Have I lost 3 months of work?

[exanimis]

Oh! and did I say thank you? It's working perfectly without SI but now that so many of my favorite mods are missing, I found out that the bad guys in my mod are really tough! I mean like Dirty Harry, Terminator TOUGH! Funny I don't remember them being that strong. Oh Yeah, while I'm here....Did anyone know that the Oblivion Vampires were soooooo very ugly? Dang!

[Deleted269910User]

I knew they were ugly, out-of-the-proportion ugly to be exact, luckily there are lots of mods to fix that.

 

@myrmaad, no biggie, it's always fun to help people. This community needs more good modders and like hell if I can do something to keep them from stopping, I will.

[bben46]

A hint (if you haven't already figured it out) Always make new mods using a clean vanilla install and no other mods installed. Then only install the other mods if they are going to be required by the new mod. If your mod doesn't require OBSE, make it without OBSE installed. Then when you find some feature that will require it, Only install OBSE then.

 

Always keep a backup clean install handy for when you totally wreck everything and need to start over.

Never use your clean install, always copy it to your work area and leave the original alone.

 

If you don't know how to run 2 versions on the same hard drive, PM me and I will show you my technique.

 

After you get it working as well as you can, then throw it in with a bunch of other mods to test. Expect problems, if you don't have any, be pleasantly surprised. It's a rare mod that doesn't conflict with something.

[myrmaad]

If you don't know how to run 2 versions on the same hard drive, PM me and I will show you my technique.

 

You've mentioned this before and it's very intriguing. Any chance of simply sharing, or are the tricks potentially security breaking?

[bben46]

Nothing that most people can't handle, a couple of batch files to swap the parts of Oblivion that are different. I have posted it before. Here its is.

 

The required disclaimer: It didn't break my game or fry my computer. However, use at your own risk. Back everything up first. I refuse to be held responsible for misprints, misspellings or your mistakes, my mistakes or anything else that goes wrong. However, I am willing to try to help you recover from them.

 

If you want to play Oblivion with all of the mods you have, and make a mod at the same time, you will run into the problem of modding with all the other mods active. In order to be able to mod with a clean version of the game, and test your mod without any of the mods or saved games. I have created a pair of batch files that allow me to swap back and forth with a minimum of effort. You can play with SI, and a full complement of mods, then switch to Vanilla Oblivion without SI or any extra mods or saved games to test your mod.

 

 

Before doing this make sure you have enough room on your hard drive for two or even three complete copies of Oblivion.

 

 

First, you will need a clean install of vanilla oblivion, complete with the latest official patch as well as a second version with all of your mods and saved games and your modified Oblivion.ini.To get these, I recommend the following procedure:

Rename your C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion to "PlayOblivion"

Rename "C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\CSOblivion" "Oblivion"

 

Now, follow my procedure for reinstalling Oblivion - here: http://s1.zetaboards.com/TheStormRavenLibrary/topic/344290/

 

with the exception of renaming the original files as you have already renamed them to match the file names in my batch files.

 

When you finish the reinstall, you will have a clean install. I recommend making a copy of the Oblivion directory in the program files directory with a new name - something like \clean-Oblivion-data and the Oblivion directory in the documents and settings section also to something like \clean-oblivion-saves. These are to be kept unchanged as an emergency back up. If you need them do not rename then, copy them with a new name.

 

Your newly installed version will become your construction set version. and it will be the currently active version. to change to the play version run the batch file to change it.

 

Here are my 2 batch files. You may need to modify them for your own use. Please feel free to use and modify them in any way with my full permission.

 

To switch to the Construction set version:

Save and name this one CS Oblivion.bat

 

 

 

Rem Oblivion Construction Set Game

Rem This changes to the construction set version for testing.

 

:Start

CD C:\

 

if exist CSFlag.ben goto CS rem if you are already in the CS version jump around

 

Rename "C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion" "PlayOblivion"

Rename "C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\CSOblivion" "Oblivion"

 

Rename "C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\PlayFlag.ben" "CSFlag.ben"

 

Rename "C:\documents and Settings\Ben\My Documents\My Games\Oblivion" "playOblivion"

Rename "C:\documents and Settings\Ben\My Documents\My Games\CSOblivion" "Oblivion"

 

: CS

@echo off

Cls

Echo **********************************************************

Echo * Oblivion Construction Set Game Enabled

Echo *

Echo * Press any Key to continue

Echo **********************************************************

Pause

Cls

Exit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This changes to the Version used to play with all of your mods and changes.

 

Save and name this one Play Oblivion.bat

 

Rem Play Oblivion

Rem This changes the directories for playing Oblivion From the one used for testing a mod to to the one you use to play

 

:Start

Cd C:\

 

if exist playflag.ben goto Play

 

 

Rename "C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion" "CSOblivion"

Rename "C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\PlayOblivion" "Oblivion"

 

Rename "C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\CSFlag.ben" "Playflag.ben"

 

Rename "C:\documents and Settings\Ben\My Documents\My Games\oblivion" "CsOblivion"

Rename "C:\documents and Settings\Ben\My Documents\My Games\PlayOblivion" "Oblivion"

 

 

: Play

 

@echo off

cls

Echo ***************************************

Echo * Play Oblivion Enabled *

Echo * *

Echo * Press any Key to continue *

Echo ***************************************

Pause

Cls

Exit

 

 

You will need one other small change, the 'flag' that allows the batch to know which version is currently loaded.

 

create a text file in the Bethesda Softworks folder and name it CSFlag.ben Then copy the following into it.

Playflag - a dummy program used only for its name. save it and be sure it has the name csflag.ben

If the name is Playflag then you are running the version of Oblivion you use to play the game.

If the name is CSflag you are using the clean version used for testing your Mod.

 

 

After creating and saving the 2 batch files, make a shortcut to each one and place it on your desktop. then just select the one you need to make the change. It will run in a window and let you know if it made the change successfully. If you choose the wrong one, it will not make any changes and will leave a message in the window to let you know - That's what the flag is for.

 

If you use OBMM, you can probably add a line to rename 2 different copies to go along with each copy of Oblivion.

 

If you have any problems or suggestions to make this simpler, please let me know.

[myrmaad]

^ Thank you for the detailed instructions.

 

I will try this as soon as I have some free time, and let you know how it goes.

I saved the instructions on my desktop as a Text file called DualBlivBatchFilesbyBBen.txt

[bben46]

You are welcome to it. Its something I knocked together in about a half hour to fill a need that I had. I never got around to cleaning it up for public consumption. Feel free to make any changes and give it away to anyone that wants it. No strings attached.

 

Let me know how it goes and if you think it needs more work. Maybe I'll polish it and post in in the articles section.

[exanimis]

Wow! That could have saved me a lot of trouble and headache. I'm running a clean fresh Oblivion install now, unfortunately all of the mods I use are gone so I can't make a copy to test my mod with. I guess I'll reinstall them when I finish my mod. Hey, mabey next mod, right?

[Khet]

...Snip!

It's a rare mod that doesn't conflict with something.

 

 

I'd just like to second this... I JUST found out that my mod conflicted with the guild hall in The Lost Spires and had to shift everything over. Thankfully though the way it's set up that's the only conflict I have to worry about, is if something is place in the same location as my settlement, everything else is in it's own cell.