User talk:Diana TES GotH
Morroblivion with FCOM (Oblivion) Temporary Edit Section
If you have stumbled upon this page, please note that because of the Pack: "Page Tools: Edit with Form" does not allow me to preview my edits, I have decided to use my "User Talk" page an editing forum to copy and paste from. This will be deleted when I have completed the Pack Guide.
Introduction and Summary
Requirements
Notice: It is particularly important that new users begin with a clean installation of both Morrowind and Oblivion in order to be successful with the modding setup the first time around, so PLEASE READ EACH SECTION CAREFULLY, as no information included in this guide is irrelevant! Due to the many steps one must take in order to successfully install each mod, this will be a tedious and time consuming project. It is recommend that you take the time to save all changes made to any files so that if you have to revert back to any part of this guide you can more easily retrieve the files you made any necessary changes to.
This guide has been created by experimenting with many online guides and modifying others recommendations to suit my own personal tastes. While this guide is for Morroblivion, most of the mods used are for the original Oblivion GOTY edition and can therefore be used by most Oblivion players as well.
IMPORTANT: READ the developer’s information provided before performing any installations. The instructions provided within this guide are only suggestions that work for the majority of users. Not all users have the same system setup.
You must have LEGAL copies of BOTH Oblivion GOTY and Morrowind + All DLC’s. I am personally testing each step of this guide as I construct it. I run the Steam versions of each game.
Author's System
Motherboard: Alienware Aurora R6
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-7700K CPU @ 4.20GHz
RAM: 16.0 GB
Video Card: GTX 1080Ti
Hard Disks: Standard Disk Drive
Power Supply: 850W PSU Liquid Cooled Chassis
Case or Enclosure: Desktop
Monitor: Dell UP3216Q
Audio Equipment: Logitech Z906 5.1 Channel Speaker System
Input Devices: Logitach HID-compliant keyboard and mouse, Xbox One Controller, Steam Wireless Controller
Legend
Each mod or tool is preceded by a tag for easier management of the guide.
This mod is a full part of the guide and is expected to be installed.
This isn't a mod, but a modding utility to be used during your modding adventure.
This mod is optional. This is an addition considered useful to the setup, but might be more of a personal preference.
This mod is specifically tailored for Morroblivion.
Pre-requisite Steps
Related Video: Morrowind : Installation & Settings by GamerPoets
Related Video: Oblivion : Installation & Settings by GamerPoets
Perform a Clean Install of Morrowind & Oblivion
UNINSTALL Morrowind and Oblivion.
1. Backup any data you may wish to save for reference or use later. 2. Deactivate all mods using your choice of mod manager. 3. Open Steam, right-click Oblivion in your Library → Delete Local Content → Delete. Wait until the game has been uninstalled. 4. Navigate to C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Oblivion and delete the Oblivion folder. 5. Navigate to C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents\My Games and delete the Oblivion folder. 6. Uninstall your previous Mod Manager(s) and other installed game files from the Control Panel → Programs. 7. Browse to your Morrowind and Oblivion directories and delete all files and sub-directories that were not uninstalled by Steam or through the Control Panel Programs. 8. If you used any other mod manager, find and delete their mod directories also. 9. If you previously used Wrye Bash, navigate to the Oblivion Mods folder it created and delete it as well. Notice: If you do not wish to loose previously installed mods make certain to back them up.
It is recommended installing Morrowind and Oblivion to an SSD, if available, and preferably on a separate drive/partition than the Operating System is installed on (i.e. instead of installing to the C: drive, install it to D: or E: etc.). If a separate drive/partition is unavailable, avoid installing Steam and Oblivion in "C:\Program Files" or "C:\Program Files (x86)" folders since Windows User Account Control [UAC] will cause issues with a modded Morroblivion.
Morrowind and Oblivion can be installed one of two ways:
1. Purchase the physical DVD from a retailer - Run "Setup.exe," and follow the on-screen instructions. 2. Install Steam and purchase the digital media from the Steam store - Navigate to the Steam website, download the installer, and launch "SteamSetup.exe". Once Steam is installed, use the Steam search bar to search for "Morrowind" and “Oblivion” to purchase and install the game. Notice: The Steam version is what has been tested with this guide.
