Know What Is Inside Your Game: The Sims 3
Introduction and Part 1: Inside the Programs/Applications folders I will be putting together a few informative posts to help people understand their TS3 game better. It may take me a while, and I'm...
Forum Discussion
About Mods -- Introduction:
The #1 thing you need to know:
Really good and trusted modder's mods WILL CONFLICT with other really good and trusted modder's mods. I cannot emphasize this enough. MOD CONFLICTS HAPPEN! It is the nature of the way this game is modded.
Therefore, resolving conflicts is up to the person playing the game. That is you, and no one else can fix it for you. It is entirely YOUR responsibility. (I will talk about the "how-tos" of resolving mod conflicts in detail, later.)
The #2 thing you need to know:
A really good and trusted modder is NOT MORALLY REQUIRED to make sure their mods work well with another really good and trusted modder's mods. DO NOT ask one modder to "fix" their mod because it conflicts with another modder's mods. When you experience a conflict, you must choose between mods. Period. (So, when you see that a modder HAS put out a version of their mod that resolves a conflict, APPRECIATE that modder and thank them with all your heart -- they went way above and beyond the call of duty, and they are a star in the firmament.)
The #3 thing you need to know:
Not all mods are created the same way. A modder who is able to make amazing override mods is not expected to have mastered scripting mods or XML mods. People who have mastered all those are still not expected to know how to make core mods. Object mods are not the same as mods that change the game, itself. Mods that require changes in animations are more difficult than mods that do not need additional animations. In short, you CANNOT expect a really good and trusted modder to do something that they are not qualified to do, which is why many, many modders will not take requests. (I will be talking about the different types of mods in more detail, later.)
The #4 thing you need to know:
No two people play the game the same way. Asking others for their favorite mods, while very interesting and enlightening, IS NOT the way to choose mods for your own personal game. They don't play the way you play, so their experiences will only let you know more about the way they play their game. The ONLY real way to choose mods for your own game is to get out their and look at mods, to see for yourself. That being said, certain websites have mods generally used by people modding their game. Which particular modders on those websites you can personally trust with your game, the way you play, will be a matter of trial and error. Because only YOU play the way you do.
The #5 thing you need to know:
Mods need testing. (EDIT: Only test mods that are made for your patch level. Safe 1.63 mods MAY NOT WORK with patch level 1.67, so you must get updated mods and/or match your patch level with your mod level.) YOU must test mods. Did I mention that in your game, the way you play, every single mod you ever use will need to be individually tested? Did I emphasize enough that YOU have to test whatever mods you use? Individually testing a mod means you play in a test game with that mod, and ONLY that mod, for at least a sim week, to kick up any problems, and to figure out how the mod actually works, what it actually does, and whether or not that mod is a good fit for you. This will take time. It will be worth your while. Testing individual mods IS NOT optional. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
The #6 thing you need to know:
Core mods are dangerous. They change your game, at a deep level. They may affect the game in ways you cannot easily fix, if you need to ever remove the mod. Core mods that make the claim to not permanently change things and claim to be removable still DO change things at a level too deep for you to see the changes.
In my personal opinion, and from my personal experience, I advise you to plan on keeping a core mod in your game for whatever save you EVER used that core mod in. Truly. I know people will tell you they have gotten by with removing core mods. But ... that has NOT been my experience. I'll leave it at that. YMMV.
Choosing a core mod IS THE MOST IMPORTANT mod choice you will make, because core mods do not play well with each other. Generally speaking, you should choose ONLY ONE core modder, and then find other non-core mods to flesh out the changes you wish to make to your game, always ensuring that all other mods do not adversely affect the core mod.
Core mods are the most useful mods and give you the most control over how you play your game. You will likely want to use a core mod. Which means you will live dangerously, until the mod is thoroughly tested.
Core mods need to be tested for at least three sim weeks, because they do so much, and have the highest learning curve. You will not be able to make an informed choice about their safety and usage in your game if you do not take an adequate amount of time to test the mod. Test with a factory reset test game. DO NOT test a core mod with your real save.
Once a core mod is thoroughly tested in a test game, then test it with a COPY of your real save, for the same extended period of time. If you do not adequately test your core mod, you may be making a big mistake. You have been warned.
