Slowly getting closer to the next release. FCOM 0.9.9.5 will include:

• Completely new Integrated AddOn Loot System^TM. Provides vastly improved integration of custom items from all source mods (i.e., OOO/Fran/Bob/WarCry/etc.).
  
• AddOn Loot Drop Rate options to reduce or increase the frequency of custom items you find. If you prefer the game to be dominated by new items, then use the Increased option. If you want vanilla items to be common and custom items to be a rare treat, then use the Reduced option. The default ratio is 50/50.
  
• Optional http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=857930 to give visual ranking to each Dremora type (Churl, Caitiff, Kynval, etc.). Includes visual ranking for both armor and robes. Lets you know at a glance whether you can thrash that foolish wimp in your sleep or need to retreat as fast as you can.
  
• Improved experience in Oblivion gate realms with more interesting Dremora enemies. Each Dremora will now have a small chance to drop one piece of wearable Dremora armor appropriate to their rank (includes robes for Dremora Mages) . If you also use Diverse Dremora Armor, then the wearable armor and robe drops will have the same visual rank distinction as the Dremora who dropped it. If you don't use Diverse Dremora Armor, then Churl armor will look just like Valkynaz armor even though the stats are vastly different (as in vanilla Oblivion). Each Dremora armor type will be more durable and more protective than other armor you might find at your level, but it's also far heavier to carry, so there's a penalty for all that extra protection. Full Daedric Armor drops will now be rare even at the highest levels, making the search for this elite gear much more interesting.
  
• Named Dremora Bosses for increased variety, challenge and reward. These bosses will wear Diverse Dremora Armor (and robes) even if you don't use the Diverse Dremora Armor option, so you can still see the new armor and get a chance to collect the wearable versions even if you don't want to see all Dremora using the new armor. At the highest levels, some of these bosses will wear http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/images/16442-1-1207538857.jpg, giving you a chance to collect a complete set if you raid enough Oblivion gate realms.
  
• Improved support for Shivering Isles expansion. Includes complete integration of Cursed and Durable items. Integrates Francesco's Shivering Isles overhaul with the new enemies from MMM SI.
  
• Support for Armamentarium Enchanted Complete. Complete OMOBS rebalance for all items.
  
• Support for LAME/RBP Additional Enemies.
  
• Support for MMM Additional Enemy Variants.
  
• New Spawn Rate options (Increased, Insane, Reduced, and Stronger). This probably deserves some explanation, so here's more than you probably wanted to know. The current FCOM 099 spawn rate default is somewhat similar to MMM Spawn Rates Increased, but with the highest possible counts missing in most cases and without the "chance of none" that MMM adds to most spawns (due to a quirk in the way Oblivion processes random calculations, having any "chance of none" can result in large areas of the wilderness seeming very empty at times and/or quests being too easy because all the enemies fail to appear). The upcoming FCOM 0995 changes the default spawn rate to be much more like FCOM_SpawnRatesReduced, but without the "chance of none" that Reduced currently adds. The old default rate will still be available via a new plugin called FCOM_SpawnRatesIncreased. A new version of FCOM_SpawnRatesReduced brings further reduction from FCOM 0995 default, plus adding the "chance of none" that it currently offers. Another new plugin, FCOM_SpawnRatesInsane, will give you the same rate as MMM Spawn Rates Increased, including the "chance of none". I think these options should probably cover almost all the bases. I might also add a FCOM_SpawnRatesVanilla for people who don't want to find any extra enemies at all.
  
• Increased difficulty for WarCry enemies.
  
• Many small tweaks, bug fixes, and more that I've probably forgotten.

===============

Submit your FCOM screenshots! I'm hoping to improve the collection of screenshots for the FCOM 1.0 release, so I've created a Photobucket group for FCOM:

http://photobucket.com/FCOM

Now I need help from the FCOM fans out there! Please post your (good) FCOM screenshots to the Photobucket group for FCOM. I'll review and approve the best. All credit will be given to the uploaders, of course.

I've created a separate thread for http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=798556. Please report any verified solutions there.

Also, don't forget to check out the awesome trailer by Vini!

FCOM: Convergence 1.0 Official Trailer
| http://files.filefront.com/FCOM+Convergence+Officialer7z/;10216774;/fileinfo.html | http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/142365.html |
(FileFront Hi-Res version requires Xvid codec. Does not work with the DivX codec. If it looks pixellated, you've got the wrong codec.)

