Introduction
Role playing games or RPGs provide a world of mystery and adventure through which players can truly bask in their imagination. RPG video games are very popular worldwide as they offer great content that is quite unique. The amazing quests, the action packed duels, the great adventures, and the skill based levels are some of the highly acclaimed features of a good RPG.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is no exception in this matter. This game has truly inspired people and has changed the gaming world overall. To this day, this game is being played by fans from all around the globe even though it was released quite a while back.
The environment that this game presents is truly unmatched. But due to this game being quite “old”, it can seem a bit outdated. This is why modding in this game has become quite popular. Modding can greatly enhance the user experience by adding new features and improved gameplay, which is another reason why this game is so popular to this day.
Oblivion
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is the fourth title in the series. It is set in the capital of the Imperial City during the Oblivion Crisis. It is a never ending game and players are only limited to their imagination. You can have adventures in diverse locations while completing various quests, battling enemies and leveling up. It provides everlasting fun and excitement with its gameplay that is still enjoyed by fans around the world.
Important Step before Modding
Modding might seem like a daunting task and you might hesitate before going this route as you are unsure of the process. That is why it is recommended that you save a copy of the game files. This is done so that if something were to go wrong in the modding process, you will always have a clean copy of the game to land back on.
How to Mod Oblivion?
There are several methods through which you can install mods for this popular game. These all vary according to preferences and skill level and depend on what types of modifications you are looking for. Some of these methods are:
- Using Nexus Mod Manager from Nexus Mods
- Manually Installing Mods
- With the use of Oblivion Mod Manager
Things Required
Before you jump right into modding your way through Oblivion, there are a few requirements needed beforehand:
- Copy of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, which is readily available on multiple platforms online
- WinRAR to extract all the mods and necessary files
- Nexus Mod Manager (If you are using Method # 1)
- 7zip (If you are using Method # 2)
- OBMM (if you are using Method # 3)
Installing Oblivion
Before you start modding, you need to have an actual copy of the game ready to go and installed. In order to do that, there are a few steps and guidelines:
- Purchase the Oblivion game to add it to your library
- Choose the location of installing file of the game
- It is recommended not to install the game in the Program Files drive
- Head over to the game directory “Chosen Drive”:\Games\BethesdaSoftworks\Oblivion
- Right click Oblivion.exe
- Navigate to Compatibility tab
- Tick checkbox next to “Run this program as administrator”
- Install the game
Ways to Mod Oblivion
There are multiple routes you can go for if you are looking to add on to your vanilla Oblivion experience with the help of mods:
- Using Nexus Mod Manager (NMM)
Nexus Mod Manager has to be one of the oldest methods of modding your game. This service is widely used by the majority of people who want to install mods in Oblivion. There are certain advantages when going with NMM to install mods to Oblivion:
- You can find any mod you are looking for without any hurdles
- This Mod Manager is by Nexus, which is one of the main and trusted platforms from which video game modders have obtained their library for years
- If you are having any difficult or have any sort of query then the Nexus community tab and help center is available for you 24/7
- You can filter through the large array of mods to find the one you’re looking for
- Installing and Running NMM
- Head over to the Nexus Mods Website
- Search for Mod manager
- Download and install the NMM
- Load up NMM after installation
- Downloading Mods
- Browse through Nexus Mods
- Download your desired mod
- Double click “Mods” tab in NMM after downloading
- NMM will install your Mod
- You will be prompted if you are updating a mod you already have (Select if you want to update or install separately if this is the case)
- Read installation instructions of each mod
- You have successfully installed your mods
- Managing the Load Order
Before learning the steps to managing load order, you need to understand what this actually means. Load order refers to the order of mods that your game is going to unload. This means that certain mods must be loaded before others in order for all of them to work as intended. This is usually done automatically by the mod manager but may require manual alterations in the case of some mods.
- You can manage load order from the “Plugins” tab
- Just drag and drop the .esp to change load order
- If there is no .esp, it will still be installed
- Check the box in the plugins tab for mods with esp/esm to activate them
- Manually Installing the Mods
This method is not preferred and isn’t as widely used except by people who feel that they can accurately manage the mods and installations without the help of a manager.
- Installing and Extracting 7zip
- Browse the 7zip website
- Select the file according to your computer’s specifications
- Download and install the program
- Run the program
- Downloading and Installing Mods
- Download your desired mods from Nexus Mods
- Open archive (.7z, .zip or .rar) with 7zip
- Click extract
- Select files (esp, bsa, etc.) and (meshes, textures, sounds, etc.)
- Extract these files in Oblivion data folder (\Games\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion\Data)
- Open up your preferred launcher (e.g OBSE)
- Activate mod by ticking checkbox next to esp/esm
- Using Oblivion Mod Manager
- Downloading and Running OBMM
- Go to Nexus Mods and search for Oblivion Mod Manager
- Download and install the program in the preferred directory
- Open up OBMM
- Omod Creator
- Click ‘Create’ at the bottom of the window
- New window of ‘omod creator’ will pop up
- Click ‘add archive’
- Navigate to archived download location and double click
- Add name, version number, author in text boxes in omod creator for the mods
- Click ‘Create omod’ after you are done
- Activating Mods
- A window will pop up after decompression and loading has taken place
- Click OK
- There will be two parts in the OBMM window: left part shows all active mods and right part shows installed mods
- There will be a green square on the right side in front of the installed mod, which indicates that the mod is inactive
- Click Mod to highlight and activate it
- Square should turn blue and mod should be shifted to left side
- Tick checkbox in front of the mod on the left list
- You have successfully installed mods to Oblivion
Recommendation
You can use any of the above-mentioned methods of installing your desired mods. They all have their benefits and flaws associated with them. Overall, we think that the best option for you and your modding experience is Nexus Mod Manager. This is because this method is highly acclaimed by modders around the globe because it is not only quite easy to use and understand but it provides a wide array of mods.
Nexus is one of the main mod providers out there for Oblivion, so their official manager is bound to take advantage of their huge library. This method is also quite safe and trusted and keeps you away from any malicious activity which is honestly the last thing you want when you are just trying to have fun. But if you feel that if you have a lot of experience modding and can handle managing the process then by all means try that method.
Final Words
Have you ever wondered how this vast variety of mods keeps on increasing day by day? Well, the credit all goes to the hardworking modders out there who are looking out for you needs. Modding a game is not an easy task by a longshot and it can take quite a lot of valuable time and effort.
Modders constantly roll out updates, patches, advanced features and much more just for you; so apart from installing their mods, you can help them out as well. You can support the modders by donations so that they can continue pumping out content for your consumption. If you cannot financially support them, you can help them out by reporting any bugs and instabilities. Modders are also always open to suggestions so, if you have anything in mind, let them know. All in all, modders are a key aspect of the world of Oblivion.