The #7 thing you need to know:
You will need to make some hard choices. Once you have individually tested all non-core mods, the next step is to individually test your chosen non-core mods along with your chosen core mod. Yes, that is twice the work. Yes, it is necessary to test twice. No, you cannot skip a step and simply test all your non-core mods with your chosen core mod.
Why? Because you need to make informed choices. You need to know, when it comes down to eliminating conflicts, which mods are REALLY the most important to you, and which you can and will (possibly regretfully) live without. Because, in this game, you CANNOT have it all.
I'm going to post this much, right now. I'll go into more detail, but it will take me some time to write it up, so stay tuned.
About Mod Conflicts:
The first line of defense for mod conflicts is Sims3Dashboard. It is found at Mod The Sims. Google it. Get it. Put all your individually tested mods that you know you would like to use, along with your core mod, into your Mods folder. Then run Dashboard. It will highlight the all the conflicts for you, and tell you which particular mods are in conflict with each other. When mods conflict, you can only keep ONE of them. Other mods in conflict must be removed. Which mod or mods you remove is entirely up to you.
Make your hard choices. Do your weeping. Then get on with your simming life. ;)
The above may be all most people need or care to know about conflicting mods. But just in case you are the curious type, I will say more about it. Essentially, modders are changing bits of code that modify the basic game. There are only so many bits of code. This means that modders who want to influence certain game aspects ALL have to modify the identical bits of code that relate to that particular game aspect.
Since the game can only use one bit of code at a time, if the game sees two modifications of the same identical bit of code, it creates an error. The game may sporadically choose first one and then the other modification for a bit of code, thereby doing something entirely unexpected and erratic. Or the game may disregard the bit of code, in a fit of indecision. Either way, you have instability and possible corruption. CONFLICTS ARE A BAD THING, and must be corrected.
A good modder will tell you what type of modification they have made to the code (XML, scripting, override, etc), and they should also tell you which bit or bits of code they have modified, if applicable. So, once you get to know a thing or two about mods, from personal experience, you will begin to recognize which mods are likely to conflict. (If a modder doesn't tell you what bit of code they changed or what kind of mod it is, don't be shy about asking. They have no reason to hold back that information, and it is something you do need to know, for responsible modding.)
Obviously, the more mods you have, the more likely it is you will have conflicts. Don't be a mod-aholic. Use only the mods that matter the most with how you play your game, and resist the temptation to throw in every mod that looks even mildly interesting.
What the Dashboard is doing, behind the scenes, is comparing the bits of code that have been changed/modified, and flagging mods that change or modify the identical bits of code. The program is a good one, and generally comprehensive. But it may not catch every little thing that could go wrong. So, if you notice instability in your game, you may have to troubleshoot until you find which mod or mods are causing the instability.
The best way to troubleshoot for mod instability is to take out half your mods, and test. If you come up with no problems, then try the other half of the mods. If you see a problem, again divide that half of the mods in half, and so on, until you locate the culprit.
Bear in mind that a problem may only show up with a few mods operating in tandem, so if both halves show no problem, then you have to divide all your mods in quarters and put the first and third quarter together, and then the second and fourth quarter together, and then the first and second, and then the third and fourth, and every variation possible, until you find the variation that kicks up the problem, so that you can isolate the real conflict or conflicts of a set group of mods that cause trouble when working in tandem (but are fine, otherwise).
Did I mention that working with mod conflicts is not for the faint of heart. ;)
Throughout your entire experience with mods, you must keep in mind how useful they are, and how much of a difference they will make in your game. With that in mind, determine that you will make it work, one way or another. Keep a good attitude, and with some effort and head scratching, you will eventually cobble together your ideal game. :)
About Types of Mods:
XML/tuning mods:
The most common mod that most people will shop around for is the XML/tuning mod. It is the easiest mod to make, and so you will find multiple mods that do essentially the same thing, and change the same bit of XML/tuning code. The chances are good that one modder didn't copy the other modder. There are only a finite number of tweaks that can be done to a particular bit of code, after all.
That being said, you will want to carefully read the modder's explanation of what their particular mod does, because they may have combined two modifications into one mod.
Some websites, like TFM’s Naughty Sims Asylum do only XML/tuning mods. The modders on that website will try to assure that you know which of their mods will conflict with another modder's mods on that site. But since they are always creating mods, the final responsibility of preventing conflicts will still rest with you.
