Your Top 10 Must Have Mods, Post your favorites! Options

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

No doubt y’all have discussed this to death elsewhere, but I was just curious what are some of y’all’s favorite mods for Oblivion? Feel free to leave out things like the Unofficial Patch, and OBSE since those things are pretty much crucial to modding this game.

[ghastley]

MINE!!!!

[SubRosa]

Mine!

[Decrepit]

Whoa....it's a hard question to answer, not helped by me being away from the game for some time now. it can vary depending on long-term vs short-term pleasure. (Of course, if a short-term play-through is intended, that's not so important.) So many favorites are geared to my second play through play style. For instance, "The Elder Council". My avatar's existence centers around its road-patrol assignments. It's his post-Crisis life's work. His nine-to-five job, so to speak. It therefore goes to the very top of the list. Was he not committed to patrol duty, TEC would simply be one of numerous fine quest mods.

Likewise with another quest mod, "Kragenir's Death Quest". It provides a zillion and one things to do. Most are mundane, often humorous. If played right, it can take many months finish, assuming you do. My avatar still hasn't completed some quests. (He could have, were my play-style different.) It has to be near the top of the list, again due to longevity. There are certainly a number of 'flashier' shorter-term quest mods out there.

The second mod my 2nd play-through centers around is "Companion Villa" (duh!). Like TEC, almost no play session doesn't involve Villa.

I'm going to put on my thinking-cap, study my load order, and try to whittle it down to 10, if that's at all possible.

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

MINE!!!!

Mine!

*snip*

What about mods that enhance the game’s graphics or tweak the mechanics? Do y’all use any of those?

[Decrepit]

What about mods that enhance the game’s graphics or tweak the mechanics? Do y’all use any of those?

You bet I do! A ton of them. With my experimental build, almost everything gets a graphic makeover/alteration. This is a category I'll need to study before picking favorites, if that's even possible. (It doesn't help that my Experimental Build combo of Oblivion Reloaded & an ENB isn't configured properly so that in certain situations the world looks garishly ugly.)

Off the top of my head, I enjoy selected Unique Landscapes modules, mainly those that can be traveled during my avatar's road patrols. Roads of Cyrodiil is another nice addition, especially if you like to travel via roads. (Is it still called Roads of Cyrodiil? Or was it renamed during a major update?)

In any case, I need to study this more before formulating an informed, definitive response.

[ghastley]

Well, after mine, I'd list

A body replacer/ head replacer. Lots of choices, all better than vanilla.
Toggle Quantity Prompt - makes selling items much easier/faster.
Dynamic Map - basis for adding the Elsweyr and Valenwood maps for those mods. It allows multiple maps to be added together, instead of having to be merged and saved as one. I probably also derived my own from Roads and Trails, which is decent on its own, as part of mine.
The Ayleid Steps - fun set of new quests in dungeons only accessible by teleport, plus some reuse of existing ones. If installed, my Gweden mod uses a step of its own.
Shezrie's Towns - mainly because I was a contributor, but I also liked her quests. This mod keeps disappearing, so may be hard to find.
Open Cities - a lot of folks used that, so I used it to ensure my mods were compatible. I liked the basic idea, too. I ran the version with Leyawiin as a port, with the Niben navigable though it. Some people prefer Better Cities, and the two are totally incompatible.

I can't really include Elsweyr Anequina and Valenwood Improved, as they werenever finished. I liked what was done so far, but the gaps were annoying, too. I had to patch a few places to make them fit together properly.

I found UL too incompatible with other mods to use it. But that was my choice of other mods, so yours may not be a problem.

But mostly I did just run my own, to avoid creating dependencies that I didn't want on other' mods

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

What about mods that enhance the game’s graphics or tweak the mechanics? Do y’all use any of those?

You bet I do! A ton of them. With my experimental build, almost everything gets a graphic makeover/alteration. This is a category I'll need to study before picking favorites, if that's even possible. (It doesn't help that my Experimental Build combo of Oblivion Reloaded & an ENB isn't configured properly so that in certain situations the world looks garishly ugly.)

Off the top of my head, I enjoy selected Unique Landscapes modules, mainly those that can be traveled during my avatar's road patrols. Roads of Cyrodiil is another nice addition, especially if you like to travel via roads. (Is it still called Roads of Cyrodiil? Or was it renamed during a major update?)

In any case, I need to study this more before formulating an informed, definitive response.

Ooo I’ve been thinking about trying an ENB. Which do you use or is it a custom thing you did yourself?

