New Post: Oblivion using Lutris

_drafts/oblivion-full-dlc-playthrough.md

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+### My Mod List
+
+My most recent mod list had a few objectives. First, I love [Better
+Cities](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/16513) and [Maskar's Oblivion
+Overhaul (MOO)](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/42780), and so I'll use
+them. Second, I'm not generally concerned with graphics improvements/overhauls.
+Lastly, despite the first point, I wanted to play with a "Vanilla Plus"
+emphasis.
+
+As before, I recommend reading through the [Oblivion Comprehensive Modding Guide
+by Dispensation](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/49898). It covers how
+to use all the above installed tools, and walks through mod recommendations for
+every aspect of the game. The Unofficial Official Patches are essential and
+always recommended. The various bug and engine fixes may or may not help out;
+try them out and use the ones which do!
+
+My "vanilla plus" mod list weighs in rather light. _Better Cities_ and _MOO_ are
+the big ones. The remaining mods with significant changes are [Ultimate
+Leveling](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/49134), to fix some of
+Oblivions leveling problems; [Combat
+Additions](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/49939), to improve the combat
+aspects of the game; and [Supreme
+Magicka](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/12466), for some added magic.
+
+I use [Better Dungeons](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/40392), [Better
+Forts](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51897), the various ["Add Some
+Flavor"](https://next.nexusmods.com/profile/gweow/mods) mods from gweow, [Lights
+of Cyrodiil](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/46131), and [Legion
+Forester Outposts Revistited](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/51512) to
+spice up the world spaces a bit. A few of the _"Add Some Flavor"_ mods conflict
+in small ways with _Better Cities_.
+
+I add [Thieves Arsenal](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/9655), and
+[Bounty Quests Fixed and
+Polished](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/48330) to add some additional
+quests and flavor.
+
+To avoid fast travelling, I use [Cyrodiil Travel
+Services](https://www.afkmods.com/index.php?/files/file/263-cyrodiil-travel-services/)
+to get around easier; and [Traveler's
+Tent](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/49654) for a mobile base of sorts.

_posts/2025-01-09-oblivion-lutris.md

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+---
+  tabtitle: "Oblivion on Linux: Lutris Edition"
+  title: "Oblivion on Linux: Lutris Edition"
+  topics: [gaming]
+  pub: 2025-01-09
+  short_desc: "Modding Oblivion on Linux using Lutris and Wine, without Steam."
+---
+
+# Oblivion on Linux: Lutris Edition
+
+I love Oblivion. I've written before about setting up Oblivion on Linux using
+the Steam version, Proton and a handful of aliases: [Part
+1](/2021/11/20/oblivion-linux.html) covers most of the tooling setup, and [Part
+2](/2021/12/09/oblivion-linux-2.html) covers some mods I liked. This setup
+works, though it is a bit of a hassle to manage. It requires running the tools
+individually through aliases from a terminal, which can be intimidating and
+unfriendly. It also requires the Steam version of Oblivion.
+
+When I recently decided to return to Cyrodiil and close some gates, I wanted to
+review my setup, and also my mod list. I discovered that Wrye Bash now does have
+a native Linux application (as does LOOT!). However, I opted to stick with using
+Wine and Windows versions of these applications due to a complication of modding
+Oblivion in general: the case-sensitive nature of the filesystem. On Linux, the
+filesystem is case-sensitive; on Windows, the filesystem is **not**
+case-sensitive. For modding, this means if you extract an archive with a
+`Data/meshes` folder, but your current setup has a `Data/Meshes` directory, on
+Linux you'll end up with two directories: `Data/Meshes` _and_ `Data/meshes`.
+There are solutions to this problem on Linux, namely using an EXT-4 filesystem.
+I don't feel like reformatting my disks, and so I'll let Wine handle it. It may
+mean a slight performance hit, but it's Oblivion - there are **always**
+performance hits. If there aren't performance hits, then you haven't modded the
+game enough yet.
+
+## Setup: Game
+
+I'll be using [Lutris](https://lutris.net) to handle installing and launching
+the game. No more terminal aliases! I'm also using the [GOG version of
+Oblivion](https://www.gog.com/en/game/elder_scrolls_iv_oblivion_game_of_the_year_edition_deluxe_the).