-----------------------
FCOM: Convergence

Francesco + WarCry + Oscuro + Martigen

(aka Cry FranOOOMMM!)

Beta 0.9.9

=========================
http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=979388
=========================

Team FCOM:
dev_akm -- project leader.
Martigen -- original MMM for FCOM design and WarCry faction integration.
Waalx -- original RealSwords modules and new Undead RealSwords used as the basis for FCOM_RealSwords.
StarX -- quests WIP, FCOM FAQ, user guide, and tons of help maintaining the ESF thread!
nb_nmare -- Unity project.
Wrye and ElminsterEU -- critical tools.
Vini -- WarCry and MMM faction integration, trailer.
Shadowborn -- massive script improvements.
Corepc -- help with everything!
Showler -- tons of bugfixes and help on forum threads.
Cleitanious -- test module.
SpaceBoy -- Bob's Armory rebalance.
Arkngt,Tobit and Shikishima -- massive help maintaining the FCOM threads on ESF.
Sein_Spvssyn -- Runeskulls rebalance, Entropic Order, bugfixes.
ElminsterEU -- Slof's Robe Trader integration.
Random007 -- FCOMhelper load-order setup utility.
Lilith -- updates to Martigen's Monster Mod.
Axil -- support patch for KDCircletsOOOOptimized - NPC Equip.
Beta Testers: markb50k, Vini, Cleitanious, StarX, Corepc, Chambertain, SickleYield, cl526, kumkum, ska8tdude, SpaceBoy, LurksInShadow, Psyringe, Arkngt, XD829, Twipley, lollerich, jdayT, Dazu, Eventine Shangea, Skycaptain, Tobit, showler, Axil, Jaded42, Shikishima, Shikamaru_4, Sein_Spvssyn, Chewu, Lyrondor, and many more.
Entropic Order credits: created by Sein_Spvssyn. Contributors included dev_akm (testing, balancing, and spawn control), Nicoroshi (Dreadweave set), blackshark64 (Dragon Armor), commissardan (Rivan Sword), TaylorSD (stealth armor compilation), Cryo_ (face mask), LHammonds (texture modifications to stealth armor and face mask), Painkiller97 (Morrowind-style Ebony sword and shield), and zman (Negotiator sword).

=============
KABOOM!
=============

FCOM: Convergence started as an experiment in compatibility and has grown into something more than the sum of its parts.

FCOM shatters previous barriers in the Oblivion mod community by letting you play four of the largest Oblivion "overhaul" mods at the same time -- http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=912339, http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=909523, http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=875610, and http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=882017. It also seeks to show how new item and/or creature expansion mods can be added directly to this environment, and thus includes direct support for http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=OblivionMods.Detail&id=1860, Loth's Blunt Weapons, Exnem Runeskulls, Cobl, Tamrielic Ingredients, Knights of the Nine, Tamriel Travelers, and many other popular mods.

http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/convergence.html (with screenshots)

FCOM provides complete unification of Mart's Monster Mod and Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul. It brings all of the numerous new creatures, NPCs, and items added by MMM and OOO into a consistent and balanced structure. In addition, it integrates Francesco's vast collection of new items and named NPC bosses along with new creatures and items from Oblivion WarCry.

To make all these great mods work together, FCOM provides a common infrastructure for a series of patches, rebalancers, and relevelers that work with the http://wrye.ufrealms.net/Wrye%20Bash.html#BashedPatch feature of http://wrye.ufrealms.net/Wrye%20Bash.html. FCOM also provides a bunch of http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/fcomoptions.html to let you further customize your experience. These options tweak various gameplay aspects and improve compatibility for a wide range of popular mods.

If you're looking for extensive compatibility guidelines, patches, more great OMOBS-balanced weapon mods, etc., then check out the new http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Tes4Mod:FCOM!

=============
DOWNLOADS
=============

WARNING: FCOM is not for the faint of heart. It may chew your game up into tiny bits and spit it back in your face! Yes, Wrye Bash really is required.

There's no readme included with the download. Just this post, the website and the files. The website documents everything extensively. Please read everything on the website before posting to ask for help since it's very likely your question has already been answered there. If you really do need help, feel free to post your questions, but be prepared to include a copy of your load order. To find this in Wrye Bash, simply right-click on the column header in the Mods tab, then select "List Mods". See http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/Oblivion_Mods_FAQ#Asking_for_Help for more details.

