Sebastian's Modding Oblivion Guide
Name changed to SMOG

This started as a checklist I was making for myself for the installation and modification of Oblivion. I knew a checklist would make everything much easier, because I could see what I'd done and what I needed to do next. I then expanded this checklist to describe the steps in detail, in case I ever forget the how and the why of a certain step. I've kept the checklist to go along with the guide as a sort of "cliff's notes" version for quick reference, with the guide used for more in-depth explanations. Here are the topics/sections on which I am currently working:

Part 1: Performance and Stability

Section 1.1 - Optimize your Machine
This section will simply give information on how to get your computer at it's fastest and most stable. Specifically, I'll include a link to the TweakGuides Tweaking Companion, which has personally helped me optimize my own computer.

Section 1.2 - Install Oblivion
Install Oblivion and the Construction Set, apply patches, defragment the hard drive, etc.

Section 1.3 - INI Tweaks
This section will give information on the essential INI tweaks to make (turning off autosaves), as well as some optional ones (getting rid of startup videos).

Section 1.4 - Savegame Archive
An archive of vanilla savegames in different locations will come in very handy for testing.

Section 1.5 - Modding Essentials
This section will introduce the following modding utilities, their requirements (such as Python), and how to install them. Links will be included for documentation, download, etc.
1.5.1: Oblivion Script Extender
1.5.2: Pluggy
1.5.3: Wrye Bash
1.5.4: Oblivion Mod Manager
1.5.5: Better Oblivion Sorting Software
1.5.6: Tes4Edit
1.5.7: PyFFI

Section 1.6: Install Streamline
I think streamline should be installed first and configured accordingly, if only for the streamsave functionality.

Part 2: Modding Oblivion

Section 2.1 - Modding BSAs: Graphics Enhancers
This section will describe how to unpack and modify BSAs, for the purpose of adding optimized meshes/enhanced graphics.

Section 2.2 - Adding Modules
This section will describe the process you should take to add a mod to the game (i.e. reading the readme/forum thread, optimizing PyFFIable meshes, cleaning/checking with Tes4Edit.)


Appendices

A. How to make OMODs
B. How to utilize Wrye Bash
C. Stress Testing
D. Cleaning/Checking Mods with Tes4Edit

Right now, I'm running Windows XP, and do not own Shivering Isles. So, if you all could tell me where to put things that pertain to Vista/7 and Shivering Isles, I can add those things in as well.

I want the guide to be well organized, and I believe it could be a huge time-saver for anyone who uses it. Thanks for looking and for any suggestions.

Download: http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=28785

Progress:

Version 0.1 - Initial Release
Version 0.2 - Temporarily added line numbering, more info under Section 1.5 added.

Plans:

After I get the bulk of this done, I'll take the pdf to work and use Acrobat to add bookmarks. This will allow for easy navigation.

I am really looking forward to this, expessially the first section about optimizing your machine. (I really need to do this, but really don't know much... yet.)

If you are using TweakGuide, note that many of the suggestions from there are outdated for the 1.2 patch, and some settings which are helpful in some setups may in fact be detrimental to others.

In any case, good luck. I am looking forward to this.

I'm looking forward to having it done, haha.

I was referring to the http://www.tweakguides.com/TGTC.html. I don't use his Oblivion TweakGuide. The TGTC, however, rules.

Wowza! oo: 415 pages! Guess I better upload this to my ipod.

So, how long do you think it will take for you to make major progress on this? Will this be like a weekly release or a one time deal?

I'm going to add to it little by little so everyone can be looking it over for things to improve/remove. Hopefully, it won't take too long to get something worthy of a version 1.0 designation. After that it will just be adding things here and there.

I've updated the guide. See the OP for more info.

I am in favor of any effort to provide accurate information in terms clear to the novice. If it can be understood by the novice, it can be understood by all. Most (maybe all) of what you plan on covering has been covered before by various people in various places. Don't let that stop you. Having some point explained by two different sources in differing ways has been invaluable to me at times. I would encourage you to consider using pictures along with your text. A learning aid under appreciated it seems, but quite valuable to me and I assume others as well.

To be perfectly honest, Sebastian.............I think the success of this endeavor will ultimately depend on whether you possess the skills of the best teachers. I think we have all learned from our experience in the class room that it is not enough to know your subject. :grad: The really great teachers know their subject, AND can communicate their understanding in terms clear to a wide range of others. :whisper: Also, and maybe just as important, the best are on fire with enthusiasm and love of their subject. :shocking:

By the way........I would have been unable to resist calling it Sebastian's Modding Oblivion Guide, or SMOG.

Best of luck and more power to you.

Excellent points, garx. I do realize that pretty much everything I'm covering can be found online. However, the main reason I started to make this guide is to have everything in one place, with included links to more documentation, of course.

I've reinstalled Oblivion several times, due to leaving in the middle of modding the game. For example, I reinstalled Oblivion this past summer and started fresh. But when the semester started, I put it on the backburners and didn't come back until now. I once again reinstalled the game to start fresh, but this time, I want to have a checklist to follow so I can pick right back up if I ever stop playing/modding for a long time. It's kind of a way to stay organized and get right back in the "flow" of things whenever I need to.

My goal is to make a guide that is not only a tool for the experienced modder, but a source of information to get beginners playing a modded Oblivion quickly and confidently. Hopefully, I'll get some feedback, positive or negative, to improve it.

And thanks for the tips. I think I'll go with SMOG instead. Adding pictures shouldn't be too much of a hassle, as I'm using Open Office Writer to make the document, then simply saving it as a pdf.

Just an update on this guide. I haven't worked on it since December, but I do plan to pick it back up. It seems like I always stop playing/modding Oblivion during semesters, but go back to it during breaks. So, I'll probably pick it up in a month or two.

Actually, that is the very reason I'm making the guide. So I can come back to Oblivion and start right where I left off, since I used the guide and a checklist of what modding I've done.