Hi - I'm new and I'm just feeling my way around!

[Striker879]

Use 7-Zip ... it will open any of the commonly found archive types, isn't ad-ware and is the slickest archive utility I've ever tried. I still have an old version of WinZIP but it's unnecessary as 7-Zip will open ZIP archive no problem. Most of the mods you'll find on Nexus use 7-Zip (you'll see the .7z file extension).

 

I won't be at my gaming computer for a few weeks so I can't tell you for certain where I installed Oblivion Animation Fixer (OAF) but I believe you can install it to any location and then just use the File Open dialogue to navigate to your Oblivion\Saves folder. When you click the Fix Me button it will save your fixed file to the same spot you opened the original. Don't forget to rename a copy of the OBSE co-save (for an original save named MySave07.ess OAF will create a fixed save named OAF_MySave07.ess ... the original co-save will be called MySave07.obse, rename a copy of it to OAF_MySave07.obse).

[Borderboy]

Hi,

 

I am really sorry about this and I know its a pain but can you go through this a bit slower?

 

I am struggling!

 

I have downloaded 7-Zip - it's somewhere on my computer - god knows where!

 

I've got my latest save files which are Save 374 (blah blah) which is an ESS file and Save 374 (blah blah) which is an OBSE file. I've taken a copy of both just in case I mess up, (for want of a stronger term!).

 

Can you step me through it please?

 

I don't think I will ever get the hang of this!

[bben46]

7-zip comes as a self extracting file - just run the file and it extracts itself and installs itself. If asked what tiles you want 7-zip to handle, check ALL of them. I have never found a compressed file on a PC that it could not work with.

[Striker879]

If you downloaded 7-Zip from the Nexus link I gave you there would have been a Save File To type dialogue window that would have opened automatically after you clicked on the Download Manually link on the Files tab. It doesn't actually matter where you download it to, but I always create a folder for each download I save.

 

You use the New Folder button to create the folder but you need to at least take note of the location your new folder will be created (on my Vista laptop it defaults to the last location I saved a file in ... XP is the same as I imagine will be the case with Win 7 & 8). You use the Folder panel on the left side to navigate to where you want the new folder created.

 

I have a folder I created called Oblivion_Downloads on my data hard drive (I have multiple hard drives on my gaming machine, each for a separate purpose ... in your case you will probably only have a C drive so I would have a C:\Oblivion_Downloads\7-Zip folder that would be created after I navigated back to C:\Oblivion_Downloads from whatever folder I last created with the last thing I downloaded).

 

If you always make sure to take note of where you create the new folder or use a method like mine you'll easily be able to locate the download in Windows Explorer, and as bben46 points out, the 7-Zip download is a self extracting archive ... just double click it to run it.

[Borderboy]

Hi Striker879,

 

OK I've downloaded and saved 7-zip to C:Users/Public/7-Zip on my hard drive.

 

I have installed it, (at least I think I have!)

 

What do I do next?

 

I am still totally unclear about what you were saying about the ESS and OBSE files and what I have to do with the new ESS file that is prefixed with OAF.

 

Also do I have to fix both the ESS and the OBSE file?

 

What exactly is the OBSE file and what is its purpose?

 

I have 2 files, (my latest saves) which are:

 

Save 374 - Frodo Baginses - Rosethorn Hall Top Floor - Level 51, Playing Time 305.21.33.ess

 

and

 

Save 374 - Frodo Baginses - Rosethorn Hall Top Floor - Level 51, Playing Time 305.21.33.obse

 

 

Sorry about this but at this very moment I feel like I'm in the middle of Good Mornin' Vietnam!

 

Do you remember that sketch about the VP being such a big VIP etc.? Just watched it again - I was going to stick the link in here but I don't know how to.

