Downloaded a mod that seems to have just stopped the pop up journal entry for the Shivering Isles from activating. The Strange Door will supposedly still manifest in Niben Bay at game start, but noting is supposed to update until my character actually swims/water walks to investigate it. I need to check this and make sure it’s working right.

Now I have another question about controls. Do you who use controller on PC run any mods that allow you to more easily navigate menus ala the console version?

Yes... err... I made that myself. Because I couldn't find anything that functioned correctly. I have my own "Basic Utilities" mod that has all such stuff in, and a few other things that I want in every game.

I started with Hotkeys Galore but it hardcodes everything and doesn't always work. So rework and debug that, and you'll have things the way you want them. Make it as if you were going to use the keyboard and mouse, then configure them for JoyToKey. I can post my scripts, if you like, but you need to review them.

I would very much like to see your work on this, if you don’t mind posting it.

Below is a quest script that handles hot keys. Make a quest and attach this script to it.

I'm not sure whether this covers everything you were thinking about. Some of the functionality is just in the JoyToKey configuration.

Oh yes - I use an OBSE plugin Use WASD in Menus (OBSE). This is what allows to use the controller to scroll through menus.

I use Hotkey Pro. Which (dangit) has been set to Hidden as of late. Combined with Xpadder, I'm able to do anything with a controller that I did on Xbox or PS3, even surfing menus.

ONLY thing I need to do with a mouse (or actually, one of the controller joysticks simulating a mouse) is the Take All button, in the sense that I can't just "one touch" the button, I need to hover the cursor over it first. Also the Disposition minigame. One of my joysticks functions as the mouse pointer, but sometimes I'll just use an actual mouse instead.

Lena has configured Take All, though.

Thank you both. What a process this controller config is!


Ok, so when you say “make a quest”, you mean go into the Construction Kit?

'fraid so.

Yes. In the Construction Set, open the Quest window, right-click the list of quests on the left and select "New...". This will make a new quest. You'll see a "script" button - click it and attach this script. Oh right, you will need to have created and saved that script first, and make sure it's a Quest Script (script type). Depending on whether you use the original CS or the CSE, the layout of windows will be different.

Alternatively, you can download the original Hotkeys Galore mod and replace the script in it. But you still need the Construction Set because you need to save the script.


Which probably explains why I didn't find it when I was looking!


Well, it's configured. It works on Tuesdays only though. Don't know why but sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. I usually just move the pointer to it and click - with the controller.

Yes, this. You need to start the quest, add the script as she says, MAKE SURE the Script Type scroll-bar is set to Quest and not Object (I repeated this because if you don't do this, your script will seem to disappear, and yes, I've overlooked this step countless times...).

After adding the script to the quest, and saving it successfully, close the script and press OK. This closes the quest window. Reopen the quest, find the script in the scroll-bar, and press OK a second time. That's so the script definitely gets attached to the quest IF you want to go that route. If the scroll-bar says NONE instead of your script's name, that's not good.

Khajiit, I don't know how extensive your latest foray into Oblivion is. But if it's gonna last a few months or more, don't be afraid of the CS! Either one of us has extensive experience. Heck, I use the Construction Set or GECK or Creation Kit way more often than console commands or TESEdit/FOEdit.

I’m somewhat familiar with the CS. A few years ago I made a few brand new custom items with modified Bethesda textures, and I have used it for other BGS games as well. What I haven’t ever done is messed with quests or scripting, lol

See, and that's something I've completely ignored during my years messing round in these editors: meshes and textures! I haven't got a clue how they're made. But it's mostly because so many modders are already excellent at those facets of our games.

Quests & scripting though, those are things I wanted to learn. Because I can make my character's stories actually happen.

I think we have a little confusion on how to attach scripts to quests, and I fear Khajiit is going to run away screaming. The thing is, Renee and I are describing two different ways to attach a script to a quest. So I'll try to sort it out.

Method 1 - create the script from the Quest window. This is what Renee is saying. When you open the Quest window and click your quest (or make a new quest and click it), you can attach a script to it. But what if you haven't made that script yet? Well, then you can click the three dots near the "Script" drop-down box and it will take you to the script editor where you can enter and save your script. Then you return to your Quest Window but your script is not in the list... because it hasn't caught up with you yet. I find that you actually have to click another quest first, then come back to your original one, and then your script will be in the list.

For this reason I do it differently.

Method 2 - create the script first. In the CS there's an icon with a pen on it - that's the script editor. You can also open it from the menus. Click it, and select "New script". Copy-paste the script above (or write your own, hehe), and save. Make sure that the script type is set to "Quest" rather than "Object" (it is "Object" by default). In the standard CS this drop-down is on the bottom of the window, but in the CSE it's on the top.

Now open your Quest window, go to your quest and you will find your script in the drop-down box. If it isn't there, then you didn't make it a Quest script.

Once you set the script to your quest (or do any other thing, like give your quest a name or something), make sure to click another quest or at least one of the other tabs of the same quest. THIS IS WHEN YOUR DATA GETS SAVED!!! If you close the window without doing this, you may find that your changes weren't saved! This is a problem that I encountered on every tab!! You think you've done something, you're sure you weren't drunk, but you go back in and it's not there! So I now have a rule to always click on another quest before exiting.

