i am upset and completely lost here...

[bben46]

We were all n00bs at one time and went through the learning process just as you are doing now. Please don't get upset with the people trying to help.

 

There is no one right way to install mods. There are several ways, and all work - if you know what you are doing. This can make it overly complicated for a neophyte. Pick ONE way and stick with it until you know enough about using mods with Oblivion to make a better informed decision on which one you like - as they all do essentially the same thing - they will usually work together just fine. One mod installed with one method, another with an entirely different method will both work in the same game. The purpose is to get the mod file into the data folder and in the proper subfolders. And no matter what method you use - they all do that.

 

Every game handles mods differently - so forget anything you think you know from using mods in a different game from a different company using a different game engine - It's NOT going to be the same.

 

And, just to make it even more fun, not every mod is going to install the same way. (NMM is trying to fix that, but Oblivion is 7 years old while NMM is a little over a year old) :rolleyes:

 

Do you need help with understanding the wacky computer file structures used by Bethsoft? (Where various things go) for instance why not to install in the default location if you want to use mods?

 

Or are you looking for the console experience when modding a PC? It's not plug & play, you actually have to know something (not a lot) about how the mods interact with the game.

 

You are not going to learn everything you need from one post - or likely even one person.

There are several ways to work with mods - one person does it one way, a different person another - neither is wrong, and once you understand what they are doing both are right and can be used together. :thumbsup:

 

For Oblivion, I really don't think using the NMM for every mod is the right way to go as most of the Oblivion mods were made long before NMM existed. Most will work, some will not. While using a manual method method will work on practically any Oblivion mod - but has a steeper learning curve.

 

Instead of starting with a complicated mod that requires several parts and several choices - pick a simple mod that changes one thing - a weapon or armor. Install it, get it working. Then try a slightly more complex mod. Work your way up to the more complicated stuff.

 

Here is a link to some of the terminology I made some years ago http://s1.zetaboards.com/bbenlibrary/topic/3396037/1/#new

 

It is part of my Basic Mod troubleshooting Blog - here. http://s1.zetaboards.com/bbenlibrary/topic/4751769/1/#new

 

 

FYI - Hickory is another member that seems to get involved with these kind of topics - He hasn't (yet) showed up in this one so I don't know why he was even mentioned. :psyduck:

[Lisnpuppy]

 

Last time I checked we don't have 'seniority' here. I like to think we have a team (and I always find I learn more from a newcomer than an 'old-timer' ... but don't fret Hickory because I wouldn't toss you with the trash for a million of anything).

 

I do not in any way want to depreciate Lisnpuppy's advice on using TesModManager ... I am just unfamiliar with it and so can't add any advice on installing or using it. I have some experience with Oblivion Mod Manager which TheNiceNightmare linked above. Here is a copy of some instructions I recently PMed another user that may help if you decide to give OBMM a try (also some step by steps you may not need for finding the downloads, included for completeness):

 

What I suggest is click where it says 'download manually' or on the name of the download (e.g. on the words 'HGEC Body v1dot21'). To see that you'll need to switch to the 'Files' tab (located directly below where it says 'Endorsements' and 'Actions' when you're looking at the mod description page).

That will bring up a Windows dialogue to save the file to your hard drive (after you select the server to download from ... pick one close to where you live). I have a folder I created called 'OblivionDownloads'. In the save dialogue I switch to that folder and then create another new folder that's named for each mod I download. This one is saved in 'OblivionDownloads\HGEC_Body_Ver1dot21' (there's a button you can click that will create a new sub-folder in the current folder, which starts out named 'New Folder' ... just type in your new name and hit Enter).

Oblivion Mod Manager has two download options for you (the other two are for developers and people who have an older version installed). If you download 'obmm_1_1_12 full installer' and save to your hard drive as suggested above you will have a file named 'obmm_1_1_12_full_installer-2097.zip'. When you extract that file you will get a file named 'obmm_setup.exe' (ZIP files open by default with Window's own utility if you are using either Windows 7 or Vista ... for Windows XP you will need a program to extract it). Double click that file and it will walk you through installing OBMM.

If you download 'obmm_1_1_12 full manual' you'll have a file named 'obmm_1_1_12_full_manual-2097.7z'. You use the free utility 7-Zip to extract 7z files. Make sure you download either the 32 bit version or 64 bit version, whichever matches the operating system you use. Both downloads are ZIP files. The 32 bit version extracts to three files ... the one you want is '7zip920-x86.exe' (again double click and it will walk you through the install). The 64 bit version download will extract to three files, the one you want is named '7zip920-x64.msi'. Again double click and it should walk you through the install (I don't have any 64 bit operating systems on any of my machines myself).

Once you have 7-Zip installed all you need to do is double click on the downloaded file 'obmm_1_1_12_full_manual-2097.7z' and then click the 'Extract' button. That will extract to three files and one folder ('IronMath.dll', 'IronPython.dll' and 'OblivionModManager.exe' alond with a folder named 'obmm'). The three files and one folder all go in your game's 'Oblivion' folder (not the 'Data' folder).