FCOM Beta 9.9 Download: | http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=12249 | http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=OblivionMods.Detail&id=3428 |
The Beta 0.9.9 update requires http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=17784 or http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=946624 (both of which require http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=OblivionMods.Detail&id=4226) and http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=15256 (patch requires http://devnull.sweetdanger.com/OOO/OOO_Guide.html#Download, Full version only ATM). This update is the last major release before 1.0, but there may be a few interim minor patches between now and then. Be sure to get the http://devnull.sweetdanger.com/mods/FCOM_EntropicOrderRebalance.7z, which fixes several issues already discovered with the Entropic Order (that patch download also includes an optional EntropicOrderhardcoe plugin that makes them extremely deadly; use either the Rebalance or hardcoe, not both).

New additions in FCOM 0.9.9 include:

• Complete integration of Waalx RealSwords, including numerous never-before-seen Undead RealSwords (old, worn versions of various swords from the other RealSwords packs). The FCOM download (137Mb) includes everything you need to use FCOM_RealSwords (meshes, textures, and icons). Huge thanks to Waalx for letting us include this! RealSwords is carefully balanced for OMOBS and integrated entirely via new race-specific weapon lists for Argonians, Bosmer, Bretons, Khajiit, Orcs, Redguards, Goblins, and Undead.
  
• Entropic Order by Sein Spvssyn. A mysterious group of assassins who will start to hunt you once you've completed some of the main game quests. Be prepared to run from these guys if they show up!
  
• Massive improvements to the spawn and loot lists. Custom items introduced by Fran's Items Add-On, OOO, WarCry, etc., should appear a lot more often now.
  
• New Spawn Rate Reduced options, including Slightly Reduced (rate just like Reduced but without reducing the chance of encounters) and Stronger (rate just like SlightlyReduced but stronger enemies appear sooner). Pick only one of these.
  
• Support patch for KDCircletsOOOOptimized - NPC Equip based on the patches by Axil.
  
• New FCOM_LessReaversInGates option reduces the Reaver spawn counts in Gate realms only. Can be used with MMM - Less Reavers.esp to get a greater overall reduction in their spawn rate.
  
• Fran's Named Bossed have been split into a separate plugin now -- FCOM_FrancescosNamedBosses.esp. This achieves two important improvements: FCOM_Convergence.esp no longer requires Francesco's mod (so FCOM works fine without Fran installed) and the old, problematic FCOM_ConvergenceNoFran.esp option is no longer needed (and no longer included).
  
• FCOM_MoreWildernessLife is deprecated now. Use MMM - More Wilderness Life instead.

Important Note: Make sure you've got http://wrye.ufrealms.net/Wrye%20Bash.html or later -- it contains the latest bug fixes. If you use Wrye Bash 106-112 to import/update NPC levels, you'll start seeing in-faction fighting and possibly CTDs. The problem is fixed in Wrye Bash v116. You may need to use the new Repair Factions command to fix any savegames mangled by the earlier bugged function.

As always, make sure you follow the http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/fcomloadorder.html and be sure to Rebuild Patch after installing this update!

See the http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/fcomversions.html page for details on prior versions.

=============
QUICK START
=============

Install
Install http://wrye.ufrealms.net/Wrye%20Bash.html, http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=17784 (which requires http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=OblivionMods.Detail&id=4226) and http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=15256 (patch requires http://devnull.sweetdanger.com/OOO/OOO_Guide.html#Download, Full version only ATM), http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=875610 and the http://rapidshare.com/files/57753891/OWC_Patch_1.08b_1.085b.7z.html, and http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=882017, as well as any other supported mods you want to use, such as http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=OblivionMods.Detail&id=1860 and http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=12939.

See the http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/fcominstall.html and the complete http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/convergence.html guide for more details.

Load Order
Before you start, please read http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/Oblivion_Mods_FAQ#Setting_the_Load_Order. Really. The whole thing. Even if you think you know what you're doing. You've been warned. Good. With that out of the way, we can continue.

• http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/fcomloadorder.html. This is the basic, minimal configuration guide for FCOM. Does not include details on the option files.
  
