Tes4Mod:Programs and Utilities

The following is a list of commonly used utilities for managing Modified Oblivion.

"The Essentials"
These are the most commonly used programs and utilities, created specifically for managing and using mods with Oblivion.
Better Oblivion Sorting Software (BOSS) --Automatic load ordering tool
LAA Patch --Allows Oblivion to use more than 1.8GB of RAM.    Recommended only for 64-bit users with more than 3GB of RAM''
Oblivion Mod Manager (OBMM) --Load Ordering, Mod Instllation, Archive Invalidation
Oblivion Script Extender (OBSE) --Offers extended scripting functionality for Oblivion mods
Python File Format Interface (PyFFI)  --Mesh optimization tool
TES4Edit --A tool for editing, browsing and comparing plugins' records
Wrye Bash --The most versatile mod management utility made for Oblivion
TES4LODGen --Branch off of TES4Edit that let you generate LOD data according to your active mods.
TES4LL-- Created by Gruftikus that let you generate distant landscape LOD and its corresponding normal map and color map according to your mod lists.

"The Insiders"
These are applications and utilities made specifically for Oblivion and used by many members of the Oblivion mod community.

ArchiveInvalidation Invalidated! --Archive Invalidation: BSA-Redirection (for those who do not use OBMM or BAIN)
The Elder Scrolls Contruction Set (TESCS) --Modify, edit and make plugins; cell rendering; view models and icons
Face Exchange Lite --Modify your PC's face, hair, name etc. even for an existing save
Insanity's Oblivion Launcher --Quickly access and launch many essential Oblivion utilities
Interactive Map of Cyrodiil and Shivering Isles --View all default world map locations, Keep notes of your travels
Land Magic --Still in the early stages, but resolves land tears created by mod conflicts, useful...
Oblivion Animation Fixer --Fixes one of the known causes of slow animations, equivalent of Bash's repair abomb
Oblivion Mod Remover --Uninstall manually installed mods
Oblivion PyFFI Automator --This tool offers a resume/pause feature and keeps a record of all changes
Oblivion Save Game Manager --For those users that do not want Wrye Bash but still want advanced save mgmt....
Oblivion ScreenShot Manager --Tired of those bmps cluttering your Oblivion folder...
Pluggy --Extension for OBSE
TES4Files --Mod packaging, BSA creation, Mod uninstallation
TES4Gecko --Plugin merging, Plugins comparison, Plugin splitting, Masters list editing
TES4LODGen --LOD Generator: generates LODs based on the entire current load list
TESsnip --Low-level plugin editor
Oblivion Cell Grid Map --block, subblock and cell coordinates. Use TES4Edit to track down the cells.
Online Oblivion Map --An online interactive (Google) map of Oblivion

"The Outsiders"
These are applications that are commonly used for various purposes related to PC games, from providing compatible codecs to free modelling tools.

Blender --3D Modeling, animation
Driver Cleaner --Really cleans up those old drivers
Game Booster --Facilitates toggling certain, specified background processes
GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) --Highly complex, free photo editor
K-Lite Codec Pack --An Oblivion-friendly codec pack, has lots of variety, and can fix FFDShow...
SetFileDate 2.0 --a file redater utility
Notepad++ --A free, extremely usefule text editor, with syntax highlighting and the whole bit
NifSkope --Modeling
Python File Format Interface (PyFFI) --Binary level file editor (primary Ob use: optimize meshes)
Paint.NET --A very good free image editor that can be used to edit DDS files.
Screenshoter --A free screen shot application that supports BMP, JPEG and PNG formats

See Also
External Links
Blender 3D: Noob to Pro - Wikibooks
BlenderWiki
GIMP DDS Plugin - Google Code
GIMP Normal Map Plugin - Google Code
Mental Elf's Website - home of TES4Files and a few other utilities and mods
Online Oblivion Map - UESPWiki <-- a detailed, online map of Oblivion's worldspaces