Hey, just started playing oblivion again and I want some good graphics mods to install. What are some good graphics mods and how do I install them? Also, do I need OBMM?

Forewarning, you're about to start adding mods to Oblivion, this is not an easy, or short task.

First up would be how good your computer is, depending on that we can move on. Post some specs or just say that you can max crysis.

OPERATING SYSTEM:
Windows 2.6.1.7600
CPU TYPE:
Intel? Core? i5 CPU 750 @ 2.67GHz
CPU SPEED:
2.69 GHz
SYSTEM MEMORY:
1.99 GB
VIDEO CARD MODEL:
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460
VIDEO CARD MEMORY:
1.79 GB
VIDEO CARD DRIVER:
nvd3dum.dll
DESKTOP RESOLUTION:
1920x1080
HARD DISK SIZE:
1.81 TB
HARD DISK FREE SPACE:
1.6 TB (88%)
DOWNLOAD SPEED:
921.27 kB/s (7.5 mbps)

My comp is decent , I think it'll be able to handle the graphic mods.

Start with the stickied FAQ; it covers a lot of material. Some of it may be a little out of date (particularly with respect to various utilities that have seen updates since it was written), but the basics (everything not about Wrye Bash or OBMM) are still very important to know.

i'm trying to install qarl's, I did what it said using OBMM but the red box appears next to the mod. Am I doing anything wrong?

Okay a couple of things right off the bat, a checklist if you will.

Have you installed Oblivion to your /program files folder? If you are using Vista or Windows 7 that will cause problems.
Have you installed the http://download.zenimax.com/elderscrolls/oblivion/patches/1.2/Oblivion_v1.2.0416English.exe Have you installed thehttp://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=5296 Have you installed the secondary http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=27710
Have you installed http://obse.silverlock.org/ and http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=20516 OBSE will be required by most mods you look into. BOSS sorts your mod load order (I.e the thing that you don't mess with otherwise)
Okay so now you're rea-hahahah, Sorry i couldn't keep a straight face, you're still not ready to start roaming the world of mods.
Get http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=22368, and read http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=35230, it should explain how to use Wrye Bash pretty well.
NOW, make sure everything is working correctly.
Working well? Good, lets move on.

If i were you i'd unactivate/uninstall the OMOD of http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=oblivionmods.detail&id=2363 and go with the manual install (I'm sure someone will disagree with me on this one). First download the one that is 2gigs, then extract the necessary files to Oblivion/Data. Then download the patch, and do the same. After that, install http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=23178 the same way. There is no difference in quality, but it makes the game run better.
Now, see if the game runs correctly.

I advice you to switch to http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=22368, it's more user-friendly and it's harder to screw something up than with OBMM. http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=35230's a guide for it. Take a look http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1232576-complete-modded-oblivion-installation-guide for a list of recommend mods and install those that look good/interesting to you.
In OBMM red means it overwrites some files, black means it overwrites existing .esp/.esm files, green means it won't overwrite files and blue is active.

I'm not convinced that BOSS and OBSE are required from the get-go. OBSE, certainly, you don't need until you want to use a mod that requires it — mods will say this in their readme. You are reading all the readmes, right?

BOSS is trickier, because there's few mods that will say "you need BOSS"; it's more of a "after a certain point, you will need BOSS". With only a few mods, I'm not sure it's worth it to download it and use it. Unfortunately, how many mods you'd have to have before I'd consider it "necessary" depends on the types of mods — after all, load order isn't important for quite a lot of mods, it's only the more tricky ones that are load order dependent. Certainly as soon as you try to use any overhaul, BOSS needs to be there. It's probably best to just get it to save yourself headaches, I guess.

Wrye Bash is another one that you don't, in theory, need from the beginning, but honestly that one I completely agree with: it is better to learn the basics of Wrye Bash, and get into the habit of using it to install mods, than it is to try to start using it once you realize you need it.

As for OBMM... it's a bit outdated and kind of obsolete. Wrye Bash handles the vast majority of its functions and has an enormous number of additional features besides. You only need OBMM if you're using a shader-changing mod, as far as I know (and there's literally like, two of those). It's also a convenient place to get BSA Redirection and I like its BSA utility better than any other I've tried, which are things Wrye Bash doesn't do, but stand-alone utilities for both of those things exist...

That's the way i'm going about it, trying to prevent future problems.

Here's this video guide that tells you how to install FCOM, one of the super big overhaul mods.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XneMbc8nO4Q&feature=related

Now even if you don't want to install FCOM, I still advise you to watch the whole thing, from part 1 to the end as it will tell you what you need to install like the basics for installing mods. It tells you how to use Wrye Bash and how to install mods on there, like what kind of format the mods need to be in. It's extremely helpful and should give you a leg up in installing mods.

Yes, and using windows 7
No
No

You should also read the readme. Always.

Wrye Bash does do BSA Redirection (if you want it to), actually. Unless I am misunderstanding part of your post there, DragoonWraith...

reddead465 -> Everything you need to know has already been posted. And then some (no-one needs a YouTube guide to Oblivion mods; not even FCOM).

I might have missed a link already posted for this, but anyway, http://tescosi.com/wiki/Main_Page is well worth bookmarking and perusing at your leisure.

In summary: Use BAIN, use BOSS, use a Bashed Patch, and read mod documentation. The last, most of all.


edit: Oh, and for Vista or Windows 7, uninstall the game if it has been installed to the default location, and reinstall it somewhere else, like (for example) C:\Games\Oblivion - whatever you like, that works, and that is not under Program Files, or Program Files (x86).

I don't know... If I can't get something done by reading a long tutorial guide, then a video guide is the way for me.

Could be that it does; it didn't last time I looked but uh... that was a very long time ago. I haven't really played in years. I only mentioned it because I seem to recall someone mentioning it recently in a OBMM vs. Wrye Bash debate; must have misremembered.

Then follow my previous post and get back to us as to whether or not your game is working.

I wrote a thread on how to use the Wrye Bash installer: http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1084204-bain-mod-installation-projects/ It is for those who don't mind walls of text. Mostly up to date.

Then there is Alternity's http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=35230. Which covers much more than just installing mods.

And as linked above TESCosi and http://tescosi.com/wiki/Oblivion/Mod_Installation specifically.

I recall that Leonardo was working on an update to the MOD FAQ - wonder what happened to that?

I often see that folks disagree one what is necessary and it is fair to say that those of us who spend more than a few minutes here each day are biased toward learning all the tools. Maybe then a tiered system where one is asked how much they play or what kinds of mods they want to use and then see what installer method is best for them. If they just want Darn UI then i guess it doesn't matter, but I'd think any mod that requires Wrye bash and the bashed patch - it is just better to recommend installing with BAIN.

OBMM does one thing still that outshines BAIN other than altering shaders ... with an omod script you can have a scripted install that adjusts a mods ini file. BAIN just isn't there with that yet.

Bookmark: Tescosi.com