+Lutris allows you to link your GOG account, and easily install games using Wine
+(or native versions, if available!). In Lutris, I install the game to my
+preferred destination, using the default GOG Wine install script. After
+installation, I launch the game once to generate some initial configuration
+files, and verify things work as expected. Before the next steps, there is a
+significant change: the Wine version. In order to use the latest version of Wrye
+Bash through Lutris, I had to change the Wine version from my Lutris default,
+_wine-ge-8-26_, to my latest system version, 9.22. There seems to be a Windows
+API which Wrye Bash relies upon which isn't handled well in Wine versions
+previous to 9.
+
+Lutris can also install from downloaded GOG installers, without having to link
+accounts. Make sure to download all the parts (for Oblivion, there are 3: a
+small EXE, and two BIN files). When installing, make sure all the downloaded
+files are in the same directory. In Lutris, click the `+` button to add a new
+game, and select "Install a Windows game from an executable." Name the game as
+you wish, and add identifier
+`the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion-game-of-the-year-edition-deluxe` for the GOG
+version. It'll pull down nice looking images. On the next screen, click the
+`Install` button next to "Setup file", choose your desired directory, and then
+select the EXE downloaded from the three files above.  Lutris will create the
+Wine prefix, and load the GOG Installer. Make note of the directory you chose
+above for installation (default will be in the Lutris game library directory,
+`Lutris Hamburger Menu` -> `Preferences` -> `Storage` -> _Game Library_), and
+substitute it accordingly below.
+
+Assuming everything is setup and running, the last step here is to note where
+Lutris installed the game. The path to the directory will differ, but the
+directory structure should be similar to the below. The Lutris "Directory"
+(Right-Click -> Configure) value will bring you to the Wine directory (with
+`drive_c`), and from there will be the `GOG Games` directory (or possibly
+renamed; this can be changed during the GOG install process), and then the
+`Oblivion` directory.
+
+```
+Lutris
+ |-> gog
+  |-> the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion-game-of-the-year-edition-deluxe
+   |-> drive_c
+    |-> GOG Games
+     |-> Oblivion
+      |- Data
+      |- Oblivion.exe
+      |- ...
+```
+
+### xOBSE
+
+- [Project Link](https://github.com/llde/xOBSE)
+- [Nexus Links](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/37952)
+
+The Oblivion Script Extender is required for many mods, and should be considered
+essential for anything beyond a strict vanilla playthrough. Download the latest
+version, and extract it to the `Oblivion` directory. When you launch Wrye Bash
+(covered next), in the lower-left corner, on the icon bar, should be a green
+checkbox.  Hovering over it will notify you that OBSE is enabled. Clicking that
+box will toggle OBSE. Generally, make sure it is enabled (checked).
+
+At this point, before any other tools, when you double-click/Play Oblivion, it
+will launch the purely vanilla Oblivion that was installed above. To use OBSE,
+right-click Oblivion in Lutris, choose _Configure_, and on the "Game Options"
+tab, change the _Executable_ by clicking the button with three dots (labeled
+"Select a file") to `obse_loader.exe`. Save the changes, and re-launch.
+
+## Pre-Setup: Tools
+
+Before setting up the modding tools, it is required to run Oblivion once. This
+will generate the INI file.
+
+I also recommend adding the Wrye Bash `bash.ini` file detailed below before
+running Wrye Bash for the first time. By declaring where the executable for
+Oblivion is, Wrye Bash won't try to automatically find it, which can cause some
+troubles or confusion.
+
+## Setup: Tools
+
+I'll be using the following tools. When possible, download the stand-alone
+version of the tool. To make things easy, I use the `GOG Games` directory for
+all the tools.
