Streamline Installation

[CruzJ]

Hello there. I need help getting Streamline(3.1) to work on my Oblivion. My problem is that Streamline won't ''initialize'' no matter what. I've used Streamline before(Also 3.1), and extracted it on the Oblivion folder(Not the Data folder) and when I ran it, a bell never rang nor did it say anything about this mod initializing, but when I loaded a saved game, it gave me a Streamline Signet, though I still can't open the main Streamline Menu. I re-installed the mod tonight and this time, I placed the folders and esp's in the Data folder, like the installation.txt told me so, but this time, there were no Signets. If anyone can inform me of anything I've done incorrectly and/or how I should do it, I'd be pleased.

 

If you have questions regarding the topic, I'll answer.

[bben46]

Streamline is an old utility that was never really finished before the author vanished from the mod scene. The intent was to allow people to play with a system that was really too weak to run the game at any reasonable fps. It works by changing the graphic features on the fly as you play. So it is really just a way to automatically change the fps by varying the graphic features as you go. By reducing the graphics detail to very low values, you could get a useable fps. But, that same trick caused things like a building suddenly appearing right in front of you without ever seeing it at any distance. Then an enemy NPC could appear right on top of you with no warning and killing you before you can do anything. Arrows would hit you from an invisible opponent. When fighting multiple opponents, one would back off and vanish while the other was close. then the one that vanished would attack fom another direction. and far views were very low resolution, if they were seen at all.

 

Then, stopping and waiting a few seconds your vision would gradually expand to include features that were invisible before. But just the act of turning and they would vanish again. How much of this you see would vary depending on how powerful your system is, and where you set the values in Streamline. If your system was actually powerful enough to play the game with a reasonable fps ( 30 fps or better most of the time) without the graphics crippling enhancements used, then Streamline would actually cause more problems than it fixed.

 

I don't recommend streamline unless you are playing on a very weak system. Instead, make the changes in the graphics settings that allow for the best balance in your game. Please remember, the console version is capped at 30 fps - so anything you can get over that is more than sufficient to play. Don't make the mistake of thinking that using streamline will allow you to play at a constant 60 fps, or even 40 - it won't.

 

Technically the mod is fantastic. The author did some things that were considered impossible at the time. And it does exactly what he intended it for.

 

After trying Streamline on a weak system, I used this site to set up my graphics instead. http://www.tweakguides.com/