Start Me Up is an one of a kind mod that allows much more role-playing opportunities in Fallout 4 by freeing you from the role of a concerned parent through dialogue changes and alternative start. However, this mod has been abandoned by the author and will not receive anymore update.... so here I decided to work on some maintenance as I can.

If you just want a quick start and skip pre-war intro for Vanilla story Use SKK Fast Start and Piper Interview Restored together instead. SKK Fast Start doesn't touch any vanilla quests therefore more compatible with other mods and has less footprint to bug your game. Unlike Start Me Up which edits most of vanilla main quests, and including quest fragments and some Vault 111 related scripts.

Start Me Up is not just a 'quick start mod'. Start Me Up, should be seen as a whole-game story overhaul and incompatibility with other mods that touch vanilla quests is inevitable. Start Me Up is very prone to mod conflict, please be careful when you're using it. This mod should be loaded near the last of your mod order unless stated otherwise in compatibility section.

More information about Start Me Up can be read on original SMU page here.

DO NOT download original Start Me Up if you want to use Redux, this is a stand-alone mod.

Xbox version is now available!

Version 7.4 (20/01/2024)

New Update 7.4 :

• Some minor fixes I can't remember
• Lancer Captain Kells will not say that you're a relic of the past if your character is a wastelander
• Fix the wrong message box when you select Bruiser trait
  

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Current Features :

-> Unofficial Fallout 4 Compatibility. (Requires UFO4P)
-> Fixed the spawn script for Wastelander Start (very important feature)

• Spawn script loads you into Commonwealth, is then set to wait 20 seconds for breathing room before Stage 10 of MQ102 (Out of Time) is set to fire up. This prevents engine overload.
• As Stage 10 Setstage fires up. You gained 'Out of Time' Quest, as if you leave the vault normally. Now you'll start to get mod-added items and quest triggers that are set to fires up at Stage 10.
• As with native Fallout 4 MQ102 script, Stage 10 of MQ102 is coded to fires up Stage 15 afterwards. which enables Diamond City Radio, Classical Radio and BoS Distress SIgnal through vanilla and save-friendly means.
• The post-vault stages of MQ102 should be running in the way it is supposed to be in vanilla game, only the objectives and dialogues are changed to fit alternative start.
• Adds a proper end stage for MQ101 (adding quest stop line) bypass to properly clean the aliases, This was missing in original mod.
  

-> Stage 15 of Out of Time (MQ102) is now functioning in the way it should be. Quests and mods that require Stage 15 as a condition will be compatible with Start Me Up. Radios are now activated using native Fallout 4 quest-stage event rather than 'hack-in', unlike the old version.

-> 'Out of Time' quest in Wastelander Start should be functional in general unless there's a mod conflict. (If you still have problems see troubleshooting guide)

-> No more Infinite Loading Screen bug with heavy load order, as 20 second script engine breathing room before Stage 10 'script fires up' has been added. However, after finishing character creation, you SHOULD still wait for a few minutes before walking out the bathroom since a lot of script will be running in pre-war scene if you've got a lot of mods

-> Fixed Vault 111 inaccessible door and Vault Gear Door not opening for Wastelander start. All doors in V111 should be functional now.

-> Disabled some more of the activators that should be disabled if you chose to spawn outside the vault.

-> Remove a source of reference conflict if a mod refers to Nate/Nora or unique actor script is called.

-> Fixed 'getting stuck at Piper's Interview' through compatibility patches.

-> Shaun won't look like you in alternative start (Use ShaunDefaultAppearance plugin for this function, remove it if you want Shaun to look similar to you)

-> Nate & Nora won't look like you in alternative start (Change them to default look for immersion)

-> Edited Vault 111 spawning script to be more reliable.

-> Fixed frozen Nate/Nora spawning outside the cryopod in Vault 111 and increased compatibility with the mods that edit Vault 111.

-> Fixed a bug where the raiders in 'tougher raider gang' location options attacking you. Now the raiders there will be your ally!

-> Optimized 'Pick Your Start' section script.

-> Debug Menu Holotape, crafted at chem bench or cooking station, utility section for both.

-> Debug Options: Pod C6 Audio Log Giver, Dialogue Options, Class Options

-> 'Fixed' perk point reset bug if you start at level 300, since this is an unfixable engine limit... the maximum start level is reduced to 250!