But it isn't all that complicated, really. It's a bit scary at first, but you soon get the hang of it.

Subbie helped me a lot with learning how to create simple new items using standard BGS meshes and custom textures. I took the quilted doublet, one of the skirts (can’t remember which), and a pair of one of the common shoes and gave them dark greyscale textures. Pic of my work below.

Dark Doublet, skirt, and shoes.

And wouldn’t you know, I think I accidentally deleted this mod

That is a nice, simple goth outfit for people who don't want something extravagant.

Ope! The computer ate it!

Thanks, that’s exactly what I was going for! I probably should have done something to break up the black a little bit, but as this was a retex to use for learning how to make items, I kept the retex as simple as possible.

Correct, I hardly ever use the pencil icon method; only if I need to quickly find a script which I know has already been written will I go for that. Sorry for confusion.

Edit: that's beautiful work, Khajiit.


Edit 2: I'm still in the process of rebuilding Oblivion. Up to the Ds, doing the "Dwelling" folder now: Settlements of Cyrodiil, Abandoned Mountain Shack, Aleswell Cottage, and so on. I can remember back in 2014 when I first got my gaming computer, replacing my original (non-gaming) computer. Rushed home, drove @40 minutes from Micro Center, and then got the gaming computer plugged in and set up. And then I sat there, 8 hours straight, installing Oblivion! All in one sitting. Well, I would've had to get my controller working and so on. But still... 8 hours.

In comparison, I've lost count how many hours it's taking me this time. Probably up to 9 or 10 so far, and I'm not even in the Es yet. It'll be worth it in the end.

No worries, I haven’t been able to look at the scripting yet. I did download a few mods.

Use WASD in Menus

Alternate Start- Arrive by Ship

Natural Faces

Just the addition of the WASD mod is a big improvement when using a controller. The Natural Faces one I have apparently downloaded before and it really does a lot to clean up some of the weirdness with faces. Most of my gaming time this morning was spent getting my dlcs, unofficial patches, the dlc delayer mod, and the bashed patch sorted out. In the end I decided to just activate all of the dlcs and install the delayer mod esp that covers all of them. I don’t have a lot of interest in KotN and the delayer mod makes it so you have to read a certain book and then 5 game days later the Chapel of Dibella gets attacked. I originally didn’t plan on even activating it but it was more work not to apparently.

Oh and thanks for the compliment!

Yes, that's what I use as well. I wasn't sure what you meant by "make it work like on Xbox", but it could well be that this mod is all you need. The scripting can be seen as "extras".

Well on the Xbox, the menus are programmed so that you can just hit buttons to do different things. For instance, you equip items and spells with a “A”, you switch between stats, inventory, spells, and journal with the triggers, and you move between tabs in those categories with the left thumb stick. You can drop items from the inventory with, I think, “Y”, and exit with “b” instead of having to click the exit button on screen. The persuasion many game is also controlled using the left thumbstick and “a” (I think) instead of having to move the mouse over the option you want to select and then hitting left click on the mouse. Take all is “X”, I believe.

Yeah, if you wanted all of that as well, you need the scripting.

I’m going to try the scripting thing, but honestly, just being able to control what page you are on without having to move the mouse to and fro is a big help.

So on the video settings, how do the sliders for things like object fade, tree fade, etc, work?

Are you asking for how they work behind the scenes? Like scripts, maybe?

Otherwise, those sliders just configure how soon you're able to view trees, grass, NPCs, and so on. But I think you're asking something other than that.

There are no scripts, the functionality is built into the engine. But yeah, as to what they do, it's simple - it's the distance at which you stop seeing objects, trees, grass, etc., respectively. It's the same as what Renee said, just worded differently.

Oh, perhaps I should add: these are settings written into Oblivion.ini.

Sorry, my bad, unclear. Specifically I was wanting to know if you slide the slider all the way to the right on the “[x] fade” options, what exactly is it doing?

If my memory is still working, there is no actual fade involved. Things are rendered, or not, depending on distance. The max and min values aren't 0 and infinity, but something more like 20 feet and 600 yards. I.e there's a point at which you'll always see it, no matter what the slider setting, and a point at which it will always disappear. The meshes have a transition to a LOD mesh, and the textures and billboards get the 'fade slider' method.

I think Skyrim added a fade at the view distances, so that things no longer just pop into visibility, but in Oblivion it's on/off.

So say I’m messing with the “Item Fade” setting. If the slider is all the way to the left, are you saying that would be “off”, and if it was all the way right it would be “on”?

No I'm saying that all the way to the left, things will still be a minimum distance from you when you first see them, but the transition from invisible to visible as you approach is sudden appearance, rather than a fade in. And all the way right is not 'always visible' but a preset maximum that may depend on size.

Yes, the usage is slightly arcane. But I must say that with NPCs and creatures you do get a fade effect. I even get it with objects... Although officially it is on/off, and may be it is my graphic card doing it, but I definitely have fading in and out rather than popping in.

Ok got it. Thank you for explaining that!