Can I run a Fallout mod launcher and have Steam think it's the original game executable?

Solution 1:

You can actually rename the FOSE or FOMM launchers to 'FalloutLauncher.exe', which is the executable Steam looks for when launching the game. Steam will then launch the appropriate program, but still think that it is Fallout.

For example, I did these steps with FOSE:

• Navigate to Fallout 3/New Vegas's folder under steamapps.
• Change the FalloutLauncher.exe file to be a different name, such as FalloutLauncher-orig.exe (in case you want to revert).
• Create a copy of the fose-loader.exe file, and rename it to FalloutLauncher.exe (Leave the original named as fose_loader.exe, as FOMM will look for this file when you launch FOSE through it.)
• Click Play in Steam. It should launch the game with FOSE.

I chose to do this with FOSE instead of FOMM, because FOSE launches the game directly. If I want to access FOMM, I still have it's link as a 'Non-Steam game'.

Solution 2:

Sorry for the necro, I just found a great little way to do this.

First, rename fose-loader.exe to Fallout3Beta.exe

Then rename Fallout3.exe to Fallout3ng.exe

It seems that if the launcher cannot find Fallout3.exe it looks for Fallout3Beta.exe, and if fose-loader.exe can't find Fallout3.exe, it looks for Fallout3ng.exe