Hey TL, really like the looks of the new site - I can read it now!! It needs a bit of proofreading (second sentence of Oblivion Hardware anolysis - presume you meant "want" and not "what") I remember that when I was spec'ing out my new machine a while ago, I actually found that some of the older video cards actually performed better than some of the newer ones because they were optimized for DX9 (Nvidia 85xx versus the 9xxx series in particular). Mind you, they've probably tweaked the drivers since then, so I'm not sure if that's still the case...

Ahh! She lives! Wonderful news! Beginning to wonder if the constant wail of voices (to which my own has joined in on occasion) crying "Tomlong, my game is broken! What do I do?!?" had finally gotten to you!

Not yet, eh? Good for you!

I've been a lot busier myself lately, but am still very interested in your site's development. Let us know when you've made some more headway... I'll dedicate some time to checking it out.

Also, I have updates on my config. It's changed a bit in the last month or so... not drastically, but significantly.

Oh and one more thing... I owe you an apology from something you probably won't remember, but I owe it to you nonetheless. Back when we first became acquainted (in Blade of Mercy's thread), I questioned re-packing optimized meshes into BSAs. Stubbornly, I stuck to the OMOD'd meshes for reasons that I don't understand myself (oh, wait, it was FUD! I knew there was some reason, ha ha!) Anyway, I finally tried the BSA method and immediately saw an improvement... like big time. Man, I am an idiot sometimes!

You were right, of course. And I know it's been a while, but I try to be the first person to admit when I'm wrong.

OK, enough off-topic gibberish! Glad to see an appearance, if ever so brief. Take care, and keep us updated on the site!
veg

Yup. Thank you. If you find anything more, just let me know. I am going to do a huge garbage collection sweep in a few days, now that the site is coming to a landing place.



Wow, thanks. I appreciate it. Don't worry. I have not forgotten about your update. Actually, I was thinking about it as I was working on the LO section. I plan to post a link to your LO page as the first link to the new site in the main thread. (Hopefully, I can push my little graphic designer to come up with a better skin by that time. I'll put that on my list of things to do when I get home from work today. -__^)


Status:

Latest update - I have not uploaded the latest updates, and the changes might not be immediately obvious anyway. Yesterday, I was able to write the code to put the "Related" sections at the bottom of each page. I have also uploaded the links, but they need to be tagged before they appear. I'll tag them as I feel like it...but I do no need to test the tag-matching code to get the best lists at the bottom.

ToDo Today - Now, I finally get to work with Javascript again, yay! Initially, I was going to put hardware info prompts on specific pages, but now I am going to create a "user system" page where users can input information such as there hardware specs, Oblivion Installation path, etc. On certain pages, there will be little notes with pseudo-links to bring up a dialog box to encourage users to modify setting relevant to the page, if they have not done so already. Along with this, there are still about 50 pages missing from the old site, primarily guides and utility intro pages. The guides require templates and code to fill them in, and I do not know how many templates they'll require... The, what I want to be, "virtual utility tours" will probably be made from scratch. Therefore, those pages will likely be left behind. Between the mod guides and the random tutorials...10 per...definitely not the BAIN guide, about 40 more pages could go up today. It depends on how the Javascript thing goes because the Important Locations page looks kind of pathetic right now...

Still ToDo:
- site navigator <-- This is all Javascript, thousands of lines (largely do to storage) but the plan is to start on this tomorrow. It will likely be primarily for the general install at first.
- more attractive layout <-- waiting on that designer...artists...
- proofing and updates (of existing content) <-- after base site is complete (looking toward this weekend...yay...)
- clean code

Forever tasks:
- code refactoring
- editing (page content)
- more related resources
- updates to CPS lib, RLO db, guides and tutorials


Edit: I just have to say that the column size bugginess is annoying. They layout is definitely switching to fixed width once the new design is created. There is a possibility that jQuery could be use to do something when the window is smaller so that users viewing the site with smaller screens might have an easier time reading it.