Security Settings
Since User Account Control can prevent some tools from working correctly, it is recommended to edit the security settings of your game directories to give users full control. To do this:
• Locate your game directory • Right-click the folder and select Properties. • Go to the Security tab and click Edit... • Highlight Users (<username>\Users) in the top panel. • In the bottom panel, under the Allow column for Full Control, check the check box and click Apply. • Click OK and OK again.
Windows Folder Options
You should use the following settings for Windows "Folder and Search Options" while modding Morroblivion. These settings can be reverted at any time.
Windows Folder Options should be adjusted as follows:
• Check Show hidden files, folders, or drives • Uncheck Hide extensions for known file types
Downloads
Some Windows systems or antivirus programs will block unrecognized downloads. Simply right click on the file, select properties, select unblock, select Apply and exit.
Oblivion Launcher Options
It is recommended to launch Morrowind and choose the preferred launcher options and in-game options to initialize the auto-detection process. While the main game engine is that of Oblivion, and only Oblivion is launched for playing Morroblivion, Morrowind is still accessed during the installation of Morroblivion through the Morroblivion Installer executable file.
As a quick-start to installing utilities, simply launch Oblivion from the Oblivion.exe to initialize the auto-detection process, and adjust the settings according to your system setup and preference.
Choose Options to change the launcher options for Oblivion to:
• Screen Effects: Keep set to HDR - this is required for TES4LodGen used later in this guide. • Adapter: Make certain to choose your video adapter. • Screen Resolution: Select your screen resolution. • Click [OK] when you are sure your settings match those above.
In-game Options & Controls
Next click [Play] in the Oblivion launcher and once the menu loads click [Options] to set [Gameplay] and [Video] to user preference.
REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED INGAME VIDEO OPTIONS for Oblivion Reloaded
Texture Size = Large Fades = Max (managed by the OR's frame rate manager) View distance = Max (managed by the OR's frame rate manager) Distant objects (land, buildings, trees) = On (managed by the OR's frame rate manager) Shadows on grass = Off Tree Canopy Shadows = On Shadow Filtering = High Specular Distance = 50% (MIN 10% REQUIRED FOR POM SHADERS) HDR Lighting = On (REQUIRED FOR HDR SHADERS) Bloom Lighting = Off Water Detail = High (REQUIRED FOR WATER SHADERS) Water Reflections = On (REQUIRED FOR WATER SHADERS) Water Ripples = On (REQUIRED FOR WATER SHADERS) Window Reflections = On Blood Decals = High (REQUIRED FOR BLOOD SHADERS) Anti-aliasing = Off
Working Folder
Suggested “Working Folder” structure for repackaging archives into “BAIN Simple Structure” for proper manual installation:
Create a new folder on your desktop naming it Working Folder. Move any downloaded archives that need to be repackaged into this "Working Folder". Read the developer’s informational documents. Make any necessary changes to the folder structure and files that are recommended. Any documentation that is not relevant to the installation simply create a new folder with the name of the mod it represents and move this folder into the Docs folder.
When the files are structured properly, create a new folder and name it as the original file is named + add _BAIN at the end of the file name in order to distinguish that it has been repackaged properly. We will do this later in the guide.
Notice: Inside your Working Folder create a Data subfolder, inside the Data subfolder create a Docs folder and an OBSE subfolder, and inside the OBSE subfolder, create a Plugins subfolder:
1. Create a Data folder 2. Create a Docs folder and move it into the Data folder 3. Create an OBSE folder 4. Create a Plugins folder and move it into the OBSE folder 5. Move the OBSE folder into the Data folder:
This is the original folder structure of the vanilla Oblivion\Data folder with an explanation of the added folders]]
This is the original folder structure of the vanilla Oblivion\Data folder with an explanation of the added folders.
It is recommended that you create a new folder for downloads and repackaged files:
1. Navigate to %\Steam\steamapps\common folder. 2. Create a New Folder naming it Oblivion Mods. This will be where you will store your downloads and repackaged mods for future retrieval, if needed, saving time and effort later. This will also be where Wrye Bash will retain mod files. Wrye Bash mod files will be located in the %\Steam\steamapps\common\Oblivion\Wrye Bash\mods folder.
Backing Up Morrowind and Oblivion
After installing Morrowind and Oblivion, it is highly suggested backing up the vanilla files for future use. Copying the folders in the following locations to a folder such as "Morroblivion Backup" should ensure you have access to your vanilla files. If you would like to reduce the size of your backup, use Windows, 7-Zip, or WinRAR to compress your backup files should free up some space.
Notice: Back up locations:
"<Oblivion>" "<Oblivion Mods>" "<My Games>\Oblivion"> "<YourUserName>\AppData\Local\Oblivion">
Oblivion Data Folder
Archiving the Data Folder and installing it as the first mod in Wrye Bash will be beneficial to correct any issues that may arise from uninstalling certain mods. This will allow you to reinstall the vanilla files if such problems occur.
To archive your Data folder with Windows:
1. Navigate to your Oblivion\Data directory 2. Select all folders and files except for those with a .bsa extension. 3. Right-Click and select "Add to archive…" 4. Wait for the file to finish compressing, which may take a few minutes as it is a large file.
This is the original folder structure of the vanilla Oblivion\Data folder with an explanation of the added folders
Troubleshooting Common Issues
“Black Screen” Fix and Forcing 3.0 Shaders
For some users, it may be necessary to tweak some settings, especially the Shaders in order for the HDR setting to work properly. If you have a black screen try the following suggestion from the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Tweak Guide for changing your Oblivion.ini settings:
“bAllow30Shaders=0 - If set to 1, this option allows (but does not force) the use of Shader Model 3.0 on graphics cards which support it, namely Nvidia GeForce 6600 or newer, or ATI X1000 series or newer. This can potentially improve performance when using HDR rendering for example. Check your RendererInfo.txt file in your \Documents and Settings\User\Documents\My Games\Oblivion directory to see if your card supports SM3.0 next to the option '3.0 Shaders'. Note however that even by enabling this option, Oblivion still appears to use 2.0 shaders (check the 'PSTarget' and 'VSTarget' lines in Rendererinfo.txt). In any case, if you have one of the cards mentioned above, it cannot hurt to enable this option.
…To force the actual use of 3.0 Shaders after making the above change, you will also need to check your RenderInfo.txt file (see above), and on the last line of the file check which shader package it uses (e.g. Shader Package : 13). Then go to the \Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion\Data\Shaders\ folder and rename that particular package to something else (e.g. rename shaderpackage013.sdp to shaderpackage013._bak. Now copy shaderpackage019.sdp and paste it back into the same directory, and rename this new copy to the package name your card uses (e.g. rename it to shaderpackage013.sdp in this example). This will force Oblivion to use the Shader Model 3.0 shaders in the game, which may increase (or reduce) performance and typically shows no image quality difference.”
Just remember that if you have to perform “Verify Integrity of Game Cache…” through Steam, the Shaders will be reverted back to their default settings. I suggest to make a backup copy of “Shaderpackage019.sdp”. To do this, create a Working Folder on your desktop. Create a Data subfolder. Click in your Data folder and create a Shaders subfolder. Now copy your shaderpackage019.sdp into the Shaders folder. Rename the shaderspackage to the one that is in your RenderInfo.txt and save it as an archive naming it “ShaderPackage019” to install via Mod Organizer later in this guide.
Update Video Drivers
If there is any reason to believe that the latest drivers installed on your system are not the latest available or that they are not installed correctly and are causing issues then do the following. Else, just install the latest drivers as normal.
