Category:Data Files

The Construction Set works off of a primary file called a TES file. This is basically a database of all of the data for the world, including object data, dialogue, gameplay settings, object placements, AI settings, landscape, script commands, cells, etc. Basically everything that goes into the editor is stored in TES files.

There are two types of TES files, masters (MASTER_FILE.esm) and plug-ins (PLUGIN_FILE.esp). A master file is autonomous. It relies on no information other than itself. A plug-in (esp) file relies on information from a Master TES file. Plug-ins CANNOT refer to information in another plug-in. They can only refer to data from a master. Plug-ins can refer to multiple master files.

Most TES files are changes to the main Oblivion.esm file (a master file). The files get loaded in order of their last modified date. Masters get loaded first, by date. Then plug-ins get loaded by date. Each file is a "layer" that gets added to the world. The player can turn off the ones they don't like with the loader program, and these layers will be removed. This makes it impossible for a player-created TES file to completely break someone's game.

Users of The Construction Set will have all of their changes placed in an esp file. They can then allow someone else to load this file and play with their changes. They can add anything to the game, provided the artwork is there to support it.

The editor can have multiple esp files loaded at once, but only one of these is active. Active means that all of the user's changes are being saved into the active TES file.