I forgot to mention these too:
- improved site search
- the site category will probably be moved to one or two nav bars => site search box
- add link to parent page at the top of each page

Also thinking about...
- right-click term look-up menu option
- parser for Bash load order (highlighting)
- parser for BAIN package lists (highlighting, page-linking)

I took about a year off from "mod using" oblivion. I went through a stage trying to discover other games I might want to play. I didn't find anything (perhaps Two Worlds II when it comes out) that makes me want to devote any time to it. Modding oblivion gives me satisfaction. Even though it takes a lot of time just learning and working on building your oblivion setup, it gives me satisfaction like any good hobby should. I have given myself some new guidelines; try to keep working on oblivion to one hour per day, try new things (like BAIN installation), don't be afraid to unistall the whole setup and do it over...practice makes perfect, and last but not least give up the habit of wanting to download body mods, clothing and armor mods, etc. They tend to be distracting eyecandy that never end up giving long term satisfaction. Also, I have given in on that I might not play as much of the game as I want, but as I said, this hobby of buiding my setup is satisfying so I am giving it another chance.

So here is my question, what would be the appropriate place to give you some spelling/grammer/readability suggestions for your awesome and informative website? Is it here in the forums boards, a private message or sending you an email. I envision copy/pasting a whole page and just sending you the txt file with my suggestions/edits in bold. There are a few per page so listing them here in forum could be tedious. I know you going through a cleanup phase with your website, but I wanted to let you know that it was a god send for me. It is invaluable to me, giving me confidence so that I can switch to a 99% BAIN setup (if nothing else to at least try BAIN setups out). Thanks again for all the work you have put into these manuals, tutorials and walkthroughs. I have been in the community for four or five years (is it six?) and I really appreciate when someone with teaching tools like yours and Blades of Mercys comes along. I am not that much of a biblical person, but what Aaron was to Moses, you are to Wrye.

Let me give you an example of the edits I am talking about. On the page "S2B: Make FCOM Components BAIN-Ready".

17. Create a folder "06 Extras" (or delete the "junk" items)
18. Move the "Extras" items into the "07 Extras" folder if you keep these items.
19. Select the everything, right-click and (7-zip) add them to "OOO 1.33.7z."

Should be:

17. Create a folder "06 Extras" (or delete the "junk" items)
18. Move the "Extras" items into the "06 Extras" folder if you keep these items.
19. Select everything, right-click and (7-zip) add them to "OOO 1.33.7z."

Hi, Tomlong.
Just wanted to say hi and thanks for your support during my first successful BAINstallation. Beats OBMM any time of the day.
Bainstallation was such confusion but once done, I run steady game and does not tremble when I think about mod updates anymore
Thank you.

Posting those things here is fine, since this is the new build page. You can find a link to the main thread (which I have been neglecting) in my sig. I really appreciate this. It will expedite the editing process, and as I edit, I'll be fixing the page code as well. I wish the process only entailed fixing typos, but that should be the case (more often) in the future.




You are always welcome, Blade of Mercy, haha. It is good to hear things are going well.

Minor Updates (life issues and work tasks are abundant this week): I have implemented the subpages code, cleaned up some inconsistencies, and figured out how I am going to implement the user settings page. That basically leaves porting guide pages for tomorrow. For now, the site navigator will be pretty basic. The code for making it and various other pages pseudo-dynamic will be in place once that user settings page is coded. I think the site will have a new skin tomorrow too, but we'll see... Anyway, if all goes as planned, the site will have all of the semi-final updates late tomorrow. Then I'll spend Sunday cleaning and implementing an immediate suggestions for which I'll have time. It will take time for the site to appear "dynamic" because that requires the writing of additional and/or alternate content.



Thanks again, all.
- Tomlong75210


Edit: Also, the OMOD conversion examples page will not be moved because I will create OMOD Info for any for which I would have posted instructions. The BAIN page has already been moved, but I plan to start uploading BCF's as well.

Edit: Might try feedback forms too...

Hi Tomlong.

Nice to see you back,good luck with your update.

A quick question please.

I'm trying to sort out a clean install using your other Guides.With varying success.
Is it too early yet to use your new site? I might find some solutions on there.

Thanks once again.

James.

I will not really be back until sometime later this week. The information on the new site does not differ much from that on the old, yet. However, if you have any specific steps that you find unclear (or lacking) in the current guides, let me know. That is what the guides thread is for (link in my sig.) I can do part of the updating during the editing process, the first round of which will be started tomorrow.

I definitely botched the cookie script update... I need to add a link to the old site to the Contacts page too, heheh...


Post with link to new site - http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1091580-tesivpositive-performance-optimiation-stabilization-information/page__view__findpost__p__16096851

Good morning! (it is still morning, yes? for a few more minutes... hmm, but not by the time my slow typing gets done with this...)

