MOD ORGANIZER 2

Mod Organizer 2, aka MO2, is a powerful and versatile mod manager, primarily used for Bethesda games. Its standout feature is the virtual file system (USVFS), which keeps mods separate from the actual game folder. This means you can install or remove mods safely, reorder them at any time via drag-and-drop, maintain multiple profiles, and keep your original game files untouched.

MO2’s interface is split into two panes (one for mods, one for plugins) making it easy to spot conflicts and manage load order. Unlike Vortex, which relies on a convoluted group/rules system, MO2 gives you complete control over how mods interact. Additional perks include a fully portable setup, integrated Nexus Mods support for direct downloads, and a plugin system that allows advanced users to extend functionality. While MO2 is generally the superior choice, this doesn’t mean Vortex is a bad mod manager: use whichever tool best fits YOUR needs and comfort level. That said, it is strongly advised to avoid older or unsupported mod managers such as FOMM, NMM (even the Community Edition), Kortex, or Wrye Bash. This also includes MO1.

Installing Mod Organizer 2

Download the main file (manual download)
Run the installer Mod Organizer 2.exe
When choosing a destination location, pick a location that is not a default Windows directory, not the game folder, not a folder managed by OneDrive, and not inside another portable MO2 installation
When prompted to Select Components, just click Next
You can choose a Start Menu folder and desktop shortcut, or not
Click Install and wait for it to complete
Launch MO2

Configuring Mod Organizer 2

Create an Instance

You will have the option to create either a global instance, or a portable instance. A global instance of MO2 shares settings, profiles, and mods, while a portable instance keeps everything self-contained in a single folder that can be moved or backed up independently. I recommend using a portable instance.

From the game list, select New Vegas
Select the applicable game edition
Choose a name for the instance, e.g. DUSTy Roads
When asked to configure the profile settings, check all boxes
Default location to store data will be under AppData. You can keep this file path, or choose another, but preferably on the same drive as FNV and MO2
Finish and launch the new instance
A pop-up might appear:
- Show tutorial? Select No
- Register? Select Yes
- INI file is read-only? Select Remember my choice in the drop-down and opt for Clear the read-only flag
- Category setup? Select the option you prefer (I personally don't use the Nexus categories)

Game Settings

New Vegas is automatically selected to run (in the top-right corner). But to set a few game settings, change this to Fallout Launcher.

Run the game with Fallout Launcher
Click Options
Select the Ultra preset (or another preset accordingly to your system specifications)
Set the resolution to your monitor's native resolution
Exit the launcher, and change the program back to New Vegas

Information

If your resolution is not listed in the launcher, you can set it manually in FalloutPrefs.ini.
MO2 tools

Click the Tools button in the toolbar.

Select INI Editor
Go to the FalloutPrefs.ini tab
Go to the Display section, and set the following values:
iSize W= screen width (e.g., 2560)
iSize H= screen height (e.g., 1440)
Click the Save button

Thanks to JIP LN NVSE, you can use a custom INI to add various settings without touching the main INIs. FalloutCustom.ini takes precedence over the other INI files and cannot be modified by the game.
MO2 tools Click the Tools button in the toolbar and paste these settings in the FalloutCustom.ini tab:

[Audio]
bMultiThreadAudio=1
bUseAudioDebugInformation=0
iAudioCacheSize=16384
iMaxSizeForCachedSound=2048

[BackgroundLoad]
bSelectivePurgeUnusedOnFastTravel=1
bBackgroundLoadLipFiles=1

[Controls]
fForegroundMouseAccelBase=0
fForegroundMouseAccelTop=0
fForegroundMouseBase=0
fForegroundMouseMult=0

[Display]
bFull Screen=0
iPresentInterval=1
iTexMipMapSkip=0
bDrawShadows=0
iActorShadowCountInt=0
iActorShadowCountExt=0
fDefaultWorldFOV=75.0000
fDefault1stPersonFOV=55.0000
fPipboy1stPersonFOV=47.0

[General]
bPreemptivelyUnloadCells=1
iNumHWThreads=3

[Grass]
fGrassStartFadeDistance=11200
b30GrassVS=1

[Water]
bForceHighDetailReflections=0

[BlurShaderHDR]
bDoHighDynamicRange=1

[BlurShader]
bUseBlurShader=0

[PipBoy]
fLightEffectFadeDuration=400

[TerrainManager]
fBlockLoadDistanceLow=30000
fBlockLoadDistance=130000

[SpeedTree]
bForceFullLOD=1

Overwrite Folder

At the bottom of the left pane, you’ll find the Overwrite folder. This folder contains all files generated during gameplay (such as configuration files) or created by modding tools. You can leave these files there, or keep your setup organized by creating a new mod from the Overwrite contents. Keep in mind that files in Overwrite will take priority over other mods, so make sure you know what’s in there and avoid unintentional conflicts. Leaving files unmanaged in Overwrite is one of the most common sources of hidden issues!

Settings and Workarounds

MO2 settings Click the Settings button in the toolbar to access MO2's settings.
There are various settings that let you customize how you interact with MO2, as well as how it looks and feels (Theme tab for example). To keep this guide concise, these options will not be covered, so feel free to explore them yourself. That said, do check these out:

Nexus tab: here you can connect/disconnect to Nexus Mods, and associate MO2 with Download with manager links. Here, you can also configure your preferred download server.
Workarounds tab: check the option Enable archives parsing (experimental). This will allow MO2 to report conflicts in mod's bsa archives. Useful for troubleshooting!

Adding Executables

There are several tools used for modding (such as xEdit and the GECK) or generate LOD (xLODGen). These tools need to be added to MO2 so they can detect and work with your installed mods.

Click the Configuring executables button in the toolbar.

Add an executable by clicking the + button and select Add from file...
Navigate to the location where the tool is installed, and select the executable (.exe or .bat)
You can now give it a name (Title) or add arguments (for instance, -fnv for xEdit)
You can enable additional options based on preference, such as Create files in mod instead of overwrite: here you can specify an output mod for new or modified files

Conflict Resolution

Just like plugin load order, the mod load order (MO2’s left pane) is equally important. Assets such as textures and meshes are overridden by mods loaded below them (i.e. higher priority). MO2’s Flags column provides visual indicators of file conflicts. Reordering mods (via simple drag and drop) may be necessary to resolve them:

means the mod has asset(s) overriding others (conflict winner)
means the mod has asset(s) being overridden by others (conflict loser)
means the mod has asset(s) both conflict winners as conflict losers
When a file in a bsa archive is conflicting, the lightning icon will be blue

To find out what file is conflicting, double-click the mod, and go to the Conflicts tab:

Top pane shows the winning file conflicts
Middle pane shows the losing file conflicts
Bottom pane shows the non-conflicting files

In case of textures (.dds files), MO2 allows you to directly compare the conflicting textures. Double-click the texture to open it in a new window and use the arrow buttons in the top-right corner to cycle through the different versions and decide which one should win the conflict.

Information

Rule of thumb: “Lower = wins. Higher = loses.”