Oblivion graphics modding without the grief

[Bongobasher]

I'm looking for a quick and easy way to bring the graphics of oblivion half decent without spending eons of time only to have it crash every five minutes. I have been googling for some time now and after getting my fingers burned about 4 years ago modding oblivion, I was hoping that since there may have been some less time consuming and more wide-reaching mods made available? Please don't point me in the direction of the main nexus mods page and such, instead please give your opinion on the easiest, fastest, most stable route to upping the graphics to enjoy another play-through. I have a good rig with gtx 970 and ample resources so main thing holding me back is time and difficulty of modding process... Thanks in advance!

 

[Surilindur]

You ask for suggestions, but do not want to be pointed to mod pages? And then you want mods, but do not want to spend time adding them to the game? Interesting. You should probably try Wrye Bash, I think. Most of the mods with more installation options have BAIN wizards included, or come packed in a way that makes them easy to install with Wrye Bash.

 

Other than that, I myself use, among other mods, the following (and definitely like them):

• Qarl's Texture Pack 3 (the "redimized" version)
• Bomret's Texture Pack for Shivering Isles
• Weather - All Natural (for weather, also makes windows transparent)
• Really AEVWD (a LOD mod to make things visible from a distance)
• Animated Window Lighting System and Chimneys (does what it says on the tin)
• Harvest Flora (for visible flora harvest effects)
• Atmospheres (any version, probably v4, I have disabled the All Natural extra weathers, then installed and loadedAtmospheres after AN to have it overwrite some weathers)
• Oblivion Reloaded (provides visual effects, mounted combat, first person camera, see-you-sleep sort of functionality and a framerate manager and all that)
• and then one of the flora replacers from Discovery (the same one who made Atmospheres)

 

There is not really a single-click way to make the game look prettier. Those ones are probably some of the larger scale mods that might do, and that is probably as good as it gets. Maybe someone else can help you more. :ermm:

[Bongobasher]

The Oblivion section of the forums is here if that helps --> https://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/forum/131-oblivion

 

Maybe someone can move this thread there, or not, we will see. :tongue:

 

You ask for suggestions, but do not want to be pointed to mod pages? And then you want mods, but do not want to spend time adding them to the game? Interesting. You should probably try Wrye Bash, I think. Most of the mods with more installation options have BAIN wizards included, or come packed in a way that makes them easy to install with Wrye Bash.

 

Other than that, I myself use, among other mods, the following (and definitely like them):

• Qarl's Texture Pack 3 (the "redimized" version)
• Bomret's Texture Pack for Shivering Isles
• Weather - All Natural (for weather, also makes windows transparent)
• Really AEVWD (a LOD mod to make things visible from a distance)
• Animated Window Lighting System and Chimneys (does what it says on the tin)
• Harvest Flora (for visible flora harvest effects)
• Atmospheres (any version, probably v4, I have disabled the All Natural extra weathers, then installed and loadedAtmospheres after AN to have it overwrite some weathers)
• Oblivion Reloaded (provides visual effects, mounted combat, first person camera, see-you-sleep sort of functionality and a framerate manager and all that)
• and then one of the flora replacers from Discovery (the same one who made Atmospheres)

 

There is not really a single-click way to make the game look prettier. Those ones are probably some of the larger scale mods that might do, and that is probably as good as it gets. Maybe someone else can help you more. :ermm:

Thanks for such a detailed an thoughtful response. My point is, I don't want to spend as much time modding something as I do playing it. In fact, I want to spend as little time as possible as I do not enjoy doing it in the slightest. I understand it's a difficult question but it's best I give as many perimeters as possible to help clarify what I'm looking for rather than getting generic links to a chasm of millions of mods, all of which have different load orders, clashes with each other, varying degrees of success and methods of installation. I will give an example, I drive a lot and so want to enjoy a car. Some people buy a shitty car and spend years under the bonnet tinkering and having problems and breaking down. However, for them it is the experience of modding their car that they enjoy, not the product. I have a full time job and no inclination to spend hours modding. Yes, I want a dumbed down, simple option - if that makes me a bad person then I'm very comfortable with this :D

[Surilindur]

Ah. No no. Perfectly understandable. Modding is just... well... modding. :tongue: There is the MGSO for Morrowind, but while it is supposed to be an easy option, assembling an easy-to-use and working mod pack is just not feasible. I would say it is the nature of modding, but then again, after doing it for long enough and having learned how things work, adding lots of mods and all that only takes a few hours on a fresh install. While it can be time-consuming at the beginning, it should probably get a lot easier over time. Well. Over time. :blush: They say students have a lot of free time, and while that may be true, I have poured pretty much all of it into modding things. So there is that.

