Mods not working although game will start and play

[Pyx]

I have Oblivion, Steam GOTY edition purchased in June. All unofficial patches installed, did not install the official patch as posts say Steam version does not get the official patch. I use OBMM, archive invalidation every time, BOSS for load order. I have checked every read me and checked that all files required for each program are installed (the ones listed in read me or Nexus download). I do not have any texture files installed - if that means Qarls or other mod specifically listed as texture. Stutter remover and fast exit are installed. Other than the following, no other mods installed (only these are shown as blue in OBMM).

All mods were activated and tested separately to confirm the game played. I tested with a vanilla saved game, saved game after OOO was installed and new game with all the below listed mods installed.

I don't know if it matters but the data check boxes on load screen when you start the game include the Oblivion & OOO esm boxes and esp boxes for OOO, DLCs and patches. There are no other esm or esp boxes shown on the load screen's data boxes.

OOO is working (new torch hotkey)
MMM - can't tell if it's working and there are no .esp click boxes listed at the game loading screen. Ran around for an hour and goblins are fighting skeletons though. Not sure if that's MMM's faction element.
CobL - don't know how to confirm if it's working.
OBSE - seems to be running as I haven't gotten errors from a couple of OBSE-dependent mods.
OBGE - installed via OBMM but not sure if it's working.

I activated and tested each of the sound mods individually, one by one, Only vanilla sounds seem to be played in the saved game, definitely no new music anywhere or ambient tavern sounds. Mods I installed: Stereo Overhaul, Symphony of Violence, Sounds of Cyrodil and My Voice Extended.

Weather - All Natural - nights aren't darker on 80% dark setting
Immersive Interiors (left All Natural installed) - not working
AWLS (left All Natural and Immersive Interiors installed) - not working
Cities Alive at Night (tested separately) - not working

And I've established that while CobL is also blue in OBMM, none of the CobL houses exist in the game for a saved or new character. I've tried reinstalling, again per read me, twice. The game runs.

[$n@ke Eye$]

The Oblivion.esm should be unchecked. I'm not sure if it matters. It is used by default and doesn't need to be checked.

I would double check that you have the latest version of OBSE and that is installed and functioning correctly. Also make sure that Enable Steam Community is checked in properties as it is required for OBSE to function correctly.

Make sure that OBMM archive invalidation is set correctly. The current norm is using BSA redirection.

Open OBMM Utilities, select archive invalidation and make sure it is set to BSA redirection and hit update now.

[Pyx]

I have OBSE v21 with all three files in the Oblivion folder and data folder within the download archive is merged with the Oblivion data folder. Oblivion is installed in games, not programs directory. I made sure community is enabled. Other than that, I have no idea how to tell if OBSE is working.

I deleted the Oblivion.ini file to kill whatever changes were made there then spent the last three hours uninstalling, re-creating omods and re-installing using the BSA redirect & BOSS. OOO is the only mod that appears to be working. It's also the only mod that appears in the data checklist when you start Oblivion (.esm and a gang of .esp files).

No other mods have any effect. MMM, Unique Landscapes, Let them Drink, sound mods, Weather All Natural, Cities Alive, AWLS, CobL (not sure if that works but none of the house mods I tried installing will appear). The game isn't crashing, it just won't add the mods.

[[CRG] Ghost™]

If a mod is not showing in the data files from launcher then it is NOT installed. The mods have to be put in the folder OBMM uses for mods (sry cant remember what its called but you can drag n drop from windows explorer into the OBMM window). Also, the mods MUST be in .omod format to be used with OBMM. Some will already be done but most have to be converted. Then the mod has to be installed, then the esp/esm must be activated (if it has one, texture/mesh replacers generally don't have an .esp/.esm)

You MUST use Wrye Bash for the bashed patch to get AN, II and AWLS to work together, as it says in the readme's.

I know OBMM user instructions are vague to non-existent, but otherwise have you read the readme's for the mods thoroughly?

