Hands up, who uses COBL

[Sigurð Stormhand]

Hey guys, so I've been working on something for an age for my own amusement, but more recently it's started to coalese (largely by accident) into an actual mod :facepalm:The thing is, it uses the COBL Library to add in ingredients and books, so many books and I wanted to get an idea of how many people use the COBL library to see how many people here might be able (saying nothing of willing) to help me test it.

[Thomas Kaira]

I do.Really helps to cut down on duplicate ingredients and whatnot.

[Arthmoor]

I'm only using it because Ayleid Steps forced my hand. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have bothered. As far as I can see COBL offers nothing compelling enough for most people to justify needing it. I could have used it in Faregyl to cut down on duplicates but I didn't like the idea that it used unknowable Ayleid names for clutter items.

[Sigurð Stormhand]

I'm only using it because Ayleid Steps forced my hand. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have bothered. As far as I can see COBL offers nothing compelling enough for most people to justify needing it. I could have used it in Faregyl to cut down on duplicates but I didn't like the idea that it used unknowable Ayleid names for clutter items.

I felt similar, to be honest, until I was faced with making copies of every book in Morrowind and Daggerfall (even merging in .esps I'd still have to have created duplicates in the CS) and all Salmo's ingredients. COBL's library is really very useful for that. I also use COBL races at the moment as well, they're a nice change of pace and the ability to throw people across the room as a Nord is fun.I'm always a Nord, a techy one with a short temper.

[Arthmoor]

Well that's different. If I were wanting to use something specific from it, like all those books, I would. But I have no particular need for all that, and as I said, I wanted control over the interface names for the clutter items.

[Hana]

Not I, said the fly.

[Sigurð Stormhand]

OK, well that'd 1, 1 reluctant and 1 not.*Sigh*I smell a non COBL version.Would the easiest way to do this be to edit ID's in the CS, then change the FormID's in TES4Edit? With the CSE redicrecting to a different location will just require changing the file paths.

[Dwip]

Basically what Samson said re: COBL use, FWIW. Ayleid Steps uses it for like 2 things, thus I do too.Maybe worth keeping in mind that we're not an altogether normal group here compared to what you'd see at Bethsoft, etc, but.

[Thomas Kaira]

I typically design for the non-COBL version, then put a COBL version together containing whatever needs to be used. For BCV, it was just moving the buffet plate and marking the new water sources for thirst mod users (I'm one of them). If I were to add a new player home, I would also add in an alchemy sorter.That alchemy sorter is the main benefit of COBL to me. This way I can easily take stock of my ingredients and what potions I can accomplish with them.

[Dwip]

What I did for AFK_Weye was write the whole thing without COBL, then created a patch esp with all my COBL changes in it. Since the COBL changes don't...change, every time I put out a new version of the mod, I just use Gecko's merge to master feature to create a full COBL version of the mod.AFK_Frostcrag does the same thing.

[AndalayBay]

Nope, don't use it and stay well away from it. I really don't like COBL's alchemy sorter, so I appreciate mods that don't use it, for one thing.

[Arthmoor]

Honestly I think the modding community in general is leery of using large all encompassing libraries of stuff like COBL. There's other resource mod packs out there too which don't get used much because of their sheer size. People seem far more willing to overlap identical stuff in their mods even if it means the player ends up with 5 different versions of the exact same item.Might be somewhat paranoid-ish too, but I don't particularly care for the idea of ceding even partial control of my work over to someone else's whims.

[prettyfly]

I used it before my old install blew up in my face. Like Arthmoor The Ayleid Steps forced my hand, though once I actually had it I found that I really liked it anyway.

[Sigurð Stormhand]

Honestly I think the modding community in general is leery of using large all encompassing libraries of stuff like COBL. There's other resource mod packs out there too which don't get used much because of their sheer size. People seem far more willing to overlap identical stuff in their mods even if it means the player ends up with 5 different versions of the exact same item.

Might be somewhat paranoid-ish too' date=' but I don't particularly care for the idea of ceding even partial control of my work over to someone else's whims.[/quote']Would this be Giskard and CURP related paranoia?I have to agree with Onra on this one, duplication is wasteful and for someone like me who has a smallish HDD it's a pain.

What I did for AFK_Weye was write the whole thing without COBL' date=' then created a patch esp with all my COBL changes in it. Since the COBL changes don't...change, every time I put out a new version of the mod, I just use Gecko's merge to master feature to create a full COBL version of the mod.