+
+```
+drive_c
+ |-> GOG Games
+  |- BethINI
+  |- LOOT
+  |- Mods
+  |- Mopy
+  |- Oblivion
+  |- TES4Edit
+```
+
+### Wrye Bash
+
+- [Project Link](https://github.com/wrye-bash/wrye-bash)
+- [Homepage](https://wrye-bash.github.io/)
+- [Nexus Link](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/22368)
+
+Mod manager, and **everything else** launcher in this setup. One of the most
+exciting results of this setup is handling almost all modding management through
+the Wrye Bash UI. From the Project Link, download the stand-alone executable
+from the releases. I extract it to the `GOG Games` directory, which will create
+a `Mopy` directory. Within that will be the executable, `Wrye Bash.exe`. Next,
+in the `Mopy` directory, copy the `bash_default.ini` file to `bash.ini`. Make
+the following changes (or replace `bash.ini` with this information):
+
+```ini
+[General]
+; -- Path to mod directory.
+;    These are relative to the Oblivion directory.
+sOblivionMods=..\Mods
+sBashModData=..\Mods\Bash Mod Data
+sInstallersData=..\Mods\Bash Installers\Bash
+
+; -- Path to the Oblivion directory.
+;    "C:" here is drive_c on our filesystem.
+sOblivionPath=C:\GOG Games\Oblivion
+
+; -- User directory stuff.
+;    "C:" here is drive_c on our filesystem.
+;    Make sure to replace YOUR-USERNAME with your username
+sUserPath=C:\users\YOUR-USERNAME
+sPersonalPath=C:\users\YOUR-USERNAME\Documents
+sLocalAppDataPath=C:\users\YOUR-USERNAME\AppData\Local
+
+[Tool Options]
+; -- TES4Edit
+;    Path is relative to the Oblivion directory.
+sTes4EditPath=..\TES4Edit\TES4Edit.exe
+
+; -- TES4LODGen
+;    Path is relative to the Oblivion directory.
+sTes4LodGenPath=..\TES4LodGen\Tes4LODGen.exe
+
+; -- LOOT
+;    Path is relative to the Oblivion directory.
+sLOOT=..\LOOT\LOOT.exe
+```
+
+In this configuration, the relative paths are relative to the `Oblivion`
+directory (where the game executable is). For all remaining tool setup, modify
+the paths in this configuration to match the paths for the tool executable (or,
+rename the tool directories, which is what I prefer).
+
+This is where the magic happens: within Lutris, right-click Oblivion and choose
+_Configure_. On the "Game Options" tab, change the _Executable_ by clicking the
+button with three dots (labeled "Select a file"), and choose the `Wrye Bash.exe`
+executable in the `Mopy` directory. Save the configuration, and
+double-click/Play Oblivion. This time, Wrye Bash will start up (**Remember:**
+This will not work on versions of Wine older than 9!).
+
+At this point, when you want to play Oblivion, you will open Lutris, and launch
+"Oblivion." This will launch Wrye Bash. You can then click the Oblivion icon in
+the lower-left icon bar to launch the game. As additional tools are configured,
+they will appear in the lower-left icon bar (everything except BethINI). To use
+the tool, you'll run it from Wrye Bash.
+
+### LOOT
+
+- [Project Link](https://github.com/loot/loot)
+- [Homepage](https://loot.github.io/)
+
+LOOT handles mod load order. Another application with a native Linux version. I
+had previous run into some bugs, but everything looks to work as expected now.
+Despite that, I still download and use the stand-alone Windows version (the
+archive from the releases, not the EXE). I extract it to my `GOG Games`
+directory, and rename the directory (or edit the `bash.ini` file) so the
+executable is where my Wrye Bash configuration expects it.
+
+If setup properly, when you run Wrye Bash, in the lower-left corner will be a
+bar full of icons, one of which will be a little treasure chest. Clicking it
+will launch LOOT. From there, sort the order, and then close LOOT. Wrye Bash
+will refresh, and you can continue on. LOOT will also notify you of any "dirty"
+mods, which can be cleaned using TES4Edit (see below).
+
+### TES4Edit
+
+- [Project Link](https://github.com/TES5Edit/TES5Edit)
+- [Homepage](https://tes5edit.github.io/)
+- [Nexus Link](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/11536)
+
+I'm still not a mod creator, so my uses of TES4Edit are limited to "quick
+cleaning." From the project page or Nexus, download the latest version, and
+extract the archive to the `GOG Games` directory. Rename the directory or edit
+the `bash.ini` file so Wrye Bash can find it; restart Wrye Bash to verify. Wrye
+Bash doesn't include a dedicated short-cut for the "Quick Auto Clean" option,
+instead you have to right-click on the TES4Edit short-cut (or the TES4LodGen
+short-cut), and choose "Quick Auto Clean". Choose the mod to clean from the
+list, click OK, and let the program do its work.
