Action Screen Shot Guide
Thanks to greatfool1's additions and editing skill!
The following are some console commands, settings, tips, and mods that will hopefully help you with shooting more impressive battle sequences and many other kinds of activities in Oblivion. (Of course, feel free to PM me with any of your "secrets" so I can add them to this Guide if you want.)
Essential Console Commands:
To open the console just hit the "~" key.
(If this does not work make sure you have this line in your oblivion.ini file:
bAllowConsole=1. If '~' still does not work and you are running Windows XP Media Center Edition - unplug the remote control unit from the computer.)
tai - this will completely disable the AI of any creature/npc. And imo, is the preferred way to "freeze" any character for a screenshot. Enter tai again to resume (toggle) action.
tfc - to activate the flying camera (toggle flying camera; type tfc again to deactivate it.)
tcl - removes collision from your character enabling simulated flight or to reach places that were previously unreachable. (toggles collision; type tcl again to deactivate it.)
Grab button "z" in order to lift bodies. This mod is a must for this: Click
With the console enabled, click on the NPC and type "tai" in order to setup some amazing shots.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/goldiegoo/sar/9.jpg
Because the mace enchantment isn't powerful enough to blast the guards into the far distance. I had to use the "psb" console command, and then use the most powerful "Finger of the Mountain" spell as a body launcher - after pointing the cross hair at the guard's feet. The first time I cast it, I sent all the guards into the far distance laying on the ground dead. I ran out of attacking guards at this point, so I had to use the console command "player.placeatme" to add around 20 more. This time I was quicker on the "~", so I stopped them in the initial blast and then "tai"ed them all. Once frozen, I could just move the camera around for whatever angle I desired. There were a couple of guards that had weird stretched bodies so I just "tai"ed again and then resurrected and then another blast.
To finish the shot, I just swung my characters weapon so it appears like the mace did all the damage rather than the spell.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/goldiegoo/sar/11.jpg
The Pahmer cat is not mountable so I had to use "tcl" and the animation mod.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/goldiegoo/lor/1-2.jpg
For the gargoyle I had to spawn him over the lava, then I had to "tai" him and use setscale to be a bit larger so that Asmo didn't look so large - then it was basically "tcl" to position my character correctly.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/goldiegoo/lor/1-1.jpg
After leading the Werecroc into the water it suddenly popped his head out of the water and attacked my character. I then had to quickly "tai" him and set up the shot with Asmo floating on his back. Trollf's animation mod will not work on creatures unfortunately as they are not capable of NPC animations.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/goldiegoo/lor/3-1.jpg
Shots with the REALISTIC RAGDOLLS AND FORCE V3 body lift mod:
The Unicorn is dead so grab the head with the "z" button and lift.
Then hit shift if you like for the sneak position.
Now while still holding "z" down hit the "~" button and type "tfc".
Then position the flying camera for the best view:
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/gol...e-whisperer.jpg
This pic is just button "z" and then use your mouse to shake the body into different positions:
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/gol...%20Tower/7h.jpg
Here are some shots with underwater "tcl" and "kill" from console (notice in 1st screenshot I had to "tai" my companions for this shot):
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/gol...oo/batl/5-2.jpg
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/gol...oo/batl/7-2.jpg
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/goldiegoo/Fin/10.jpg
Swing your weapon:
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/gol...o/batl/10-2.jpg
Lift the dead body with "z" and hold it. Then use "tfc" and swing your weapon:
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/goldiegoo/Fin/3.jpg
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/goldiegoo/hel/3.jpg
A shot with "tcl" and "kill" from the console (note that the sword is floating) so that the NPC freezes and will drop his weapon:
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/gol...o/batl/12-1.jpg
Here is a shot with "tcl" and "tai", then the Actors in Charge mod, you can usually move around while in most animation poses.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/goldiegoo/batl/19.jpg
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/goldiegoo/batl/12.jpg
For this shot "tcl", activate the Strike a Pose mod, allowing fanboi to be under the table sleeping.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/goldiegoo/boy/24.jpg
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/goldiegoo/Fin/16.jpg
Here is a shot using the ANYWHERE SITTABLE mod and console command "tcl" and "tai" then sit anywhere. http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/gol...oo/Fin/15-1.jpg
Shots using "tcl" then "kill" and then simple sneak mode.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/gol...oo/Fin/12-1.jpg
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/goldiegoo/Fin/9-1.jpg
Swim underwater then "tcl" him to where you want, and it looks like he is diving.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/goldiegoo/Fin/15.jpg
In these two shots it's my main character and a companion - do the underwater "tcl" and the companion will do super jumps to keep at your level.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/goldiegoo/ang/6.jpg
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/goldiegoo/ang/5.jpg
Underwater "tcl" then "tai" then move right in and you have just been swallowed.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/gol...Mo/fishfood.jpg
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/gol...%20Mo/5fish.jpg
Lighting Effects:
For dimly lit areas cast a daylight spell to brighten the area or use a torch when you can. (I see so many shots that are so dark you can't see anything.)
Also in the console, you can type "fw" for force weather immediately (or "sw" for set weather with a more natural transition to the desired weather) followed by any of these weather codes:
Clear - 00038EEE
Cloudy - 00038EFE
Fog - 00038 EEF
Overcast - 00038EEC
Rain - 00038 EF2
Snow - 00038EED
Thunderstorm - 00038EF1
OblivionStormTamriel - 000836D5
OblivionStormTamrielMQ16 - 0006BC8B
CamoranNatural - 000370CE
Default - 0000015E
(And finally if you still need to lighten the shot, and you don't mind editing your shot, use the auto-contrast and/or the auto-level feature in PhotoShop to very quickly and evenly lighten your shot. I prefer not to edit my shots, but that is a personal choice.)
Blood Effects:
Modify the Oblivion.ini file:
fDecalLifetime=10.0000 (This determines in seconds the length of time the blood stays on screen)
iMaxDecalsPerFrame=10 (This controls how many blood decals can be seen on the screen.)
bDecalsOnSkinnedGeometry=1 (This controls whether blood shows on NPCs)
To really increase the blood effects - use the More Gory Blood mod.
Also from this great mod's readme:
The settings for as much gore and blood as possible are (taken from the readme file of "4098-1.09C Gorier Blood", which can also be found on tessource):
Open: Oblivion.ini with notepad
find the following: (Ctrl+F)
bUseThreadedBlood=
bDecalsOnSkinnedGeometry=
fDecalLifetime=
iMaxDecalsPerFrame=
fMinBloodDamage=
*If its not there add the the line anywhere*
Then change the numbers after it to like:
fDecalLifetime=999
iMaxDecalsPerFrame=999
fMinBloodDamage=0.0001
bUseThreadedBlood=1
bDecalsOnSkinnedGeometry=1
(If you have a lower end pc you may want to lower the settings of decallifetime and maxdecalsperframe to something below 20 or 30)
MODS REFERENCED ABOVE:
Realistic Ragdolls and Force V3 (This version adds liftable bodies to the mod): http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=5011
Anywhere Sittable: http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=5243
Strike a Pose - Version 2.1 By: Xiamara and Aleanne http://www.lkmac.com/xiamara/OBreleased2.htm
Trollf’s Actors in Charge: http://tessource.net/files/file.php?id=6239
More Gory Blood Mod: http://www.gamespot.com/pages/gamespace/do...51308&mode=