I need? Also, is there a load order sorter I should know of? Is the type 3 body replacer still the one to get?

Also, since I have to make a post anyway, is there some mods you folks want to recommend? Some popular mods you enjoy?

http://fose.silverlock.org/ is the only script extender you'll need. Just plonk it in and run it. http://code.google.com/p/better-oblivion-sorting-software/downloads/list is what you'll want for load order, run it and it'll automatically sort through your known mods and give you the ideal order.

I don't tend to run a lot of mods for F3 so I can't recommend you any or answer about the body replacer I'm afraid.

Before you start adding mods to the game, make sure your vanilla installation is running properly and is stable. You will need to download the latest Games for Windows Marketplace Client for it to work - you can get that at http://www.xbox.com/en-US/LIVE/PC/DownloadClient.

Another thing you may want to consider is using http://fallout3.nexusmods.com/mods/640 instead of NMM to manage your load order. Some of the FO3 FOMOD packages seem to work better using FOMM.

As far as script extenders go, http://fose.silverlock.org/ is still the king. For load order setting, you'll want to use https://code.google.com/p/better-oblivion-sorting-software/downloads/list.

As always, when installing mods, install them one or two at a time, play test your setup, and then add more mods if your setup is stable, play testing each time. Always read all documentation for mods that you want to install.