As I have a modest machine - Core 2 Duo 2.26GHz, Nvidia GeForce 9600M GS - I have to be fairly careful with which graphics enhancers I add as part of my reinstall. The last time I installed Oblivion, I went a little crazy - adding in QTP3r, RAEVWD, the Mythic Creatures series of textures, Bomret's enhanced normals and textures, InsanitySorrow's improved weapons textures, and a whole lot more. The result? On a good day I could get 20 FPS, even after using Oblivion Stutter Remover, Streamline, and PyFFI.

So, this time I'm going to err on the side of performance. I'd like opinions, then, on two things:
(1) Which graphical packages I should install if I only want to enhance (rather than replace) vanilla meshes/textures/normals. Also interested in new shaders, filters, etc.
(2) Which graphics packages will give the most "bang for the buck", that is, those which can help quite a bit with little performance impact on most machines.


I'm already planning to install Wiseman's version of Bomret's Improved Normals - that's the sort of thing I'm looking for. Other suggestions are appreciated!

You answered "Bomret" to yourself already.
What is this Wiseman version you mention? Download where? I use the regular Bomret very happily, but I'd like to look this Wiseman up.

I have no real other suggestions for you. You may want to check out CorePC collection of Vibrant textures.

Regarding shaders, I use the http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=36407. They are very immersive - meaning much less revealing than the vanilla ones. You must read the readme, as it mentions one additional OBSE plugin to install (easy) which will switch the NE shader for indoors (Kuertee) and outdoors (your choice of non-Kuertee) because the Kuertee one only is good for indoors. As to the LD shader, argueably you may find Kuertee's LD shader too subtle.

Other than the Kurtee shaders, Tejon also made good ones for Life Detect, but they are not as subtle as the Kuertee one. Still way better than Vanilla though.

There is yet another LD collection Sorry I meant Night Eye replacers, this one:

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=7327

I dig http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=38204, that's almost all I'm using right now. Makes vanilla look really good, much more detailed, and it covers alot.
http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=10928 is nice for armor.
These are both small and light weight, I do also use and recommend Detailed Terrain, but that is pretty heavy.

Vibrant textures by Corepc is your best bet. Add improved trees and flora, RPG grass and trees, then go to town. Unless you spend alot of time looking at objects, don't obsess on them. Really textured normal maps is good too if you want that. BAIN it all and find the right match for you.

I actually like the look of the stock Oblivion textures, there are just some I like at a slightly higher resolution. And I'm somewhat frugal with my FPS. So maybe we share similar tastes in this regard. With that said, here is my list:

http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=oblivionmods.detail&id=3813 - If you are willing to weed through a bit, just pick some of them, and use only the color/diffuse maps, no meshes or normal maps. This will get you slightly more vivid colors and resolution without the porousness, and you can use Bomret's normals under them if you like them, though you may have to test and make sure they still line up. I recommend:

• everything in the wood folder
  
• the door and wood floor/wood beam/wood post textures in their respective architecture subfolders
  
• copper*.dds and anvilconcrete from the architecture\anvil folder, with normal maps
  
• the farmhouse textures
  
• the chorrol wallstone and woodpanel textures
  
• the stonewall textures for fencing
  
• the rugs, in their respective clutter subfolders
  
• daedric statues
  
• the tilledsoil texture from the landscape folder, I really just dislike the vanilla one
  
• shipsail from the ships folder
  
• the fortruins textures, if you can afford them, this can get dicey in some locations

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=5570, of course, and http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=16747 since you're at it. You can use http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=29358 to replace the covers on all books/static booksets in mods not covered by Book Jackets, or use it instead of Book Jackets if you get an FPS drain in library-type areas. Just the espless replacer alone will not hurt performance.

The performance impact from these will be trivial or none:

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=16533 - See screenshots, just awesome for screenshots, but not invasive during gameplay.

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=23372 - Don't use if you go with OBGE's Liquid Water, but with any other water mod, use this. Makes it so distant water reflections are blurry instead of blocky, like wind over the water.

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=23064 - My favorite non-OBGE water.

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=25314 - Replaces many store signs with unique ones that were all painted in the vanilla-style.

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=14342 - Read the tin.

