Heres the scenario:

Im trying to put together a simple patch for a mod. This is not for release or anything; just a few small personal changes. Im not intending to change the original file, i just want to load the original mod file and oblivion and then save my changes in a new patch.

1. Load the cs up
2. Check the boxes next to Oblivion masterfile and the mod in question. press ok
3. It does its thing but then when i try and find content from that mod, i cant find anything. And upon checking which files are loaded, i find its only loaded up Oblivion even tho i specifically ticked the mod check box.

To check that im not going mad, i try this with other mods, even mods IVE made and nothing seems to stay loaded.
Ive never come across this problem before.

Ive tried reinstalling the CS and redownloading [everything] but nothing seems to work. This is on the back of reinstalling Oblivion a couple of times (you know, cos the game is so fragile that it likes to break all the time -_- ) Ive also made sure that all materials the mods need are in the correct place and everything. No errors come up either, it just doesnt load. Very odd.


Anyone got any bright ideas? Assume im fairly intelligent too; so dont suggest noob-obvious things like 'have you made sure the box is ticked' cos ive obviously tried everything obvious.

I suspect that perhaps the mods arent loading because i have updated Oblivion to .416 and maybe they werent made under this version; although i have no idea of this would inhibit mods loading up with the new Oblivion.esm. Logic would say it shouldnt do any harm, but then Oblivion and logic rarely go together.

Edit: im not using GoTY either. Computer specs are irrelevent and dont ask for the mod inquestion or mod orders. Ive tested it with mods that have worked in the past so these generic issue-replys are not relevent to my problem.

When you updated Oblivion, did you update the CS with it?

You can not use one .esp file inside another .esp file --- this is because if you ever changed the load order and had the one .esp trying to load before the other the game would become a CTD fest ! --- in order to do what you are attempting you must first change the original mod to an .esm file (esms are masterfiles and are loaded before any .esp files so are available to be used by .esps ) then make your mod and when finished change the original mod back to a .esp ( this tricks the game into setting up the proper dependency between the 2 mods and will work as long as you remember to keep the original mod loading before the modified mod in your load order )

For further details see http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/De-Isolation_Tutorial

Yep. This was it :facepalm:
Obviously the installer i had was 1.1. Silly of me not to check that before posting, especially when i suspected it was the answer.
Thanks very much for the idea tho, you win 500 internets.