On other sites, like Simlogical, NRAAS, and Mod The Sims, you will have to either choose the proper category for XML/tuning mods, or read each part of their respective sites to determine which kind of mod it is.
The XML/tuning mods are patch level dependent, and should match your patch level unless the modder specifically says the mod does not need updating. Check both the place it was originally posted, and also any comments made after that for an indication of whether or not the mod is updated to your patch level. Some modders have a stickied post that shows what mods have or have not been fully updated to the latest patch.
If you want to try your hand at learning XML/tuning modding, check out the tutorials at Mod The Sims (NRAAS also has something about this, on their site). You will need to learn the basics about using the S3PE program, which can be found at Simlogical.
Override mods:
Some override mods replace an EA original with a changed version. They do not change the original. They just force the game to read the changed version first, so it gets used instead. The mod may replace lighting/water/terrain in a world. Or it may replace an object, giving you a version of that object with particular changes made (like enabling the object to be recolorable, for instance). A mod may replace a feature, like giving your faeries different shaped wings.
Other override mods change what shows up in CAS, or change whether an action is autonomous or not.
An override mod may even allow you to view startup screens from a previous EP of your choice, even though you have ITF installed.
Generally, you can only use one override mod of a particular type. You can only have one lighting mod at a time, for example.
Object mods:
Object mods are changes to a particular object that may give you a new object with added functions or a new object with some functions removed. The object mod may be written to give you the object in addition to the original EA object, or it may be written to override the original EA object.
One example of an object mod is a piece of art that only showed one version of picture within a certain frame. The object mod unlocks three versions of a picture to be shown in that same frame. Or the original EA version had a stencil, and the object mod gives you both the stencil and stencil free versions in the same object. Or, an original EA object may not allow for recoloring, but the object mod allows you to recolor one or more parts of the object. Or it may even be an object that looks like a hand-held harp, but works like a guitar in the game.
Generally, an object mod will not be patch level dependent. (On rare occasion, this is not true, however. Object mods had to be updated around the time Pets was released. You will need to check old object mods with TSR RigFix, to prevent "blue lot" corruption, which irrevocably destroys a save.)
Object mods that are not also an override will usually not conflict with each other. They are separate objects that will be added to your game. But you will probably want to choose the most useful one, so your game isn't cluttered with similar objects.
Non-core scripting mods:
These mods change or add scripts, rather than just tweaking a tiny bit of code. They require a more in-depth knowledge of coding, and are made by advanced modders. They may add animations, as well.
Scripting mods generally won't conflict with each other. But they will have to match your patch level, unless the modder says they need no change. Check both the initial place the mod was posted and also the comments section, where the modder may have said the mod needed no updating for a certain patch.
Core mods:
Core mods overwrite core code, which is serious code at a very deep level. They are made by very advanced modders, only. Assume core mods will conflict with other core mods unless you have been assured by the modder that their mods will not conflict with another core mod.
Twallen and Pescado are the two most well known and trusted core modders.
It should be noted here that Twallen abandoned his mod before the final two patches of the game. The last version of NRAAS that was written exclusively by Twalllen was made for patch level 1.63 and that patch doesn't have the changes in it required by the game once the servers go down. The last time I looked at NRAAS, they still had links to the last version of the mod that Twallen wrote, exclusively, which is compatible with patch level 1.63 only.
The current version of NRAAS mods has been rewritten to match patch level 1.67, which does contain changes required once the servers go down. Be aware, however, that the NRAAS mod has been changed by a group of talented modders, and is no longer Twallen's mod, in that sense. (Had Twallen been involved, he may or may not have approved those changes. But the group of modders have made every attempt to stay true to Twallen's original vision of his mod, according to their statements on the site.)
Pescado has not changed his awesome mod since May 8, 2014; however, he has yet to say that he has finalized the awesome mod, so you will still be required to download his mod, on a regular schedule, until the awesome mod is finalized. Pescado's mod requires patch 1.67 to run.
The NRAAS mod isn't just a single mod, like awesome mod. Instead, NRAAS is a suite of mods, made to work together.
Initially, the Twallen vision involved making a group of mods that individually modified the game (mixing and matching at will), without resorting to rewriting the core of the game. Eventually, he was forced to also make some core mods, in order to control the game and stop game errors.
