Can You Still Get Steam Achievements with Mods in Fallout: New Vegas? The Ultimate Guide

The Mojave Wasteland calls, Courier, and you’re itching to enhance your experience with mods. But a crucial question lingers: can you still snag those sweet Steam achievements while playing a modded version of Fallout: New Vegas? The answer, thankfully, is mostly yes, but with a few caveats that any seasoned wasteland wanderer needs to know.

In general, playing Fallout: New Vegas with mods does not automatically disable Steam achievements. However, there are specific actions and types of mods that can prevent you from unlocking them, at least temporarily. This primarily involves the use of the developer console and sometimes, poorly implemented mods. Understanding these nuances is key to a fulfilling and rewarding playthrough.

The original release of Fallout: New Vegas on PC used Steamworks for its achievements. While the Xbox 360 version used Xbox LIVE achievements, and the PS3 had PSN trophies, this article will focus solely on the Steam version.

Navigating the Minefield: When Do Mods Invalidate Achievements?

Here’s a breakdown of the situations where your achievement hunt might be jeopardized:

• Using the Developer Console: This is the biggest culprit. Opening the console (typically with the ~ key) and entering commands, even seemingly innocuous ones, disables achievements for the current play session. This is a built-in safety measure to prevent players from trivially unlocking achievements via cheat codes. The good news? Simply save your game, exit Fallout: New Vegas, and then relaunch it. Upon reloading your save, achievements will be re-enabled.

• Console Commands and Achievement Completion: Think you can cheat your way to an achievement, then reload and legitimately finish it? Think again. If you use a console command to do a portion of an achievement and then restart the game and finish it legitimately, you might not receive the achievement. The game sometimes remembers the assistance.

• Faulty or Overly Aggressive Mods: While most mods won’t outright block achievements, a poorly coded mod or one that drastically alters gameplay mechanics could interfere with the game’s achievement triggers. Always read mod descriptions and user comments carefully to identify potential issues. If an achievement seems bugged, try disabling recently installed mods to see if that resolves the problem.

• Changing Game Files Directly: Some mods require you to directly alter game files, such as the Fallout.ini file. Changing the FOV for example, requires altering these files. Similar to using the developer console, doing so will disable your ability to earn achievements in that session. However, as before, exit and re-enter the game, and you should be able to earn them again.

The Good News: Mods That Help You Get Achievements

Believe it or not, some mods can actually make it easier to earn achievements, or at least, less frustrating. Examples include mods that fix bugs preventing quest completion or improve game stability, preventing crashes that could interrupt your progress. Mods that display more information on screen (like enemy health) can also indirectly aid your achievement hunting.

Fallout 4’s Lesson: Creation Club vs. Mods

It’s worth noting that in Fallout 4, Creation Club content does not disable achievements. This is because Creation Club content undergoes thorough testing by Bethesda, unlike regular mods which are user-created and can’t be guaranteed to work perfectly.

The Importance of Community and Learning

The vibrant modding community surrounding Fallout: New Vegas is a testament to the power of player creativity and collaboration. This highlights the importance of games as learning tools, as players develop technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and a deeper understanding of game mechanics. Organizations like the Games Learning Society actively promote this connection between gaming and education, demonstrating how games can be powerful platforms for learning and innovation. Check out GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more.

FAQs: Your Burning Questions Answered

Can I still get Steam achievements if I use mods?

Yes, in most cases. The key is to avoid using the developer console during your play session. Some mods, if poorly implemented, could interfere with achievement triggers, but this is relatively rare.

Do Nexus mods disable achievements in New Vegas?

No, simply installing mods from Nexus Mods (or any other reputable source) does not automatically disable achievements. The issue arises when you use the developer console or install mods that fundamentally break the game’s achievement triggers.

Does using console commands disable achievements permanently?

No. Using the console disables achievements only for the current play session. Save, exit, and reload the game to re-enable them.

Does changing FOV in New Vegas disable achievements?

If you change the FOV directly within game files (e.g., Fallout.ini), this will disable achievements. Re-enter the game to regain the ability to earn them.

Does no clip disable achievements in New Vegas?

Using the tcl (toggle collision) command to noclip disables achievements temporarily. Save, exit, reload, and you’re good to go.

Can I get banned for unlocking all achievements using cheats?

While Valve generally doesn’t penalize users for cheating achievements, some developers might ban you from their game(s) if they detect blatant cheating. It’s a “use at your own risk” situation.

Does Steam verify remove mods?

If your mod directly alters game files, verifying the game files on Steam will revert those changes, effectively removing the mod. If the mod adds new files without modifying existing ones, it should be unaffected.

What happens if you get 100% achievements on Steam?

Nothing specific. You’ll have bragging rights and can showcase your achievement prowess on your Steam profile, but there are no in-game rewards or Steam-wide bonuses.

Can you ask Steam to remove achievements?

Yes, you can use the Steam client console (accessed by running Steam with the -console parameter) to clear specific achievements. The command is achievement_clear <appid> <achievement name>.

Is it possible to max every skill in New Vegas?

Yes. With a high Intelligence score and the right perks, you can max out all skills before level 40. Even with a low Intelligence character, you can achieve this by level 50.

Does intelligence affect skill points in Fallout New Vegas?

Yes. Higher Intelligence grants you more skill points to distribute each time you level up, making it easier to max out your skills.

Does lowering FOV increase FPS?

Yes, generally. A lower field of view means the game needs to render fewer objects on screen, potentially improving your frame rate, especially on lower-end systems.

Does permanently removing a game from Steam remove achievements?

No. Even if you remove a game from your Steam library, any achievements you earned will remain associated with your account.

Do you still get achievements if you switch to creative?

In Minecraft, switching to Creative mode disables achievements for that world. This is a common mechanic in sandbox games to prevent easy achievement grinding.

Does turning off friendly fire disable achievements?

No, changing the friendly fire setting does not disable achievements.

Conclusion: Mod On, Achievement Hunter!

Fallout: New Vegas offers a vast and engaging experience, and mods can enhance it even further. By understanding the rules of the achievement game – avoiding the console, being cautious with mods, and knowing how to reset the system – you can enjoy the best of both worlds: a customized wasteland adventure and a complete set of Steam achievements to proudly display. Happy trails, Courier!