Occasional CTDs - normal?

[Shadowcran]

Crashes to desktops...CTD's. It's seen as inevitable and it probably is.

 

Yes, I've noticed way too many "get a better PC". Like this is easy. "Just chip off a piece of the ole' gold bar you keep just to play one game". (I've a good PC with good specs, but for the purposes of this, I'm pretending I don't)

 

EVERY PC game has bugs. I don't think there is a single program ever invented that doesn't have at least one. The trick with Oblivion is to limit these as much as possible so that the CTD's doesn't make the game unplayable.

 

Step 1: Get the unofficial patches and make sure you have the most up to date versions. This may be a problem for those stuck with dialup(like me), but it's worth the time to get them. I know these have been mentioned already but they aren't the ONLY things.

 

Step 2: Get Oblivion Optimization. This little mod helps get the most out of your PC while playing Oblivion.

 

Step 3: Get Streamline 3.0. Others will suggest getting 3.1, but it's still 3.1BETA and will always be beta complete with the problems therein. The modder who made it stopped modding so it's stuck. After 2 days of 3.1 it'll actually cause CTD's rather than help prevent them.

 

Step 4: DO NOT USE QUICK OR AUTO saves. Believe it or not, I'd recommend not using them even if you have no mods in play. After a while, they start causing major problems. Learn to save manually, and with the above Streamline, it'll save you big headaches. Streamline has an alternative type of saving than auto or quick.

 

Step 5: DL and use 2 small mods, low poly grass, and low poly trees. Half the people who use these swear it's better looking than the vanilla and the other half say there's no difference. However, they do cut down on the ridiculously high polygon rates on vanilla grasses and trees.

 

Step 6: DL and use Polygon Overhaul. It helps take care of the other over polyed items from vanilla oblivion.

 

Step 7: Avoid the major texture mods unless you just HAVE to have the best looking game possible. Remember looks aren't everything, and gameplay is much more important. The lesson here is KISS, or keep it simple,stupid(borrowed from another game who uses this principle, Battle for Wesnoth)

 

Step 8: Learn to make BSA files for the textures, sounds, and mesh folders that come with most mods. I've been doing this for the past few weeks and not only do I have almost no "missing textures or meshes" I also seem to have better performance. It's actually simpler than it looks. The Oblivion Mod Manager has utilities that do this better than the BSA commander

 

Step 9: Learn to use Wrye Bash. I cannot stress this one enough. Wrye Bash, when learned correctly will solve a lot of problems. It has a built in "NVIDIA fog fix" that takes seconds to use. It's the swiss army knife of Oblivion mods. It can seem complex so I suggest learning a little at a time. Before long you'll rarely if ever use OBMM for anything but making BSA files.

 

Step 10: DL and use OAF or Oblivion Animation Fixer. You'll forget this one is there, but trust me, it's working and helping all the time.

 

Step 11: Do not rely on "what's popular" when selecting mods. For example, the buggiest mod in existance is ranked #3, Deadly Reflex. It causes CTD's constantly, complete shutdowns, and even when you figure it out, only works 10% of the time. REason it's ranked so high? Every time a dissenting vote is cast, the modder gripes and gets it removed. Instead for this one, use locational adrenaline. Be careful of popular, go for what YOU want and what works.

 

STep 12: DL and use Hrmn's Oblivion script Optimization.

 

Step 13: DL and use Duke Patrick's LATEST script effect silencer.

 

Step 14: DL and use FCOM helper. Load order is very important.

 

I'll probably think of others later,and the above may seem like a lot, but all the mods above,with the exception of the Unofficial patches(There's also a small, Unofficial Knights of the Nine patch out there), are very small downloads that I doubt add up to more than 5MB all of them together.

[CrimsonKing1990]

I didn't even know Deadly reflexes causes crashes o_O

[Shadowcran]

I didn't even know Deadly reflexes causes crashes o_O

 

Crashes are the least of the problems it causes. I've counted numerous complete shutdowns of Oblivion solely due to this mod. What does this mean exactly? means you will definitely have to reinstall everything and most times completely clean reboot your entire PC. Doesn't seem worth it does it?

 

Proper way to install Deadly Reflex:

 

1- DL the mod

2-Place it in your data folder without unzipping

3-go to your data folder and click on the Deadly Reflex file

4-right click and select "delete"

5-go to your recycle bin and open

6-select empty recycle bin

7-when asked to confirm, select yes

 

Anyone who reads this has just been saved 2 weeks of frustration and banging your head into a wall.

[CrimsonKing1990]

Wow I need to get rid of that fast o_O

 

I just wanted the beheading anyways.

[Shadowcran]

Crimson, Adrenaline locational does that and does it without putting your system at risk. It's a great mod, trust me on that. It even has a damage text so you don't have to guess whether you hit that high level creature or not.

 

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=20163

 

Also, for things both Locational AND DR doesn't do, check out the Duke Patrick mods. There's too many to mention and their names are huge, but just type in "Duke Patrick" in a search and pick what suits you.

[CrimsonKing1990]

Thanks for the help shadow :)

[Shadowcran]

You're welcome. If you don't believe me about DR and the modder whining when you give a bad review, try it yourself. You'll be reported so fast, your head will spin.

 

See those kudos I've gotten? I can't mod as my eyesight is too poor, so they're earned helping others. All but maybe 2 of them were from helping those who had DR in their system. The mod has caused more help type threads than all other mods combined.

[CrimsonKing1990]

The mod you recommended seems to be working so far. However, I can't seem to be behead anyone :/

[Shadowcran]

It takes a while. As you advance the special moves happen more often.

[MrCooper2006]

I will say that the mod Shadow has pointed out IS better than DR. He showed me the link to this a while ago and I havent used DR since, its more realistc and less obtrusive than DR and works with no problems at all.

 

Its a great mod with nice effects, especially the Lung Puncture. Which I just cannot do in DR altho it says it has it.

 

DR has never worked for me, slows down my FPS, add lots of things I dont want and a few other problems.

 

Im sure it is a good mod, when and if it works.