Hey guys.

I haven't played Oblivion since 2008, and I have been looking to get back into the game, so I recently purchased the GOTY edition of the game from Amazon and sold my vanilla copy. However, I am really overwhelmed by all this mod development since then (I was really on top of things back in the day) and I am trying to find some good mods (or at least a mod recommendation list for 2010), so that I can get started.

So... I also have a few questions:

1. Is OOO still being updated? If it isn't, then what is the latest version?
2. What is the best way to download/install FCOM?
3. Besides the Oblivion Mod Manager by TimeSlip, the Oblivion Script Extender, and Wyre Bash, what other utilities are people using these days?
4. Any really good mods (like on OOO level) that have come out in recent years?

Thanks!

I'll just quote a post I posted in another thread where someone was asking for suggestions.

Hope you found it useful.

@ your questions:
1 - Not sure.
2 - There should be some links http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1122753-relz-fcom-convergence-and-ufcom/.
3 - You should try BOSS, if you haven't. Works really good with Wrye Bash, and makes it easier to get a good load order.
4 - There are lots of good mods. I'm not comparing mods to OOO, so I really can't tell... you might want to check the mods I mentioned in my quote.

1. yep thread on this forum
2. idk personally i just use OOO+MMM, but there is a thread on this forum
3. BOSS, it sets the load order for you (again thread for it on this forum)
4. that i couldn't tell you just started playing oblivion on pc this summer

1. Thread on forum
2. Using Bash (Wrye added BAIN, a manager) : http://tesivpositive.animolious.com/?page=guides_mod_installation&subpage=fcom_installation_guide for how to use Wrye Bash's BAIN manager to install, cross-reference with http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1119325-50steps-to-stable-fcom/ for making other mods play nice, and obey the UFCOM thread when it comes to install order for FCOM itself http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1122753-relz-fcom-convergence-and-ufcom/. It's UFCOM because dev_akm is afk for a while.
3. TESIVEdit, TESIVGecko, TEIVLODGen. See http://tesivpositive.animolious.com/ for guides. They (respectively) allow conflict resolution, merging, and generation of LOD data for new meshes. Also, PyFFI is your friend - it optimizes meshes for framerate gains. Latest versions (2.15 / 2.16) have some claimed issues, read the http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1123756-inforelz-pyffi-python-file-format-interface/ and use 1.14 if you're unsure.
4. So many . . . I don't know what things were like 2 years ago, I wasn't around, but some good ones are, in no particular order:
Deadly Reflex 6, which is going into Beta potentially this weekend.
Oblivion Graphics Extender (OBGE), adding effects like Depth of Field, Screen Space Ambient Occlusion, God Rays, and more.
Unnecessary Violence, it's sequel is forthcoming but the author has been afk a while.
Fearsome Magicka, a D&D style of magic with great effects and power that NPCs use as well.
Unique Landscapes (UL), Really Almost Everything Visible When Distant (RAEVWD), All Natural (AN), Enhanced Seasons (ES); they make the world much more lively.

I find the http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/top/ to be handy. Nice overview of what's popular right now.

Using the Nexus' Advanced Search function is even handier, IMO.

As for utilities, check out Tomlong's site, as linked above. But regardless, I will recommend Fast Exit 2, Streamline and Oblivion Stutter Remover. Other than those already mentioned, I mean.

That would require that you know what you're looking for I can't believe how often I find a mod that does what I want but it's name has no bearing to the function - at least in my mind anyway!! And sometimes it just nice to scan everything and see what's out there...

I actually enjoy 'window shopping' for mods. It's almost as fun as playing the game itself. The Mod Dectectives threads are a great place to go to find out about mods you've never heard of before or would never have thought of looking for. Also, I sometimes like to pick a category at PES or Nexus and flip through pages for 30 minutes. I find it strangely relaxing and often creatively stimulating. I've gotten ideas for new characters from stumbling across interesting new mods while idly searching for nothing in particular over at Nexus. I know, I'm strange.

Not necessarily , and I can't believe how often I've found awesome (or just interesting) mods simply because key words, or even partial words (these work too), happen to be included in their titles.

Searching is part of it. Also, listing everything in a category, and sorting by (for example) total downloads, or perhaps file size (etc.), can be very handy. I forgot to mention that, but I tend to think of it as part of "searching".

And hey, I wasn't saying the Top 100 is useless... just somewhat *less* useful, IME.