I plan to setup FCOM as an OMOD. The entire thing. Is this possible? I love oblivion, but I can't create mods. However, I find FCOM to be time consuming to install. I'd like to make it a simple process. Thoughts on this?

Do a search on this forum for threads regarding this idea and save everyone the bother of shooting the idea down all over again.

Long story short, the only benefit is that it is easier to install for users, and there is a great big long list of detriments.

The concept is simple, though. Instead of having a million steps, all required mod files could be in an OMOD. And of course, Wyre would be separated. Really, I would just like to not have to go everywhere to download all the required mods. Maybe just a simple torrent that has every single required file???

Yeah, and in a perfect world ....

Things are complicated because they need to be. Brighter minds (probably) have struggled to make things as simple as possible for you. If you feel you really can do better, come up with an original wonder-suggestion. Try reading up on previous suggestions and why they failed to spare us the repetition of ignorance.

I spend almost all of my modding time working on BOSS with the aim to make load ordering as simple as possible, and to provide relevant, useful information to users about their mods in an accessible way. So please don't take my opposition as opposition to the ideal of simplification, just your weak proposals.

"superpack" and "torrent" are banned terms in here

You're going to open a huge Pandora's box.

Why would it be so hard to have a single .zip or .rar of all the files necessary, at least?

It wouldn't. The only problem is, do I have a right to do this? And where do I find a big enough, free upload slot? Or a way to upload parts? Like, say a 5-part download on tesnexus?

I guess someone needs to explain...

FCOM is made of many mods. These mods are made by different people, all have different permissions, and are managed by different people. Each mod is updated independently (although we do all speak and inform each other), and then FCOM is made as a compatibility layer of sorts between them all, making them all work together.

You can't put everything as one package because each component is updated individually, at different times and at different paces by different people. Also, the content has certain permissions that must be met. If you upload the entire FCOM package as one, it will be taken down from the host as you are hosting unauthorised content. It's not your property.

FCOM is easy to install if you follow the instructions, and it's getting easier with every update.

I'm trying to say how hard would it be to get permissions?

Look at the list of mods, make up a list of authors, or contact people, and try and contact all of them...... Chances are, that at least a few of them that update regularly, won't give permission. Bugfixes, and updates come out regularly, so, as soon as one component is updated, the whole thing is now out of date. You would have to go thru all the installation steps again, or, the update steps, and then re-upload. So, instead of installing fcom once, you would get to do it on a regular basis. If you wanted to set one up for yourself, all well and good, but, don't expect the authors to let ya release it.......

Pretty much impossible. The FCOM team and the many if not all of the authors of the component mods who aren't on the team themselves are opposed to a 'superpack' because in the years that FCOM has been around for, nobody has come up with an acceptable proposal.

The end user has to update just as much on a normal FCOM install. The releases I would make wouldn't be constantly updated. I might spread it out, given free time. It's a convenience thing.

Oh, and suddenly you're deciding when updates get proliferated. The funny thing is that it is in nobody's interests for updates to experience any delay between release and installation. They fix bugs, add new features, etc. FCOM updates happen very rarely, but are large when they do.

Adding a middle man such as what you're proposing just adds more confusion in the end. Please do some reading to save us all typing...

And what the hell is your problem?

Let me restate my thesis.

My goal is to provide a single download option for FCOM. This would be a single .RAR file. The file would contain subfolders to each individual component required by FCOM. I would be subscribed to the threads of all related parts of the FCOM mod, and recreate the .RAR file as needed, as updates are released for individual components. I would only do this after I have tested basic compatibility.
In the end, when I user wishes to download all the components of FCOM, all they would need is to download the current .RAR. If a modder wishes permissions be removed, I would oblige. I could provide donation shortcuts in each subfolder if need be.

I think I will just say, What the Hell, and just start this. The first step, of course, is downloading the current mods and install FCOM, and to make sure I do it right.

1. Gather files.
2. Install FCOM and test
3. Acquire permissions from all authors
4. Subscribe for update to content
5. Upload RAR
6. Get update from MOD author
7. Update and reupload RAR

NOBODY would be required to download this. I'm just providing an alternative way to install FCOM, Maybe not always up to date, but a lot easier to do.

