What is Mod Organizer 2?

Mod Organizer 2 (MO2) is an open source game mod manager, mainly used for Bethesda games. Its main features are:

• Virtual Filesystem (USVFS): MO2 does not install mods directly into the game's folder, but rather creates a virtual filesystem that the game reads from. This allows for:
  • Safe mod installation and uninstallation,
  • Being able to modify mod install order at any point,
  • Having multiple profiles with different mod setups,
  • Keeping original game files clean.
  The downsides to USVFS are:
  • Mods installed through MO2 are "visible" only to programs launched using MO2,
  • Some programs may not work properly with MO2's virtual filesystem,
  • USVFS can cause performance overhead if you have tons of loose (not-BSA/BA2) files,
  • USVFS works by "hooking" into the game (similarly to mods such as NVSE plugins, ReShade, etc.). This method can be considered as unsafe by some antivirus software due to its memory-invasive nature.
• Profile System: MO2 allows you to create multiple profiles with different mod setups, saves, and settings.
• Two pane interface: MO2 is split into two sides, the left side is the modlist and the right side is the plugin list. This allows for easy conflict resolution and mod management.
• Portability: Thanks to the use of USVFS, MO2 has a "portable" mode that allows you to move the entire MO2 folder to another location with minimal setup.
• Modding Community Integration: MO2 has built-in support for Nexus Mods, allowing you to download mods directly from the Nexus.
  It also has a plugin system that allows for creation of custom plugins to extend its functionality.

  Mod Organizer 2 has NO support for Nexus' Collections feature, so you will have to download mods one by one.
  This is not a big issue, as the guide will provide direct links to the mods you need, and most collections are low quality and not curated.

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  The closest alternative to Collections is Wabbajack, which is a community-made modlist installer that can install entire modlists with a single click. Due to its higher bar of entry for modlist creators, Wabbajack lists tend to be of higher quality compared to Collections.
  
  You can find all instructions on how to install the official Viva New Vegas Wabbajack list on Linux here.

Why Mod Organizer 2?

Mod Organizer 2 has been chosen for our guides due to its ease of use and its ability to keep the game's folder clean. This is important because it allows for easy conflict resolution and mod management, and makes correcting mistakes trivial - installed mods in the wrong order? Just drag them into the correct position!

Compared to Vortex, MO2 doesn't hide the most important parts of modding from the user, making it easier to understand what is happening and why, albeit at the cost of potentially looking scary at first.

That said, we are well aware that MO2 is not perfect, and it has its own set of issues and limitations, but it is the best tool for the job.

Change Compatibility Settings

In order to load Mod Organizer 2, You must change your game's 'compatibility tool'. Compatibility tools, such as Valve's Proton, are software designed to allow Linux users to play Windows games. Steam Tinker Launch, which you installed earlier in the guide, is a compatibility tool that allows you to load Mod Organizer 2 before launching Fallout: New Vegas.

To change your compatibility settings, you must do the following.

1. Click here to be taken to Fallout: New Vegas' page in your Steam library
2. Click on the icon, which can be found third from the right in the Game Details pane.
3. Click Properties from the drop down.
4. Click Compatibility
5. Click the checkbox marked Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool
6. Click the dropdown and select Steam Tinker Launch

Installing Mod Organizer 2

1. Click here to launch Fallout: New Vegas. A Steam Tinker Launch window should pop up. Click Main Menu.
2. Click Mod Organizer 2. This will install Mod Organizer 2 on your Fallout: New Vegas prefix.
3. Click through the installation, using defaults. When you get to a blank screen, do not close the window.

Configuring Mod Organizer 2

1. On the instance creation page, select Create a portable instance, click Next.
2. Select New Vegas, click Next.
3. Select Steam, click Next.
4. When asked about profile settings, enable all options and click Next.
5. Keep the default location file path.
6. Click Connect to Nexus.

7. On the last page, select Finish.
8. If you see a pop-up called Show tutorial?, select No.
9. If you see a pop-up called Register?, select Yes.
10. If you see a pop-up called INI file is read-only, select Remember my choice from the drop-down at the bottom then click Clear the read-only flag.

Configuring MO2 Settings

1. Click the X in the bottom right of MO2 to close the log window.
2. Click the button at the top of MO2 to open the settings.
3. If you wish, you can select a different theme.
4. In the Nexus tab, select Connect to Nexus.

5. MO2 will open your browser and prompt you to authorize the connection.
6. Once you authorize it, you can close your browser and of the MO2 settings.
7. Allow MO2 to restart.

Update MO2

The version of Mod Organizer 2 installed on your Proton prefix is likely out of date. To update Mod Organizer 2:

1. Click here to launch Fallout: New Vegas. Wait for MO2 to load.
2. Click the icon at the top of MO2
3. Click through the update process. You do not need to change any of the settings, and doing so may break your MO2 installation.

Game Settings

1. Open the game launcher using the Fallout Launcher option in MO2.

2. Inside the launcher, click Options and do the following:
   1. Select the Ultra Preset.

      If you would prefer battery life over graphical fidelity, you can select the Medium Preset instead.

   2. Set Resolution to your handheld device's native resolution.

      If you can't find the right resolution in the launcher's list, do the following:

      1. Close the launcher.
      2. Click the button at the top of MO2 and select INI Editor.
      3. Select the FalloutPrefs.ini tab.
      4. Change the following settings in the Display section:
         iSize W = your screen width (in pixels)
         iSize H = your screen height (in pixels)

3. Close the launcher.

Configuring Steam Tinker Launch

To launch directly into Mod Organizer 2 when you play Fallout New Vegas, you will need to change some settings in Steam Tinker Launch

1. Click here to launch Fallout: New Vegas. A Steam Tinker Launch window should pop up. Click Main Menu.
2. Click Game Menu
3. Scroll down to Mod Organizer 2 options
4. Set Mod Organizer 2 mode to gui.
5. Set Mod Organizer 2 requester timeout to 0
6. Click Save
7. Click Main Menu
8. Click Exit

How to use Nexus and MO2?

When the guide says to install a mod, it will be formatted as Main File - Example 1.5, this is referring to the mod's category on Nexus and file name.

Standard procedure through the manager:

1. Download the indicated file(s).
2. Open the Downloads tab in MO2 (below the executable selector on the right).
3. Double-click on the mod to install it.
4. Enable the mod on the left pane by ticking its checkbox.

If downloading through the manager is not an option, do the following:

1. Click the Manual Download button (or whatever the download button is for the respective site).
2. Once the download has finished, click the button at the top of MO2.
3. From the new window, navigate to where the file was downloaded to and double-click it.
4. Finish the install as you would with a Mod Manager Download mod.

When installing a mod, MO2 might prompt you with multiple choices:

• Rename appears when you are trying to install a file with the same name as an existing one. If you are installing, for example, a secondary file necessary for the mod to work, then rename it accordingly with the name drop-down list or by typing the name manually.
• If you are updating from an old version of a mod, you should select Replace, this will automatically delete all the files from the old version of the mod and replace them with the ones from the new version.
• Merge should only be used when you are sure the mod will not be updated and in situations where a hotfix is uploaded as separate file. Avoid it if you can, for maximum modularity.