[Stampede]

Though it amazes me that this is still a very popular question, I know a lot of people are having their first elder scrolls experience with Oblivion. However, using the search engine is quick and painless! To avoid the amount of repetitive threads we are experiencing on this subject, I have created this thread. Please post all your queries here (if any) on this matter.

All future threads on this subject will be locked.

Cheers.


Step One: Download the official construction set

Step Two: BACKUP YOUR SAVES!

Step Three: MAKE SURE YOU BACKED UP YOUR SAVES!

Right, now assuiming you have downloaded your desired plugin, we can proceed to step four.

Step Four: Is this plugin in a .zip or .rar archive? if yes, carry on reading. If not proceed straight to step 5. Right, double click the .zip or .rar file and examine the contents. Is there a readme file? THEN READ IT! These usually contain handy information and installation instructions. As well as contact details of the author. Most archived plugins are self extracting and generall extract to your Oblivion/Data/ folder.

Step 5: The .esp file goes into the (default) C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion\Data folder. Was that the only file? If so proceed to step 7. If not, carry on reading.

Step 6: Meshes, textures and sounds go into their relevant /meshes and /textures folders. Is this a graphic replacer? Then be careful what you replace, it might be wise to back up your data folder before hand if you are planning on replacing graphics and sounds. Again be sure to read the readme file for instructions. In the event you haven't installed any mods before, you most likely won't have a meshes or textures folder. In that case, either drag the folders from the zip/rar file, or create them yourself before adding the mesh/texture files.

Step 7: Right, once everything is extracted, open up the oblivion launcher, click data files and 'check' the plugin in the checkbox corresponding to it.

It's really very simple and will soon become second nature.

Just don't forget steps 2 and 3. You have been warned and I will take great pleasure in pointing and laughing at those who fail to heed my instructions.

Credit goes to Switch who contributed to this thread and reminded me that Bethesda have made things a bit assbackwards with plugins compared to Morrowind.

[mezlo]

Er, It's not my place to contradict you, but what does the CS have to do with installing mods? The CS is needed only if you want to modify a mod or create your own.

Also, if you truly feel players need to have the CS installed, then step two should be installing it. It doesn't do much good to just download it and let it sit around.

Mezlo

[Stampede]

Don't worry, I don't object to input or any advice you guys might have.

I feel downloading of the CS is needed if you are entering in the the world of ES downloadable content. Even if it is for its repair capabilities alone. It will also give the users a better understanding as to what is being changed in their game.

[nooby-sir-noobs-a-lot]

yea hey there i tried to folow your instructions but this is what i did. Tell me if i did something wrong:

1. first i go to my Oblivion shorcut, right-click, then do properties.

2. Next i go to find target

3. here it has the readme, launcher, data, etc.

4. I dragged my downloaded .rar file to the data folder

5. now whenever i click data it opens up what is inside there

6. Inside there is sounds video meshes blah blah then my files

7. i double-click my file which is a folder now and inside is the readme and the .esp

please tell me what i did wrong thank you

[Switch]

When you say dragged the rar file, do you mean the folder inside the rar file? As I've said elsewhere, sometimes rar/zip files have folders in them that contain the mod contents, and thus when extracted will create a folder inside Data. Select all the files (the readme and esp) in the folder that you now have in Data, and press Ctrl+X (cut). Now go to the Data folder, and press Ctrl+V (paste). That should place the readme and esp file in Data so you can play the mod from the launcher.

[Col Sheppard]

Okay, here's the thing.

A pre-compressed file works when I extract it to Data, but files that DL in .rar or .7z don't work when sent to the Data file.

For example. How do I get the "Akarivi imports" mod to work?

[Col Sheppard]

Col Sheppard, on Jun 17 2006, 05:58 PM, said:

Okay, here's the thing.

A pre-compressed file works when I extract it to Data, but files that DL in .rar or .7z don't work when sent to the Data file.

For example. How do I get the "Akarivi imports" mod to work?

Nevermind. I just didn't have the right program for .rar

[ejes]

I've already posted my problem on another topic in the forums today but that was until I found this so here's my problem...I have had so much trouble getting weapon and armor mods to work. I've followed every instruction unziping the file into the Oblivion data folder, placing the correct meshes into the meshes folder and so on. However still none work..they just show up as like a big yellow exclamation point in the game. I was told by someone else to get modmanager and i did but considering it came with no directions on how to use it I kind of gave up on that idea. I'm just looking to see if maybe there's still something i'm doing wrong. -Thanks

[Mercbird]

When you see big yellow exclamations in the game it means that there is still some mesh or texture files that are not in the right place. It could also be the mod that may have something missing or is corrupted.

After a couple of those yellow exclamation moments with Morrowind I started installing plugins the following way:
1. Open the plugin with winrar or zip or whatever you are using. EDIT Make sure that you can see the plugin file and the files changed by the mod, meshes, textures and so on as well as the plugin file. You know, the one with the swiss army knife icon. If you only see 'Data files' double click to open it up.

2. Double click the following;(for a default installation) my computer, the drive you installed the game in (default C), Program Files, Bethesda Softworks, Oblivion and leave it open there (C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion). You should see a folder called 'Data files' and a couple of others.

3. Size both of these windows so that you can see both at the same time.

4. Drag the folders from the downloaded plugin file you opened in step one and drop them into the 'Data files' folder. When it ask you if it should overwrite files, click on 'yes to all'


This way you also won't clutter your data file with all the readme's and screenshots, also why I dont like extracting directly into the data file. The cleanup is a female dog.

I hardly ever have any problems with plugins, and if I do its a conflict with another mod or the reasons given at the top.

EDIT: Do this only after following Stampede's instructions with the backups and stuff, of course

[republik]

at the very top it says to back up my saves but does not say how or where to find these saved files... ive been looking in the data folder but i dont see anything that says saved files. can anyone post a full set of instructions of how to back up the saved files.

please and thankyou

Republik

Mercbird, on Jun 22 2006, 08:21 PM, said:

When you see big yellow exclamations in the game it means that there is still some mesh or texture files that are not in the right place. It could also be the mod that may have something missing or is corrupted.

After a couple of those yellow exclamation moments with Morrowind I started installing plugins the following way:
1. Open the plugin with winrar or zip or whatever you are using. EDIT Make sure that you can see the plugin file and the files changed by the mod, meshes, textures and so on as well as the plugin file. You know, the one with the swiss army knife icon. If you only see 'Data files' double click to open it up.

2. Double click the following;(for a default installation) my computer, the drive you installed the game in (default C), Program Files, Bethesda Softworks, Oblivion and leave it open there (C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion). You should see a folder called 'Data files' and a couple of others.

3. Size both of these windows so that you can see both at the same time.

4. Drag the folders from the downloaded plugin file you opened in step one and drop them into the 'Data files' folder. When it ask you if it should overwrite files, click on 'yes to all'


This way you also won't clutter your data file with all the readme's and screenshots, also why I dont like extracting directly into the data file. The cleanup is a female dog.

I hardly ever have any problems with plugins, and if I do its a conflict with another mod or the reasons given at the top.

EDIT: Do this only after following Stampede's instructions with the backups and stuff, of course