Oblivion:Ini Settings

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Contents 1 Performance tweaks 2 Multi-core CPU tweaks 3 Remap Mouse Buttons

There is a default .ini file in Oblivion game root directory, and is called "Oblivion_default.ini". On a Windows machine when the user first starts a game, this file is copied into the user's newly created "My Documents\My Games\Oblivion\" directory as "Oblivion.ini", which is then used for that user. So if you wish to change a setting for all new users, change the default (not recommended), otherwise change your own copy directly under My Documents.

Warning! Make a copy of your Oblivion.ini before you make any changes. Changes in the Oblivion.ini can damage your game or even may damage your system. The risk is yours. It is safe to leave the original values in the INI file, just place a ";" sign at the beginning of the line, and the game will not use it. You can put the modified line below that line. If the Oblivion.ini file is screwed up totally, you can delete it, the game will create a new one at starting the program.

Enable Print Screens - This will allow use of the Print Screen key to dump a screenshot (BMP) to your game directory. Note, however, that screenshots will not work if you have anti-aliasing enabled.

• Variable: bAllowScreenShot

Values: 0 = No, 1 = Yes

Current Screenshot Index

• Variable: iScreenShotIndex

Values: <Current Index>

Base Screenshot Name

• Variable: SScreenShotBaseName

Values: <Default: "Oblivion">

Disable Intro Sequence and Main Menu Movie Intro - This will disable the logos at startup as well as the intro movie of the main menu, so you can just start the game and get directly into the main menu without hitting the Escape Key even once.

Disable Intro Sequence

• Variable: SIntroSequence

Values: <Default: bethesda softworks HD720p.bik,2k games.bik,game studios.bik,Oblivion Legal.bik>
        remove all values to have no videos at startup.

Disable Main Menu Movie Intro

• Variable: SMainMenuMovieIntro

Values: <Default: Oblivion iv logo.bik>
        remove values to get directly to the main menu without intro movie.

Disable Main Menu Background Movie - If you remove this value there is no map in the background of the main menu.

• Variable: SMainMenuMovie

Values: <Default: Map loop.bik>
        remove value and there won't be that (pretty) video of the moving map in the background of the main menu.
        alternatively set the value to "Oblivion iv logo.bik" and see the logo animation behind the menu :)

Instant Level Up - This will make it so when you gain enough skill to level up, it happens automatically, no sleeping needed.

• Variable: bInstantLevelUp

Values: 0 = No, 1 = Yes

More powerful horse jump

• Variable: fHorseRunGravity

Value: 3.0000
        affects your horse's jump; lower the value to make it leap higher & longer

Remove Borders - This toggles the borders that prevent you from entering other provinces

• Variable: bBorderRegionsEnabled

Values: 0 = Off, 1 = On

[edit] Performance tweaks

0=off 1=on

bEnableTrees -- If on trees are pretty at the expense of a framerate hit, if off trees are flat, turn off for lower end PCs.

bUseFaceGenHeads -- If on... things have heads, you're going to want to leave this one on.

bUseEyeEnvMapping -- If this switch is on eyes look more natural, the difference isn't that big so this one can be turned off without any noticable efects.

bDoTallGrassEffect -- This setting controls grass, turn off if you don't like grass or if you have a low end PC.

bDoTexturePass -- If switched off then almost nothing is textured, leave this one on.

bDoSpecularPass -- If off it removes the shineyness from most objects, unfortunately this can cause crashes at some places, especially ones containing secret passages - Weynon Priory, Skingrad Castle Courtyard, Anvil castle. If you turn it off then remember that the game may crash in certain places. (re-enable it for time needed to pass through these areas.)

bDoDiffusePass -- Switching off improves performance a lot, but leaves huge solid surfaces covering shadowy areas. Turn this one off if you have a low end PC, otherwise leave on.

bDoAmbientPass -- Turning this off will give a massive framerate boost but the world will look realy ugly, leave this on unless you have an extremely dated computer.

fLightLOD1
fLightLOD2
These two settings will change the distance when dynamic light(candles, fireballs, torches, etc) is applied to objects. By setting them to large negative values you can disable lighting all together. This is very helpful for those graphics cards (like GeForce FX's) that have slow shaders. When fighting in exterior areas ALL lighting effects from fireballs etc are completely removed which will result in large speed ups. You should also switch on bDoAmbientPass otherwise the world can be too dark to play.

bUseRefractionShader -- Disable to remove most of the particle effects for Oblivion Gates and summoned creatures. Almost mandatory on pre x800/nv58xx series cards if AA is in use.

iMinGrassSize -- The bigger the value the less grass will be shown. For older PC's use values of 130-200.

fGrassEndDistance
fGrassStartFadeDistance
These setting control how far grass is rendered, lowering these values can give massive performance boosts.

uGridsToLoad
uExterior Cell Buffer
iPreloadSizeLimit
These settings will control when lower resolution images are used from ground, switch uGridsToLoad to 9, uExterior Cell Buffer to 100, and iPreloadSizeLimit to 104857600 or 52428800 if you have 1GB of RAM or less, and this will remove the muddy grass textures from the game at a very small framerate hit.

bForceFullLOD -- If on trees will be slightly prettier at low or no framerate hit.

[edit] Multi-core CPU tweaks

If you have a Dual/Quad core Processor or a processor with Hyper-Threading, then set these values to this:

bUseThreadedBlood=1 (default 0)
bUseThreadedMorpher=1 (default 0)
bUseThreadedTempEffects=1 (default 0)
bUseThreadedParticleSystem=1 (default 0)
iNumHavokThreads=3 (default 1)
bBackgroundPathing=1 (default 0)
bUseBackgroundFileLoader=1 (default 0)
iThreads=10 (default 3)

Otherwise leave them at the default.

However, it should be noted that an article on FiringSquad found no benefit in using these settings.

Warning! Before you make any change, make a copy of your Oblivion.ini file. Changes in the Oblivion.ini can damage your game or even may damage your system. The risk is yours.

[edit] Remap Mouse Buttons

For remapping the mouse buttons through normal game UI see Technical Support entry. The bindings in the INI are 8-digit hex codes XXXXYYZZ where XXXX is the keyboard button, YY is the mouse button, and ZZ is the joystick button.

Mouse Code = Button

FF = No mouse button

00 = Left-click

01 = Right-click

02 = Middle-click (aka center or scroll-button)

03 = Fourth mouse button

04 = Fifth mouse button

Change action key mappings accordingly.

For Example, possible mouse mappings are:

Block=003802FF (MMB)

Cast=002E01FF (RMB)

Toggle POV=0013FFFF (removes this from MMB)

Change View=0013FFFF (removes this from MMB)