NOTE: Twallen's core mods do conflict with some store PC, and indeed, Twallen was very open that he did not intend to support store PC. So choosing to use Twallen's core mods means being willing to give up whatever store PC items are in conflict. From what I have read about the post-Twallen core mods, this situation has not changed. Do not be surprised if/when you run into problems.
Twallen's original vision means that you will have to learn not just one mod, but many, many mods. Each one has a learning curve. Be prepared to spend a good deal of time acquainting yourself with the ins and outs of the various parts of the NRAAS suite. Read not only the description, but also the comments from other people. Invest your time wisely, and learn what you are getting before you plop it into your game.
Pescado's awesome mod has changed much since the base game. What all it can do now includes so much that he no longer attempts to describe it all on his site. Instead it is all explained in the Read Me document that comes with every version of his mod. READ IT!!
The only way you will learn about awesome mod is to read the Read Me document, because awesome mod works ENTIRELY in the background. You put it on your game, and forget it. In the background, it tirelessly works to fix game errors, optimize play, prevent common problems, remove irritations, etc.
Awesome mod allows for configuration by the player, giving you many choices about how you want your game to play. The first way it does this is with a configuration website page that lets you toggle certain items on or off. The configuration page link is right under the link to download awesome mod, on his site. Once you open the website page, it is titled, in typical Pescado fashion More Stupid Than You. Read every line and make your choices. Then agree to let the website keep track of your choices, because you need to update the configuration whenever you redownload the awesome mod. And then click the Generate button. The configuration will be saved to your desktop or OS download folder. It is the aweconf.pkg document, and does not need to be uncompressed. Do not try to open it. Put it in the same place you put the awesome mod.
The other way to configure the awesome mod is with the menu accessed through key commands within the game -- the same menu you use for testingcheatsenabled and moveobjects on. When that menu opens, type in the word help, and you will see a gazillion new options for game manipulation and modification. Well, not really that many, but there are a LOT of them. To really make the most of awesome mod, you will want to be aware of all the new commands he makes available.
One other thing you need to know: Pescado has his own version of the framework that is optimized for his mod. If you got your framework from another source, verify it is also optimized for the awesome mod.
The mod framework package I linked earlier, that I use in my own game, has been optimized for the awesome mod, but can be used without it, as well. If you are in doubt, then download my version of the framework, to be sure.
http://www.mediafire.com/download/dtidsn2sa4sd10i/Mods.rar
The #1 thing you need to know:
Really good and trusted modder's mods WILL CONFLICT with other really good and trusted modder's mods. I cannot emphasize this enough. MOD CONFLICTS HAPPEN! It is the nature of the way this game is modded.
Therefore, resolving conflicts is up to the person playing the game. That is you, and no one else can fix it for you. It is entirely YOUR responsibility. (I will talk about the "how-tos" of resolving mod conflicts in detail, later.)
The #2 thing you need to know:
A really good and trusted modder is NOT MORALLY REQUIRED to make sure their mods work well with another really good and trusted modder's mods. DO NOT ask one modder to "fix" their mod because it conflicts with another modder's mods. When you experience a conflict, you must choose between mods. Period. (So, when you see that a modder HAS put out a version of their mod that resolves a conflict, APPRECIATE that modder and thank them with all your heart -- they went way above and beyond the call of duty, and they are a star in the firmament.)
The #3 thing you need to know:
Not all mods are created the same way. A modder who is able to make amazing override mods is not expected to have mastered scripting mods or XML mods. People who have mastered all those are still not expected to know how to make core mods. Object mods are not the same as mods that change the game, itself. Mods that require changes in animations are more difficult than mods that do not need additional animations. In short, you CANNOT expect a really good and trusted modder to do something that they are not qualified to do, which is why many, many modders will not take requests. (I will be talking about the different types of mods in more detail, later.)
The #4 thing you need to know:
No two people play the game the same way. Asking others for their favorite mods, while very interesting and enlightening, IS NOT the way to choose mods for your own personal game. They don't play the way you play, so their experiences will only let you know more about the way they play their game. The ONLY real way to choose mods for your own game is to get out their and look at mods, to see for yourself. That being said, certain websites have mods generally used by people modding their game. Which particular modders on those websites you can personally trust with your game, the way you play, will be a matter of trial and error. Because only YOU play the way you do.