Well, after mine, I'd list

A body replacer/ head replacer. Lots of choices, all better than vanilla.
Toggle Quantity Prompt - makes selling items much easier/faster.
Dynamic Map - basis for adding the Elsweyr and Valenwood maps for those mods. It allows multiple maps to be added together, instead of having to be merged and saved as one. I probably also derived my own from Roads and Trails, which is decent on its own, as part of mine.
The Ayleid Steps - fun set of new quests in dungeons only accessible by teleport, plus some reuse of existing ones. If installed, my Gweden mod uses a step of its own.
Shezrie's Towns - mainly because I was a contributor, but I also liked her quests. This mod keeps disappearing, so may be hard to find.
Open Cities - a lot of folks used that, so I used it to ensure my mods were compatible. I liked the basic idea, too. I ran the version with Leyawiin as a port, with the Niben navigable though it. Some people prefer Better Cities, and the two are totally incompatible.

I can't really include Elsweyr Anequina and Valenwood Improved, as they werenever finished. I liked what was done so far, but the gaps were annoying, too. I had to patch a few places to make them fit together properly.

I found UL too incompatible with other mods to use it. But that was my choice of other mods, so yours may not be a problem.

But mostly I did just run my own, to avoid creating dependencies that I didn't want on other' mods

What is the “UL” that you mentioned?

Also, which head replacer have you found to be most to your liking? One of my biggest gripes about Oblivion is the character faces.

This post has been edited by TheCheshireKhajiit: Aug 8 2020, 03:39 PM

[ghastley]

What is the “UL” that you mentioned?

Also, which head replacer have you found to be most to your liking? One of my biggest gripes about Oblivion is the character faces.

UL = Unique Landscapes, as in Decrepit's reply.The only head replacer I'd found was Throttlekitty's Head6. I don't know if it's still available.

And I forgot to mention the Wobbly Goblet a.k.a the Lucky Mudcrab, by mALX. I don't think I had the latest, but I also ran some add-ons, that you can only get here at Chorrol, and then only once I finish re-installing my server.

This post has been edited by ghastley: Aug 8 2020, 05:09 PM

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

What is the “UL” that you mentioned?

Also, which head replacer have you found to be most to your liking? One of my biggest gripes about Oblivion is the character faces.

UL = Unique Landscapes, as in Decrepit's reply.The only head replacer I'd found was Throttlekitty's Head6. I don't know if it's still available.

And I forgot to mention the Wobbly Goblet a.k.a the Lucky Mudcrab, by mALX. I don't think I had the latest, but I also ran some add-ons, that you can only get here at Chorrol, and then only once I finish re-installing my server.

Oh ok, thanks for the info!

[Decrepit]

@CheshireKajiit

The ultimate Oblivion character overhaul is....drum roll....Oblivion Character Overhaul v2 (OCO2), combined with male and female body replacers, needed patches, and add-on augmentations. It can be a bit complicated to install, but "Bevilex' Modlist" at Nexus provides satisfactory instruction (plus plenty of screenshots).

(Link) Bevilex' Modlist for Oblivion Graphics (Link)

Scrolls down to and open its Body, Armor & Weapons section.

I'll link a couple of screenshots from my experimental build. Some of what I use has had updates since these were captured:

1) Uriel Septim and Baurus in an Imperial Prison cell, game start. There might not be a single original texture in this image, with the 'possible' exception of the Emperor's hair. Lighting isn't the best to show off OCO2, but I've next to no experimental build captures of NPCs.

2) My experimental avatar near Anvil Castle. I've many shots of my OCO2 avatar, but as with image 1, few show OCO2 to best advantage.

3) A favorite of Mine. Not a character closeup, but it demonstrates what can be done with the game.

BTW, the Bevilix List is, imo, the best Oblivion graphics improvement guide.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Aug 9 2020, 12:52 AM

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

@CheshireKajiit

The ultimate Oblivion character overhaul is....drum roll....Oblivion Character Overhaul v2 (OCO2), combined with male and female body replacers, needed patches, and add-on augmentations. It can be a bit complicated to install, but "Bevilex' Modlist" at Nexus provides satisfactory instruction (plus plenty of screenshots).

(Link) Bevilex' Modlist for Oblivion Graphics? (Link)

Scrolls down to and open its Body, Armor & Weapons section.

I'll link a couple of screenshots from my experimental build. Some of what I use has had updates since these were captured:

1) Uriel Septim and Baurus in an Imperial Prison cell, game start. There might not be a single original texture in this image, with the 'possible' exception of the Emperor's hair. Lighting isn't the best to show off OCO2, but I've next to no experimental build captures of NPCs.