 

Hopefully someone will have a better idea on how to go about installing mods. I am really really bad when it comes to explaining things.

Edited October 30, 2016 by Contrathetix

[Striker879]

Unfortunately I think you are looking for something that doesn't exist. No one mod encompasses all the graphics in Oblivion, and even if there was one it wouldn't appeal to all people.

 

Your best bet, in my opinion, is to take the list that Contra gave you and do some research of your own. Read those mod descriptions and see which ones may interest you. Read the mod comments of those that interest you to get an idea of the type of problems people have run into. Pick a single mod that has appeal and you understand it's install instructions and install that single mod.

 

Play for a while and get a feel for both how the mod affects how the game looks and also how it affects the game's performance on your machine (remember, what you consider a "kick-ass machine" others may consider marginal to play a modded game ... your expectation of performance is your's alone so you'll need to do your own tests). If all goes well decide which would be the next thing you'd like to see improved.

 

If you work at this in a sane methodical manner you will get where you want to go. By adding a single mod at a time and testing thoroughly in between you'll have a very good starting point for troubleshooting when/if problems arise. You will also understand what each mod contributes to the game in both benefits and costs.

 

The trick is making testing fun ... to many people my own test sessions would appear as play sessions.

Edited October 30, 2016 by Striker879

[Bongobasher]

Ah. No no. Perfectly understandable. Modding is just... well... modding. :tongue: There is the MGSO for Morrowind, but while it is supposed to be an easy option, assembling an easy-to-use and working mod pack is just not feasible. I would say it is the nature of modding, but then again, after doing it for long enough and having learned how things work, adding lots of mods and all that only takes a few hours on a fresh install. While it can be time-consuming at the beginning, it should probably get a lot easier over time. Well. Over time. :blush: They say students have a lot of free time, and while that may be true, I have poured pretty much all of it into modding things. So there is that.

 

Hopefully someone will have a better idea on how to go about installing mods. I am really really bad when it comes to explaining things.

You seem far better than you think. Is that list in a build/install order? Are they stable and compatible? Will I need to restart the game every 15-45 mins?

 

Unfortunately I think you are looking for something that doesn't exist. No one mod encompasses all the graphics in Oblivion, and even if there was one it wouldn't appeal to all people.

 

Your best bet, in my opinion, is to take the list that Contra gave you and do some research of your own. Read those mod descriptions and see which ones may interest you. Read the mod comments of those that interest you to get an idea of the type of problems people have run into. Pick a single mod that has appeal and you understand it's install instructions and install that single mod.

 

Play for a while and get a feel for both how the mod affects how the game looks and also how it affects the game's performance on your machine (remember, what you consider a "kick-ass machine" others may consider marginal to play a modded game ... your expectation of performance is your's alone so you'll need to do your own tests). If all goes well decide which would be the next thing you'd like to see improved.

 

If you work at this in a sane methodical manner you will get where you want to go. By adding a single mod at a time and testing thoroughly in between you'll have a very good starting point for troubleshooting when/if problems arise. You will also understand what each mod contributes to the game in both benefits and costs.

 

The trick is making testing fun ... to many people my own test sessions would appear as play sessions.

I hope this is not the case, again I have no intention of methodically testing and doing an ongoing mod. I want to sort the mods and then get immersed in the game. I also find modding and messing about once you have started playing spoils the experience completely. Files get corrupted, stuff gets lost and invariably you have to erase and reinstall the bastard over and over. Can you maybe suggest one or two mods that are the most stable and effective? Maximum effect for the least effort lol. Thanks for your time guys

[Surilindur]

<snip>

 

Edit: The list was a bit too filled with large mods, removed it. It is difficult to recommend an install order, and the load order will also be relevant. If you just add these ones below, you should be relatively fine already I think, both gameplay-wise and graphics. Maybe. It is what I would pick at first. Maybe not too excessive but something still, and there should not be compatibility issues, either.

 

OBSE, OBSE plugins and others (install first):

• Oblivion Script Extender (OBSE) + updated loader from the official website --> http://obse.silverlock.org/
• MenuQue 16b
• Blockhead
• EngineBugFixes
• MessageLogger (might or might not be of use)
• Oblivion Stutter Remover 4.1.37
• Enhanced Music and Control 2 - EMC2
• MoreHeap (not an OBSE plugin, goes in the Oblivion directory with Oblivion.exe)

Normal mods (excluding Oblivion Reloaded, which should be installed last):

• Unofficial Oblivion Patch
• Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch
• Unofficial Oblivion DLC Patches (only pick the ones for DLC you have)
• Qarl's Texture Pack 3
• Bomret's Texture Pack for Shivering Isles
• Harvest Flora
• Atmospheres (I use v4 myself)
• Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul
• Oblivion Character Overhaul 2
• Oblivion Reloaded