The #5 thing you need to know:
Mods need testing. (EDIT: Only test mods that are made for your patch level. Safe 1.63 mods MAY NOT WORK with patch level 1.67, so you must get updated mods and/or match your patch level with your mod level.) YOU must test mods. Did I mention that in your game, the way you play, every single mod you ever use will need to be individually tested? Did I emphasize enough that YOU have to test whatever mods you use? Individually testing a mod means you play in a test game with that mod, and ONLY that mod, for at least a sim week, to kick up any problems, and to figure out how the mod actually works, what it actually does, and whether or not that mod is a good fit for you. This will take time. It will be worth your while. Testing individual mods IS NOT optional. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
The #6 thing you need to know:
Core mods are dangerous. They change your game, at a deep level. They may affect the game in ways you cannot easily fix, if you need to ever remove the mod. Core mods that make the claim to not permanently change things and claim to be removable still DO change things at a level too deep for you to see the changes.
In my personal opinion, and from my personal experience, I advise you to plan on keeping a core mod in your game for whatever save you EVER used that core mod in. Truly. I know people will tell you they have gotten by with removing core mods. But ... that has NOT been my experience. I'll leave it at that. YMMV.
Choosing a core mod IS THE MOST IMPORTANT mod choice you will make, because core mods do not play well with each other. Generally speaking, you should choose ONLY ONE core modder, and then find other non-core mods to flesh out the changes you wish to make to your game, always ensuring that all other mods do not adversely affect the core mod.
Core mods are the most useful mods and give you the most control over how you play your game. You will likely want to use a core mod. Which means you will live dangerously, until the mod is thoroughly tested.
Core mods need to be tested for at least three sim weeks, because they do so much, and have the highest learning curve. You will not be able to make an informed choice about their safety and usage in your game if you do not take an adequate amount of time to test the mod. Test with a factory reset test game. DO NOT test a core mod with your real save.
Once a core mod is thoroughly tested in a test game, then test it with a COPY of your real save, for the same extended period of time. If you do not adequately test your core mod, you may be making a big mistake. You have been warned.
The #7 thing you need to know:
You will need to make some hard choices. Once you have individually tested all non-core mods, the next step is to individually test your chosen non-core mods along with your chosen core mod. Yes, that is twice the work. Yes, it is necessary to test twice. No, you cannot skip a step and simply test all your non-core mods with your chosen core mod.
Why? Because you need to make informed choices. You need to know, when it comes down to eliminating conflicts, which mods are REALLY the most important to you, and which you can and will (possibly regretfully) live without. Because, in this game, you CANNOT have it all.
I'm going to post this much, right now. I'll go into more detail, but it will take me some time to write it up, so stay tuned.
About Mod Conflicts:
The first line of defense for mod conflicts is Sims3Dashboard. It is found at Mod The Sims. Google it. Get it. Put all your individually tested mods that you know you would like to use, along with your core mod, into your Mods folder. Then run Dashboard. It will highlight the all the conflicts for you, and tell you which particular mods are in conflict with each other. When mods conflict, you can only keep ONE of them. Other mods in conflict must be removed. Which mod or mods you remove is entirely up to you.
Make your hard choices. Do your weeping. Then get on with your simming life. ;)
The above may be all most people need or care to know about conflicting mods. But just in case you are the curious type, I will say more about it. Essentially, modders are changing bits of code that modify the basic game. There are only so many bits of code. This means that modders who want to influence certain game aspects ALL have to modify the identical bits of code that relate to that particular game aspect.
Since the game can only use one bit of code at a time, if the game sees two modifications of the same identical bit of code, it creates an error. The game may sporadically choose first one and then the other modification for a bit of code, thereby doing something entirely unexpected and erratic. Or the game may disregard the bit of code, in a fit of indecision. Either way, you have instability and possible corruption. CONFLICTS ARE A BAD THING, and must be corrected.
A good modder will tell you what type of modification they have made to the code (XML, scripting, override, etc), and they should also tell you which bit or bits of code they have modified, if applicable. So, once you get to know a thing or two about mods, from personal experience, you will begin to recognize which mods are likely to conflict. (If a modder doesn't tell you what bit of code they changed or what kind of mod it is, don't be shy about asking. They have no reason to hold back that information, and it is something you do need to know, for responsible modding.)
Obviously, the more mods you have, the more likely it is you will have conflicts. Don't be a mod-aholic. Use only the mods that matter the most with how you play your game, and resist the temptation to throw in every mod that looks even mildly interesting.
