Replay Oblivion

I have installed Oblivion on my computer. It is slow going because of real life issues, configuring this computer and just life in general.

I will not be doing the main quest or the guild quests. Will use Alternate Start by ship to avoid this. The reason I am playing it is to one) make a friend happy who is playing Crafty Bits and wants someone to share with although she has all the Crafty Bits people but I; two) Also want to check out Scythes updated mods and see how they play. If it weren't for the last I don't think I would bother. Two and half months to go until Skyrim is released. If I have Stream it I will be very annoyed.

Anyway: I have installed OBSE, if anyone worries about installing OBSE they shouldn't it does not affect game play and can be ignored unless a mod is added that uses it. If you have problems it is the mod not OBSE. If you add a mod using OBSE you must launch with the OBSE Launcher.

I have downloaded COBL (my friend is using it) but can't figure out how to install it. Don't remember having a problem before maybe my brain is just on vacation from overload.

To be continued.

I'm not using COBL because of compatibility issues so I can't really help. I'm considering the Alternate Start mod because going through the sewers and the Emperor bit is a drag... I will decide when I get started.

I'm planning a Redguard Fighter with some Rogue talents because I don't like magic (always ends up overpowered) I may consider it later. I want an old school gaming experience so hack and slash seems like the way to go. Female characters are not as strong but they do get some nice modded armours (not talking about bikini chainmail here).

I know what you mean about magic. At level 12 my Breton Mage was so powerful I ended up using the console to downgrade her. It was ridiculous. I can't decide what character to use. Since one reason for my playing is to do Crafty Bits I think a warrior of some type would be best, need marksmanship skill and some other a warrior would be most likely to have. I don't like the Wood Elves or Khajiit in Oblivion. I may do a dark elf. Warrior with some thief skills. I will look into that armour mod you mentioned. I am especially attracted to see the assassin armour.

I've played through the sewers and got into the city. The Iron Maiden Armour set is incredible and I don't regret playing a female in order to use it. This armour looks so beautiful that other armours pale in comparison.

I haven't tried the rogue outfit yet (my character is a heavy armour kind of girl) but I've tried the Fallout New Vegas version and I know for a fact that it is very nice.

But the Iron Maiden retex is simply incredible.

Well, my character is seriously looking at the rogue outfit. So I Will let you know what I think. Maybe get a screen shot.

I downloaded and installed 'Alternate Start by Ship' and got my character started. Female Dunmer Rogue arriving at Anvil. I forgot to download the mods for fixing the faces so am stuck with vanilla face maybe. Resolution is 1600 X 900 so the NPCs' faces don't look too bad. I haven't installed COBL. There are a couple of things I would like from it but without some help it just isn't worth fussing with unless I need it for Crafty Bits and I don't think I should need it.

Guard Overhaul installed. Enhanced Grabbing installed, a must have for Rogue outfit installed. Landmarks with wells installed. Another must have for me.

I haven't installed any environment overhauls as I just don't know what would be best and simplest. I don't need to deal with Oblivion gates but am finding the landscape a bit boring.

I am finding the vanilla HUD very intrusive. It is much too large. La, whoever made that must have been blinder than I am.

You could try Darn UI but it may be too small for you.

Paul71 has posted some links to texture packs: https://bellesakurasaloon.frenchboard.com/t252-oblivion-iv-graphics

I've read that the alternate start could mess up the main quest. I'm not planning to complete it but I'd like to keep the option if I change my mind.

You can use the facegen tool to change your character's face if you don't like it: http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=29908. It edits a save without using the console (so you can't change eyes or hair) I couldn't get a decent face for my character so I used it with some files that had been uploaded to the FNV Nexus. Thanks to this thingy my current character looks like a singer/actress/model/celeb or whatever (don't know, don't really care). I've modified it a little and she is really nice to look at.

I have to get the Ring of Console and start playing around so I can take nice screenshots of my character later tonight. The Iron Maiden armour rocks. I've got a great Joan of Arc vibe from it. I know I should have created a Breton female Paladin.

EDIT: I love this armour; screenshot. My Redguard may be level 1 but she is lovely.

I love the armor and she is lovely but a bit busty for my taste. The hair is great.

Why do you need 'Ring of Console'? You can't use the ~ key? Is it because you use the Console controls instead of the keyboard buttons?