• http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/fcomloadorderexpanded.html. This is a much more advanced and complex configuration guide for FCOM -- including details on all of the option files.

Bashed Patch
See the http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/convergence.html section of the main FCOM home page (scroll down a bit to find it).

FCOM FAQs
A bunch of common questions and answers, covering very important topics like how to set up FCOM and unimportant topics like how the project got started and where it's heading, etc.: http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/fcomfaqindex.html.

=============
FCOM REQUIREMENTS
=============

Beta 0.9.9 requires all the latest versions of usual suspects -- i.e., you need full installs of OOO 1.33 patched to OOO 1.34, Fran's + Fran's Optional Items (4.5b), WarCry 1.08b, Bob's Armory 1.1, and MMM 3.6 (or MMM 3.7) if you want to use the support files for these. The updated requirements are indicated in bold.

Be sure you get ALL of the required files! Many users either forget to install some of the resource files (which are often separate very large downloads) or grab the wrong version. See the http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/OOO/ and the http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/fcominstall.html for more details.

Summary guidelines for installation of all the supported mods is included in the Installation section of the main FCOM page.

This release is for http://wrye.ufrealms.net/Wrye%20Bash.html users only. You can't use all the files together without Wrye Bash and I have not included any premade Bashed Patch files.

=============
INSTALLATION
=============

See the http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/convergence.html section of the main FCOM home page for more complete install guidelines (scroll down a bit to find it). The info here is just a summary.

Installing Supported Mods
See the http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/convergence.html section of the main FCOM home page (scroll down a bit to find it).

Load Order
This is repeated here because it's so important. Before you start, please read http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/Oblivion_Mods_FAQ#Setting_the_Load_Order. Really. The whole thing. Even if you think you know what you're doing. You've been warned. Good. With that out of the way, we can continue.

• http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/fcomloadorder.html. This is the basic, minimal configuration guide for FCOM. Does not include details on the option files.
  
• http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/fcomloadorderexpanded.html. This is a much more advanced and complex configuration guide for FCOM -- including details on all of the option files.

Bashed Patch
See the http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/convergence.html section of the main FCOM home page (scroll down a bit to find it).

=============
TESTING
=============

Cleitanious has created a great test module for FCOM (actually it will work even with vanilla Oblivion, but he made it to help test this mod, for which I am very grateful). It's in the TestResource subdirectory and is named 300_Test.esp.

If you load up the game with 300_Test.esp active, you will automatically be teleported to the first testing room.

There are 30 different test cells in all. Each cell includes different containers and spawn points. The spawns are behind an invisible barrier so you can examine the creatures/NPCs behavior, faction aggression, AI, etc. safely.

Use the console command "coc 300TestCell00" through 29 to view them all.

Each cell also has a sigil stone that will respawn each cell except the one you are currently in. So, if you need to re-test a certain spawn multiple times, just coc to the next room, hit the sigil stone, then coc back.

Every spawn point and loot chest are there, so you should see everything except Dremora currently (this will soon change).

The point of all this is it gives an easy way to test for Bashed List problems, check spawn counts, check faction aggression, check whether bandits attack the bandit leader, etc.

Don't forget to deactivate 300_Test.esp when you're done testing and want to continue with regular playing.

=============
VERSION HISTORY
=============

There's a http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/fcomversions.html page now!

=============
CREDITS
=============

In addition to the core team working on this mod, a lot of other folks have contributed greatly. I don't really even know where to begin.

The real heroes, of course, are the original creators of all the great mods integrated by FCOM, including: Sotobrastos, Martigen, Newcomer24, L@zarus, Mr. Dave, Waalx, Loth DeBonneville, Tarnsman, and more. You guys rock!

Martigen deserves special recognition because he spent many long hours discussing various ideas and technical details with me, in addition to supporting the project directly with the original MMM for FCOM plugin.

Huge thanks go to all of the creators of the fantastic mods supported by the optional add-ons, and especially to nb_nmare for the Unity project and to Quarn and Kivan for the Unofficial Oblivion Patch (which is required for some of the optional add-ons and is probably used in some that don't specifically require it).

I also owe a huge debt to ElminsterEU and his fantastic TES4Edit program. I never would've had the time to make all the optional add-on plugins with TESCS, even if it were technically possible (which is doubtful).