What the Dashboard is doing, behind the scenes, is comparing the bits of code that have been changed/modified, and flagging mods that change or modify the identical bits of code. The program is a good one, and generally comprehensive. But it may not catch every little thing that could go wrong. So, if you notice instability in your game, you may have to troubleshoot until you find which mod or mods are causing the instability.
The best way to troubleshoot for mod instability is to take out half your mods, and test. If you come up with no problems, then try the other half of the mods. If you see a problem, again divide that half of the mods in half, and so on, until you locate the culprit.
Bear in mind that a problem may only show up with a few mods operating in tandem, so if both halves show no problem, then you have to divide all your mods in quarters and put the first and third quarter together, and then the second and fourth quarter together, and then the first and second, and then the third and fourth, and every variation possible, until you find the variation that kicks up the problem, so that you can isolate the real conflict or conflicts of a set group of mods that cause trouble when working in tandem (but are fine, otherwise).
Did I mention that working with mod conflicts is not for the faint of heart. ;)
Throughout your entire experience with mods, you must keep in mind how useful they are, and how much of a difference they will make in your game. With that in mind, determine that you will make it work, one way or another. Keep a good attitude, and with some effort and head scratching, you will eventually cobble together your ideal game. :)
About Types of Mods:
XML/tuning mods:
The most common mod that most people will shop around for is the XML/tuning mod. It is the easiest mod to make, and so you will find multiple mods that do essentially the same thing, and change the same bit of XML/tuning code. The chances are good that one modder didn't copy the other modder. There are only a finite number of tweaks that can be done to a particular bit of code, after all.
That being said, you will want to carefully read the modder's explanation of what their particular mod does, because they may have combined two modifications into one mod.
Some websites, like TFM’s Naughty Sims Asylum do only XML/tuning mods. The modders on that website will try to assure that you know which of their mods will conflict with another modder's mods on that site. But since they are always creating mods, the final responsibility of preventing conflicts will still rest with you.
On other sites, like Simlogical, NRAAS, and Mod The Sims, you will have to either choose the proper category for XML/tuning mods, or read each part of their respective sites to determine which kind of mod it is.
The XML/tuning mods are patch level dependent, and should match your patch level unless the modder specifically says the mod does not need updating. Check both the place it was originally posted, and also any comments made after that for an indication of whether or not the mod is updated to your patch level. Some modders have a stickied post that shows what mods have or have not been fully updated to the latest patch.
If you want to try your hand at learning XML/tuning modding, check out the tutorials at Mod The Sims (NRAAS also has something about this, on their site). You will need to learn the basics about using the S3PE program, which can be found at Simlogical.
Override mods:
Some override mods replace an EA original with a changed version. They do not change the original. They just force the game to read the changed version first, so it gets used instead. The mod may replace lighting/water/terrain in a world. Or it may replace an object, giving you a version of that object with particular changes made (like enabling the object to be recolorable, for instance). A mod may replace a feature, like giving your faeries different shaped wings.
Other override mods change what shows up in CAS, or change whether an action is autonomous or not.
An override mod may even allow you to view startup screens from a previous EP of your choice, even though you have ITF installed.
Generally, you can only use one override mod of a particular type. You can only have one lighting mod at a time, for example.
Object mods:
Object mods are changes to a particular object that may give you a new object with added functions or a new object with some functions removed. The object mod may be written to give you the object in addition to the original EA object, or it may be written to override the original EA object.
One example of an object mod is a piece of art that only showed one version of picture within a certain frame. The object mod unlocks three versions of a picture to be shown in that same frame. Or the original EA version had a stencil, and the object mod gives you both the stencil and stencil free versions in the same object. Or, an original EA object may not allow for recoloring, but the object mod allows you to recolor one or more parts of the object. Or it may even be an object that looks like a hand-held harp, but works like a guitar in the game.
Generally, an object mod will not be patch level dependent. (On rare occasion, this is not true, however. Object mods had to be updated around the time Pets was released. You will need to check old object mods with TSR RigFix, to prevent "blue lot" corruption, which irrevocably destroys a save.)
Object mods that are not also an override will usually not conflict with each other. They are separate objects that will be added to your game. But you will probably want to choose the most useful one, so your game isn't cluttered with similar objects.