The first time you run OBMM by double clicking 'OblivionModManager.exe' it will create some other folders in your 'Oblivion' folder. Any file you download that is already a pre-made OMOD (like the EVE version of HGEC I linked above has at the top of it's files list on it's download page) all you need to do is copy the downloaded OMOD into the folder 'Oblivion\obmm\mods' and then run OBMM. The mod will show up on the right hand pane of OBMM with a green box next to it. Double click on the mod and OBMM will activate the mod and if it has any scripts included it will run the scripts. EVE has an install script that will walk you through all of the various options.

I suggest you use NMM for mods that don't come as a pre-made OMOD, and when you find one that NMM won't install use the install instructions on the mod page. Usually if you read the mod description install instructions you'll get a good idea of how likely it is that NMM will work. If it has a lot of instructions for picking through the different options you'll probably find that NMM won't work. If it has instructions that say just copy the extracted files to your 'Data' folder or extract directly to your 'Data' folder then NMM will probably work fine.

Just remember, if you're not going to install with NMM don't click on the 'Download with Manager' button.

The 'EVE' that I mentioned in that post is EVE HGEC Eyecandy Variants Expansion, which may make for a useful first mod to install after getting OBMM installed and set up. The OMOD version I suggest comes with everything you need to get started and has options you can get later to add further things like BBB.

I just want to note that the Tes Mod Manage and the OBMM are identical in the way they function..the Tes Mod Manager just has a few more bells and whistles and works for Skyrim and OB...but otherwise its exactly the same and works exactly the same.

[Striker879]

Thanks Lisnpuppy ... perhaps time for me to broaden my horizons.

[Domino44G]

I'll say that Nexus Mod Manager is something I really like. It doesn't work with Hgecs Body or HeyMaam (?) but i hope it does one day. It was so easy to understand how to get things in the game. I activated the Mythril armor mod but I was not at a level that I could see it and sense I couldn't get the ~key to bring up the console I had to get the Ring of God mod and in NMM it was like "bang" done. The interface just made sense to me. This Tes Mod Manager looks so barren and... well... empty to me. I look forward to anything that makes NMM universal.

 

BTW, I thought when you said don't sweat Hickory you meant it as being hit with a hickory stick LOL.

 

Thanks bben46 and Lsnpuppy for the assist and explanations. Much appreciated :)

Edited March 15, 2013 by Domino44G

[Striker879]

LOL ... I may be a grumpy old man at times, but I'd never dream of that.

 

To add weight to Bben46's advice that you won't really be able to rely on a single method for installing mods, my own journey into modding Oblivion was exactly that ... I used OBMM to add the version of HGEC that I use because I couldn't get any of the other versions to install and that version required OBMM. Then I slowly started to learn the basics of installing mods manually. In my case I was aided by my background in computers (I've been doing this since back in the DOS 3.0 days ... needed to create the boot disks for my first computer). Once I understood that the game simply requires certain types of files to be located in certain folders and only allowed a single version of certain resources it clicked in place for me fairly quickly. That said, none of this is rocket science. I'm not a particularly smart person. If you are determined to succeed you will, it just takes as long as it takes.

 

Generally there are two schools of thought with interfaces I think. Some will prefer a clean minimalist look that you need to dig down into layers of menus to find what you're looking for ... others will prefer an interface cluttered with toolbars to almost every function the program can do. In cases where tools that use either school of thought can do the job you are free to pick the one you like using the most. There are some cases when modding Oblivion where you won't have a choice of which tool to use. Some mods require a certain tool and that's all there is to it (won't be long before you hear about Wrye Bash and the bashed patch ... that's a good example of either you use this or don't use the mod that requires it, no middle ground).

 

Think of it as taking your car to the mechanic. If all he has in his tool box is one crescent wrench and a flat screw driver chances are there will be some repairs where you're forced to look elsewhere for help. Don't know about you, but my mechanic has more tools than I know the names of.

[Lisnpuppy]

I know it does but many Oblivion files come in an OBMM format already as it (OBMM and TES MM) was the thing to use..so the Tes Mod Manager uses OBMM install read files also and that is muy helpful. It will install and uninstall things easily like the mod manager and when the file has been set up for the OBMM use and has different options...you will be able to set those easily when you activate the mod in the manager. Obviously it won't work on every mod. I also use Wrye Bash which is a godsend but has a pretty high learning curve. Once you can understand it though you will have to make people take it from your cold, dead hands!

 

When you have to do things manually you have to be a bit more careful as you have to know (if there are choices) which file you need to use.

Always back up everything before installing a new mod.....this will save you heartache when something goes amiss..and it will.

 

I understand your wanting to use NMM and that is great. However I don't see most Oblivion authors going back and making their files NMM ready, though some might especially authors that are still active on their files.

 

I am sorry if you think I was angry with you as I was not. But your post was like, "I quit I don't care" which I could only assume meant you were done with wanting help.

 

I am willing still to help you any way. That is what I am here for and I like to help folks. I am not a modder so I want to give back to this wonderful community in any way I can. Hopefully as you gain knowledge of mods you will remember these first, awkward steps and reach out to the "noobs" that are around then.

 

Good luck.