So I've been goone awhile and figured I would update all of my out of date mods. When I was updating Wrye Bash I saw the option for Python well it wouldn't let me. So I was wondering what is Python and do I need it for my game?

Python is a programming language and requires software to run. Bash is written in Python. It's always been this way. You need Python to use Bash.

Python is a programming/scripting language. It is used for such programs as Wrye Bash, Blender and PYFFI.

As to whether or not you need it, that depends. The standalone version of Wrye Bash (BTW use 302.1, not 303, there's a bug in 303 thats still being fixed) includes everything it needs, so you don't need an external python install. If you plan to use Blender (to modify meshes) or PYFFI (to optimize meshes) you will need to install Python at some point.

If you are going to use the Ports of the Bash program for Fallout 3 and New Vegas, you will need Python also.

I know I had some kind of old version of python. When I went to update WB I clicked on the python version and it said I was missing like four or five things so that's why I asked. Nephenee if I used the installer and just did the standalone I should be fine?

What ports? I haven't tried modding those games yet. Like I said its been a year plus since I've touched oblivion F3 or NV.

On the WB download page there is a 'Wrye Python" file (at the bottom of the list of files). That includes all the Python files in the correct versions required by the current Wrye Bash since version 295. Those are the files it checked for and said you were missing.

IF you want to work with the very latest 'beta' versions of WB (the SVN versions), then you need to install Wrye Python. Otherwise, the Standalone executable version has all of the necessary files 'baked in'. However, (for good or bad, depending upon circumstances) those 'baked in' files are not available to other mods that require Python libraries, because when baked in they are no longer 'libraries' per se, they are now DLLs that only that program knows about. Consequently, if you want to use the latest versions of Python (for PyFFI for instance), then installing Python 3 libraries and using pyffi3k while running the WB Standalone version is one way to get around the potential library version conflict issue.

-Dubious-