[size=5]VAcuity's Spirits and Ephemerals - VASE[/size]

v2.1

[size=5]For a description of the creatures, please see the other documentation file![/size]

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[size=5]List of contents:[/size]
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1 - Installation/deinstallation
  i) Preamble
  ii) Plugin choice
  iii) Load order
  iv) Bashed patch
  v) Respawn
  vi) Deinstallation

2 - Support
  i) General support info
  ii) Advice for faster/friendlier/more helpful support

3 - Work completed

4 - Description
  i) Preamble
  ii)Future

5 - Changelist

6 - Credits

7 - Legal info


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[size=4][b]1 - Installation[/b][/size] 1) 
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i) Extract the archive to a spare folder and select the plugins you desire to use.  The esm master and the appropriate list plugin(s) should then be copied into your game data folder along with the meshes and textures.  Click "Yes to all" when prompted about overwriting.  Better yet; make an omod of these files for easy and quick installation and uninstallation using OBMM.  The esm master should be active, the esp plugins need not be active, but can be merged into your Bashed patch.

ii) If you install manually then you will have to choose a plugin to get the creaturess into your game.  At present there are two plugins.  Go figure.  If you are using MMM a plugin is provided seperately and temporarily until a permanent solution is designed.  After the creatures are incorporated into MMM this plugin will no longer be available and you should uninstall VASE if you use MMM.

iii) Use BOSS.  No, really.
If you set load order manually then the esm can load anywhere after Oblivion.esm.  I'd recommend loading it somewhere next to Mart's Monster Mod.esm for neatness sake.
The plugins for the vanilla game and for SI can also load pretty nearly anywhere, therefore it's best to load it fairly early and save confusion.  I'd recommend sticking it with other mods that add regular items and creatures.

iv) Please practice safe-modding: use a Bashed Patch.

v) Wait in a safe place for three days.  If you have a custom respawn time then wait however long you need to for your toenails to start ingrowing.

vi) Remove the files you installed back in step i.  Rebuild your Bashed Patch and wait for x number of days all over again or until you're bored.

vii) When uninstalling, please remember to wear a polka dot bikini and sing along to "I'm a little teapot..".  Failure to comply with these directions will cause the end of the universe.  It's your fault when it happens.  Not mine.

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[size=4]2 - Support[/size] 
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i) Support is only available through the Bethesda Softworks boards at http://www.bethsoft.com/bgsforums/index.php?showforum=25 where the current thread for this mod should be located.

ii) If you believe you have found a bug please post in the official thread.  Please provide the Formid(s)/EditorID(s)/filename(s) of the offending creature(s), screenshots where appropriate, an option of marriage to your prettiest daughter and a [b]thorough[/b] description of the problem.  Failure to provide [b]all of these[/b] will likely cause you to be ignored.  I reserve the right to ignore you anyway if I feel like it.

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[size=4]3 - Work completed[/size]
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Currently there are:

520+ custom textures.
20 custom ingredient textures.

1 blood cloud skeleton with custom animations.
1 Baleful Spirit skeleton with custom animations.
400 eidolon skeletons with custom animations.
400 higgs skeletons with custom animations.
419 retextured regular wisp skeletons.
400 small god skeletons with custom animations.
160 vafurlogi skeletons with custom animations.
24 vatte-lys skeletons with custom animations.
380 virvatuli skeletons with custom animations.
8 custom ingredient meshes.

Together this amounts to the addition of 2185 gas and spirit creatures into the game.

These creatures are balanced with stats and spells roughly in accordance with MMM.  I hope.


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[size=4][b]4 - Description[/b][/size]
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i) There was only one will o'the wisp in vanilla Oblivion.  Fail.  No-one else made more.  Double-fail.  So I did. i is l1T3!!11!!oneoneone! (Or something along these lines)

ii) Future:
I previously said of Diverse Wisps "There are no specific plans for this mod to be developed further beyond any necessary fixes.  If I get the urge to make more wisps at some point then expect an update.  Otherwise, well, I think the best part of three hundred new wisps isn't too bad for a first attempt."
Well, I never found any fixes to make, but I did develop it further.  Quite a lot further!  So much further I released the "further" as a separate mod.  Nevertheless, once again, I have no further plans to develop this beyond doing any necessary fixes and tweaks.

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[size=4]6 - Changelist:[/size]
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v2.1 A few minor texture and animation fixes.  Nothing major and I'd guess most people won't even spot any differences.

v2.0 Public release of VASE to universal acclaim and the demise of said universe.  Never mind.  I warned you about the bikini...

pre-v2 Numerous closed test releases.  Thanks to those who helped!

v1.0 Public release of Diverse wisps to universal acclaim.  Or was it universal apathy?  Hmm, looking at activity in the release thread, I suspect the latter.  Ahh, well.

Closed test release

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[size=4]7 - Credits in alphabetical order:[/size]
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People:
Bethesda Softworks for creating Oblivion.
Corepc: for helping me stay enthused.
dev_akm: for the concept behind the blood cloud.
Lilith: for being the most active external tester and provider of feedback.
Nick_op: for being the person who pointed me at animation files when I was at a brick wall: an answer that made the complexities and possibilities of the project grow enormously.
Other people who helped with testing: Although I did all the primary testing myself, and Lilith provided more feedback than everyone else put together there were some other people who had a look at the closed test resources and offered feedback on bits and pieces.  Thankyou!
Real life friends and family: who helped me stay (approximately) sane and put up with a lot of ranting and raving about wisps, particle systems, wisps, animations and more wisps.  Thanks!
Throttlekitty: who wrote many of the guides on the Construction Set Wiki that gave me a starter on the path to working with particle systems.

Tools:
The CS by Bethesda softworks.
The Gimp (all (or almost all) of the textures were generated using this).
NifSkope by the NifTools team.
Photoshop (I used this for test purposes several months ago before sticking with the Gimp.  I'm not actually sure that any of the textures I made with this ended up actually being used in the final release, but just in case some did, this is the credit.)
TES4Edit by ElminsterAU.
TES4Files by MentalElf.


by Vacuity (Bernard Mitchell), with assistance from Lilith.

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[size=4]8 - Legal info[/size]
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Under the licensing agreement of the CS this mod belongs to Bethesda softworks.
All meshes and some textures are adapted from originals made by Bethesda softworks.
Additional textures were created by me specifically for use in this project.
If I pass on responsibility for further development of these files to a 3rd-party then they will become responsible for further development.
If I have been absent from the development scene for longer than 181 days, have not responded to all reasonable attempts to contact me including, but not limited to: PMs, e-mail (as some users know my e-mail address) and at the last resort a general plea for contact then I acknowledge that I am not developing the mod further and these files can be developed further as the community on Bethesda's modding boards sees fit.

All files distributed with VASE are to be treated as a Modders' resource and are essentially open for anyone to modify and distribute themselves with appropriate credit and blame given to me (Vacuity) for making the custom files as long as usage does not break the terms of the CS license agreement and Oblivion's license agreement.