Category:Data Files

Master Files and Plug-ins

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, or .esm, is autonomous. It relies on no information other than itself. A plug-in, or .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.

The current downloadable version of the Construction Set does not allow users to create new master files or merge an .esp to an .esm file. A fan made utility offers this possibility.

Graphics and Texturing Files

In order to access and modify the game's 3D objects and textures, modders must access NIF Files. These files represent the geometric meshes of various objects, and are packaged into resource archives called BSA Files. The BSA files must be unpacked before the NIF files can be accessed.

Windows Vista

Please note that Microsoft's new operating system (Vista), makes some security related changes that affect the use of the TES Construction Set. Specifically, any file that is located under the "C:\Program Files" directory is protected from being changed. If you have installed your Elder Scrolls game into the default directory, it will be affected by these security changes. The following is a list of how this affects the construction set and .ESP files:

• While copying .ESP files into the default game directory, you will be prompted to allow the operation. To compound this, editing files in that directory directly is strictly prohibited by the operation system security. Thus, editing of any .INI files and the .ESP files are not permitted at this location (the file may be moved to the desktop for editing and then moved back afterwards).

• If you create a new .ESP file using the contruction set, the file will NOT be located where you would expect it to be. Instead, Windows Vista places the new file into a special directory located at "C:\Users\ \AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion". Inside of this folder are any screen shots taken during the game while operating under "Vista". There is a sub-folder here named "Data" where the .ESP files created in the construction set are placed. The "<login id>" indicates the name of the user that is logged into the Vista operating system (e.g. "Rob", "Fred", "Sally", etc.).

• Editing an existing .ESP file that is located in the normal "Data" directory of a default installed game will prevent you from saving the file if it is checked as "Active". Again, this relates to the Vista file security system. Newly created files (files without the "active" check-box) are not affected by this but are placed in the "C:\Users" location and NOT the standard "Data" location. The game doesn't seem to mind this though and CAN use files in either location for game play.

• Because the contruction set is NOT expecting files in other locations, it cannot go back and edit files that do not reside in the standard "Data" folder. This presents a major problem for editing files repeatedly as is typically the case when play-testing your mod.

Solutions to the Vista Problems

If you install your Elder Scrolls game into any directory OTHER than the default, none of these problems occur. Thus, you can bypass the Vista security issues by installing the game onto another hard drive or into a new directory that is not located withing the "Program Files" root directory (such as "C:\Games").

Another way to fix it is to right-click the ".exe" file and click properties, then check "Run as administrator". Then click OK. Do this for both the "oblivion.exe" and "TESConstructionSet.exe", and any programs you are using that copies files to protected directories (such as WinRAR, 7z, or WinZip).

Windows Vista users who are fairly confident in the security of their computers might also consider disabling UAC altogether. This will allow all programs writing privileges to the Program Files directory. Although this obviously creates a state of decreased security for your PC, it is a very helpful one-size-fits-all solution to a number of compatibility issues with the Vista OS.