Non-core scripting mods:
These mods change or add scripts, rather than just tweaking a tiny bit of code. They require a more in-depth knowledge of coding, and are made by advanced modders. They may add animations, as well.
Scripting mods generally won't conflict with each other. But they will have to match your patch level, unless the modder says they need no change. Check both the initial place the mod was posted and also the comments section, where the modder may have said the mod needed no updating for a certain patch.
Core mods:
Core mods overwrite core code, which is serious code at a very deep level. They are made by very advanced modders, only. Assume core mods will conflict with other core mods unless you have been assured by the modder that their mods will not conflict with another core mod.
Twallen and Pescado are the two most well known and trusted core modders.
It should be noted here that Twallen abandoned his mod before the final two patches of the game. The last version of NRAAS that was written exclusively by Twalllen was made for patch level 1.63 and that patch doesn't have the changes in it required by the game once the servers go down. The last time I looked at NRAAS, they still had links to the last version of the mod that Twallen wrote, exclusively, which is compatible with patch level 1.63 only.
The current version of NRAAS mods has been rewritten to match patch level 1.67, which does contain changes required once the servers go down. Be aware, however, that the NRAAS mod has been changed by a group of talented modders, and is no longer Twallen's mod, in that sense. (Had Twallen been involved, he may or may not have approved those changes. But the group of modders have made every attempt to stay true to Twallen's original vision of his mod, according to their statements on the site.)
Pescado has not changed his awesome mod since May 8, 2014; however, he has yet to say that he has finalized the awesome mod, so you will still be required to download his mod, on a regular schedule, until the awesome mod is finalized. Pescado's mod requires patch 1.67 to run.
The NRAAS mod isn't just a single mod, like awesome mod. Instead, NRAAS is a suite of mods, made to work together.
Initially, the Twallen vision involved making a group of mods that individually modified the game (mixing and matching at will), without resorting to rewriting the core of the game. Eventually, he was forced to also make some core mods, in order to control the game and stop game errors.
NOTE: Twallen's core mods do conflict with some store PC, and indeed, Twallen was very open that he did not intend to support store PC. So choosing to use Twallen's core mods means being willing to give up whatever store PC items are in conflict. From what I have read about the post-Twallen core mods, this situation has not changed. Do not be surprised if/when you run into problems.
Twallen's original vision means that you will have to learn not just one mod, but many, many mods. Each one has a learning curve. Be prepared to spend a good deal of time acquainting yourself with the ins and outs of the various parts of the NRAAS suite. Read not only the description, but also the comments from other people. Invest your time wisely, and learn what you are getting before you plop it into your game.
Pescado's awesome mod has changed much since the base game. What all it can do now includes so much that he no longer attempts to describe it all on his site. Instead it is all explained in the Read Me document that comes with every version of his mod. READ IT!!
The only way you will learn about awesome mod is to read the Read Me document, because awesome mod works ENTIRELY in the background. You put it on your game, and forget it. In the background, it tirelessly works to fix game errors, optimize play, prevent common problems, remove irritations, etc.
Awesome mod allows for configuration by the player, giving you many choices about how you want your game to play. The first way it does this is with a configuration website page that lets you toggle certain items on or off. The configuration page link is right under the link to download awesome mod, on his site. Once you open the website page, it is titled, in typical Pescado fashion More Stupid Than You. Read every line and make your choices. Then agree to let the website keep track of your choices, because you need to update the configuration whenever you redownload the awesome mod. And then click the Generate button. The configuration will be saved to your desktop or OS download folder. It is the aweconf.pkg document, and does not need to be uncompressed. Do not try to open it. Put it in the same place you put the awesome mod.
The other way to configure the awesome mod is with the menu accessed through key commands within the game -- the same menu you use for testingcheatsenabled and moveobjects on. When that menu opens, type in the word help, and you will see a gazillion new options for game manipulation and modification. Well, not really that many, but there are a LOT of them. To really make the most of awesome mod, you will want to be aware of all the new commands he makes available.
One other thing you need to know: Pescado has his own version of the framework that is optimized for his mod. If you got your framework from another source, verify it is also optimized for the awesome mod.
The mod framework package I linked earlier, that I use in my own game, has been optimized for the awesome mod, but can be used without it, as well. If you are in doubt, then download my version of the framework, to be sure.
http://www.mediafire.com/download/dtidsn2sa4sd10i/Mods.rar