+
+### TES4LODGen
+
+- [Project Link](https://github.com/TES5Edit/xLODGen)
+- [Homepage](https://tes5edit.github.io/docs/16-xLODGen.html)
+- [Nexus Link](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/15781?tab=description)
+
+This will generate LOD files ahead of time, allowing for more distant objects to
+be shown as you adventure around Cyrodiil. Download the archive, and extract it
+to where Wrye Bash expects it, either changing the directory name or updating
+the `bash.ini` file accordingly. After mod installation is complete, click the
+icon from the icon bar to generate the LOD files.
+
+### BethINI
+
+- [Nexus Link](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/46440)
+
+`BethINI` helps manage the "oblivion.ini" file, providing sane options and a
+wizard for configuration. This is the only tool that is not run from Wrye Bash.
+However, it's still pretty easy to work with. Download the stand-alone archive,
+extract it to the `GOG Games` directory.
+
+To run the tool, in Lutris single-click on Oblivion. A bar should appear with
+some additional details about Oblivion, including some buttons: one will say
+"Play", and one will look like a wine glass; each will have a small button with
+an up-facing arrow. Click the arrow button next to the wine glass button, and
+select "Run EXE inside Wine prefix." Navigate into `drive_c`, then `GOG Games`,
+and into the directory you just set up for BethINI, and select `BethINI.exe`.
+
+Wrye Bash does allow for custom application short-cuts, but it requires creating
+a Windows shortcut `.lnk` file, and I cannot figure out an easier way to do
+that than to just run it from Lutris.
+
+## Post-Setup: Tools
+
+Verify each tool runs as expected. Conveniently, all the Bethesda DLCs are
+"dirty," so LOOT will notify you, and then you can clean them. Run BethINI,
+generate LOD files, and run the game from Wrye Bash. Praise Todd.
+
+## Mods
+
+Wrye Bash on Windows can install mods from an archive, but with this setup that
+functionality is unreliable. Instead, I extract the mod archives manually before
+installing them with Wrye Bash. For each mod that I want to use, I'll create a
+directory in the `Mods -> Bash Installers` directory, and extract the mod
+archive into that directory. Then, within Wrye Bash, on the "Installers" tab, I
+can install mods as expected.
+
+For actually using Wrye Bash, I recommend [laulajatar's
+guide](https://www.shrine-of-kynareth.de/wrye-bash-for-beginners-part-1-installation-and-installers-tab).
+Obviously, you can skip the installation steps for both Wrye Bash and OBSE.
+There is also the [Wrye Bash
+Manual](https://wrye-bash.github.io/docs/Wrye%20Bash%20General%20Readme.html).
+
+## Lutris Setup: Problems
+
+The significant problem with this setup is no way to alt-tab away from the game.
+To make things even more inconvenient, playing in a windowed mode also doesn't
+work, and shows only a black screen with audio. I haven't done an exhaustive
+trial of options and mods yet to try and fix this, because it isn't a major
+problem to me.
+
+The second inconvenience is as I mentioned above, with Wrye Bash not installing
+mods directly from archives. Again, not a major problem to me.
+
+I suspect that both of the problems can be resolved with some Wine tweaks.
+
+## Lutris Setup: Benefits
+
+What this setup gets right is ease of use, and ease of replication. All tools
+(except BethINI, for now) and the game are run from Wrye Bash. No juggling
+multiple application entries, aliases, or special setups. Plus, all tools, mods,
+and the game itself are all within the Lutris directory, making multiple setups
+a breeze: just copy the directory. In Lutris, you can then duplicate the entry
+(Right-Click -> Duplicate), and edit the executable (Right-Click -> Configure ->
+"Game options" tab -> _Executable_) to point to the new directory.
+
+## Lutris Setup: Next-Steps
+
+The most useful next step would be automating this process, by building a Lutris
+install script. Also, resolving the alt-tab and windowed problems above.

_topics/life.html

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 ---
-    title: Life
+    title: life
     tabtitle: "Life Posts"
 ---