Need help figuring out how to download a certain type of mod.

[Electric0eye]

1. Extract the files to a temporary location.

2. Examine the folder structure and make corrections where necessary.

3. Copy files to (install folder)\Oblivion\Data\

4. Start Oblivion Launcher, click 'Data Files', place a checkmark beside the Whatever.esp

 

A very very common download order, but I don't know how the hell to do it.

I use WinRar most of the time, but can use 7zip if necessary.

I am very confused with Step 1 and 2. I always try extracting to the desktop, and I don't even know what "Examine the folder structure and make corrections where necessary." could possibly mean.

Step 3 and 4 seem to be pretty straight forward though heh.

I don't know how to get by with such a non-specific download order. If someone could explain it all to me as simple as if I were a four year old. (Metaphorically speaking of course) You'd be saving me much strife for many mods to come, lol.

[The_Vyper]

1. Extract the files to a temporary location.

2. Examine the folder structure and make corrections where necessary.

3. Copy files to (install folder)\Oblivion\Data\

4. Start Oblivion Launcher, click 'Data Files', place a checkmark beside the Whatever.esp

 

A very very common download order, but I don't know how the hell to do it.

I use WinRar most of the time, but can use 7zip if necessary.

I am very confused with Step 1 and 2. I always try extracting to the desktop, and I don't even know what "Examine the folder structure and make corrections where necessary." could possibly mean.

Step 3 and 4 seem to be pretty straight forward though heh.

I don't know how to get by with such a non-specific download order. If someone could explain it all to me as simple as if I were a four year old. (Metaphorically speaking of course) You'd be saving me much strife for many mods to come, lol.

 

You seem to have the hang of "Extract the files to a temporary location." I have a folder specifically for this step, but extracting to desktop works just as well.

 

I'll use Armamentarium to illustrate this next bit.

 

I've always taken "Examine the folder structure and make corrections where necessary" to mean the following:

 

1. Examine the folder structure of the downloaded mod (i.e. Data/Meshes/trfar & Data/Textures/trfar).

2. Examine the folder structure in Oblivion/Data and make it match. For instance, if you have Data/Meshes/trfar, but don't have the Armors 2 folder (which is a subfolder of trfar), then all you should do is add the Armors 2 folder to trfar. If you don't have the trfar folder at all, the add that.

3. Follow steps 1 & 2 for the texture files (if there are any).

 

If the downloaded mod contains only an .esp file, just extract it to your Oblivion/Data folder.

[fg109]

I think step 2 is just there in case the mod author packaged the mod wrong. I've never seen anything wrong with the folder structure of any mods I've downloaded. But if you ever see anything like a .dds file inside a meshes folder, you'll know something is wrong.

 

Well now that I think of it, there are some mods I've downloaded that you might need to examine the folder structure for. For example, in Ozmo's High Res Skin Textures, there are many different folders because there are many different options you can choose during the installation. While the skin textures come with an install tool that lets you choose your options, there are many mods that won't. So you'll have to navigate to the correct files according to your installation choices and rearrange things.

[stars2heaven]

I think step 2 is just there in case the mod author packaged the mod wrong. I've never seen anything wrong with the folder structure of any mods I've downloaded. But if you ever see anything like a .dds file inside a meshes folder, you'll know something is wrong.

 

Well now that I think of it, there are some mods I've downloaded that you might need to examine the folder structure for. For example, in Ozmo's High Res Skin Textures, there are many different folders because there are many different options you can choose during the installation. While the skin textures come with an install tool that lets you choose your options, there are many mods that won't. So you'll have to navigate to the correct files according to your installation choices and rearrange things.

 

This is correct. Some mods come with additional stuff that you might not want to install. Otherwise, it could be an error like a .dds file in a meshes file. I would imagine that the mod author would mention such an error though instead of relying on the user to figure it out on their own.

 

You shouldnt have to create new sub folders if you dont have them. If the mod you are installing has a sub folder that you do not already have then it will install itself automatically.

 

for the most part, I would not be very concerned with step 2 unless you know that there is an error or you know that there are options that you want to remove before installing