AFK_Frostcrag does the same thing.[/quote']Yeah well, I'm arse backwards again. Also, this mod seems to screem bloody muder when I try to merge it in Gecko, started throwing out error messages about things not being in the master, "well of course they aren't, I added them in and anyway iI'm not patching the master, I'm patching the mod!"

[Arthmoor]

Nope. That's not Giskard/CURP related paranoia. That's just me wanting changes I make to actually remain the way I wanted them made. There's a difference, and if that's all Giskard ever complained about was the artistic integrity of his work, nobody would have much of a problem with him. By not relying on 3rd party master resource packs, that problem won't affect me. There will be overlap in the case of things I pick to use which are also in COBL but I'm prepared to live with that.Relying on 3rd party resource packs for your mod means that if one day the resource pack owner decided to make all the added NPCs use nude body models and to fill the loot lists you're using with dildos, you're shit out of luck unless you disincorporate yourself from it. Or just don't rely on that stuff to begin with. But then that raises the question of why you're bothering. Something like this is unlikely to happen in COBL, but with the way Giskard thinks, who knows what might find its way into CURP if he should decide he's not happy with assimilating other peoples' work and implying it's his own.In Onra's case, things are different still. TamRes is the only thing providing the useful foundation for the province mods so it would make sense to attach to those. You wouldn't really have much choice in the matter except to spend enormous amounts of time making your own regions and basic landscaping.

[Sigurð Stormhand]

Nope. That's not Giskard/CURP related paranoia. That's just me wanting changes I make to actually remain the way I wanted them made. There's a difference' date=' and if that's all Giskard ever complained about was the artistic integrity of his work, nobody would have much of a problem with him. By not relying on 3rd party master resource packs, that problem won't affect me. There will be overlap in the case of things I pick to use which are also in COBL but I'm prepared to live with that.[/quote']I wasn't implying you were like him, Arthmoor. For starters, you aren't a Yorkshireman.

Relying on 3rd party resource packs for your mod means that if one day the resource pack owner decided to make all the added NPCs use nude body models and to fill the loot lists you're using with dildos, you're shit out of luck unless you disincorporate yourself from it. Or just don't rely on that stuff to begin with. But then that raises the question of why you're bothering. Something like this is unlikely to happen in COBL, but with the way Giskard thinks, who knows what might find its way into CURP if he should decide he's not happy with assimilating other peoples' work and implying it's his own.

This is true, but it indicates a, perhaps justified, deficit of trust.In any case, I have realised that the alternative to CObL (how do you type that anyway?) is another ESM and merging in two other esp's, so I'm going to continue to work as I am because the non-Cobl version is going to be more complicated and hunting down all the COBL references will be easier, as they all start with "cob".

[Arthmoor]

Yes, there is a bit of distrust. With COBL that comes from a willingness on their part to incorporate things that don't fit the game lore, like the stupid luggage. So far they've kept that out of the required master file, but one never knows if they'll continue to leave it that way.The stuff to support realism mods with water sources and dinner plates holds zero appeal to me, so I make little if any effort to worry about it. I will make wells activators if I can remember to do so, so that if someone wants a patch to apply the script for them they can. Things like that also leave open the ability to let other similar mods patch in the same kinds of changes.

[Sigurð Stormhand]

Yes' date=' there is a bit of distrust. With COBL that comes from a willingness on their part to incorporate things that don't fit the game lore, like the stupid luggage. So far they've kept that out of the required master file, but one never knows if they'll continue to leave it that way.

The stuff to support realism mods with water sources and dinner plates holds zero appeal to me, so I make little if any effort to worry about it. I will make wells activators if I can remember to do so, so that if someone wants a patch to apply the script for them they can. Things like that also leave open the ability to let other similar mods patch in the same kinds of changes.[/quote']Ahh, you don't like the Luggage?Not a Pratchett fan then?

[Arthmoor]

No, I'm not a Pratchett fan. Even if I was though, the Luggage has no real place in Tamriel any more than sticking in a bunch of Hobbits would. Or having Darth Vader running around killing Jedi in Cyrodiil. It's an element that's just out of place.

[Sigurð Stormhand]

No' date=' I'm not a Pratchett fan. Even if I was though, the Luggage has no real place in Tamriel any more than sticking in a bunch of Hobbits would. Or having Darth Vader running around killing Jedi in Cyrodiil. It's an element that's just out of place.[/quote']Fair enough Chief.I won't add it, then.