I have played with 'Alternate Start by Ship' several times and had no problem with the Main Quest. You can do the Battle for Kvatch before going to get the Amulet. I have done the Kvatch Obilivion gate and battle before taking the Amulet to Jaufree with no problem. He just sends you back to find Martin.

The Alternate Start from, blast what is it name, Modular Modded Oblivion Expanded or something like that. You don't start the quest until you steal something from a Captain or the guy at the desk at the Prison. I usual steal something worthless from him. This was one of the first mods I installed. Has several parts to it that you can choose or not.

There are others too. One you are on a shipwreck but I have no idea how it handles the MQ.

My Character is level one and her main combat skill is marksmanship. Not a good choice for Oblivion. I understand it will be better in Skyrim.

Thanks. Compared to other female outfits on the Nexus this one doesn't have huge boobs but I get what you're saying. The angle on the picture may make them look even bigger.

The hair is vanilla though.

I'm having problems with vista and the console with these games. I don't know if I need the console that much as I can use the "r" key and the mouse.

Thanks for the update on the Alternate Start, the problem with comments is that some players simply don't understand that using numerous mods may break things and they often end up blaming a mod for not doing what it is supposed to do or for messing up the game when it may be a compatibility issue.

I've decided to forget about powergaming and made a character with skills that a warrior/thief would use (more warrior than thief though) without bothering about how many levels I can get. Too much tinkering with the levels and stuff make the game boring and annoying.

First of all the readme for 'Alternate Start by ship' is very instructive. Using it with other mods that affect the MQ can cause trouble. Of course you have to install and activate it before starting a game. He even had to put that in the readme. Some people are very dense. I have used it several times and had no problem with it even when using it with Kvatch Rising which does affect the Kvatch Quest. Just make sure everything is installed and activated before you start the game. Francesco's mod also has a choice that affects the MQ that should not be activated. He has quite a few choices. I do like some of the items he has added.

My Character is pure rogue and is getting good at running. She has no melee skills but is pretty good with a bow. I don't like powerleveling I get bored when my character is too powerful. Right now I am just exploring. It is rather fun as I can relax and not worry about doing quests. Been there, done that but I haven't explored that particular place or spot. Something new is always found.

I got my gal a horse and went to see that Jauffre fellow but now I remember how much the main quest and dialogues suck. In comparison Fallout 3 has great writing.

I miss FNV... I have to hang in there, get a few levels (the +5 "cheat" I've installed works so I don't have to worry about missing out on stats) and then I'll go visit Shivering Isles my favourite part of the game. I don't want to go there too early so I can enjoy it more.

My moves are rusty so the practice is probably not wasted... At least I won't utterly suck when I'll start playing Skyrim.

My first Oblivion character (named Carabas) managed to complete the Kvatch gate at level 3... Thanks to the mods I've installed it's not a possibility.

I like the Main Quest but am tired of playing it so I am skipping it this time around. So the Emperor is dead big deal. There are more important things in life than mighty rulers. I am enjoying a leisurely tour through the country side. Checking out people and places that I have missed before.

Now off for some more downloading and installing.

The whole Emperor thing is so cheesy that I couldn't wait to get started with the Dark Brotherhood.

My problem is that my girl is looking at a serious jail sentence (already).

Is there a way to get to Rufio in the first Dark Brotherhood quest without talking to the innkeeper? If not she'll have to go to prison (4,000 gold pieces is a rather big fine for a level 3 character).

Go down the trap door. I never talk to the innkeeper. The trap door is near the entrance if I recall correctly. I have had problems with that quest. Am not sure if it was just me or if there is a glitch of some kind.

I have installed the mod "Tavern Goers" I really like it. It fixes up those empty taverns nicely. Must remember to endorse this mod.

I think the UI you mentioned does more than I want. I just want the HUD to be smaller. It is just plain obnoxious with my resolution. I

I finally got COBL installed and the game seems to be playing fine except for one thing. Now when I exit to the desktop it crashes. Totally crashes. I can exit to the main menu and then to the desktop: CTD. I exit directly from the game to the desktop: CTD. Either I have included something I should not have or have not included something I should have or it is conflicting with another mod.

Maybe if Paul passes by he would know.

