Problems with flashing textures FIX!

[aaron0000123]

I have a recently discovered how to rid of a lot of MOST duplicate files in oblivion (fixing the flashing textures) where people would install a mod more than once. If you navigate to you Oblivion\Data folder, Bring up the Search bar (Default ctrl + F in Vista), and type "_n.dds" A whole list of mods will pop up. by default, if a file has two copies it doesn't always ask you to overwrite, it just creates a new one with a similar name. I don't know if it WILL DEFIANTLY be _n. but there are original files that use _a and also _01/_02/_03. So just select the whole list when it's done searching and make sure there isn't ANYTHING but _n.dds selected and click delete. If you delete anything by accident go to your recycle bin and restore!

This is just a simple fix and I am not guaranteeing it to work. So don't whine to me about it. Just download OBMM and delete all files associated with the mod and re-download if you don't like it.

Don't call me a noob. I want to see if YOU have a simpler way of doing it if you do.

This fix also cleans up around 1 GB or more depending on the mods you have installed

 

Another fix for this problem is make sure you don't have two mods that alter the same textures (eg. Better cities IC Market district AND ImpeREAL IC Market District) just deactivate one of them.

[BossDweebe]

Seriously BAD idea....

_n.dds is a normal map, and is required by the game.

 

If you have a DDS viewer than you will soon see it is no duplicate.

 

The two IC mods may change some of the same textures, but not all. If they do the esp's will do

different things.

A quick read of the READ ME for ImpeREAL City Unique Districts mod will show that it

does not conflict with Better Cities. I have to trust the author on this, including when he says that

there have been 15,000 downloads of his mod with no complaints of conflict, because I do not have Better Cities.

[LFact]

Seriously BAD idea....

_n.dds is a normal map, and is required by the game.

 

If you have a DDS viewer than you will soon see it is no duplicate.

 

I agree. And, *_g.dds is glow map. While normal map gives bump mapping 'effect'(and transparency), glow map makes your model 'shiny'. For most case(except some textures: i.e. eye textures), they're needed.

[aaron0000123]

Seriously BAD idea....

_n.dds is a normal map, and is required by the game.

 

If you have a DDS viewer than you will soon see it is no duplicate.

 

I agree. And, *_g.dds is glow map. While normal map gives bump mapping 'effect'(and transparency), glow map makes your model 'shiny'. For most case(except some textures: i.e. eye textures), they're needed.

 

i said all others besides _n.dds ARE used and are not duplicates

[aaron0000123]

Seriously BAD idea....

_n.dds is a normal map, and is required by the game.

 

If you have a DDS viewer than you will soon see it is no duplicate.

 

The two IC mods may change some of the same textures, but not all. If they do the esp's will do

different things.

A quick read of the READ ME for ImpeREAL City Unique Districts mod will show that it

does not conflict with Better Cities. I have to trust the author on this, including when he says that

there have been 15,000 downloads of his mod with no complaints of conflict, because I do not have Better Cities.

 

I had this flashing textures and saw that two textures were overlapping. IC ImpeREAL market was disabled and there were no longer flashing. I tried this disabling better cities market and enabling ImpeREAL and there still was no flashing. So obviously it was one of the two mods. It was only on the upper stories.

I have only had one conflict with oblivion after this and that is around 3 robe textures missing. But all you have to do is go through your original oblivion bsa textures and reinstall all of the robes and overwrite them. I've checked all over the place. I haven't had ANY conflicts with maps so the _n.dds files you say are required obviously aren't. I've had an increase in frame rate also. I wouldn't want anyone messing up their game. I'm actually trying to help. I've tested this and discovered that if you DO install a mod twice, it will in fact make the same file with _n.dds at the end. So the fault of this will be the prompt now showing up to ask if you would like to overwrite when re-installing.

 

*Edit*

 

I also don't have any other mods editing the textures of the IC or any other city. A list of mods I have installed is attached.

 

Attachment

[BossDweebe]

EDIT: For some reason your reply on your other thread came in below this on the list even though it was posted

25 min later. So some of what I said below will no longer apply.

I am glad to see that you now have a bit better understanding of the _n.dds files.

 

If you are short of HD space deleting files you do not fully understand is not recommended.

If you can't afford another HD then it is best to just reduce the number of mods you are running.

 

My Oblivion folder is at 11 Gig, and yes there are some unused files that I still have to weed out, but these are

clothing and armour files that I have not used in a mod of my making that re-clothes/armours well over 100 NPC's.

 

EDIT 2: While I'm here - the _g.dds mentioned by LFact is not often used.

The normal map, can be created to make objects shiny - specular color, and - emissive color - can both be controlled with _n.dds. The _n.dds can also be created is a way that gives more relief to an item wile leaving is "flat" in relation to gloss.

The _g.dds is for actual glow as opposed to shine. The specular and emisive colors can be tweaked further withh NifScope if they have the correct _n.dds configuration.

 

i said all others besides _n.dds ARE used and are not duplicates

 

"if a file has two copies it doesn't always ask you to overwrite, it just creates a new one with a similar name. I don't know if it WILL DEFIANTLY be _n. but there are original files that use _a and also _01/_02/_03. So just select the whole list when it's done searching and make sure there isn't ANYTHING but _n.dds selected and click delete."

 

"I've tested this and discovered that if you DO install a mod twice, it will in fact make the same file with _n.dds at the end. So the fault of this will be the prompt now showing up to ask if you would like to overwrite when re-installing....

This fix also cleans up around 1 GB or more depending on the mods you have installed"

 

Now that reads to me like delete all _n.dds.

In addition I really am having a hard time understanding where you got a Gig of duplicate files from anyway.

 

Although I normally don't use the method of - just copy the mod files to your Oblivion Data folder and say yes when

prompted to overwrite - I have done so on a few occasions, but it is too haphazard fom me, so I install manually.

I am sure the the game does not make a duplicate. It does just what it says, and overwrites.

In fact it normally only overwrites the folder names, as most of the data in the mod is generally new files anyway.

If you have a dds viewer look at the _n.dds file. You will see it is blue, and not a duplicate of the .dds.

 

I know you are only trying to help, but you are insisting on saying that the _n.dds is not required, and believe me,

you are incorrect. Not all items require them, but very many do.

 

You are also contradicting the knowledge of the author of ImpeREAL cities. Of course the flashing stops when the mod

is deactivated, but the flashing would be because the mod was not installed correctly. Have you read the READ ME ?

Keep on the path of denial you are currently on and you will be doing much.... :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash: