Bonjour!
Well, real life got in the way and delayed me a bit, but I think I have it all together now...
The new sound card is a Creative X-Fi Extreme Audio. It is normally around $40 - $50, but I got it for $19.99 on sale (and w/ free shipping!) It's not much, to be sure, but it alleviates a little of the strain on my poor CPU, and actually makes a difference in game. I just looked at the frame rates I last posted, and I think that is probably still accurate. The difference is in the frequency and duration of the "slow-downs" I get with lots of scripts running (especially from many NPCs, as discussed). Specifically, I really only see this behavior now when things are really jammed in a tight space (like a room in an Oblivion tower with 10+ dremora in there). Things will still slow down, but the effect is not as severe and my machine seems to recover much more quickly (for example, in the Oblivion tower example above, as I kill them off, things start to improve rapidly... usually I am back to mid 20s to near 30 FPS before I kill off the last few). In short, this was $20 well spent!
I have also dropped a couple of mods and added several more. Most notably, I switched from KCAS to nGCD w/ Progress. I also installed several of Arthmoor's mods (his villages and the New Roads and Bridges). Oh yeah, and I added Super Hotkeys (don't know how I was making it without this one!) The complete load order is posted below.
One more small thing... I stumbled onto http://www.iobit.com/gamebooster.html (in fact, I think it was someone posting in one of your threads that mentioned it). I have been using it for a while and really like it. However, I let it spoil me a little, and I thought it worth mentioning. Basically, it gives you the option to defrag your game files, which is cool for those bashed patch rebuilds (who wants to wait around for the entire disc to defrag when all you did was change load order and rebuild your patch?) This works well, but it is not a substitute for an actual defrag. I forgot that for a bit and started to notice my HDD chomping away more than "normal". The other day I did a complete defrag, and of course things improved. I just mention it here because little things like that can make a big difference... and for anyone else using GameBooster: don't forget to do a "real" defrag occasionally!
OK, that's all! Sorry for the long-windedness, but hey, you should be getting used to that by now! Haha! Hope all is well, and I'll talk to you soon,
veg
Load Order:
Spoiler
Active Mod Files:
00 Oblivion.esm
01 Cybiades.esm [Version 2.0]
02 Jog_X_Mod.esm
03 Francesco's Leveled Creatures-Items Mod.esm
04 Francesco's Optional New Items Add-On.esm
05 Cobl Main.esm [Version 1.72]
06 Oscuro's_Oblivion_Overhaul.esm [Version 1.34]
07 Mart's Monster Mod.esm [Version 3.7b3p3]
08 VASE - core.esm
09 TamrielTravellers.esm [Version 1.39c]
0A FCOM_Convergence.esm [Version 0.9.9MB3]
0B Armamentarium.esm [Version 1.35]
0C Artifacts.esm [Version 1.1]
0D Progress.esm [Version 2.2]
0E NNWAEMaster.esm
0F CM Partners.esm
10 HorseCombatMaster.esm
11 Unofficial Oblivion Patch.esp [Version 3.2.4]
12 UOP Vampire Aging & Face Fix.esp [Version 1.0.0]
13 Oblivion Citadel Door Fix.esp
14 DLCShiveringIsles.esp [Version 1.4.0]
++ Shivering OOO.esp
15 Francesco's Optional Chance of Stronger Bosses.esp
16 Francesco's Optional Chance of Stronger Enemies.esp
17 Francesco's Optional Chance of More Enemies.esp
18 Francesco's Optional Leveled Guards.esp
