Question re: Wrye Bash/OBMM

[Toatedsnow]

Relatively new to modding Oblivion and all so I wasn't overly enthused by having to learn yet another mod manager, i.e. Wrye Bash. Regardless, if I install a mod in OBMM, will it carry over to Wrye in that the latter will recognize the newly-installed mod and be able to work with it? Or are there some restrictions? Such as "it can only be loose files" or "only .esp/m's will be recognized."

 

If it helps clarify, my scenario is thus:

I want to install ONLY MMM and OOO. Not interested in the slew of changes that the Convergence thing offers. However, both mods offer either full manual or OMOD installs, nothing really in between.

Not to mention that when I started reading the procedure on how to convert OMOD files for BAIN use, my brain refused. "No," it said, "My primary energy is reserved for work that we will actually be paid for."

 

Which leads me to the above question - If I install MMM and OOO with OBMM, will Wrye Bash be able to act upon those files? What about files installed with OBMM in general? Or is it just a better idea to install OMOD files manually? And if I do so, will Wrye be able to act upon said manually installed files?

 

 

Additionally, in a somewhat related vein, regarding the whole bashed patch business - how exactly do I ensure that specific files overwrite other files? In MO (or any other manager really), this is determined by load order. You want to overwrite a texture, you install the overwrite later. Alright, fine, in MO you can also "hide" but my point still stands.

Regardless, the impression I get from Wrye is that everything is segregated according to bash tags and then combined in the bashed patch. So then, presumably, load order determines priority? Or is there some other malarchy at work?

 

I ask because Wrye's documentation, though certainly extensive, manages to say very little. And speaking as someone who writes for a living, this is both extremely common and mildly infuriating.

 

Cheers in advance

[Sladen2019]

Wrye Bash alone can handle 98% of your modding needs. I use Wrye Bash exclusively along with Boss for sorting. In the instances that I wasnt sure Wrye could handle something, I just installed manually. OBMM is actually an old and obsolete version. TESMM is a much more modern and alot of its code is built upon OBMM code. For OOO, I'd say just drop the bsa manually into your data directory. I dont know about MMM. One time I was forced to use OBMM. It was for Sensual Walks. It  has a complex install process that Wrye couldnt handle.  TESMM couldnt install it properly either, but that was mainly because the author of Sensual Walks doesnt use TESMM himself for whatever reason. If you want to use Wrye Bash, I suggest using the WIP version found at bethsoft forum. It has alot of fixes applied to it  and is much more recent than the version at Nexus. Its in the second post at this link to bethsoft forum.  https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7b5ily482re0khs/AAD3vAWMVJNIpuS30tsdVte5a?dl=0

Bleeding Edge 307 is what you want. Wrye Bash can be intimidating at first but its easy after abit.

[Toatedsnow]

Mate, though I appreciate you gamely attempting to take a stab at my queries, you have answered none of them, giving only the cursory response of "well, maybe just drop in the BSA?" vis-a-vis OOO. Nevertheless, I'll have a look at TESMM. It'll give me something to do while waiting for some (hopeful) answers.

 

That said, allow me to clear the air. I'm not taking aim at Wrye Bash. From what I understand, it's quite a useful tool. I am, however, taking aim (and potshots) at its documentation. Also, the difference between Nexus and the WIP is a paltry 1 revision. And based on what the release notes say, the differences between the two are relatively minor. Not to mention that the discrepancy has nothing to do with the revision number anyway.

 

Cheers though. Anybody else able to weigh in?

[Vaelorian]

When you install an omod, TESMM (or OBMM if you're old-school, I guess) copies the archived files into your data folder (if there are options to use, it copies the files from the relevant sub-folders into the data folder).

Wrye can then act on those files, same as if you'd manually installed them. And yes, wrye can act on loose files just as well as files it installed.

Converting to bain installer and using that offers very little benefit.

 

I personally prefer to go with manual installation whenever possible, unpacking omods etc before actually installing anything, but that's just because I'm both paranoid about my install (and you would be too, in my position) and know exactly what I am doing in terms of modding.

Manual installation allows you to go over the files and make sure nothing you don't want is in there before you copy over. Omods and bain do notify you, but you're likely not going to be paying as much attention (from my experience).

 

As far as bashed patches, just set the mods in the order you'd have them load (lower gets the last word) then merge. That's all there is to it.

If at some point you're planning to use script-intensive mods such as Lovers, make sure you DON'T have them merged into the bashed patch because that will pretty much kill them.

[gregathit]

If you are familiar with MO, then why are you even contemplating switching over to Wyre?  While Wyre does have the bashed patch that is going to really be your only difference.  As to the bashed patch, yep, you are right on track, it pulls from the bash tags AND it pulls from load order.  You can tweak this as well.  It is really a pretty powerful tool.   

 

Bain vs OMOD vs manual installation..........well, it mainly boils down to how easy you want it to uninstall.  If you don't plan on unistalling anything.......then just pick whichever one you want and go with it.  Or do the good ole standby of manual installation.  

 

So, can you use one, two or all three..........Sort of.  If you install an OMOD with OBMM.......then you are stuck with OBMM to uninstall it.  Same thing with BAIN.  Same as if you manually installed something.......you'd have to manually remove it.  Make sense?  

 

Example: You use OBMM (better to use TESMM as it has all the same features plus more) and you install some OMOD files.  You can still fire up Wrye Bash and create a bashed patch.  It won't fuss with you, as it just sees the esm and esp files and doesn't give a shit where they came from.  Same thing for TESMM.

[Toatedsnow]

To answer the initial above, I was contemplating swapping to Wrye because everybody, their mother, and their dead dog advised against MO, quoting issues with Steam and OBSE. The peer, old lady, and dead housepet pressure got to me. Much akin to that time I proposed reading Anna Karenina back to front - after all, where does this Tolstoy bastard get off, telling me I have to read his book in numbered order. The amount of dirty looks I received was nothing short of obscene.

 

Anyway, moving along, the two of you have answered every question. Delicious. Shame I can't buy you lot a pint as we have yet to arrive at a point where digital reconstruction of beer is plausible. Unfortunate.

Sentiment's still there though I'd imagine it's rather lacklustre, given the lack of otherwise accompanying beer.

 

 

[fejeena]

And remember you can unpack every OMod. ( yes must have OBMM or TESMM installed)

Put the OMod in the OMod folder, start OBMM, in the right Window  right-click the OMod and choose "extract to folder", and choose a empty folder.

Now you can install it manually , OR you can delete things you dont want ( readmes, sceenshot folder,... AND in many Body, armor and clothes Mods are outdated skeletons )

I always check/unpack OMods before I install it,

Like Roberts male Body: I dont need the install/select function. So I repack the Mod, only the nude body I want and the textures. Then I create a new OMod.

[MataHari]

And remember you can unpack every OMod. ( yes must have OBMM or TESMM installed)

Put the OMod in the OMod folder, start OBMM, in the right Window  right-click the OMod and choose "extract to folder", and choose a empty folder.

Now you can install it manually , OR you can delete things you dont want ( readmes, sceenshot folder,... AND in many Body, armor and clothes Mods are outdated skeletons )

I always check/unpack OMods before I install it,

Like Roberts male Body: I dont need the install/select function. So I repack the Mod, only the nude body I want and the textures. Then I create a new OMod.

You can extract an omod in Wrye Bash (requires Wrye Bash 292) too, so unpacking an omod doesn't require one tool.