Tes4Mod:A Graphics Overhauling Guide

This is a general installation order recommendation, and largely an expansion of the explanation on the installing mods page for the relevant mod types. In general, you can use whatever combination of texture replacers you want. You can mix and match world textures and LOD texture replacers. Many LOD texture replacers do not even replace all of the LOD textures. The same goes for the big texture replacers, not replacing every part of the world. There are comments throughout the instructions pointing out tips for combinations (i.e., what some mod covers that another does not.)

The Guidelines
The mods below are definitely not all intended for low or even medium-level machines, so be mindful as you browse, whether browsing for one or ten.

# Qarl's Texture Pack III (QTP3) 
#:Note:  1) It is big and should be overriden by more personal, or specific, replacers. 2) It contains meshes as well as textures, which is why it is important that other texture replacers that replace meshes are loaded after it. 3) BC and AWLS and other offer compatibility for QTP3 because of mesh conflicts, not texture conflicts...and also its popularity.
## QTP3 (regular, redimized or reduced) 
##:Note:  1) These different versions only differ in texture size. They use the same meshes. 2) Redimized is recommended for best performance and minor loss in visual quality. 3) Users with 512MB VRAM or less should use the "reduced" version.
## QTP3R patch
## UOP 
##:Note:  any later releases of the UOP should also be installed here
## QTP3+UOP patch
## PyFFI-Optimized QTP3 Meshes - Fixed
# Optimized Distant Land MAX
# Tons of other mod including quest mods and specific patches Qarl Textures for Blood & Mud
# City & World Aesthetic, those that are not considered or really are not mesh or texture replacers (i.e., AWLS, BC, Enhanced Vegetation, other environmental mods) 
#:Note:  These have few conflicts amongst each other or with the other mods that fall into the group of mods that are discussed on this page. Many of these are only ESPs...maybe in addition to a few new data files.
## Unique Landscapes (UL) 
##:Note:  1) This group separated in "My BAIN Package List" for organizational purposes, and also because it needs to have lower installation priority than the mods that provide compatibility patches for it. 2) Subsections in "My BAIN Package List" are sorted alphabetically unless there is an exceptions, and the ULs have to load before BC, which puts them entirely out order anyway. Therefore, they just have their own earlier loading section.
## UL Patches (i.e., the Optimized Distant Land MAX UL patch)
## Everything else that belongs to this group. Just make sure that AWLS is installed after BC.
# Texture Replacers 
#:Note:  These mods may contain meshes and replace meshes, but their main purpose is visual aesthetic modification via new textures.
## Landscape and lanscape LOD texture replacers: Terrain Noise, Landscape textures, Landscape border region textures, Landscape normals, Landscape LOD normals 
##:Note:  few or no mods cover all of these (with one package)
## Bomret's Texture Pack: Shivering Isles
## Detailed Terrain
## Ampolex's Mods (AMP, ATP) 
##:''Note:  1) Although it is called "AmpolX's Texture Pack," it actually refers to a collection of AmpolX's retextures and not a huge conglomerate texture-replacing mod. Choose whichever pieces you want. 2) The Leyawiin Swamp mod is not compatible with one of the ULs.
# Body replacers, cosmetic mods and character textures


Tip: Use the console command "tdt" (toggle debug text) followed by "sdt 13" (SetDebugText to page 13) to view the graphic usage info. If the displayed texture memory is near to or greater than your dedicated VRAM, you should start cutting down on the visual enhancers.''

See Also
Types of Mods

External Links
OBGE - Oblivion Graphics Extender (via Archive.org)
The Elder Scrolls Texture Guide
Worldshaping in Cyrodiil