-> Far Harbor Patch is now merged into the main plugin to reduce plugin and .ba2 count

-> 'Rumor of a Vault' now gives XP upon completion

-> DLC gears are fully integrated into Start Me Up

-> Dialogue Fixes

• Fix characters being referred as the wrong sex during USS Constitution quest
• Fix Preston Garvey romance line oversight where male player character still refers to his wife in alternate start
  
• Fix DiMA dialogue in Far Harbor where your character still refers to family and spouse in alternate start.
  
• Changed the sarcastic response to Piper in Wastelander start to post-MQ201 one as it is more fitting.
• Fix wrong dialogue in Reunions
• Fix wrong dialogue in Secret of Cabot House
• Lancer Captain Kells will not say that you're a relic of the past if your character is a Wastelander
  

-> New Dialogue Addition in Redux version

• Piper apologizes you for assuming you're a vault dweller when you're not
  
• A new line for male Alternate Start character for USS Constitution quest during the conversation with Mandy, the player will not confirm to being a soldier, but will say that Ironside only thought that he was.
  
• A new line for Wastelander Start character during Danse affinity conversation, the player will not ask if Rivet City is post-war. Danse's response is also slightly altered to fit with the question.
  

 
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Current Pipeline
Core Features & Bug Fixes :
- Further bug fixes and script optimization
- Starting gear rebalancing
Additions :
- [In Progress] Sim Settlement 2 Compatibility Patch
- Seddo4494's Quests Compatibility Patch
- Player class specific dialogues as Add-On
- Institute Dialogue and Quest Add-On for Escaped Synth and Institute Deserter
- More compatibility patches for other mods I feel like doing.

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Start Me Up Dialogue Patches

- Trunk's Malfunction

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Patches & Recommended Mods for Start Me Up

Download this If you want to keep your mod-added holotapes from being removed during prewar scene. Load after Start Me Up

Download this if you have a lot of Creation Club content as quest starting will overload the engine when you load into Commonwealth (Tunnel Snakes Rules also breaks Codsworth quest so go and get it if you have CC content)

Download this If you want silent protagonist, will works dynamically and requires no patching. (Unlike old silent protagonist mod)

Download this if you want to change the pitch of your character voice, to be deeper or higher, in a bug-free way
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TROUBLESHOOTING
 
Start Me Up is a mod that edits a lot of quest, and its starting-up sequence scripts for Wastelander start are heavy (It has to bypass quests, disable trigger boxes, etc.) at the start of the game, so bugs due to engine overload is in inevitable on heavy load orders without a workaround. Here are some troubleshooting guides for common bugs.
 
You select the Wastelander Start, then you crash/get stuck in loading screen.

If you have True Damage, disable them first, then re-enable it after you're already in Commonwealth

You have too many mods installed and there is too many scripts running at once at the Vault exit/Gamestart - Since SMU uses its own script to bypass quests and load yourself into an alternate start, it is best to minimize other scripts to prevent engine overload.
 
Solution : disable most of your mods except the core mods before the start of a new game. Any scripted mod that is set to start as you step into commonwealth should be all disabled. (I recommend you to disable weapons with scripted level list injection then re-enable them later)
 
Then after finishing customizing your character, stand for a few minutes in the bathroom, don't walk out yet. I recommend you to stand in the bathroom for at least 2 minute, for the scripts to properly initiated. With heavy load order, more time should be taken
 
After you finally left the vault or loaded into Commonwealth, wait for 'Out of Time' to fires up, then wait for a few minutes more.., save and quit the game and enable all your mods you want to play with, then reload your save - now all your mods will be firing off at once, so wait for few minutes until everything is set-up before you do anything, just stand there and doing nothing until you're sure that everything is loaded up.

Since you've done a lot of waiting, you could use 'set gamehour to 9' in the console if you want to set the clock back

 
Nate/Nora corpse is not spawning in the vault when you start as a Wastelander, and therefore you cannot get the holotape to talk to Nick Valentine.
 
If you start outside the vault, save the game just before you hit the elevator button to get into the vault the first time. If you cannot find the 111 holotape corpse, or it spawns weirdly such as spawning in front of the gear door and not generator room (won't create any trouble in technical sense, you can pick the holotape, it just looks ugly), reroll your save and get into the vault again. Since SMU is prone to this I recommend you to save before going into the vault.
 
You have to grab the holotape quickly as the corpse spawned - so just as you came to Vault 111, the corpse will despawn shortly with cell reset.
 