Slof's Horses Base (available at Wolflore and Slof's Hive), use the included plugins to get extra unique horses and cover vanilla horses, and use http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=27675 to cover vanilla model horses added by mods.

http://tesalliance.org/forums/index.php?/files/file/1012-insanitys-cave-retexture/ - Fairly high-rez, but caves don't usually have a lot of other things going on to drain FPS, so you likely won't notice a perfomance drop. Worth it anyhow.

http://tesalliance.org/forums/index.php?/files/file/1035-insanitys-lod-texture-replacement/ - Not too high rez, and definitely worth it. Pair with http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=9952, I recommend medium.

http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=oblivionmods.detail&id=3588 - Not super high rez, but definitely detailed, and ruined. I love them.

http://tesalliance.org/forums/index.php?/files/file/726-snow-texture-replacer/ - I consider this a must-have.

Amp's God Statues, if you can find them!

Thanks for the suggestions! Looks like I have a few new options from you and others to sift through. Please keep the suggestions coming.

Regarding the Wisemans version of Bomret's textures, you can get it here:
http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=13881
Probably the easiest way to describe it is to say that Wiseman's version is "Bomret's Improved Normals Redimized" -- that'll at least make sense to Qarls Texture Pack fans


EDIT: Khettienna, yep - those are exactly the sorts of suggestions I'm looking for. We definitely have similar tastes, thanks.
EDIT 2: Does anyone know about a package similar to Bomret's Improved Normals, but for SI?

It occurs to me also that weather/environment mods can have a huge visual impact. Without the Real Lights portion, the performance cost of All Natural is pretty trivial - I'm a huge fan of the very close fog, rose tint, and darker nights.

I forgot a few, and shame on me because these are some of my favorites:

Black Dragon's http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=33403. Using the short grass with the least poly reduction gains you perfomance AND looks better at the same time.

Pull just the trees\canopyshadow.dds from http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=11891. Anywhere there is a tree, that spot will look more awesome, for no real cost. I also really like the Skingrad doors and UC chests from http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=8298.

Pick up just the "Snowy Leaves" file from http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=26625.

This ones quite an old site, but the information is still very useful http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/obliviontextureoverhaul.html
(Tip: for anyone following that link - Dont use BSA Alteration (one of the recommendations there), BSA Redirection is the best option of the two.)

A lot more information in the links than just that first landing page.

Thanks for the links so much. Bookmarked this thread.

@BFG99: Vibrant textures by CorePc is what I would go for, even if I had the machine to use qtp3. The ayleid ruin interior textures, for example, are just gorgeous, gorgeous...

I believe you can reinstall some of the things you used to have but the small stuff. Armor and weapon textures look really good and don't visibly impact my performance, for example. Even though some of them are quite high res.

You could try http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=38204. I haven't seen a lot of the game yet, but from what I've seen, it makes the game look awesome and doesn't hurt fps much.

/\/\ There's a BAIN of those too for Wrye Bash users, have a look at the mirror

There are a few files from that set of normal maps which are .. how to describe it ... inside out. Have a look at the road while walking about inside Skingrad city for instance, the mortar between the pave stones is raised and the pave stones are depressed.

If Skylarscarborough ever gets back from being too busy RL I will update the BAINs too, but for now there are still the files from http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=18430 (also a simple BAIN) which are excellent, overwrite those with normal maps you prefer from Really Textured Normal Maps and you have a really nice set of bump maps which are Vanilla sized.

I have not tried the Wiseman's 'Bomret's Improved Normals Redimized', but by the sound of them I think they are probably very similar to the ones I just linked.

Hmm.....looking at this, it seems that if you install Book Jackets, it covers basically everything already in Vanilla Oblivion + SI, while the Replacer will get any books added by mods, correct?

Also, if we're on a "making vanilla stuff look better" kick, I'd suggest http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=33531 as well.

Alt3rn1ty: These reversed textures would all be in the architecture folder in your BAIN archive yes? Or are there other reversed ones sprinkled throughout the folders?

I cant remember the files to avoid its been a while since I used them, went back to just using Bomrets Detailled Normal Maps until Jarod pops in with what was going to be a final update ...

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1183196-really-textured-normals/ - There were other problems noted which did get fixed (some anims of water which should not have been included taken out, and the obelisks from shivering isles), the only remaining problem is inverted normals which Bomret himself popped in to mention on page three but did not detail which ones he found.