• Oblivion.esm
  Cobl Main.esm
  (DC) County Sutch Reborn Master.esm
  Cobl Si.esp
  Cobl Glue.esp
  Cobl Tweaks.esp
  DLCShiveringIsles.esp* I will move this up
  Alternative_Start_by_Robert_Evrae[1].esp
  Landmarks, w Wells.esp
  Enhanced Grabbing.esp
  MODRoadRogue.esp
  RenGuardOverhaul.esp
  tkHairPack01.esp
  Taverners.esp
  FF_Real_Thirst.esp

COBL and FF_Real+Thirst do conflict but I do not have a hunger mod installed so there should be no active conflict. I do love that FF_Real_Thirst mod.

Nakia, install the latest version of 'Fast Exit', its a tiny little OBSE that makes exiting the game better when using other OBSE mods.

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=22410

BTW, I realised the other week that there's a few things I've never really done in Oblivon and really ought before diving into Skyrim. For example, I've never finished the main quest of The Shivering Isles! Not sure why, but somehow I never got around to it.

So I took my mid-level Breton Mage into the isles and have spent all my gaming time in the past fortnight playing through the main quest and the various town and side quests. It really does feel like a whole new game - a different look and feel to Cyrodiil, and stuff that I've either never done or forgotten about

Thanks, Paul. I will use that and see if it helps. I have no in-game crashes, not a one. So far I can exit to the Main Menu. It is only when I exit to the desktop that I have problems.

I love Shivering Isles. It is much better than vanilla Oblivion. I have done the main quest several times ubt there are some side quests I don't think I have completed. Right now I am just slowly installing mods. I like to test each one out before installing a second one. That way I don't need to think about what mod is causing a problem. I haven't installed the BASH program. I may need it but don't know how good or stable it is. I realy wanted a fairly simple game but it is getting more and more involved.

Oh well, I wanted something to occupy me while I wait for probate of my cousin's will and this certainly does that.

I have added "Fast Exit"

This modder has some interesting mods primarily for mages. I use his "Summon Luggage: mod and am going to try the portable sorters. Check him out: http://www.tesnexus.com/modules/members/index.php?id=1159087

Thanks for the tips.

Shivering Isles is my favourite part and the main reason I'm replaying this game. It's so much better.

If they can only do as well with Skyrim.

Well, I think the lesson they learned with Shivering Isles is that a more 'other worldly' environment is better than a generic low-fantasy setting such as Cyrodiil. It always felt that Cyrodiil was a typically stereotyped place that we'd seen a million times in RPGs, whereas Shivering Isles - like Morrowind before it - felt much more 'alien'

I'm not sure how that will factor into Skyrim, but I think that was why I enjoyed Shivering Isles more than Cyrodiil - you never quite knew what you were going to see around the next corner

True and the first time you played it you never knew what the Mad God would say or do. The quest were interesting and made you make choices. The people were interesting. There were plenty of side quests. I don't think I have done them all. It was just plain fun to play. It was also at least for me thought provoking.

Skyrim will at least be a frozen land so it won't be as generic. I'm thinking about Icewind Dale as I'm typing this. It was generic fantasy (the Forgotten Realms) but not so generic with all the glaciers and snow capped mountains (and the "edge of the world" feel that goes along with unexplored icy lands). Of course I love the Alps so that may explain the appeal of that sort of settings to me.

I just hope that being familiar with icy lands we find something that annoys as I found the barking wolves in Oblivion.

Playing a rogue with marksmanship as the combat skill in Oblivion sucks.. The poor character is constantly dying. I have managed to get the blade skill up to 25 but that doesn't help much. Low magic skills and low melee skills do not not make for a good character in Oblivion but I am not changing. She will spend most of the game running.

Fast Exit 2 seems to be working but I added one of the DC mods and now I can't exit to the Main Menus with a fatal crash.l No big problem but it still annoys me. I think I will have to do a bash patch and I just don't know know how good the new Bash program is.

I have logged a little over twenty hours of game play since installing Fast Exit 2 and have had absolutely no problem exiting to the desktop from the game. I had one in-game crash exploring around Skingrad Castle. Have no idea what caused it. Since installing the Dragon Caption mod 'Mew Haven' I cannot exit to the main menu. I have always had that problem though. After I install mods suddenly that happens. I have about thirty mods plus some tweaks that don't show up on the list.

Playing Oblivion makes me look forward to Skyrim even more. I like just relaxing and exploring and not doing any of the MQ or guild quests. I just wish the ruins and caves were more interesting.