http://www.gamefront.com/files/6341304/No_Essential_NPC_Mod

I downloaded that mod, and it makes it to where NPC's never go unconcious. I wanted to go on a killing spree, but unfortunately, I can't because half of the characters will not die. So my question: Why won't this mod work? It's in my Data folder, like what the readme said, and I checked it in Data Files on the launcher.

2 years ago, when I played the game without Steam, the mod worked, but now it doesn't. So how do I fix this issue?

(BTW: It's Oblivion GOTY Deluxe, if that makes a difference.)

The essential flag is not something that will change in an existing game if the mod is added. It's only guaranteed to work that way if it's started with a relatively new game.

Essential, Respawn, and No Low Level Processing are all flags that are permanent and cannot be changed to their other state. Essential can be handled with a vanilla script after the fact, the other two flags require OBSE to change their state.

So how can I fix it?

Either start a new game, or get someone with lots of time on their hands to write up a mod that changes every NPC to non-essential using a script.

Here is a short script requiring OBSE that would do it:

scn questscriptarray_var actorsref temprefshort indexBegin GameMode	if (GetCellChanged)		let actors := GetHighActors		let index := 0		while (index < ar_Size actors)			let tempref := actors[index]			if (tempref.IsEssential)				tempref.SetRefEssential 0			endif			let index += 1		loop	endifEnd

I figured out the issue for those who need help:

You must start a new game. Also, if the character is involved in Shivering Isles or any other expansion pack, they will always go unconscious. This is because the modder obviously didn't make the DLC characters un-essential. Just a minor inconvenience. Enjoy the mod though!

(This is the one that worked for me: http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=2076)