++ FCOM_Francescos.esp [Version 0.9.9]
++ FCOM_FrancescosItemsAddOn.esp [Version 0.9.9]
19 FCOM_FrancescosNamedBosses.esp [Version 0.9.9]
** LoadingScreens.esp
++ Symphony of Violence.esp
1A WindowLightingSystem.esp
1B Adonnays Ranger Coats.esp
1C Ayleid Loot EXtension.esp
1D Ayleid Loot EXtension - OOO Dungeons.esp
1E ClocksOfCyrodiil.esp
++ Item interchange - Extraction.esp [Version 0.76]
1F RAEVWD Cities.esp [Version 1.7]
20 RAEVWD New Sheoth.esp [Version 1.5]
++ RealWalk.esp
21 Enhanced Economy.esp [Version 3.4.3]
22 Map Marker Overhaul.esp [Version 3.4]
23 Map Marker Overhaul - SI additions.esp [Version 3.0.2]
24 sr_super_hotkeys.esp
25 DLCHorseArmor.esp
** DLCHorseArmor - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.5]
26 DLCOrrery.esp
** DLCOrrery - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.3]
27 DLCMehrunesRazor.esp
28 DLCMehrunesRazor - Unofficial Patch.esp [Version 1.0.4]
++ MaleBodyReplacerV4.esp
29 Adonnays Elven Weaponry.esp
++ ArtifactsFemaleArmor.esp
2A BlackLuster.esp
++ playable golden saint and dark seducer armour.esp
2B Slof's Boners! v5.esp
2C Thieves Arsenal.esp
2D XiaNewAmuletsV1.esp
** Armamentium female.esp
2E KDCircletsOOOOptimized - NPC Equip.esp [Version 1.2]
++ FCOM_KDCircletsOOOOptimizedNPCEquip.esp [Version 0.9.9]
2F Slof's Oblivion Robe Trader.esp
30 Cobl Glue.esp [Version 1.72]
31 Cobl Si.esp [Version 1.63]
** OOO 1.32-Cobl.esp [Version 1.72]
++ FCOM_Cobl.esp [Version 0.9.9]
32 Bob's Armory Oblivion.esp
33 FCOM_BobsArmory.esp [Version 0.9.9]
34 Loth's Blunt Weapons for Npcs.esp
++ FCOM_LothsBluntWeapons.esp [Version 0.9.9]
35 Oblivion WarCry EV.esp
36 FCOM_WarCry.esp [Version 0.9.9MB3]
37 Oscuro's_Oblivion_Overhaul.esp [Version 1.34]
++ OOO_XiaNewAmulets Addon.esp [Version 0.5]
++ OMOBS.esp [Version 1.0]
++ OMOBS_SI.esp [Version 1.0]
38 OMOBS Optional Combat Settings.esp [Version 1.0]
39 ArmamentariumArtifacts.esp [Version 1.35]
3A FCOM_Convergence.esp [Version 0.9.9Mb3]
3B FCOM_RealSwords.esp [Version 0.9.9]
3C Mart's Monster Mod - More Wilderness Life.esp [Version 3.7b3p3]
++ FCOM_SaferRoads.esp [Version 0.9.9]
++ FCOM_LessRats.esp [Version 0.9.9]
3D Mart's Monster Mod - Safer Quest Locations.esp [Version 3.7b3p3]
3E Mart's Monster Mod - Dungeons of MMM.esp [Version 3.7b3p3]
3F Mart's Monster Mod - Hunting & Crafting.esp [Version 3.7b3p3]
40 Mart's Monster Mod - Farm Animals.esp [Version 3.7b3p3]
41 Mart's Monster Mod - Diverse WaterLife.esp [Version 3.7b3p3]
++ VASE - Cyrodiil for MMM.esp
++ VASE - Vanilla SI.esp
++ Mart's Monster Mod - Diverse Runeskulls Loot OOO.esp [Version 3.7b3p3]
++ TamrielTravellerAdvscript.esp [Version 1.40Alpha]
42 TamrielTravellers4OOO.esp [Version 1.39c]
43 TamrielTravellersItemsCobl.esp [Version 1.39c]
44 ShiveringIsleTravellers.esp [Version 1.39c]
++ ShiveringIsleTravellersFriendlyFactions4MMM.esp [Version 1.39c]
++ FCOM_TamrielTravelers.esp [Version 0.9.9]
++ FCOM_DiverseGuardUnity.esp [Version 0.9.9]
++ FCOM_BobsGuardUnity.esp [Version 0.9.9]
++ FCOM_HungersUnitySI.esp [Version 0.9.9]
++ FCOM_Archery.esp
++ FCOM_Archery_Armamentarium.esp
++ FCOM_Archery_Artifacts.esp
++ FCOM_Archery_RealSwords.esp
++ FCOM_Archery_MMM_H&C.esp
++ ArmamentariumLL4OOO.esp [Version 2.01]
++ ArmamentariumLLMagicOOO.esp [Version 1.35]
++ Fransfemale.esp
** LoadingScreens-OOO.esp
45 Geomancy & Gem Dust OOO.esp
46 OOO-WaterFish.esp [Version 1.34]
++ EVE_StockEquipmentReplacer4FCOM.esp
47 Ivellon.esp [Version 1.8]
48 Artifacts.esp [Version 1.1]