EDIT: Found this... http://superpackden.mastertopforum.net/index.php

I guarantee you will get stopped right there. If you cannot get permission to do this, your idea is bust.

FCOM denies this permission for a very good reason: mod compilations are immensely unruly. People who use them tend to be ignorant of when individual updates are made and do not understand how to install them, so the compilation user needs to update THE WHOLE THING, upload THE WHOLE THING all over again, and then the users have to download THE WHOLE THING all over again just for that one little update file. Compilations get rejected because Team FCOM cannot be sure that the manager will be committed, and it makes it a nightmare to provide support if you were to suddenly say "I'm done" and stop updating the compilation. This eventually leaves everyone who uses it with outdated versions of components that cannot be supported. You would be sitting there twiddling your thumbs for almost five hours waiting for that updated compilation to upload, every single time a single file gets updated. Tell us honestly you would not get sick and tired of that after two times.

That is immensely less efficient than doing the homework and downloading and installing everything yourself. The difference between your method and that method is although there is a rather large download for both the first time, for the DIY method, it's the ONLY time. You will not be required to sit through a 3+ hour download just for that one update to MMM or Warcry due to you needing to download EVERYTHING all over again to obtain it.

It's inefficient, it wastes bandwidth, and hurts everyone involved in the end. That is why Team FCOM opposes this and will not grant you permission to perform the compilation. I don't doubt your intentions, but I don't trust them, either.

Excuse me? You're clearly not familiar with this community's stance on permissions...


Yeah, don't do that. Just don't.

FCOM is hugely complicated, and so a lot of people require support. Compilations of huge mods like FCOM (which, in itself, is already a "compilation" of sorts) just doesn't work because of the size of the mods and the updates.
You'll never get permission from any of the authors to re-distribute their mods. Which means you'll get an archive full of shortcuts. Which is exactly the same as the current install procedure.

I can save you the troubles of sending one request out. As a current team member from Mart's Monster Mod I do not give my permission to upload or consolidate any of my work into any such conglomeration.

Nevermind the updates. Think of it this way: FCOM and the related overhauls give you several options for customizing your setup. How would you create an archive that would allow people to customize their game to their liking?What if person A would like to have the lite version of OOO, while person B would like Spiders and Reavers taken out of MMM? What if someone's system can't handle the increased load of increased spawns? There is just too many factors involved in making a complication pack. There is no one-size-fits-all with FCOM. Also, the user would still need Wrye-bash at the very least because of the required Bash patch.

Following lilith's example, you've got a second response. As the current updater of Francesco's Creatures and Items, I do not give you permission to upload, modify or consolidate the mod into a compilation.

See where this is going?

(I will not say I told you so. I will not say I told you so.)

And to add to the complication, as stated, you are NEVER going to be able to remove the need for the end user to construct a bashed patch for his setup. BPs are unique to everyone. You cannot possibly account for this with a scripted install.

And to be able to build a bashed patch means you need to know how to use Wrye Bash, which means you need to know a decent amount about modding Oblivion. Your compilation is targeted at an audience that does not exist. Those who can build a bashed patch already know how to maintain load orders and install their mods, and those who don't shouldn't be using FCOM anyway.

Yeah, and I found this http://superpackden.mastertopforum.net/download-links-v5-2-3-vt2.html

Not sure how the modders in here cope with all the unauthorized packs out there, it's unlikely those people are going to remove "their" work from those pack-based sites.

This. And...


Just about Impossible^TM. Something you probably didn't think of: The parts of FCOM aren't all by one author each. Each one uses multiple resources from multiple people, and often includes merged mods as well. A lot of those resources the maintainers only have permission to include in that mod. So the OOO/MMM/Frans maintainers don't have permission to allow anyone else to include their mods as part of a compilation, never mind the nightmare of supporting it.

Not to mention you've already had two of the maintainers flat out tell you "No". The other superpacks available are not authorized, but as it's the internet, there's not a lot that can be done sometimes.