I was recently bored and decided, hey Oblivion's game engine is practically the same to FO3's and they both use the same .esm/.esp system! Why not try to use them together! (Don't worry this is entirely for my own private use, and I own both games)

I tried loading up Fallout.esm and Oblivion.esm (after copying it into my fallout data folder) in GECK to create some kind of freak baby mutated hybrid mod, expecting it not to work. It says Cannot load multiple masters! Load aborted! So I check my .ini settings for GECk, and the line is set to 1 (you know which one I am talking about) so why cant I load both into the GECK? Does it detect its for the wrong game, and just stop it so it doesn't explode? Is it possible? Or am I just nuts? I tell ya, running around Cyrodil with mah guns a blazin would totally kick ass. I also can select Oblivion.esm in FOMM and the game loads up just fine, so I was like NO WAY!!! but once in game, when I try to use a COC command to travel to an Oblivion cell, nothing happens, like when the cell doesn't exist. So is it just ignoring the Oblivion.esm since it knows what I am up too, or is this possible? Now that was with Fallout above Oblivion. When I swap them, it loads me into the VERY center of the wasteland, with no gear/items/keys/notes or anything WHATSOEVER. I am also stuck in a rock I had to tcl my way out of. So SOMETHING happened when it loaded. But other than that the game runs just fine. Is it possible to intermix these two games? Is it illegal even though I own both, and won't give this to anyone at all anyway. Thanks for any responses. This would completely kick ass if it works. Though I really really doubt it will, and figure you are all just going to tell me I am completely crazy. Though, in theory it is possible. The game would probably be buggy as hell and very akward, but could still run since the engines are so close. Also since FO3 has a MORE advances scripting system, I don't think any functions are missing from Oblivion, whereas the other way around it wouldn't work because FO3 has stuff Ob doesnt. Thanks again. I hope this works, but doubt it will... Sorry if for some stupid reason this is illigal to do (In which case I would just forget it) -_-

Gunmaster95

Similarities aside, the files are not compatible. While the game engines are similar, they're not identical (FO3 uses a newer version) so you'd have to rewrite the Oblivion .esm from the ground up to make it compatible.

The same has been done/attempted for oblivion and morrowind (morroblivion), where it actually even maked sense as both games take place in the same universe (and the esp/esm format hasnt changed much since morrowind). This project was considered illegal though AFAIR.
I don't know what exactly changed, but converting the landmass/static stuff shouldn't be too hard. This still means that you would have to be able to write an external program that parses through the records of the masterfile and makes changes where it's necessary. Then dialoge/NPCs, quests, scripts.. I imagine this might be a little harder.

It is actually prohibited to import anything from Oblivion to Fallout 3. Many of the models, audio and textures were aquired on license from third parties and the license only allows them to be used in that game. I don't call that a stupid reason.

As pointed out, Fallout 3 uses an updated version of the Oblivion engine so the ESMs are coded differently, plus wouldn't suprise me if there was some extra security coding precisely to prevent this from being done.

Obviously, if you're the only person who ever makes use of them, Bethesda isn't going to kick your door down, but the second you release them to anyone else, you'll get shut down/issued with a cease and desist/most likely banned from these forums.

And on that same note and for those same reasons, it's unlikely you'll be able to get help here or on any of the major reputable modding sites.

Come back to the light Gunmaster95!

Pop a rad-away or something, your brewing dangerous things.

It's a no brainer, there's 50 things I can see in an instant that would conflict. certainly this will never be possible.

Ok. I will forget it. I figured there were alot of things that would stop it from working, and I certainly would not want to do anything that would get be banned from here, or be even slightly illegal. It is forgotten. In that case, and admin can lock this if they wish, to prevent more from coming of it. Sorry for asking. :shrug:

If something is made which is never distributed as a "mod", it seems to be different from Bethesda's perspective. I suspect that it means nothing legal if you succeeded in taking Fallout 3.esm and oblivion and jacked them together and had yourself a very odd game as a result. Keyword being, had *yourself* an odd thing. You're not supposed to mix the content between games but if it's never released anywhere, it's apparently not meaningful to them.

I wish the whole "illegal" thing would quit coming up in funky places. That word gets thrown around too much, and sometimes the board policy disallows meaningful discussion on it.

Yea, I meant nothing bad of it. I guess my curiousity has gotten me in trouble once again :/. It would be cool to have some kind of crazy hybrid between the games to play around in, but I am just fine without it if it would be a 'shady' thing to attempt, and could get me in trouble. Since I obviously don't want that. I will just go back to making my mod now. I feel kinda stupid for even asking, I probably could have figured out for myself it would get this kind of response. I guess thats a dent in my small subordinate reputation. For the second time in only two days -> :facepalm:

I don't see where you did anything wrong. The history on it, if I have the details right, is that you can do what you want in this thing, as long as you do not distribute it. You did say that it was for private use. If you really feel the driving urge, I'd say feel free to continue. But that's just me. I could be hated for saying that, but I said it anyway.

I don't know. I see why it could be a bad idea to get help on the forums, and I could not do it by myself. But its really not a big deal. It was mostly me just suddenly thinking, OH MAN THIS COULD WORK! But it looks like it would take alot more rather complex things to get it working, so I will most likely just forget it. Or try some much smaller scale things, privately on my own as to avoid this whole mess I fear I have brought upon myself.

Tarrant is right, you did nothing wrong. I think it was a harsh, callous and un-necessary of other folks in this thread to Bash you for it - THAT is what I find ridiculous, and no names are required - it was uncalled for and he knows it. Flaming isn't allowed, 4 and 5-star forum posters should know this by now and Avoid threads that they can't keep it cool in.

Bottom line is you were experimenting, and no one should shoot you in the face for asking an innocent question (especially as it was an honest experiment, not some random question).

It was said to me once, that the only stupid question is the one that goes unasked. From a philosophical perspective, I would always promote experimentation as this is the hallmark of discovery and innovation. Whatever individual's do in the privacy of their own homes that does not adversely affect anyone else (A) should not be illegal and ('B) any policy to the contrary is virtually un-enforceable.

As an aside...

I knew this fellow in Jr. High and High School who was the consummate hacker. He spliced together Apple, Unix and PC devices and got them to work together. He later taught himself to write "viruses" or bits of code that could embed and propagate themselves over the internet, on multiple platforms no less. Did he get arrested? Did he get thrown in jail, chastised or any adverse response for his behavior? No, he got hired by Sun Microsystems and makes 300K a year last I heard. He took a big bite from the forbidden knowledge fruit and was heavily rewarded for it. History shows that this is not always the case (e.g. Galileo), but never-the-less, the discovery and innovation of those who chose to seek out the truth has always, in the end, promoted the knowledge of mankind.

I'll step off my soapbox now...

OK. It is not permitted to take assets from one game and use them in another, even if you own them and they are from the same company. What you do in the privacy of your own computer is up to you, but discussion of this is not permitted on these forums.