++ Artifacts - ArmaCompleteAddon.esp [Version 1.0]
49 HeartOftheDead.esp [Version 6.2]
4A GlenvarCastle.esp
4B LostSwordOfTheAylied.esp
4C LostSwordOfTheAylied - OBSE Add-On.esp
4D MountainTower.esp [Version 6.0]
4E NNWAREAyleidDungeons_Series1EV.esp [Version 2.2]
4F NNWARE06-RhyeliaEmeroEV.esp
50 NNWAEDungeons-Series2EV.esp
51 The Ayleid Steps.esp [Version 3.3.2]
52 TheForgottenShields.esp
53 NRB4+ForgottonShields Patch.esp
54 thievery.esp
55 thievery - EE patch.esp [Version 1.0]
56 Tona's_ModsStore.esp
57 VaultsofCyrodiil.esp
58 Apachii_Goddess_Store.esp
59 Apachii_Heroes_Store.esp
5A DLCfrostcrag.esp
5B FrostcragRebornCobl.esp
5C Cybiades.esp [Version 2.1]
5D CybiadesDungeon.esp [Version 2.1]
5E TOTF.esp
5F The Lost Spires.esp
60 Lost Paladins of the Divines.esp
61 MannimarcoRevisited.esp
** MannimarcoRevisitedOOO.esp [Version 0.1]
62 road+bridges.esp [Version 4.5.5]
63 Feldscar.esp [Version 1.0.1]
64 Vergayun.esp [Version 1.0.4]
65 Faregyl.esp [Version 1.0.10]
66 bartholm.esp
67 JADDockTunnel.esp
68 JQ-Fighters_Guild_United.esp
++ FCOM_FighterGUnited.esp
69 Harvest [Flora].esp [Version 3.0.0]
++ Harvest [Flora] - Shivering Isles.esp [Version 3.0.0]
6A Harvest [Flora] - DLCFrostcrag.esp [Version 3.0.0]
6B AutoBookPlacer.esp
6C Bag of Holding.esp [Version 1.5.0]
6D DecoratorAssistant with OBSE v1.1.esp
6E DropLitTorchOBSE.esp [Version 2.4]
6F EVE_ShiveringIslesEasterEggs.esp
++ GotNoClass.esp
70 P1DkeyChain.esp [Version 5.00]
71 Salmo the Baker, Cobl.esp [Version 3.08]
++ Short Grass V3.esp
72 Toggleable Quantity Prompt.esp [Version 3.1.1]
73 Enhanced Economy - House prices.esp [Version 1.0]
74 Quest Award Leveller.esp [Version 2.0.1]
++ Quest Award Leveller - Mehrunes Razor.esp [Version 2.1.0]
75 StarX Vanilla Vampires Revised.esp
76 StarX VVR_OOO Patch.esp
77 SupremeMagicka.esp [Version 0.90]
78 SM_ShiveringIsles.esp [Version 0.86]
++ SM_OOO.esp [Version 0.89]
++ SM_MMM.esp [Version 0.89]
++ SM_COBL.esp [Version 0.86]
79 SM_EnchantStaff.esp [Version 0.80]
++ SM_UnlockSpells.esp [Version 0.70]
++ SM_Scrolls.esp [Version 0.84]
++ SM_SigilStone.esp [Version 0.83]
7A MidasSpells.esp
7B Multiple Enchantments.esp
7C SM Combat Hide.esp [Version 1.2]
7D Deadlier Sneaking 1.1.esp
7E Deadly Reflex Bow Sway.esp
7F nGCD.esp
++ nGCD Birthsigns.esp
80 nGCD Oghma Infinium.esp
81 ProgressMBSP.esp [Version 2.0]
82 ProgressSBSP.esp [Version 1.0]
83 ProgressArmorer.esp [Version 1.0]
++ Immediate Character Generation.esp
84 Grandmaster of Alchemy.esp
85 Mayu's Animation Overhaul.esp
86 CTAddPose_osr1.esp
87 CTAddPose_osr2.esp
88 CTAddPose_osr3.esp
89 actors_in_charge.esp
++ Item interchange - Placement for FCOM.esp [Version 0.76]
++ Item interchange - Placement for Frostcrag Reborn.esp [Version 0.76]
++ Item interchange - Option, Ingredients in Bulk.esp [Version 0.78]
8A CM Partners.esp
8B CM Partners Special NPCs.esp
8C CM Partners NPC.esp
8D CM Partners More NPCs.esp
8E CM Partners Marker NPCs.esp
8F CM Partners Extra NPCs.esp
90 Cobl Races.esp [Version 1.52]
** Cobl Races TNR.esp [Version 1.53]
** Cobl Races TNR SI.esp [Version 1.53]
91 SkinMannequinCOBL-nosleep.esp
++ TamrielTravellers Cosmetics Cobl or RBP.esp
++ EVE_KhajiitFix.esp
92 TheOubliette.esp
93 Get Wet - just droplets.esp
** NRB4 Standard Road Record.esp
94 Cobl Silent Equip Misc.esp [Version 01]
95 DeadlyReflex 5 - Combat Moves.esp
++ SM_DeadlyReflex.esp [Version 0.86]
96 Bashed Patch, 0.esp
97 SWalk.esp
98 FormID Finder4.esp
99 Streamline 3.1.esp
Edit: spelling/wording