Although installing mods is fun, I am hoping to make Vanilla Oblivion more visually appealing at the start of any new configuration. Basically, when starting a new game with unique mod compilation, I would like to avoid having to re-install all the meshes and textures that I will USE FOR EVERY GAME.

My mesh and textures base is:
Optimized vanilla meshes (pyffied)
Optimized SI meshes (pffyied)
QTP3 patched
QTP optimized meshes - fixed
Bomrets SI textures (pyffied)
Improved amulets and rings
Improved Trees and Flora (1 and 2)
Far and Away moons
Sunglate
Weapon retextures
Armor retextures
Darker Regal IC (no esp)
4096 Maps (color and normal)
Strong noise replacer
Black Dragon Trees
Tapetries and rungs textures

I have done these already and tested some, putting them in the Oblivion BSA (had to create extras because of the 2GB limit) and it looks good. However, there may be issues when adding mods:

I have reset timestamps on the BSAs. So now they are dated 2006.
Now if I add the UOP and other mods that may overwrite QTP3 I should expect to lose the QTP visuals as the loose files are always accessed first since they have a newer time stamp, Correct?
If I was to install UOP 3.2 I need to install the QTP3-UOP patch also, correct? Or should I install the QTP3-UOP patch AFTER installing the UOP latest hotfix?

Only mod that I see causing me trouble is Blood and Mud as I would rather use the Qarl textures. The B&M QTP3 meshes may also be an issues, how and when to install.

As I do not plan to use other pure texture files the only thing I need to worry about is mods that add these.

Any comments are welcome, even ones about this being a crazy idea.

You may just want to get a file redating utility so that you have more control over the BSA's dates. The hotfix does not conflict as far as I know.

http://sites.google.com/site/oblivionpoinfo/installmods/qtp3-and-related-mods-installation


Edit: By the way QTP3 textures for B&M is actually only a texture patch (unlike QTP3.)

Or you can just use BAIN for installation purposes. It's no problem at all to keep a standard batch of texture replacers and one-click install them all at the beginning of every new mod setup.

gothemasticator

I think he uses BAIN, with all the feed back he has given me on my guide. At least, he know about it, but I am glad to know there is another avid fan out there.

May i ask why the Qarls-UOP patch is needed?

I assumed if you installed Qarls AFTER the UOP, you wouldn't need it.
Now i'm beginning to doubt that...

OH NOOOOOO!...just kidding, but you should not do what you did, seriously. (I am feeling goofy right now.) Qarl modified the vanilla meshes, a number of which lacked the various fixes that the UOP includes. That patch has been updated for the latest UOP changes, which have been added going long past the final release of QTP3. Look at the link I posted above for the recommended QTP3 installation order. It is something you should indeed be aware of when using that mod. Make sure to install the QTP3R patch right after QTP3, before even installing the UOP.

I already made an OMOD of QTP3 Redimized with the QTP3 patch included, so i'll just uninstall it and follow your load order, this time adding the UOP patch at the appropriate time.

Thanks again!

That is what my site is for, no problem. I will add more short guides for other popular mod collections. (FCOM is already there of course, and I will put up an MMM+OOO guide soon.)

Thanks for the advice so far. It is correct that I use BAIN, Tomlong's guide has helped me take the full plunge along with some the the information from Psymon's guide.

As for why not just use differnet BAIN (or even OMOD) packages to do what I want, well, it is personal preference. I just want a base oblivion install to include all the basic things I would use in any configuration. Hence why I want to pack these into Oblivion BSA files. What I hope to get from your responses is the possible issues I may have doing this, especially when it comes to BSA dates, file access order, UOP and such.

I am adding all of that information to the site. I just added a quick blurb on BSA repacking, but where I really need to talk about specific steps to take with regard to that subject is on the PyFFI page. The other information is all there. Did you read what I posted about the BSA dates. That should be the problem you were having.

Edit: BSA repacking is totally fine. There are only a few things you should be concerned with, namely making sure the vanilla BSAs are in working order after modiying them and remember to redate BSAs after repackaging them. I have held off doing the repacking because I install replacers all of the time. When my mod setup is more stable, I will probably do a major repacking as well.

I spent what time I could today looking at your BAIN guide. Trying to multi-task with the BSA project. I will take a look tonight.

That short install guide for QTP3 I linked covers all of the questions you asked in your first post...oh, the other mods. I will put them in order. Hold on a minute. I need to grab some food.

