Help me mod.

[chrisisdanlol]

You see, i want to mod, but i dont want to get winrar, i download the file then extract all files. After that i open oblivion and drag them into the "Data" file, i launch oblivion and go to data files....nothing..am i doing something wrong? do i need to update my game thanks, Chris

[Eiries]

You see, i want to mod, but i dont want to get winrar, i download the file then extract all files. After that i open oblivion and drag them into the "Data" file, i launch oblivion and go to data files....nothing..am i doing something wrong? do i need to update my game thanks, Chris

 

If you don't want Winrar (which I don't blame you), try 7z. It's free and fantastic. http://www.7-zip.org/

 

Here's a topic on this http://thenexusforums.com/index.php?showtopic=21998

 

As for installing, it's all about paths. Depending on how the modder compressed it is how you have to extract it. From now on, the mod name in question is ModName.

 

Whenever you download a mod, you need to check its path in your extraction program. You essentially need to complete this path correctly.

 

 

 

Most convenient ones, when viewed, will have things like a Textures folder, Meshes folder, and the plugin. These get extracted to Data, where the two folders (textures and meshes) merge with the ones already there.

 

Sometimes though, the first folder in the path is Data instead of the aforementioned path. Remember, it's all about merging the paths. So now you have to extract it to Oblivion instead of Data, that way the two folders will merge properly.

 

And finally, you get a compressed file where the first folder is a variation of the mod's name. So, you open it up and it has a folder called ModName. What are you going to do now? You can't extract it, because there's no folders to merge with.

 

In this case you have a few options. Here's what I do. I extract it to my desktop. Now you have the folder called ModName. Go in it. Now, they'll either be a folder called Data, or the Textures/Meshes/ModName.esp combo. Sounding familiar? It should.

 

Okay. Grab all of that up and right-click it. Now recompress it using your preferred extracting program. Now you have a zip file that can properly follow the first two scenarios. Extract it properly and voila! Good to go.

 

Depending on the program used, you may just be able to double click the ModName folder from within the zip file and skip the first folder, but a lot of times it'll still extract that first folder, messing up you path and preventing you from using it.

 

It'll take a while before you get used to it, but you'll be a mod extracting pro before you know it. Bookmark this page for quick reference if you'd like. Have fun.

[David Brasher]

I don't like WinRar. It creates huge .rar files that are almost as big as .zip files. In my opinion, 7-zip works great and makes the smallest .7z compressed files.