2) My experimental avatar near Anvil Castle. I'm many shots of my OCO2 avatar, but as with image 1, few show OCO2 to best advantage.

3) A favorite of Mine. Not a character closeup, but it demonstrates what can be done with the game.

BTW, the Bevilix List is, imo, the best Oblivion graphics improvement guide.

Thanks for the info Decrepit! Those pics are stunning! I’ll be sure to take a look at that guide you linked!

[Renee]

I might not have all 10 right now, but I can definitely build a list.

1). Basic Primary Needs.

2). Witchcraft by SubRosa. I don't use it in all my games, but for Lady Saga (who is supposed to be a friend of a lot of Earth-like creatures by default) definitely essential.

3). MMM

4). Better / Open Cities.

5). Xena Warrior Princess (for Renee Gade III's game).

6). Coolsims Hair Pack and one other hair mod I'm forgetting at the moment.

7). A variety of alternate start mods. I've used at least three different ones over the years. TU Starting Options is probably my fave. Technically I should count all of these separately (and therefore, that would fill up the rest of the Top 10 for me).

8). Robert's Bodies (male and female)

9). Hmm.... still thinking about these final two selections.

10).

This post has been edited by Renee: Aug 13 2020, 04:37 PM

[haute ecole rider]

I've tried Oblivion Character Overhaul, but hated that all Imperials looked the same. And I didn't like what it did to - was it Dark Elves? High Elves? I can't recall just now but I didn't like the faces on them. I'll have to revisit it though, when I get around to installing Oblivion and playing it. I'm not sure that it's improved much since I last played TESIV.

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

I might not have all 10 right now, but I can definitely build a list.

1). Basic Primary Needs. Food, water, sleep matter! My characters are living beings whose health must be maintained.

2). Witchcraft by SubRosa. I don't use it in all my games, but for Lady Saga (who is supposed to be a friend of a lot of Earth-like creatures by default) definitely essential.

3). MMM

4). Better / Open Cities.

5). Xena Warrior Princess (for Renee Gade III's game).

6). Coolsims Hair Pack and one other hair mod I'm forgetting at the moment.

7). A variety of alternate start mods. I've used at least three different ones over the years. TU Starting Options is probably my fave.

I finish this later! I have to catch up on Buffy's fic now. :wink:

Ooo thanks for this list. A few of these definitely have my interest!

I've tried Oblivion Character Overhaul, but hated that all Imperials looked the same. And I didn't like what it did to - was it Dark Elves? High Elves? I can't recall just now but I didn't like the faces on them. I'll have to revisit it though, when I get around to installing Oblivion and playing it. I'm not sure that it's improved much since I last played TESIV.

So do you use any face mods? This is a must for me because vanilla faces are awful, imo.

[SubRosa]

Well, besides the basic utility mods like OBSE

Quarl's Texture Pack 3

Corean Hair

Ren Hair

Bedrolls

Cute Orcs Face Replacer

The face textures from Robert's Body

Keychain

Low Poly Grass

Luchaire's Neck Seam Concealer

NaRae Pose 1 & 2

PC Soundsets

Chase Camera Mod

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

Corean Hair

Does this work for all races? I only see a listing for something called Elves of Lineage.

[SubRosa]

Corean is an old mod. But the version I am used to is for all the vanilla races. I took the assets from it, and combined it with Ren's and several others, to make my own hair and eye mod for all my PCs and NPCs.

I think this is where I got the hairs from? But it was a long time ago.

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

Corean is an old mod. But the version I am used to is for all the vanilla races. I took the assets from it, and combined it with Ren's and several others, to make my own hair and eye mod for all my PCs and NPCs.

I think this is where I got the hairs from? But it was a long time ago.

Oh ok thanks for the link!

I’m probably going to use your Witchcraft mod per Renee’s recommendation, because I’m thinking about bringing a version of my very own witchy woman from ESO, Brenna, to Cyrodiil once I get the mods straight!

[macole]

So do you use any face mods? This is a must for me because vanilla faces are awful, imo.

If you like to see what Oblivion Character Overhaul v2 (OCOv2) can do to improve a Bosmer here is an example of my character before and after installing OCOv2. If you think that is an improvement, that is.
Jandaga 09/2010 with Natural Faces mod.
Jandaga resurrected, a Bosmer 3/2018; same game save only with OCOv2 and Blockhead (required for OCOv2) replacing Natural Faces

What I don't care for in OCOv2 is what it does to Orcs and Khajiit. Orcs often are brown with pointed noses. Khajiit's fur is too rough for may tastes.

This post has been edited by macole: Aug 10 2020, 10:56 PM