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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009)
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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009)

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Dingbat Jan 21, 2017 @ 10:54am
Regarding data files...
I have two questions if someone could indulge me please. First, What is oblivion.esm and should it be unchecked by default? Second and last, is there any major difference between a master and player data file? (The master files get priority? Or is it simply that player data files are not made by Bethesda?) TIA!
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Showing 1-11 of 11 comments
Omgwtfbbqkitten Jan 21, 2017 @ 11:10am 
The Oblivion.esm is unchecked by default. It is used automatically.

The last file loaded has priority, so any player made esp files loaded after the Oblivion.esm will have priority. The Oblivion.esm just contains the original game data before anything modifies it.

When you create your own esp, it uses the Oblivion.esm as a base master file and any changes you make are stored in that esp and will have priority over the esm.
Last edited by Omgwtfbbqkitten; Jan 21, 2017 @ 11:14am
#1
Dingbat Jan 21, 2017 @ 11:21am 
Thanks so much for the quick reply! It explains a lot. Shouldn't the original master file have priority, though? I've only just started modding vanilla Oblivion (Vanilvion?) :steamfacepalm: and I understand that getting things in the wrong order can fudge things up a lot.
#2
Omgwtfbbqkitten Jan 21, 2017 @ 11:52am 
The master file will have priority until any modified esp data is loaded afterwards. Adding mods will give priority to the modded data.
#3
Dingbat Jan 21, 2017 @ 11:53am 
Fanatastic! You've been a great help, thanks!:steamhappy:
#4
Belanos Jan 21, 2017 @ 1:28pm 
In order to ensure you have a proper load order, get either BOSS, or LOOT. They are mod sorters and will go through your Data folder and reset the code for all of your .esm and .esp files so that they load up into the game in the correct sequence. LOOT is the more recent version of BOSS, that one is not being supported anymore.
#5
Grogu Jan 21, 2017 @ 3:02pm 
BOSS is better for Oblivion and LOOT is more for Skyrim, unless something has changed recently.
Last edited by Grogu; Jan 21, 2017 @ 3:03pm
#6
Dingbat Jan 21, 2017 @ 3:09pm 
Originally posted by Belanos:
In order to ensure you have a proper load order, get either BOSS, or LOOT. They are mod sorters and will go through your Data folder and reset the code for all of your .esm and .esp files so that they load up into the game in the correct sequence. LOOT is the more recent version of BOSS, that one is not being supported anymore.

Very interesting! Thanks for the response. I'll certainly look into them.

Originally posted by Heisenberg:
BOSS is better for Oblivion and LOOT is more for Skyrim, unless something has changed recently.

...And thank you, too! This is also helpful. As I have all the Elder Scrolls games, I'm sure I'll be interested in both.
#7
Belanos Jan 21, 2017 @ 4:59pm 
Originally posted by Heisenberg:
BOSS is better for Oblivion and LOOT is more for Skyrim, unless something has changed recently.

They have actually. The newer versions of LOOT now work with Oblivion as well. BOSS is obsolete.
#8
Dingbat Jan 21, 2017 @ 6:31pm 
Originally posted by Belanos:
Originally posted by Heisenberg:
BOSS is better for Oblivion and LOOT is more for Skyrim, unless something has changed recently.

They have actually. The newer versions of LOOT now work with Oblivion as well. BOSS is obsolete.

Ok, yeah. I've downloaded both and looked at each of them at this point. So far as I can tell, they both seem to work well on TES4, but I like LOOT's interface a bit better. The thing is, sorting isn't all they do. They detect conflicts and dirty files which are apparently redundant files, etc. and they each showed me a bunch of them. They also showed me what to download to clean them. Oh, joy. Ok, so I d/l/ TES4Edit as recommended... Oh. My. Gosh. Yeah, I'm not stupid, but this is a bit beyond me, Fortunately, LOOT has a filter to disable those messages. Now all I have is a simple sorting machine. Hopefully the dirty files won't cause me too much woe. Now all I have to do is pick up the pieces of skull and grey matter from when my head exploded...
#9
Belanos Jan 21, 2017 @ 9:52pm 
Originally posted by Dingbat:
Hopefully the dirty files won't cause me too much woe.

You don't need to worry about it too much. They might cause a slight instability to your game, but not enough to break it.
#10
Dingbat Jan 22, 2017 @ 12:35am 
Originally posted by Belanos:
You don't need to worry about it too much. They might cause a slight instability to your game, but not enough to break it.

That's very reassuring, thank you! I've learned quite a bit today, and my game is now nicely modded and more to my liking. Now, on to the game.

#11
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Date Posted: Jan 21, 2017 @ 10:54am
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