1. Download the latest stable AMD drivers / Nvidia drivers. 2. If installing/re-installing new drivers, download DDU and install it (DDU forum Page). 3. Boot into safe mode by repeatedly pressing F8 once the boot check initializes and before the OS begins loading (no need to uninstall the current drivers, but it will not hurt at all). * If using UEFI while using Windows 8 or later, go to your power options and while holding down the Shift key, press restart. This will open the advanced menu where you can select to boot into safe mode. 4. Launch DDU, and select the appropriate driver from the drop-down combobox. 5. Note the recommendations in DDU and initialize the cleanup. 6. Reboot normally and install the latest drivers.
Configure Driver Settings
The graphics software should only be forcing max Anisotropic Filtering (AF). All other settings should be left to the Oblivion configuration and ENBoost configurations. Check out the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Tweak Guide @ http://www.tweakguides.com/Oblivion_1.html
AMD Users: Refer to the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Tweak Guide
Nvidia Users
Make the following changes via Nvidia Inspector, otherwise leave the defaults (they can be tweaked later if absolutely necessary).
1. Download Nvidia Inspector and Nvidia Profiler. This is a portable program and requires no installation. Simply place in a convenient location and create a shortcut to the executable. 2. Within Inspector, select the "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" profile and keep all of the default settings except for the following changes: Maximum pre-rendered frames: 1 Antialiasing - Transparency: 8x (supersample) Anisotropic filtering setting: 16x Texture filtering - Anisotropic sample optimization: Off Texture filtering - Negative LOD bias: Clamp Power management mode: Prefer maximum performance 3. Click Apply changes twice and then close, accepting any overwrite when prompted.
Display Calibration
Color calibration is critical to photographers and graphic artists that work across media types, but it is also more or less important for everyone that uses a computer. For gamers like those interested in Morroblivion, it is a bit more important, because there is a lot of screenshot sharing and qualitative discussion about in-game visuals. It is ideal that all users are somewhat 'standardized' for comparative purposes alone.
The gist: Calibrate the monitor's display settings based on the video driver configuration utility with all other configuration baselines set to something akin to "mid level".
There are three places to configure color saturation, temp, brightness, contrast, gamma, etc:
- The monitor's built-in config
- Windows color management
- The driver configuration utility (see "Configure Driver Settings above)
The settings of one affect the settings of the other, and depending on the quality of the monitor, #1 could be very good or just 'OK'. The #2 and #3 settings should be standard though, since they are made to work across various monitors.
- Ensure that #1 is set to "the middle ground" with respect to all settings. Having extreme settings in the monitor configuration could potentially constrain the other configurations. For some, wetting all #1 to mid levels will be best, but for others the 'auto-config' will be best (this may not set all #1 to mid settings). Depending on the monitor, there may be other auto-config options based on various presets. Whatever seems most "middle of the road" is probably best for #1.
- Optionally, also run #2 (Control Panel > Display > Calibrate Color) and set to 'vanilla' mid-levels with respect to all attributes. If this was never run previously, then it should already be at mid-level.
- Calibrate using #3 a room with no direct lighting that could affect what the monitor shows (not-too-bright, diffuse-lighted room). The main calibration should be left to #3 once a mid baseline 'canvas' has been established for #1 and #2.
* AMD-CCC: |Desktop Management| > |Desktop Color| (click "Reactivate AMD color controls").
* Nvidia Control Panel: Access from the Windows Control Panel. |Display| > |Adjust desktop color settings|.
Credits
I would sincerely like to thank:
STEP Wiki for allowing me to host the guide on this site. The TESRewal Morroblivion Team The TESRenewal Project Community for feedback, suggestions and input; (with a special thanks to: llde and ponyrider0 for their contributions to this guide.) The authors of mods recommended in this guide. The authors of mods who granted permission for their mods to be shared with the TESRenewal Project Community. The Nexus Community. The TES Alliance Community. Gamer Poets for his educational tutorials. Hishutup for the continued updates on Mythic Dawn Oblivion Modding Guide Xuul for Oblivion | How to install mods The Assimilation Lab for A General Order for Installing Mods (Oblivion) Bethesda Softworks for TES in general.
