TES:CS Problem loading plugins

[dap10]

Let me start by saying that I am I am fairly familiar with Oblivion and it's modding tools (the CS at least). This is however the first time that I have attempted to create a larger mod using Win7, previously I had Vista and it was a wreck but somehow I got through it. I already made several fairly small mods just making new weapons off of existing ones, changing spells, etc. This is different.

 

I was modding the Vile Lair (Deepscourn Hollow), ad I thought it was a bit dark on the lighting and decor, so at first I just added some candles, moved things around, added lights, tables, etc. But then I started adding on to the actual interior and made a new room. Anyway, I was saving throughout the process. About 4 hours later I decide to test it and see how the lighting I added feels. I enable it, start up Oblivion, and bam, none of it is there, the whole place is just like normal. Strange.

 

So I go back into the CS and load up the plugins in the same order (Oblivion.esm, all of the DLC's, and my custom plugin), but I get those annoying messages saying that there are duplicate items, blah blah, and apparently the CS finds my modifications to the internal cell of Deepscourn Hollow a duplicate of the actual one, and proceeds to make it a completely seperate cell. The regular Deepscourn Bastion looks the exact same, and when I load the duplicate cell, everything that I touched in my plugin is in that duplicate cell, unreachable....

 

So tell me, is there a way to fix this, or did I just waste 4 hours? And what did I do wrong/how can I fix it?

 

I have a nagging idea that it probably has something to do with win7's ownership crap, which I discovered a post on and hopefully fixed (full permissions, etc.) albeit too late.

[Zaldir]

The problem here is that the DLC is a plugin file, and not a master file.

To make a separate plugin for it, you need to "esmify" the Deepscourn Hollow esp using Wrye Bash. Then load the Oblivion.esm and the Deepscourn Hollow esp (Which the CS now treats as an .esm), and start modding.

When you're done, save it, and "espify" the DLC again. (Whenever you want to edit your plugin you need to esmify it again.)

 

So basically, yes, you have wasted 4 hours.

BUT

 

You can however, load up your already-made plugin when following the instructions I gave, then copy every change from the duplicate cell onto the real cell. (Scripted items might not work if you copy them over from the duplicate cell, so be aware of that.)

Then save, and voila, you have a working plugin. ;)

[dap10]

Awesome, haven't used Wyre Bash before now, but it's pretty cool!

 

I 'esmified' DLCVileLair like you said, trial and error, had to add it as a master on my plugin, now it's loading in CS and ingame fine, although I still need to mess around a bit with the Parent References for the upgrades on the Lair.

 

Great help on getting it working, only problem now is finding out how I would be able to get it running without the DLC being an esm, say for redistribution's sake. But I'll address that problem when I get to it.

 

Thanks! :biggrin:

[Zaldir]

Great! :D

 

If you just espify the DLC, it still acts as the parent for your plugin, so no worries there. ;)