Personally I prefer WryeBash + BOSS, using OBMM only when I have to. WB is not as difficult to use as many ppl believe. The latest versions have a Standalone version so knowledge of Python is not required. Wrye Bash is an amazing mod tool, and does so much more than OBMM. Seriously, try it.

I use a simple OBSE dependent mod to test if its working, AToTakeAll available at The Nexus. Needs a few secs to 'kick in' first time using it. Wouldnt be surprised if OBSE is not working for you. Search forums here or google for solution. I've posted the solution that worked for me several times in Steam forums.

[Pyx]

I'll follow your advice regarding Wrye Bash but at this point I'm wondering if I should start over and do a complete reinstall of Oblivion. OBSE is running but still nothing works - doesn't even cause crashes.

I made an omod from A Takes All (just one esp file in archive). Still not added to the loading data check boxes and wouldn't work in the game. Then I copied the esp directly from the archive and installed manually. The mod worked! Doesn't that mean that OBSE has been running all along? I didn't change anything other than installing the .esp file manually.

I'll suck it up and learn to use Wrye Bash. Frustrating though when programs that don't say to use Wrye Bash aren't working. Using Oblivion Mod Manager with omod-ready archives, confirmed that data folder & esp file is in the top level or I re-packed them to make sure they were top level before creating omods - exactly per read me. However, the only omod install that works is OOO. The other (A Takes All) was manually installed.

Haven't used FCOM as MMM has an install version that says it's specifically for OOO. TESAlliance says to use TheNiceOne's handy .omod script (written for MMM 3.7) for the newest 3.8 version of MMM. Following that it should work but doesn't. Tried creating omod directly to no avail - several times. Even tried extracting everything to a folder and making an omod from that, nope. No esm or esps in load check boxes, no effect on the game (checked the crafting tool barrel by Weye). Same with Better Cities, creating 3 separate omods per the explicit read me directions. Sound & atmosphere files, nope. Those don't even call for Wrye Bash. Gone through read me files, deleted the omods and started again several times for each program, looked at the few installation youtube videos. I just can't believe that nothing is working. You'd think I'd at least accidentally get one running.

Thanks very much for your input. I'll work with your advice and hope someone else may have additional solutions. Two weeks at this - at least 30 hours - instead of playing is getting very frustrating.

[[CRG] Ghost™]

WryeBash 304.4 is now at nexus. when installing make sure you check the box for Oblivion and Standalone (you can also install the Python version, so both versions and its dependencies are installed). WB installer will check for and will auto install or auto prompt you to install any dependencies (eg. MSVC++ Redistr). Then get BOSS cuz it works with WB, when you run BOSS it moves the .esp's into the proper load order for you. Some things need to be installed in a certain order to work (keep in mind: install order and load order are 2 different things). An example of this is DarNified UI must be installed before Enhanced Hotkeys. DarNUI has no .esp so BOSS has no effect. Not all mods require .esp's - texture replacers usually don't have one.

If you open a container, press A and the entire contents are moved to your inventory, then A Takes All is working and therefore OBSE is working.

It seems that something is preventing OBMM from installing some of your mods. If its installing the premade OMOD versions but not the mods you have to convert to .omod, then that is where something in the process is breaking down. Redundant tho if you switch to WB.

3 more tips for you : 1) check out TESCOSI website if you havent already; 2) WryeBash does way more than just install mods (eg. it can edit your savegame files -> it can fix the Abomb glitch or bloated save files) so read both its readme's to find out what it can do; 3) many mods will have a message appear in the console to let you know what it's doing eg. OBGE will msg what effects its loading/unloading (you are using the Standalone Effects for OBGE, right? and OBGE Liquid Water?)

I didnt like CobL for some reason and since I dont really need it I don't install it so I cant help you troubleshoot that one more.

I just thought of something else - do you have Pluggy installed? some mods need that as well.

