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To install a wide variety of popular mods forFallout 4,players will first need toinstall F4SE or the Fallout 4 Script Extender.Created by modders Ian Patterson, Stephen Abel, and Brendan Borthwick,F4SEdoesn’t add much toFallout 4alone. Instead, it serves as an essential resource for modders, expanding scripting capabilities and laying the groundwork for mods introducing new and complex content.
TheFalloutmodding scene suffered a big blow whenFallout 4’snext-gen update broke the game, causing mods to break and even forcing the team behind the impressiveFallout Londontotal conversion to delay the release. The update also broke F4SE, but it has since managed to bounce back. Players should now be able to install F4SE and get their mods working.
10 Fallout 4 Mods That Make The Game Feel Like The Fallout TV Show
Whether it’s realistic character models or environmental adjustments, these mods make Fallout 4 feel more like Prime Video’s TV series.
How To Install F4SE
How To Get F4SE Up And Running
Two main ways to install F4SE are using the NexusMods mod manager Vortex or a manual installation.Either approach is viable. Vortex may be more beginner-friendly, but modding can often be eclectic and chaotic; mods can have different custom install methods that don’t always translate well to a simple drag-and-drop install. To install F4SE with Vortex:
Vortex can be a valuable tool for players who want to install lots of mods at once, such as stackingFallout 4’sbest immersion modswithhigh-resolution texture packs for the game. However, as these are all unofficial, they may require additional tweaking and modding knowledge.The best guides on how to install mods usually come from individual modders.
F4SE is currently only compatible with Steam and GOG versions of the game.Windows Store, Xbox app, and Epic Games Store versions are not supported.
Alternatively, there is a manual way to install F4SE:
For a full video breakdown of the installation process, follow the video above byGamerPoetson YouTube.
How To Launch F4SE
Introduce F4SE’s Scripting Capabilities
Once installed, launching F4SE is fairly straightforward.For Vortex installs, simply click theFallout 4icon on the top left of Vortex to run the game. For manual installations, run the game using f4se_loader.exe, which is included in the ZIP.
It’s worth noting that once F4SE is installed, players don’t need to take any additional steps to ensure the added modding functionality is running.
How To Use F4SE
Use F4SE’s Full Capabilities
F4SE’s functions are purely technical as a utility mod, so players don’t actually use the mod once installed.Instead, it’s only listed as a requirement formany ofFallout 4’sbest mods. In practice, players will find and install their favorite mods, and F4SE ensures the game can run with these mods enabled. Not all mods require F4SE.
Once players have installed F4SE forFallout 4, they should search the game’s extensive library of custom mods for new and interesting add-ons and quality-of-life improvements.
