This guide explains how to easily install user interface mods on Fallout New Vegas with the User Interface Organizer (UIO). It’s based on my experience from developing and supporting a popular interface mod, and assumes an understanding of these terms:
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“UI extensions” which modify the game’s menu files via the User Interface Organizer. You can determine a mod to be a UI extension if it’s mentioned at UIO’s supported mods list, or specifically requires UIO in its instructions. The Mod Configuration Menu, Project Nevada and the Weapon Mod Menu are well known UI extensions.
“Base UI mods” which include modified versions of the game’s standard menu files. Examples include Vanilla UI Plus, oHUD, and the Yukichigai Unofficial Patch. Generally, if a mod includes a Menus folder and it’s not an extension, then it’s a base mod.
The guide also assumes that you’re using a mod manager and your best options are Mod Organizer 2 and NMM from Github. I personally find NMM easier but if you are going to use a lot of mods, go with MO2. I have tested and rejected FOMM, Vortex, ModDrop, and Wabbajack for various reasons.
Installation Steps
Before you start, make sure that your mod manager’s Archive Invalidation option is enabled and that you have installed UIO version 2.09 or greater. Now apply the following steps in order:
Install any desired extension supported by UIO. Don’t worry about conflicts at this stage, but make sure the Mod Configuration Menu is only overwritten by its own bugfix.
Install your base UI overhaul after the Yukichigai Unofficial Patch, and allow it to win any conflicts with YUP or any extension. This is the key part of this guide.
If you are using Darnified UI, also install Darnified Font Dummies.
Install any other base UI mod you like, but only if it’s compatible with your UI overhaul. If two base mods are instructing you to overwrite each other, follow the most recently updated.
When you run the game, UIO will automatically link your extensions with the base files, leaving your installed files intact. This means you can safely uninstall UI mods at any time, but remember to also uninstall any dependencies, e.g. if you uninstall DUI, also uninstall Darnified Font Dummies.
You can also check out this video which will explain some fine details on how to use MO2 to manually install files:
Example 1: VUI+, BPP, PN, MCM, oHUD, and Pitt Gal
Yeah, those acronyms. They stand for Vanilla UI Plus, Better Pickup Prompt, Project Nevada, Mod Configuration Menu and One Heads Up Display. By checking out the “Currently supported mods” list for UIO as well as the descriptions of our mods we figure out that:
BPP, Project Nevada, and the MCM are extensions
Project Nevada contains old versions of MCM’s files.
The YUP patch is essential for a stable New Vegas game, and it contains base Menu files. However it must always be overwritten by other mods according to its own instructions.
VUI+, oHUD and Pitt Gal are base mods, and should be allowed to overwrite any extensions.
According to the VUI+ installation instructions, it should be allowed to overwrite oHUD.
VUI+ provides an addon for Pitt Gal which states that VUI+ should overwrite Pitt Gal.
So, we’re now ready to start installing:
BPP, PN, and the MCM are installed first. The MCM must overwrite PN.
The YUP patch is installed, overwriting any files from the previous step.
oHUD and Pitt Gal are installed, overwriting any files from the previous steps.
VUI+ is now installed, overwriting any files from the previous steps.
Finally, the VUI+ patch for Pitt Gal is installed.
That was easy since VUI+ is designed for maximum compatibility. Let’s try something harder.
Example 2: DUI, BPP, PN, MCM, oHUD, and Pitt Gal
Darnified UI is an old and highly respected interface overhaul. It has its own unique style, based on smaller fonts which are especially appealing to players who want to use additional HUD infographics. Although it was left in alpha stage, it’s fully functional and the majority of UI mods work fine with it.
Like most extensions, BPP, MCM and PN are compatible with DUI.
Project Nevada contains old versions of MCM’s files.
The YUP patch is essential for a stable New Vegas game, and it contains base Menu files. However it must always be overwritten by other mods according to its own instructions.
DUI, oHUD and Pitt Gal are base mods, and should be allowed to overwrite any extensions.
DUI requires Darnified Font Dummies as suggested by this guide.
oHUD provides a patch for DUI. According to the description, we must allow both oHUD and its patch to overwrite DUI.
After a bit of searching we find what we need to make Pitt Gal work with DUI: a) Patch for the Pip-Boy: Pitt Gal Stats for Darnified UI NV b) Patch for the HUD: Pitt Gal Stats NV - HUD FIX - DarnUI
We’re now ready to start installing, keeping in mind that patches should always be overwriting their parent mods:
BPP, PN, and the MCM are installed first. The MCM must overwrite PN.
The YUP patch is installed, overwriting any files from the previous step.
Pitt Gal Stats NV is installed, overwriting any files from the previous steps.
DUI is installed, overwriting any files from the previous steps.
Darnified Font Dummies is installed. There are no conflicts.
Pitt Gal Stats for Darnified UI NV is installed, overwriting any files from the previous steps.
Pitt Gal Stats NV - HUD FIX - DarnUI is installed. There are no conflicts.
oHUD is installed, overwriting any files from the previous steps as recommended by oHUD.
oHUD Darnified Patch is finally installed.
Uninstallation issues with UIO 1.31
This section should be of interest only for players who had not upgraded UIO to the latest version. It should help you resolve issues such as broken menus or warning messages after uninstalling a UI mod.
The old UIO version 1.31 directly modifies the base UI files after renaming the original ones to .uio backups. It restores the original files when you quit from the game menu but this won’t take place if the game is force-closed via Alt-F4 or a crash. If you rush to uninstall your base UI mod at this point, your mod manager will delete the temporary files instead of the renamed originals. Next time you run the game, UIO 1.31 will restore the backup files of the uninstalled mod, and your mod manager will consider these broken files as parts of the remaining installed UI mods. To fix this problem:
Manually delete your DataMenus folder (or any overwrites in this folder if you’re using MO2).
Reinstall any mod that writes in this folder via right click and “Reinstall”.
Please remember to upgrade to the latest UIO version after that. Not only does it resolve this problem, but also improves UI performance by sophisticated low level optimizations.