Good afternoon!

Glad to see things are coming along! I am looking at my load order page now, and I like how it's coming together. I'll have to get you the latest on that, BTW... I, too, have had plenty of real life and work issues lately. I haven't had nearly enough time to play! But, I have ironed out a few problems, and all in all my build is as stable as it's ever been. Now I just need to try and play it a little more!

The site is really starting to look filled in, so I plan to spend some time this week reading pages and making some notes. Every time I do, I learn something I didn't know before... your sites are really good for that, you know?

Anyway, it's good to see you with a little more time!
veg

Cool, thanks. I am starting the first round of editing, the more specific the comments, the sooner I can implement the changes. The cookie thing is really bother me right now though, so I'll take care of that first...

Tomlong: Just wanted to stop by and tell you that the new site looks amazing - it's more easy on the eyes, and I like the content as well.

My wishlist is:
1) A BAIN conversion guide for mods (like OOO, FCOM) - maybe use Psymon's ideas from his threads (in case those threads disappear via a forum overhaul).

2) Also: I want to see a mod installation sequence recommendation - what mods do you install first, followed by what, especially on a clean Oblivion install.

I know you posted a BAIN mod tab list on the previous site, but you indicated that was an alphabetical list, not a chronological list. I'd love to see a chronological list in case I later add a mod that affect previous mods, and I need to anneal the previously installed mod.

One example: Say I install giskard's Origin of Mages Guild (OMG) to an existing FCOM setup. I would then totally forget (unless BOSS reminds me) to anneal FCOM to install FCOM_OMG.esp. So your chronological list would tell me better to install OMG before FCOM, and if I do it the other way around, I can look down the list to see mods that should be annealed for appropriate changes...

EDIT:
3) Another request: How do I create archives for Original Oblivion files (what folders) in case I need to get them back? I see those Original files (Original Distantlod.7z etc.) in your BAIN package list, just can't find which particular files and folders need to be in these archives.

4) Some actual examples to merge plugins - what mods are fine to be merged with each other...

I agree. I just need to fix the buggy cookie situation which closes tabs seemingly randomly when the page is refreshed, and I also want to fix the not-so-fixed layout. (Still waiting on my little graphic designer before I tackle that one. I think I'll give her a call.)

1) I did that in the BAIN track of the FCOM guide. Are their specific amendments you want to see to that? I will, of course, be throwing lots of screenies into it.

2) The installing mods page has an installation order section. If you want a much more explicit example, my BAIN package list is exactly that. If you want more of a diary method (a.k.a. general installation guide) I plan to create a guide that goes through a complete installation of a basic mod setup, a "starter" guide of sorts. This idea came to me when I though of how a beginner's guide should be structured, so I was thinking of creating such a guide for installing about twenty or so "standard" mods. Part of the semi-dynamic feature of the site will be to allow users to select mods from a set of option that that guide can cover, so it will not have BOSS range or anything, but we will see what happens with that. I am still trying to get a handle on the DOM, which I basically tried to learn over the weekend. I think I have some concept of how to use it now. The dynamic aspect is kind of shot until I get that part running. Expanding it should be easy.

I need to rephrase the intro on that page because your not the first to mention that interpretation. That list is in chronological order. The packages are sorted alphabetically within section, excepting the override exceptions. I am just a neat freak, so I alphabetize things whenever I can. Seriously, if I start listing something (in a line or a list or however) and I notice that the items are in descending alphabetical order (generally) I will consciously continue the list in descending order. (Have you seen my About Me blurb?)

Annealing would not help you install FCOM_OMG.esp (unless Bash has had some crazy updated I missed) because you would still have to go to the package and check the plugin. Then you can use 'Install Missing' or 'Anneal'. That is on you.

3) Oh, those are from the Meshes BSA. It includes the Meshes, Trees and DLOD folders. I packed them into archives after extracting the BSA. I want to add a guide for resetting to the vanilla state without reinstalling though. A bad mod installation should not really require a reinstall.

4) The first part can be done. The second part already exists in the merging plugins page and the associated resources. I can add more of the content from those threads to the page, however. I have also added a merged mods section to the RLO database. Also, the pages with my lists up should be more detailed in the future. I keep the list of mods I merge in the merged plugin's description, so I should be able to add that type of information to the relevant pages in the future.

Hmmm... Maybe I can use the title tag to add information to my lists. That would at least be useful for the custom packages and merged plugins. I could list what the contain. I will think of something.