If this doesn't work.. craft the Debug Holotape at chem/cooking station and give yourself Pod C6 Audio Log
 
Frozen Nate or Nora in Alternative Start does not have the default look.
 
Since the version 3.2, I have attempted to fix the bug that caused Frozen Nate or Nora to spawn outside the crypod - I ended up removing mod-added Nate/Nora duplicates (This is still used in 'Another Vault Dweller' start) and use the vanilla actor that already exists in the cell instead.
 
This would increase the compatibilities for many mods that edits Vault 111. Nate/Nora should not spawn outside the pod now. The Downside of it is however, if you edited the opposite sex character during character creation, Nate and Nora would look like what you've edited them to be.
 
The fix? Don't touch opposite sex character during character creation. Or if you want them to look different you can do it.
 
Any Problems with 'Out of Time' and 'When Freedom Calls' Quest.
 
By having a lot of script running during MQ102 initialization (Out of Time quest), it may cause the internal bits of the quest script to fail... The result is not apparent at first but will manifested into strange things such as no radio, Codsworth won't do his house search quest, Preston won't open the door in the museum for you, the list can go on. These are not always replicable, and not reliably fixable.
 
Solution is the same with the 'infinite loading screen' section, is to disable most of your mods except the core mods that absolutely need to be at the start of the time, before the start of a new game. Any scripted mod that is set to start as you step into commonwealth should be all disabled
 
After you finally left the vault or loaded into Commonwealth, wait for 'Out of Time' to fires up, then wait for a few minutes.., save and quit the game and enable all your mods you want to play with, then reload your save.
 
 
If you're stuck at Institute's Elevator when you get there the first time.
 
Killable Children is well known to cause this, Don't use Killable Children, Use Immersive Killable Children WITH size fix OR Mortal Youth. (and download the killable Synth Shaun patch it if you use Shaun's Default Appearance plugin)
 
This is not Start Me Up bug, check for mod conflicts for Institutionalized (MQ207) quest. This is also a known vanilla bug that happens if you wear power armor into the institute the first time so don't wear power armor into the institute.

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Mod Conflict
 
This mod is confirmed to be compatible with: Lunar Fallout Overhaul, Damn Apocalypse, Thrive, Minutemen-Brotherhood Epilogue Restored, A New Dawn - Minutemen BoS Sentinel, Nick Valentine Romance, Combat Zone Restored, Danse Dilemma, Crime and Punishment, Better Companions All in One, PANPC, PACE, Liga, Unlimited Companion Framework, RED with patch, Baka Framework, Spell Perk Item Distributor, MAIM.
 
Compatible, but requires some set-up:
 
Subversion - is compatible, use the holotape crafted in chem station to remove you-are-a-parent-related dialogues from the quest.
 
Nuka World Reborn/Viva Nuka World - is compatible in general playthrough, but you may have to load Nuka World Reborn and Viva Nuka World after Start Me Up. The incompatibilities are institute quest logs which will be override and will not reflect the SMU story.
 
Sim Settlement 2 - is technically compatible if you don't chose to level up during character creation. You should start at level 1 only. However Sim Settlement 2 is not compatible in term of story as it forces you to be the concerned parent, which I am currently working on a patch for it.
 
Player Comments and Head Tracking - I do not recommend Player Comments in general due to the edits it makes on quests which cause a lot of incompatibilities - Download the Player Comment Start Me Up Patch in the original Player Comments page and download Piper's Quest fix as provided it here. Load Piper Fix After Player Comments and Player Comments Start Me Up Patch.
 
True Damage - Starting the game with True Damage and Start Me Up installed will cause Infinite Loading Screen after character creation. Only enable it after you're already in the Commonwealth.
 
Amazing Follower Tweaks - Get the 'Remove Nora Revival' patch here, as that particular function of the mod is not compatible with SMU.

Horizon - Not really compatible, most Start Me Up options will crash the games, but you can work around it by NOT using random special option and START WITH 'only clothes on my back' AND level 1 only. I do not know if it'll cause problems along the line, use it with discretion.

Be Exceptional - Needs a patch here or the game will crash or fail to load if used together
 
Not Compatible: Other alternate start mods because obviously (SKK Fast Start, Synthetic Player), Piper Interview Restored, Killable Children, Nora Spouse Companion, Dual Survivor Nate Companion, quest mods that alter this game's main quests or game start sequences may not be compatible.
 
No main quest - Wasteland Operator mod - Need to be updated for Redux, and could cause Radio problems.