how to install mod organizer 2

Fallout 4

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Fallout 4 MO2 Guide

A (mostly) comprehensive guide on using Mod Organizer 2 with Fallout 4. (applies to other entries as well) Unfinished

Introduction

At first glance, Mod Organizer 2 may seem a little overwhelming. Or maybe not. Maybe it asks the question, "Why use MO2 over NMM, Vortex, or other installers?"

Well, hopefully I can answer at least that question in this guide.

To do list

- Add pictures
- Go more in depth and not be lazy about it

Acquiring and Installing

Acquiring

MO2 can be found on Nexus, although I'm not sure if it's updated along side the Git releases.

You can find the tool simply googling "mod organizer 2", searching on Nexus, or by simply clicking this link to go directly to their repo.

https://github.com/Modorganizer2/modorganizer/releases

There is both a stand-alone and an executable. I personally haven't used the stand-alone, and although I'm sure it's exactly the same, I don't know if it is so this guide will be going over the executable.

Installing

Upon downloading, simply double click, right click - open, whatever your preferred method for installing applications is. The install is fairly straight forward. One thing I would keep in mind though, is install location. Because of the way MO "installs" mods, I'd advise installing it on the same drive as your Fallout 4. MO uses virtual drives for installs, and I can't say for certain, but I'm sure these virtual drives are on the same drive as your physical drive. Again, I could be wrong, so feel free to correct me on that. Just a heads up, that you *could* face longer load times for transferring from Virtual Drive, to Physical Drive, to Game Drive.

Running off my terrible memory here, but there will be a directory question at some point in the install asking to use *insert default MO directory* or virtual. I use the default.

First time setup

Once launched, you'll get the game directory box. If it didn't automatically detect your games, manually search for your executables (root folder) locations.

Now, you got your game loaded up and ready to roll. But wait, there's more. Not really, just a quick breakdown of a few of MO's features before I push in to this section more.

Profiles
The heart and soul of MO and what sets it apart from the rest, in my opinion. As stated previously, MO uses virtual drives to store your installs. You can have one, you can have fifty. However many different scenarios you think you'll need. To create a new profile, up at the top left click the drop box next to "Profile" and click "Manage". Here, you can add or remove profiles. Each profile is it's own virtual drive. While all mods are installed physically in the "/ModOrganizer/Game/mods" each profile stores activated mods in its virtual drive. To see this, you can click the drop down box at the top right to the left of "Run" and select "Explore Virtual Folder", or alternatively, click the "Data" tab just below it.

Profile independent INI configuration
Each profile has its own INI config. Unlike the profile "installs", this is stored physically at "ModOrganizer/Game/profiles/". This allows for profile-dependent INI editing, should you need to do it. And while you're there (if you opened it and have NOT done it yet) open up your Fallout 4 INI and add these lines under [Archive]

bInvalidateOlderFiles=1
sResourceDataDirsFinal=

This will allow you to run loose files, which a lot of mods are dependent on, even though more and more are coming packaged. However, correct me if I'm wrong, you will need it to have the game read archives as well.

Linking MO with Nexus
At the top left, there's a row of icons. The one with a screwdriver and wrench, click it. Alternatively, click Tools>Settings or hit Ctrl + S. The settings menu will pop up, hit the Nexus tab at the top and then "Connect to Nexus". If you're already signed in to Nexus, it will simply pop a confirmation tab in your browser, if not you will have to log in and then approve the link. The only other thing I would mess with in Settings is under General, and I would set the Style to dark, cuz MO gets really bright after staring at it for a while.

Categorizing Mods
If by default MO did not categorize your mod menu, you can choose to do so just at the bottom of the mod menu layout. You can choose "No Groups", "Categories" or "Nexus Ids" filtering.

Associating external executables with MO

External executables. LOOT. XEdit. Bodyslide and Outfit Studio. FNIS (for Skyrim). WyreBash. Some are added easily. Others, have to be done a different way.

For LOOT, XEdit, WyreBash
You can simply click the drop down box to the left of "Run" and click "Edit". Here, you click the + then "Add from file". Simply point it to the executable and boom, you're done. It's linked.

Outfit Studio, FNIS
You have to actually install the mod first through MO. So if you've downloaded it through MO, you can go to the "Downloads" tab at the top right, then double click it to start the install. If you direct downloaded it, or have it in another folder some where, you can click "File" at the top left, then "Install Mod" and find the archive of the mod. Once installed, in the mod menu layout, select the file you just installed. (let's say CBBE) Now, to the right, click your "Data" tab and navigate to Bodyslide. "tools/bodyslide/Bodyslide x64.exe" right click it and select "Add as executable".

All linked and ready to ... something that rhymes with "linked"
After linking all your executables, they are conveniently located in the drop down box next to "Run" and your virtual tools will modify files specifically for that profile. External editors will still make cross-profile changes (such as Merged patches) so keep in mind that you will have to rebuild those patches when profile switching with a different load order.

One last thing here, if it didn't automatically add it, or you hadn't installed it yet, you can add F4SE the same way that you did LOOT and the other external tools.

OH. And don't be a derp and select Fallout 4 and click Run. I've done it so many times. Be smarter than me. I thought mods were broken/not working, but I just was launching default Fallout 4, not SE.

Conclusion

This guide is nowhere near done. There's so much to MO. But, it's late. I'm tired of typing. The more important points had been made. I will continue to add to this guide and answer any questions that pop up. I'm only posting it right now because I'm sure someone out there has a question about MO that what I've put in it will probably answer. That was a very weird sentence structure. I give up.