I have edited the Fran setup portion of the installation guides, downloading mods (mainly for the AN description error wrinklyninja pointed out), the embarrassing typo on the hardware anolysis page, the cookie problem (the first fix, actually) and now I am porting the MMMforOOO and OOO installation guides. If I am feeling up to it, I will move all of the guides today. I think that those are the last few pages from the old site that need to be moved... I'll do inventory tonight. After editing and updating, the new site will cover all of the old site plus just a little more.

The real new part is the dynamic stuff, which I am still getting a handle on...JavaScript DOM...ugh ;p... If I start working on that, I will neglect everything else. Once that code is done, however, it will just be a matter of throwing a few tags around the site pages.

planned but not yet implemented (depends on)
- all paths on the site are relative to users actual Oblivion setup (user settings code)
- ability to view vanilla-only locations or see BAIN location if BAIN is used on the important locations page (position on priority list)
- choose site theme, highlighting (user settings and page settings code)
- folding by section on the downloading mods page (indecisive about implementation method)
- toggle on off acronym/site terms hover definition boxes (position on priority list)
- in-depth starter guide (site navigator)
- new BAIN guide (site navigator)
- utility guides (time)
- patching guides (time)
- more detailed merging guide (time)
- expanded aesthetic overhaul guide (updating)
- performance checker (site navigator)
- system anolysis (user settings code)
- BCFs and OMOD info uploads (time)

I will let you all know when I upload the updated pages, so the changes can be viewed, especially the Fran install update. I will start taking LO contributions and requests for OMOD info uploads once the old site has been entirely moved.


Edit: I need to add a link to the current gamesas threads in a more convenient location too. This probably calls for a navbar, at the top...

*updated*

http://tesivpositive.animolious.com/index.php?page=guides_mod_installation&subpage=fcom_installation_guide&step=2&method=b

Nice work Tomlong. :clap:

I've just read through the whole thread and I was surprised that you not have http://lovkullen.net/Emma/index.htm or Yacoby's http://search2.yacoby.net/ mentioned before.

oops, sorry, Ill post this on the other thread

Sweet! only because I did not know of them. The latter clearly needs to be added to the finding mods pages, but I will figure out a spot for ...wait, I think I have the first site bookmarked, Robert's page. I did not realize that that was here site. Wow...cool! I will add that to the downloading mods and places to find mods. Well, that is really done by tagging, but everything should work out. I need to tweak the RR section building code just a bit, but the main work I need to do is tagging the links and pages. Maybe I will do that today while I do not have much to do, but first I need to import the last few guides.


For now, posting in this thread is as good as posting in the main thread. I may just turn this into the next thread, once the other one dies. It is getting close...

The old site has been moved (as far as I can tell without a thorough check done yet.) ^___^

I've just check the new web site and it seems to be accurate, but I would like to add http://www.elricm.com/nuke/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index another popular mod site.


Also add these utilities. :user:

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=31766
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Utilities.Detail&id=74
http://sourceforge.net/projects/notepad-plus/files/
http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=28189
http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=2342

ElricM's site is on the Downloading Mods page. I forgot to add it to Places to Find Mods. I'll update that, thanks.

The utilities...
- I still need to look into that utility. It is on my TODO list. I had issues with the earlier releases.
- Why does that utility's description mention Tribunal and Bloodmoon?
- I love that utility. Sure.
- The Oblivion Tweak Guide has outdated information. I would have to look at that tool and see what sort of tweaks it allows. Wrye Bash already provides INI tweak functionality too, and there was another INI tweaking utility... Anyway, I think it is safer if users tweak the Oblivion.ini file themselves.
- After looking at the different save managers, I chose Oblivion Save Game Manager 2, which has been updated more recently than many of the others. I can look at both later. Thank you for pointing this out.

I use the BOSS gui my self I don't have any problem with it so far.
Nevermind just skip the GMST utility, my apology for I was mistaking. :facepalm:


There is something I disagree with you, because you can do just like that in the manual edit http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/images/28189-4-1258196453.jpg (not shown on the pics).

I will look at it when I get home today, but the pulled from the Oblivion Tweak Guide description does not encourage me...

Ok, I wait to hear from you later then, when you have tried all it's features.

Call me crazy, but it looks like maybe your cookie issue has been resolved? :cookie:

EDIT: more appropriate smiley, haha!