With load order maybe being a bit like (well, my idea, LOOT or BOSS should help with it):

 

 

Oblivion.esm
<unofficial patches for Oblivion and SI>
<small DLC + the DLC patches>
<Harvest Flora esp files>
Atmospheres.esp
Oblivion Character Overhaul.esp
Bashed Patch.esp
Maskars Oblivion Overhaul.esp
OblivionReloaded.esp

 

 

Edited October 30, 2016 by Contrathetix

[Bongobasher]

<snip>

 

Edit: The list was a bit too filled with large mods, removed it. It is difficult to recommend an install order, and the load order will also be relevant. If you just add these ones below, you should be relatively fine already I think, both gameplay-wise and graphics. Maybe. It is what I would pick at first. Maybe not too excessive but something still, and there should not be compatibility issues, either.

 

OBSE, OBSE plugins and others (install first):

• Oblivion Script Extender (OBSE) + updated loader from the official website --> http://obse.silverlock.org/
• MenuQue 16b
• Blockhead
• EngineBugFixes
• MessageLogger (might or might not be of use)
• Oblivion Stutter Remover 4.1.37
• Enhanced Music and Control 2 - EMC2
• MoreHeap (not an OBSE plugin, goes in the Oblivion directory with Oblivion.exe)

Normal mods (excluding Oblivion Reloaded, which should be installed last):

• Unofficial Oblivion Patch
• Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch
• Unofficial Oblivion DLC Patches (only pick the ones for DLC you have)
• Qarl's Texture Pack 3
• Bomret's Texture Pack for Shivering Isles
• Harvest Flora
• Atmospheres (I use v4 myself)
• Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul
• Oblivion Character Overhaul 2
• Oblivion Reloaded

With load order maybe being a bit like (well, my idea, LOOT or BOSS should help with it):

 

 

Oblivion.esm
<unofficial patches for Oblivion and SI>
<small DLC + the DLC patches>
<Harvest Flora esp files>
Atmospheres.esp
Oblivion Character Overhaul.esp
Bashed Patch.esp
Maskars Oblivion Overhaul.esp
OblivionReloaded.esp

 

 

Ok I'll give that a go then! Thanks :)

[Surilindur]

Also, the thing with modding and recommendations... well... while I could give you my complete mod list, that would just be my personal preference. That is the other part of modding, which is also sort of related to mods taking care of little pieces in the game and not overhauling everything, I think. I do not know how much you have used mods, but there are so many mods, each modifying something relatively specific in the game. The author of a mod has usually wanted to change something, and has then changed it. One person might have changed combat things, one person has fixed bugs, one person has added some new items and such. And there are mods that change the same things, but have different design and different idea of what that something should end up being like. So there are lots of mods, some changing the same things, but doing it differently. And then there is the user who needs to pick the mods that best suit his or her own preference.

 

So while a ready-made collection might work for some, it would not necessarily be exactly what someone wants out of his or her game. It is part of the fun of modding to be able to pick from lots and lots of small pieces to build a mod setup that best serves one's own needs. Recommendations from other people will always be recommendations from other people, and, well, other people are not you. Obviously.

 

Maybe I got a bit too excited with the recommendations. I should have mentioned at the very beginning that recommendations are always rcommendations. People can recommend anything, someone can recommend one weather mod, someone else can recommend another one, and then one more person can chime in and recommend something different entirely. It is a bit like asking for recommendations on... well... whatever people ask recommendations for. Where to travel to on a holiday? What are the best TV series to see? Or even which one is better, AMD or Nvidia graphics card? Everyone knows where questions that involve personal preference can end up.

 

I just wanted to point out that recommendations are indeed recommendations from other people, and while it might be easy to get a list of mods (apparently it is just as easy to hand out a list, oooops :sweat: ), it might not, and probably will not be what you were after in the first place. Looking for alternatives, checking out different mods, reading the forums and trying out mods oneself are usually also fun. It takes time, but if you want a game you will enjoy, then recommendations from others are not necessarily exactly what works for you.

 

Do not take my word for which mods you should use, they were just ideas, recommendations. Pick mods you like, look for new ones, and make the game something you want it to be. Not something someone else would make it. :thumbsup:

Edited October 30, 2016 by Contrathetix

[Bongobasher]

Ok so I've started on the 4gb ram patch and there's f*#@ all help. I have read through the read me and it says to install to all exe files but not how to f*#@ing open the bastard? I double click and it does f*#@ all. Read all the forum stuff and it discusses problems AFTER installing but no one actually explains how to use it...