Beginner asks: What are the essentials?

[Branimirzg]

OBSE is a folder with some .dlls inside of it that you put in your data folder.

 

Yes...but it comes with "obse_loader.exe", which becomes your default game .exe, right?

 

Yep!

 

Wrye Bash is a mod/save game management -Wrye Bash help-> http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Tes4Mod:Wrye_Bash

[jedimarine]

So what does Wyre Bash do that OBMM doesn't? Is it necessary to have 2 different management tools?

[Sultericdrums]

This is my $00.02.

 

Installing:

 

http://www.tesnexus.com/articles/article.php?id=124

 

Wait with MMM, FCOM and OOO. They are complicated and can create all sorts of havoc. I don't use them personally. I would recommend you be an advanced mod user before dealing with them.

 

OBSE is okay but for ease of use I would suggest InsanitySorrow's Oblivion program utility where you can start the CS or Oblivion with OBSE very easily. You can get that here:

 

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=27672

 

All the other various utilities such as Wrye Bash, TES4Gecko, TES4Edit and all those are only needed IMHO if you mod. TES4Edit is great for conflict detection though.

[Nexus Set]

Wrye Bash and Oblivion Mod Manager Comparison

 

You can install both without any problems. You'll just need to pick one for managing your load order.

 

You'll also need Wrye Bash if you want to install COBL.

[Retribution]

It's easy to install FCOM. Just follow this guide. http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/fcominstall.html

[Khettienna]

Here's what I wish I'd done the first time I wanted to start using mods.

 

1-Backup your modless Oblivion install into another folder called "Oblivion - New".

 

2-Install OBSE. OBSE doesn't do anything you can see, it just allows other mods to do really awesome stuff that wouldn't otherwise be possible. Many mods depend on it.

 

3-Install OBMM. OBMM lets you install mods packaged in .omod format, which is usually easier than doing things manually. You can also create omods out of any mod that doesn't offer an omod package. The biggest boon is that it will uninstall whole mods instantly, so you don't have to weed out files manually.

 

4-Install Wrye Bash. Myriad of features, including NPC/savegame face importing, load order management, etc... most particularly, it will create a patch to merge changes from mods that ordinarily don't work in tandem with each other. Takes some learning.

 

5-Install Windom Earl's Crash Prevention System. You won't see anything in the game change, except the game will crash less.

 

6-Install the Unofficial Oblivion Patch, as well as the Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch, and the Unofficial Official Mods patch for any official DLC mods you are using.

 

7-Back up your whole Oblivion folder again, and call it "Oblivion - Patched".

 

8-Install mods from there. As mentioned, once you get a setup of stable mods you know you'll always want for every character, you might want to back it up a third time.

 

Heavily recommended low-stress mods:

 

-Darnified UI makes the UI fit better on a PC. Smaller fonts, smaller & moveable HUD, can see more at once in inventory, etc...

-EVE Variants HGEC Body Replacer - Body replacement in .omod format that comes with all the stock items made to fit the body and lets you choose options during installation.

-Cobl - offers omod install, and you can choose options during installation. Adds a lot of richness to the game, and some great and convenient features. Many great mods take advantage of this added richness, too.

-Health & Magicka Overhaul - provides a nice retroactive rebalance of how health & magicka rise during leveling, so you don't have to worry so much about where you're putting your stat points.

-Toggleable Quantity Prompt - CTRL + click in inventory to move 1 item at a time without prompts, SHIFT + click to move whole stacks without prompts.

-A Takes All - Pressing "A" while having a container open loots all its contents.

-DZ Auto Harvest - Gives you spells you can cast to auto-harvest all ingredients around you (unless it would be stealing). Choose the lowest-radius spell to make it a convenience rather than a cheat. Can also be configured via in-game menu to literally auto harvest everything near you all the time, and/or also harvest from containers.

-Setsuna Training Dummies - Makes it possible to skill up from shooting or smashing on regular ole' archery targets and training dummies, no configuring required.

-No Psychic Guards - pretty self-explanatory.

 

Some of these require OBSE. All of them are mods I find pleasing on any character, and have used extensively with zero conflicts or bugs. None of them require mod-installing expertise, they are just "set it and forget it" type mods.

 

On the subject of Wrye Bash vs. OBMM, I use both for different reasons. I use OBMM to install and uninstall, plus it handles a pesky thing called Archive Invalidation for me automatically. I use Wrye Bash for load ordering (because you can CTRL + up or down, and I love hotkeys) and for its Bashed Patch. Both have priceless and unique features, so IMO it was never really a competition - having both is the only appealing option for me.

 

Hope this helps!

[bben46]

Very good advice from Khettienna. Especially the part about backing up.

 

I would like to add - Don't try to load a bunch of mods at once. That is asking fro problems. The time you think you will save will be more than taken up in figuring which mods are causing problems. Load one at a time and TEST it before loading another. Then if there is a problem, either fix it before loading another or remove it completely and test without it before going on to the next mod.

 

Just unchecking a mod in the data or OBMM list does not actually remove the mod, it only prevents the esp part from starting. Any texture and mesh files are still there and can cause problems. However, if you use OMODs, deactivating the OMOD Will remove the entire mod, including any pesky meshes or textures. And it will keep the mod ready to be reinstalled again later.

[Megatarius]

Essential for me is the mod 3rd Person Animations in 1st Person View. The first person in Oblivion is nothing to write home about. This mod makes it seem less like you're a floating camera with weapons attached to the sides.

 

 

Another one that is really good is Better Music System. You won't be excited by this huge new world for long when the music keeps getting interrupted by the battle music every five seconds because there's a wolf or a mud crab nearby. And then it resets from the beggining of a new track after the fight. :rolleyes:

 

Better Music System has an extensive .ini file which lets you tweak pretty much every setting. I personally have Combat Detection off entirely, and it has transformed the game for me. Also, you can put whatever tracks you like in seperate folders for each type of location. Way more than the standard four location types of the vanilla game. The standard music is good, don't get me wrong, but it's executed badly and this mod really makes it better. You need a beta version of script extender to use it, but I haven't had any problems.

 

I recommend searching for extra music on this site. The pieces by Doctor Eternal are my favorites. Also the battle music by Matti Paalanen is really good too, and with Better Music System, you can use it anywhere in the game. I have most of it set for the Oblivion Realms.

 

 

OOO is essential if you want your character to have a more difficult time early on, but become all powerful by the end. The standard leveling in the game makes everything advance with you, which means that eventually every lowly thief has powerful weaponry and if you don't keep up with essential survival skills, the monsters will level up with you and keep up with them, so you'll be worse and worse off.

 

OOO also adds new characters to the game, mostly bandit types, as well as placing at least one really nice item in every dungeon, so you have a reason to explore it.