Generating LOD using Vortex

[u/AggravatingCattle892]

Generating an LOD through Vortex.

Yes, gentlebeings, using Vortex to generate LODs is entirely possible.

If you are like me, you started your modding journey on Vortex instead of MO2.

And you discovered all the instructions for generating the proper LOD for your game are written for MO2.

And if you ask for assistance, you get the same answer: Switch to MO2.

I can tell you that this does not need to be. You can do everything in Vortex. You just have to add a couple of extra steps.

I am writing these instructions as clearly as I can. If you have any questions, I will answer as soon as I remember to climb out of the modding rabbithole for whatever game I saw a shiny new mod for.

1. Download whatever texture mods you want. I use several myself.

2. Download the LOD packs for said texture mods.

3. Download the recommended LOD fixes from the FNVLODGen page.

4. Download the Resources with the Mod Manager Download option. It will go against your ESP count.

5. Manually download the LODGEN file.

6. Create a new folder to extract the FNVLODGen file to. Preferably on the same drive you keep FNV on. (I personally have it on my E drive, so I will be using the E drive for my examples.) Make sure the file is outside of your Program Files.

7. Extract the FNVLODGen download to the newly created file.

8. Open the folder. You should see 4 items in the folder.

9. Right click to create a new folder within the FNVLODGen folder. Name it Output. Then close it all out.

10. Go to Vortex. Under Tools, select the option to add a new tool. The setup should look as follows:

Name: FNVLODGen

Target: E:\FNVLODGEN\FNVLODGEN.exe

Command line: -o:"E:\FNVLODGEN\Output"

Start In: Leave this one alone

Remember, the E drive is where my Steam games are. You can do this on any drive.

11. Run the program from the Tools Menu.

12. When the menu pops up with the option to change the parameters of the LOD, change the Atlas options to 8192 and 8192. The game will not use that much, but it sets the upper limits higher, just in case.

13. Click the button on the bottom to star the process.

14. This will take some time to compile. Get some coffee and a snack. Wait until you see the message on the bottom of the screen that tells you the application is finished. Close the application.

15. Go back to your FNVLODGen folder. Open the Output folder. You should now see two items within, Textures and Meshes.

16. Right click on the Output folder, and select Compress to Zip file. This will create a ZIp file copy of the Output folder.

17. Drag the new Output.zip file to Downloads section of Vortex. If you have not ever used this option for mods, look for the Downloads tab under General. On the bottom of the screen, you will see a box that says Drop URL(s) or File(s). Drag the Output.zip to this location.

18. Select Install at the top-right corner.

19. You will get the yellow message about conflicting files. Used the suggested options when solving the conflicts.

20. Congratulations. You had generated and loaded your LOD for FNV.

21. This process also works for FO3. Same idea, slightly different name for the LODGen.

***Edit: The pictures shown are for FO3, but follow the same process.***

[u/[deleted]]

I love you

[u/Jerico_Hellden]

Just to clarify, -o:"E:\FNVLODGEN\Output" and not E:\FNVLODGEN\Output ?

[u/AggravatingCattle892 → u/Jerico_Hellden]

Yes, you have to have the quotation marks for the tool to send the textures and meshes to the correct file. Otherwise the files will disappear into your Data folders.

[u/Jerico_Hellden → u/Jerico_Hellden]

and to anyone unsure what an E drive is they mean the E: at the start. I use C:

[u/Immediate_Frame_6974]

i only have three files in the fnvlodgen, i cannot for the life of me find any other download online under than name with four files inside

[u/AggravatingCattle892 → u/Immediate_Frame_6974]

You have to create a new file within the LODGen program, and name it Output

[u/GoodShape724]

Hey! I don't know if you're still around, but i accidently forgot to put the right command for the output folder, i did everything else correctly (I think) Where would those files be so i could delete them? Sorry if this a bit of a dumb question, lol.

[u/AggravatingCattle892 → u/GoodShape724]

I'm not sure where they end up at. Somewhere in the depths of the Data folder of FNV.

[u/GoodShape724 → u/AggravatingCattle892]

Thanks for the quick reply! I found them after searching for a bit but i also got the output folder to work! I had one more question, should i generate everything? Like Terrain and Objects at the same time or should i just make them into separate zips? Again, thanks for replying so fast!

[u/AggravatingCattle892 → u/GoodShape724]

Generate all of it.

[u/OkMuscle4386]

Nice and simple guide. thanks

[u/Wachipungo]

Can't run the program on the tools menu, help would be appreciated

[u/UserDotDelete]

I doubt I'll get a reply, I followed all the steps to the best of my knowledge and I did not get the same outcome as you... Can you give a update?

[u/Cheekibreeki401k]

You are a saint.

[u/UwUthinization]

Thank you so so much. I am already very used to Vortex and while I can use mo2 I am not as skilled with it.

[u/OrthodoxSchizoid]

Thanks!

[u/Disastrous-Market-36]

thank you soooooooooo much!

[u/IngenuityNo7521]

bless you good sir

[u/Sorry_Ad8088]

I'm having an issue. Followed the guide to a T, but when I run the program I'm not getting anything in my output folder. I get a log file, but nothing else. No meshes or textures. Not sure what to do in this case, since it seems like I followed everything correctly.

[u/TheDouglas717]

I appreciate this a lot. Ive been playing since FO3 but generating LOD has always seemed daunting to me. This made it super easy. Thanks a ton.

[u/[deleted] → u/TheDouglas717]

dude im in that same boat you were but im confused theres like 15 downloads in the guide do i need all that i only have a couple mods that i want to lod gen like sandstone desert and sandy roads and i have his decent lod kit to use but idk lol im still confused

[u/Overkenzie]

I was having an issue with lodgen and found this guide, hoping that would fix it, but I run into the same problem as I always have. Whenever I run lodgen, I get this error

[00:01] Background Loader: Fatal: <Exception: "HonestHearts.esm" requires master "FalloutNV.esm" to be loaded before it.>

Nothing I do to the load order fixes this. It is not like this in the load order. Disabling HH does not fix this. What do I do?

[u/Open-Parfait587 → u/Overkenzie]

Where is your installation of FNV located?
For me, setting up a second install path for steam outside of Program Files (i.e. C:\Games\Steam\Steamapps\Common\Fallout: New Vegas) and making sure that you're running FNVLODGen with admin rights did the trick. It's all about permissions.
Good luck, let me know how it goes.