Sorry I'm not more helpful. You are using some mods that I dont and I only use OBMM if I have to (eg. for Detailed Terrain) and currently its not installed.

Only 2 weeks? LOL - it was 2 months b4 i got back to playing. Mind you I've been AFK for half of that. It's been worth the time taken tho, I can't imagine playing vanilla Oblivion ever again.

[Pyx]

I didn't realize there was a specific install order, not just load order. I did try to install and test mods in the general order listed on a TESAlliance post but that was just so I could be organized. I am using Boss now and switched to BSA redirect instead of alteration on OBMM. You may be right that something isn't working with OBMM because none of the omods I make are installing - except OOO. Even OOO is being weird if it's missing textures for the vanilla gems (pink squares).

Yay on OBSE, thank you for the suggestion to use "A for All" to test it. That was a pita not knowing if it was working or not. I "installed" OBGE via obmm but have no idea if it's working. There's been no message so likely it isn't installed. Don't know anything about Standalone Effects and didn't know if I needed Liquid Water. I have no idea about texture packs (Qarls or something). Again, trying to at least get the main mods up and running, also the ones that will work with saved games so I can start playing while I tinker with mods.

My only understanding about CobL is that it makes lots of the survival, house and location mods work together. It's mostly the survival mods for me. I want to try a couple of them to see what works better for hunger, thirst, bathing, endurance & health.

Just started Oblivion in June. I haven't played a modern RPG video game before, just old school ones and MMOs. I got about half way through and needed to make it more interesting so I discovered mods. Wow. They have a lot more interesting quests, places, story lines, true D&D adventure parties and immersion options. It looks fun but oh brother are they a lot of trouble. I wanted some kind of body replacer as well, not for T & A but to make the NPCs and my character look more believable and less claymation. Sounds like that will more of a headache than I want to tackle and can't find anywhere to tell me what replacer will give a decent variety of clothes and work with OOO / MMM.

Your help is great though. Thanks.

[[CRG] Ghost™]

you MUST get the OBGE standalone effects and OBGE liquid water. OBGE Core enables the use of 3.0 shaders and the Standalone Effects are some of the shaders. I use CrysisDOF, Volumetric SSAO and Godrays. Instantly tripled happiness. and Liquid Water is amazing, uses shader tech to make the water instead of just texreplacing; another +1 happiness. If you decide to use these get them from the nexus, mod# 30054 and 37825. I can give you some tips to make the effects more user friendly. I'm away for awhile as of Friday so after that it could be a couple weeks b4 I respond. I would choose these enhancements over any other visual upgrades if I had to.

I gotta say, you tackled the biggest challenges for modding Oblivion - meaning OOO and MMM and CobL - they change the game significantly. and now you have to chek every mod to see if its compatible with OOO/MMM cuz theres some that arent or need patches.

Today I discovered a new 'wow' function of WryeBash. Using the right-clik context menu on the installer (they call the file an installer and the .esp a mod) it will open windows explorer and direct it to the mods page at nexus/tesa/pes or google search. Absolutely amazing.

Yeah, I've been hesitant about the body replacers too. Its not a straightforward tex-replacer job. I tried OCOv2 for the faces, it was fairly simple to use. gonna try OCOv1 soon, see if I like it any better.

Hope you find a way to get your mods working, and you're welcome. Good Luck!

[Pyx]

Thanks for the graphics suggestions. Tweak ideas would be great later on. Too cool on Wrye Bash doing the direct link, I'll have to check that out. Right now I'm re-downloading Oblivion as I'm going with a complete reinstall. Got help with Wrye Bash tutorial from one of the wonderful mod guys and finally got a mod installed. Woohoo.

[Pyx]

RESOLVED - kinda, Here's what came of the issue in case anyone else finds the same situation.

OBSE: test to see if it's working by installing the mod "A Takes All" and check.

Mods not installing: Nothing will install with OBMM no matter how you put the omod together. No one has any idea why. Switched to Wrye Bash and used BAIN. Now mods are installing as they should.