Vortex Beta

[Sadoth Royer]

As we continue to improve Vortex, we will be releasing new features in beta builds. These builds are only available to users who opt-in to receive testing updates and may contain minor bugs or issues which need to be ironed out before the full release to our userbase.

While anyone can opt-in, we recommend that you only use the testing builds of Vortex if you're willing to put up with some potential issues and constructively report any problems you encounter so we can fix them. Quite often these new builds will contain untested features or changes to game support that has the potential to cause issues in setups we haven't yet encountered. All beta releases should be relatively stable as they go through an internal test process first.

You can opt-in to receive testing updates from the Vortex settings page. You simply change the "Update" option from "Stable" to "Testing". If a new beta version is available, Vortex will inform you a few seconds later and allow you to install it. Otherwise, Vortex will simply check each time you start it up for new beta builds.

If you are having problems with the beta build, it is possible to roll back by changing the option mentioned in the previous section back to "Stable". Please be aware though, it is potentially dangerous to revert back to an older version. If the version difference is a major or minor update (e.g. 1.x.x -> 2.x.x or 1.2.x -> 1.3.x) we recommend you stick with the test build until it reaches stable before opting out.

I downloaded the beta because the release notes suggested that the "Incompatible mod archive(s)" but had been fixed, but I must have misread them because I'm still seeing the warning for the Unofficial Fallout 4 Patch (see attached).

That mod is (as far as I've seen) the only one using the new BA2 formats. Vortex isn't updated to support it yet, but you can opt into the beta if you'd prefer not to see the message under Settings -> Vortex.

I can reproduce error when using downgraded .exe, which makes sense as disabling downgraded files (mod), then removes warnings.

Also worth noting here that Vortex may require reboot to properly register .exe version changes.

Edit: error does seem to persist under certain conditions.
Disabling Gamebryo Archive Check extension, to manually suppress notification spam

How is it supposed to work then? I'm getting spammed with "unknown" .ba2 for mods that are up-to-date on an up-to-date version of the game. It would only make sense for these specific mod to trigger while on downgraded version. Vortex reboot or flipping profiles seems to temporarily suppress it but as soon as anything triggers archive check, it trips again.

1.10.980.0 > 1.11.2

Having the same issue. Clean install of latest version of Fallout 4 Next Gen v.1.10.980 with no patches installed from previous FO4 versions. Installed Unofficial Fallout Patch v.2.1.6c and received same Check Fail message as in previous posts. For information, when I originally installed FO4, I also installed LOOT v.2.23 in the Tools menu. When opening and using LOOT to check load order I notice a discrepancy between the Unofficial Fallout Patch version in Vortex (v.2.1.6c) and the version number in LOOT. Loot was not reading the correct updated version but the old version number of the Unofficial Fallout Patch. Hope that helps. I also tried using the Beta version of Vortex 1.11.2 and still got the Check Fail Message.

Vortex upgraded itself after I told it to switch to the Beta channel. When I start Vortex it tells me it's up to date. Version banner says 1.11.2-BETA. (I initially sought a method for a clean install with the beta version, but I couldn't find out how to do that).

The only further issue I can see is that I have around 255 plugins, Vortex doesn't always error on the PPF ba2 files and now I have reduced the non-light plugin count significantly, I am not getting the error messages. Perhaps I'm seeing an issue related to that 256 plugin limit?

In that case, there would have to be an issue in the Vortex installer where it changes enough of the installation to have the banner changed to report 1.11.2-BETA but other parts of the previous install remain.

I initially looked for a 1.11.2-BETA installer online, but couldn't find one; the only mechanism I'm aware of is the self-update after changing the Update setting to the Beta channel, which is what I've used.

I will assume, from your last sentence in your post, that this issue is still unresolved. The question now is, despite this problem between Vortex/LOOT and UNFO4 patch, with the Unofficial FO4 patch plugin enabled in Votex, is it working as intended in game?

An analytical theory is presented for the self-induced translation of an intense vortex relative to a uniform background flow on the β plane. The equivalent barotropic approximation is used to formulate the initial value problem within a polar coordinate frame translating with the vortex center. A contour dynamical model of the vortex is melded with the regular beta-plane model of the residual flow. Evolution of vortex asymmetries for azimuthal mode number one, the so-called beta gyres, which are responsible for the relative vortex motion, is considered for a period of time while the Rossby wave radiation is not important.

It is shown for an initially axisymmetric vortex that the beta gyres and corresponding vortex translational velocity consist of two parts. The first one is generated by advection of the background potential vorticity gradient and rotates differentially because of the symmetric vortex circulation. The second part arises due to distortion in the vortex shape represented by displacements of the piecewise constant potential vorticity contours relative to the vortex center. The distortion of the vortex shape is described by the sum of normal modes generated by the first part. Explicit solutions for both parts are obtained, and approximate expressions for different stages of the vortex motion are presented.

For a vortex with a uniform potential vorticity core (single contour), the beta gyres are found to consist only of the first part so that the vortex translation depends on the ratio of the core size to the radius of deformation. A small core corresponds to the geostrophic point vortex limit with initially predominantly meridional motion. Asymptotically, after a large number of fluid revolutions at a radial distance on the order of the radius of deformation, the westward translation dominates: the meridional velocity and the deviation of zonal velocity from the maximum linear Rossby wave speed decay linearly with time. This tendency is explained to be a result of effective symmetrization of the potential vorticity due to differential rotation of fluid around the vortex. The period of initial predominantly meridional motion is negligible when the core size is on the order of the deformation radius.

For the vortex with two steps in the potential vorticity, the normal mode rotates faster than the fluid if the potential vorticities in the core and at the periphery have different signs. The effect of the distortion in the vortex shape on the vortex translation increases with increasing deformation radius relative to the vortex size. In a stationary beta gyre, for a finite vortex, the relative contour shift contributes to the westward translation just up to the long Rossby wave speed.

In the nondivergent limit a universal approximate trajectory has been found for large outer contour radius. The center of a finite vortex moves northwestward with permanent meridional acceleration due to degeneracy of a zero-frequency normal mode. The zonal translational velocity approaches a limit proportional to the vortex area. The effect of the distortion in the vortex shape in this nondivergent limit results in decreasing the westward translation and increasing the meridional one.

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