Need some help on the oblivion.ini:
If I create new texture BSAs by extracting oblivion - textures compressed and adding QTP3, I will wind up with 3 texture BSA files (because of the 2GB limit).
Now if I name these files T1.bsa, T2.bsa, and T3.bsa, copy them the the Data folder, DELETE the original Oblivion - Textures compresses.bsa, I need to modify the oblivion.ini.

This is the original oblivion.ini Archive section

[Archive]
SMasterMiscArchiveFileName=Oblivion - Misc.bsa
SMasterVoicesArchiveFileName2=Oblivion - Voices2.bsa
SMasterVoicesArchiveFileName1=Oblivion - Voices1.bsa
SMasterSoundsArchiveFileName=Oblivion - Sounds.bsa
SMasterTexturesArchiveFileName1=Oblivion - Textures - Compressed.bsa
SMasterMeshesArchiveFileName=Oblivion - Meshes.bsa
SInvalidationFile=ArchiveInvalidation.txt
iRetainFilenameOffsetTable=1
iRetainFilenameStringTable=1
iRetainDirectoryStringTable=1
bCheckRuntimeCollisions=0
bInvalidateOlderFiles=1
bUseArchives=1
SArchiveList=Oblivion - Meshes.bsa, Oblivion - Textures - Compressed.bsa, Oblivion - Sounds.bsa, Oblivion - Voices1.bsa, Oblivion - Voices2.bsa, Oblivion - Misc.bsa

This is what I assume I must do to accomodate the thre new bsa files:

[Archive]
SMasterMiscArchiveFileName=Oblivion - Misc.bsa
SMasterVoicesArchiveFileName2=Oblivion - Voices2.bsa
SMasterVoicesArchiveFileName1=Oblivion - Voices1.bsa
SMasterSoundsArchiveFileName=Oblivion - Sounds.bsa
SMasterTexturesArchiveFileName3=T3.bsa <---added
SMasterTexturesArchiveFileName2=T2.bsa <---added
SMasterTexturesArchiveFileName1=T1.bsa <--- changed from Oblivion - Textures compressed.bsa
SMasterMeshesArchiveFileName=Oblivion - Meshes.bsa
SInvalidationFile=ArchiveInvalidation.txt
iRetainFilenameOffsetTable=1
iRetainFilenameStringTable=1
iRetainDirectoryStringTable=1
bCheckRuntimeCollisions=0
bInvalidateOlderFiles=1
bUseArchives=1
SArchiveList=Oblivion - Meshes.bsa, T1.bsa, T2.bsa, T3.bsa, Oblivion - Sounds.bsa, Oblivion - Voices1.bsa, Oblivion - Voices2.bsa, Oblivion - Misc.bsa


Or should I leave the SMasterTexturesArchiveFileName1= line alone?

I recommend not removing the original Meshes BSA. Use the plugin loading method to load the custom BSAs. If you use SI, rename them "DLCShiveringIsles - .bsa." Otherwise create a dummy plugin (i.e., Oblivion.esp) with which to load them. Leave the sArchiveList alone. It avoids Oblivion possible freaking out, and you will not have to re-add them when you need to regenerate the Oblivion.ini. See if you can get by with just renaming one of your new BSAs to match the name of the original Meshes BSA, since you have already gotten rid of the original. Try that, or try adding a dummy BSA containing at least one file with the name of the original Meshes BSA.

Good point, use the the DLCShiveringIsles - esp to load these. Good catch, not having to worry about regenerating the oblivion.ini.

Now if I do that, the timestamp on my replacement BSA files should be newer than the default BSA dates from 2006? If I make these bsa files from lets say today's date, would they be looked at first BEFORE the loose files or are the loose files ALWAYS looked at first?

The newer BSAs would be looked at first.

My mesh and textures base is:
1. Optimized vanilla meshes (pyffied)
2. Optimized SI meshes (pffyied)
4. QTP3 patched
5. QTP optimized meshes - fixed
3. Bomrets SI textures (pyffied)
Improved amulets and rings
9. Improved Trees and Flora (1 and 2)
Far and Away moons
Sunglate
Weapon retextures
Armor retextures
7. Darker Regal IC (no esp)
8. 4096 Maps (color and normal)
Strong noise replacer
Black Dragon Trees
Tapetries and rungs textures

The rest is up to you, and I do not think that any of the others should conflict.