Edited September 9, 2014 by Borderboy

[Striker879]

Next step is to download Oblivion Animation Fixer and be sure to take note of where you save it. Use the lower of the two links ... just click on the words OAF_v1_2 (the upper link that says Animation Fixer is version 1.1). The OAF download comes as a ZIP file ... would have extracted just fine using your native Win 7/8 utility but if you want you can right click the downloaded OAF_v1_2-5127.zip and select 7-Zip from the right click menu (when you hover your mouse over the words 7-Zip a selection box will open beside with all the 7-Zip options). Select Open archive from the selection box and a 7-Zip window will open with the contents of the OAF download displayed (all you'll see at this point is the folder OAF_v1_2). Click on the Extract button and 7-Zip will by default extract to the same folder as you downloaded to (which is OK as OAF will work no matter where you have the EXE file).

 

After you extract it your download folder will now contain a subfolder named OAF_v1_2 (be sure not to confuse this new folder with the icon for the downloaded ZIP file ... they both look similar on Vista and I'm certain that Microsoft wouldn't change something that confusing in Win 7/8 ). Open the OAF_v1_2 folder and you'll find OAF_v1_2.txt and OAF.exe. Right click on OAF.exe and select Send to and then Desktop (create a shortcut) from the selection box.

 

Switch back to your desktop and double click your new OAF icon. The OAF window will open and you'll click on the Open button. Beside the words Look in click on the down arrow and use the selection box to navigate to your Users\[username]\Documents\My Games\Oblivion\Saves folder. Click on the save you want to fix and then the Open button (I don't have any saves on the non-gaming laptop I'm on right now, so my step by step may be off by a bit). Once you have your save selected then hit the Fix Me button and OAF will report it's success.

 

You'll also know that OAF worked it's magic when you look in your Oblivion\Saves folder as you'll now find a save with the same name as your original but with OAF_ appended to the front of the name (when you fix a save named MySave23.ess you'll get a fixed save named OAF_MySave23.ess). Next find the OBSE co-save that goes with the original save you fixed (so in my example you'll look for MySave23.obse). Right click on it a select Copy and then right click on the folder you copied from (in this case the Oblivion\Saves folder) and then select Paste. You'll now have a file named MySave23 - Copy.obse which you'll change to OAF_MySave23.obse (right click and Rename).

 

Now you'll be all set until you've played long enough for the A-Bomb to start grabbing hold of your saves again. Just run OAF again and you're good to go.

 

- Edit - Been decades since I last watched Good Morning Vietnam ... great flick though, Robin will be missed.

Edited September 9, 2014 by Striker879

[Borderboy]

Thanks for that Striker879,

 

I've followed all of that now with quite a bit more confidence!

 

What do I do with the old files now - do I discard them or just leave them?

 

Does my game automatically load up with the OAF files now as my latest saves?

[Striker879]

When you next load your game the OAF fixed save will be at the top of your list. Of course you could load another save (even the one you used for OAF to fix) but the fixed save is the one you'll want for continuing your character's progress.

 

If you're talking about the old saves I'll need to preface my advice with a caveat about me ... I'm a packrat. Would you like my very first save from my aborted attempt at the game (an all default choices Imperial, couldn't close the Kvatch gate to save his soul)?

 

I have hard drive space out the whazoo (needed to support my habit). If your own situation is a bit different and you don't have nearly unlimited hard drive space I'd suggest keeping certain saves (e.g. perhaps a save from before you started each of the guilds). Or you could keep only a dozen or so of your most recent saves ... it's really up to you. If hard drive space is at a premium but you don't want to send all your saves to cyber-heaven invest in a USB stick. Even a small inexpensive one would store a lot of saves.

 

One thing to note about keeping a lot or all of your save files. If you leave them all in your Oblivion\Saves folder you'll eventually notice that opening your inventory and things like that gets really slow. Create a backup folder and move (not just copy) your older saves to that folder. Make sure you create the folder outside of the Oblivion\Saves folder (Oblivion\SavesBackup would be fine, and it would be right next to your Oblivion\Saves folder when you're doing the moving). I have a huge hard drive that's used for nothing but downloads and backups ... of course your mileage may vary.

[Borderboy]

I'm a completionist - I think that's what I might be termed as.

