Oblivion... Upcoming?

After some protracted prodding from my favorite Fey Creature, I'm seriously considering sharing some of my stash 'o CM Partners for Oblivion.

Interestingly, all but a couple pre-date my Fallout 3 modding by a wide margin. For instance, the Mazkin and Aureal duo created to accompany me in the Shivering Isles were last modified on June 20, 2007. The first draft of Maeva and Unnamed-Short-Haired-Redhead go back several more months; though I don't have an exact date because of file backup/deletion/restore issues.

In preparation for actually sharing more of my lackluster "work", I'm brushing up on my Oblivion 5k1llz and so forth. My failed foray into improving the CM system resulted in my learning to create summoning spells for individual companions. I've got tracking quest entries down.

I've also run off the initial draft of a pair of custom combat styles. Granted, my expertise with a blade is considerably less than with a rifle; so don't expect my combat styles to come out as good as the Fallout 3 ones did, but there has to be room for improvement over the crap Bethsoft saddled us with.

Reminds me, I still need to make the unadulterated Operator combat style for FO3 available someday as an esm for people to use on their own companions.

Regardless, I've still got a couple ideas left to test; and I think my CM "Partners" are going to end up requiring OBSE. I think I want them to maintain their own equipment - as long as it's in character for the NPC in question - which requires OBSE. I know: CM has that dialog option that allows you to have them repair, but I prefer the seamless implementation.

I'd also like to write up some kind of system to simulate companions picking alchemical components as you travel. Sort of like the gold that slowly builds as they go; but with plant-parts. Not sure on the viability of that one, though...

So, even if I can't make the entire CM system rock more at present, I can still improve my own companions - and as always, offer my archetypes for other modders to implement if they like how it works.

Can't really project a time frame on uploads; I mostly just want my readers to know that I'm not sitting here idle, stewing in impotent rage about stupid people. I am working on stuff... it's just that my attention is prone to wavering back and forth between the two games.

Look on the bright side: at least I couldn't figure out how to get my girls into STALKER; else I probably really would've disappeared for awhile.