Oblivion:Directories

Install Directory

• Where you installed Oblivion to. Contains game and launcher executables, and TESCS (CS4) mod editor
• English Default: \Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion

Oblivion_default.ini

• The default version of the file saved to your game configuration.
• Note: This seems to be the only ini file with such a prototype. I.e., neither Blend.ini nor ConstructionSet.ini have matching default files.

Data Directory

• Oblivion's shared data files, including: mod data files, BSA archives, separate resource files (meshes, textures, etc.)
• English Default: Install Directory\Data
• Location determined by SLocalMasterPath in Oblivion.ini, which is "Data\" by default.

Application Data

• English Default: \Documents and Settings\USER\Local Settings\Application Data\Oblivion
• More generally: LOCALAPPDATA\Oblivion
  • Programmers can get the value of LOCALAPPDATA using the SHGetFolderPath API function. The registry should not be used the get the value of LOCALAPPDATA.
  • Users can open the folder by entering %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Oblivion into Start>Run
• Note that this is typically a hidden folder. In Explorer, use Tools: Folder Options: View: Hidden Files and Folders to reveal hidden folders.

DLCList.txt

• This file is used by Oblivion to keep track of your downloaded content.
• After the header, downloaded content is listed??

Plugins.txt

• This file is used to tell Oblivion which data files to load.
• After the header, selected plugins are listed in (case insensitive) alphabetical order.

My Games

• English Default: \Documents and Settings\USER\My Documents\My Games\Oblivion
• More generally: PERSONAL\My Games\Oblivion
  • Note that "My Games" does not localize.
  • Programmers can use the aforementioned SHGetFolderPath API function to get the value of PERSONAL. As above, the registry should not be used.

BlendSettings.ini

• Seems to be a subset of game configuration, related to hit handling for combat.

ConstructionSet.ini

• Construction Set (CS4) configuration.

Oblivion.ini

• Game configuration.

EditorWarnings.txt

• Log of warnings from current session of CS4 Editor.

RendererInfo.txt

• Programmer-oriented data dump about the current GPU model, driver version and some important graphics settings in the game. The PC version of the game contains a lot of code to support different graphics hardware, and this dump tells a developer which parts of that internal code is currently being used for rendering.

DLCList.txt

• According to the file itself "This file is used by Oblivion to keep track of your downloaded content. Please do not modify this file."
• The file goes on to list the ESPs you have purchased in a consecutive list much like Oblivion.ini/Oblivion_default.ini.

Saves

• You save games as ess files.
• English Default: My Games\Saves
• Location determined by SLocalSavePath in Oblivion.ini, which is "Saves\" by default.
  • Note: There is also a bUseMyGamesDirectory setting in Oblivion.ini, changing this has an effect only if the value of PERSONAL has been changed from its default value.
• autosave.ess: Your autosave file.
• autosave.bak: Your immediately previous autosave file.
  • Presumably you could revert to this if the latest autosave is bad.