None of this would work without the massive contributions of Wrye and his amazing Wrye Bash program.

We also could not have done any of this without ScripterRon's original TES4 Plugin Utility and KomodoDave's improvements in TES4Gecko.

Also, a huge thank-you is owed to the many beta testers who have offered support, encouragement, and feedback for the numerous beta versions. Thanks so much for all your help!

------------------------

And hopefully he doesn't run streamline , because if its a cpu bottle neck , streamline will hinder more then help .

I can't agree with that Shik.
If it's used "straight from the box" it certainly can cause more problems than it fixes, but properly configured to your rig specs and mod setup, there's nothing available in the mod world that can optimize game performance more.

AFAIK the OOO Circlets patch still has the same issues. showler, the creator of the patch has very recently returned to the Oblivion scene, so hopefully if he reads this thread he can clarify the situation.

Sadly, I had no connection with the OOO Circlets patch. I helped diagnose a problem with glow in the dark Ogres, but that was a nif materials property issue, not a magic effect shader issue.

I was running the Stutter Remover as well, but for some reason it would end up choking. Would that be because of stuff in my ini file? The ugrid, maybe? Anyway, I just stopped using it, because I didn't want to chug. For a while, it was running beautifully, and it really seemed to help with the weird streaming that Oblivion does, and yes, removed the stuttering for the most part, but then I ran into areas where I would run in slow motion. It was awful. Not choppy like a bad frame rate but SLOW MOTION. Ugh.

>snip>...well, second question: the circlets mod (KD Circlets OOO Optimized) does still have problems with loot being added to certain ogres?
there is a patch somewhere? where? if i use loot version, do I need the fcom patch?

That is exactly the guide that is being suggested not to use.

gothemasticator

Says who ? It's done wonders for me . And its information certainly is valid so , I have no idea why anyone would say otherwise .

@Tashira - I wish I could advise further, but unless it makes significant alterations to the normal CUO pack, then I would think it wouldn't be compatible with FCOM.
It may help to look at known incompatibilities for the mod which I linked earlier in this post.

You only have to look through the last week or two of forum posts to see many people for whom the solution to their problem was to regenerate the default Oblivion ini file. If you read through a few of those threads, you will find several posters stating that the Tweak guide's Oblivion ini tweaking section is out of date--that with a fully patched Oblivion, the default ini settings (with one notable exception) are better. And, you only have to look through the last 48 hours of posts in this very thread to see a poster helped by going back to default ini settings. I also have played with the ini settings, read the tweak guides, followed that advice, and then myself reverted back to default.

gothemasticator

[snip]

I'm glad the settings you are finding in that guide are working for you. However, following that guide, especially the sections concerning gridstoload and the cell buffer, have caused numerous people stability problems. Please don't call people "idiots" for having different advice than you do.

We now return you to your previously scheduled FCOM...

gothemasticator

Now my question is, having done everything correctly, should I have a LE.esp from frans or was it included in another esp when I checked that option?

If I want to use the LE from OOO or another economy mod do I have to reinstall Frans without checking the LE option this time?

Thanks for any help.

I have what I think might be a problem with my FCOM install. Im hoping that someone can clear this up for me.

I followed the instructions for Frans mods from this guide here to the letter, exactly as it says. http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/fcominstall.html

My problem now is with Living Economy. I checked to download that in the install, the guide says that it is recommended, just not with the stand alone version which I havent been using. I also did not check to merge the optional files. Just like the guide says to say no to that option, that is what I did.

Ive been told that the OOO version of LE is better because it is more recent and I should probably use that one instead.

Now my question is, having done everything correctly, should I have a LE.esp from frans or was it included in another esp when I checked that option?

If I want to use the LE from OOO or another economy mod do I have to reinstall Frans without checking the LE option this time?

Thanks for any help.

Nope the (DC)CUO Resource pack is fine... just CUO that isn't - Sutch will be fine (with FCOM no patches, it has some patches required for UL Lost Cost).
Pacific Morrowind

By the way, I am missing meshes from "Impure Ball Mace",

It seems a armamentarium weapon, isnt it?


3A Loth's Blunt Weapons for Npcs.esp

Not Armamentarium or Artifacts

Impure Ball Mace is from Loth Blunt Weapons so check to make sure that you installed it correctly.

Oblivion Stutter remover best to ask in OSR thread about that stuff.