 

To be honest, I am getting a little bored with Oblivion now. It has consumed most of my spare time for around 12 months now - first the PS3 version and now the PC version. It helped me through a bad period with my hip replacement but now I can get out and about and enjoy the good weather, I still get drawn to it and there doesn't seem an end to the story. I guess I just want to get on with it and finish it to a point where I can say that's it and then leave it and start something else that is perhaps not so engrossing.

 

I have AC Black Flag ready and waiting and also Batman Arkham Origins, (never even touched upon). I have pre-ordered AC Unity and Rogue and Arkham Knight. I intend purchasing a PS4 around Christmas time. I've not even thought about Destiny (which sounds awesome - I can't believe I'm using the language of a teenager at 58 years old!), which was released yesterday - there are only so many hours in the day and I need my vitamin D!

 

I want to be in a position before Christmas to be able to put Oblivion on the back burner. Someday I will return to it - it is one hell of a game!

 

You have helped me no end. Without your support I would probably have abandoned the game months ago. You have helped my game run smoothly and you have taught me stuff I never thought I would learn. I have printed out all of your instructions and comments and I have filed them in my Prima Oblivion Game Guide book which is now full to burgeoning!

 

I will never uninstall this game from my computer although I will clear it from my PS3. I have recommended anyone who starts this game on PS3 to abandon it and restart on PC.

 

Never uninstalling it suggests that I will definitely return to it at some point - one rainy day in the winter when there's nowt on TV and I'm bored out of my brains!

 

I dislike going over old ground. I wasn't relishing restarting the game on PC after spending an inordinate amount of time on PS3. What I would like is to download the extra DLC that was available, i.e. Mehrunes Razor, Sundercliffe Watch, The Orrery, The Wizard's Tower and whatever else is going. I am probably more interested in the stuff that is covered in the game guide under the DLC section. This would keep me going for a while longer.

 

Where would I get this stuff from now? I am led to understand that it can no longer be downloaded from official sources. Has someone else taken on the mantle?

 

In the meantime I will keep plodding on - I've been to all of the locations in the World Maps, ticked 'em off and got the T shirt but I've still got another 58 Oblivion gates to shut along with the completion of the Daedric Quests, (I am currently hanging on to Umbra which is preventing this), and the Vampire stuff which I have left till last.

 

I feel like I am playing catch up with the series but doing it all the wrong way around. I have Sky Rim (The Legendary Edition) on both PS3 and PC and also the Elder Scrolls Anthology - all still in the cellophane wrappers! I will probably, at some point, purchase Elder Scrolls On-Line which sounds interesting. But I am itching to try something completely new and some of the new games are so much better graphically.

 

If you know how/where I can access the DLC I spoke of please let me know.

 

Thanks again for your fantastic help.

[Striker879]

The only source for the DLCs is Steam these days, and that means buying the entire GotY Deluxe even if you already own the base game. Bethesda abdicated to Steam (Steam probably gives them a few cents on the dollar that Steam takes in).

 

Umbra ... I remember my first try at her! Tried all the tricks from the UESP Wiki on the quest including running to the IC for the guard's help, but to no avail. She still handed me my hat every time. I finally got lucky with the "basket on the table to jump onto the pillar" trick and managed to not fall off the pillar before my summons plus spells put her down (you can't take a break ... she regenerates health too fast). My new guy waited until he had the right spells and then she wasn't so bad.

 

I'm away from my gaming machine for much of the summer months so once the weather says "stay indoors" I've plenty of ambition to get to work in Tamriel. If I build a new gaming machine this fall I'll probably start a new character to go along with the overhauls I want to try out (Maskar's for gameplay and Nuska's for characters with some various general scenery types thrown in if the new beast will handle it). Even after all this time playing there is still plenty I haven't tried from the modding community and I've yet to visit the Mad God's realm. I haven't tried Mehrune's Razor yet either ... the other DLCs were mainly a disappointment to me (horse armour's OK, but mostly I use it to keep my white horse easy to tell from Bruse (Vilja's horse).

 

I've had hip issues myself so I understand the desire to get out and get moving. One of the things I resolved to do when I got over the latest bout with the hip this past spring was to spend less time in the winters at the computer. Time in Tamriel will suffer, but to a good cause.