Thieves Arsenal

Mission Zero: Odd Jobs

v1.1

created by Paul Connelly, aka scruggs.

Blackjack/Arrow models and textures by Grumblepunk.

OBSE by Stephen Abel and Ian Pattersen, with contributions from Timeslip and The J.

Voice acting by Joshua D and The_Shadow.

Vine and animations by XMarksTheSpot

Water textures by texian.

Sofa by Xiamara.

Havok advice provided by Darknel and fourthgeek.

Game setting info provided by sarkander and GhanBuriGhan.

Tested by the Oblivion Beta Testers Guild.

Additional testing by Countess Narina Carvain and the denizens of the Imperial City Market District.

Thanks to Bethesda and Looking Glass Studios for creating two incredible game series.

Contents

About the Plugin

Installation

Actor Behavior

Tools of the Trade

Getting the Most out of the Arsenal

Customization

Compatibility

Known Issues

Contact Information

Future Plans

Frequently Asked Questions and Troubleshooting

About the Plugin

Thieves Arsenal is designed to introduce the stealth gameplay of the Thief series to Oblivion. In Oblivion, stealth functions mainly as a prelude to combat, allowing your character to sneak up on opponents and score extra damage. But avoiding combat is often impossible, and once a fight has begun, stealth is of little use. The Thief games, by contrast, emphasize avoidance of combat through the use of special tools and clever strategy. Thieves Arsenal makes those tools available in Oblivion, opening up an entirely new style of play.

About This Update

Mission Zero is the second release of this plugin. It is designed to eliminate bugs in the original version, allow greater customizability and compatibility, and introduce voice-acting and quests for Basso the Boxman. A brief summary of some of the new content:

- Full voice-acting for Basso the Boxman.

- Randomly-generated "Odd Jobs" quests.

- Option to replace Vine Arrows with Rope Arrows.

- Compatibility with Ren's Guard Overhaul, Legendary Mastery, Elaborate Eyes, and Adrenaline-Fueled Combat.

- Numerous bugfixes and tweaks; if you experienced a problem with the original version, chances are very good that the issue has been addressed.

Installation

To install Thieves Arsenal, simply unzip the compressed archive into your Oblivion\Data folder. All files including meshes, textures, sounds, and icons will be placed into the appropriate subfolders. If asked to overwrite, click "Yes".

To uninstall, delete the following files and folders:

-Thieves Arsenal.esp

-Sound\fx\Thieves Arsenal\

-Sound\Voice\Thieves Arsenal.esp\

-Textures\Menus\Icons\Thieves Arsenal\

-Textures\Thieves Arsenal\

-Meshes\Thieves Arsenal\

Note: Thieves Arsenal requires Oblivion Script Extender v0009 or later. The most recent version of OBSE can be downloaded at http:\\www.obse.silverlock.org. Please install and run OBSE according to the simple instructions provided with the download.

If you are currently using a previous version of Thieves Arsenal, there is no need to start a new game or disable the mod before using this new version. However, to prevent potential weirdness, please do the following before installing:

- Save your game anywhere outside of Basso's shop.

- If you have recently knocked out an opponent, or if any opponent is currently searching for you, go to a safe location and rest for 24 hours, then save your game.

Actor Behavior

Thieves Arsenal adds new behaviors to NPCs and creatures:

Unconscious

NPCs and creatures can be knocked out with the blackjack, gas arrows, or when slipping in puddles of oil. Unconscious actors are, for all intents and purposes, dead. They don't process their AI and their bodies can be looted or dragged around. Unconscious NPCs will wake up eventually, or immediately if attacked. When an unconscious actor wakes up, they will be suspicious and search the area for you.

The number of actors you've knocked out over the course of the game is tracked on your character's miscellaneous stats page - the same page that shows your bounty. It replaces the "Jokes Told" stat.

Suspicious

When an NPC or creature observes suspicious behavior, they will become alerted and search the area for the cause. Actors become suspicious when they see a light go out, find a noisemaker arrow, notice an unconscious body, or wake up after being knocked out. While searching, an NPC will draw his weapon and periodically utter phrases like "Where are you?" He will also be more alert, giving him an increased chance to detect you, so sneaking and hiding are essential.

An actor's behavior after finding you depends on his attitude toward your character and the reason for his suspicion. Hostile actors will attack. Non-hostile NPCs may call for the guards, run for help, or even attack you. Guards will fine you based on the crime committed and may arrest or attack you.

Corpse Detection

When an NPC or creature comes across an unconscious body, he will assume the victim is dead and search for you, as long as the victim is someone whom he doesn't hate. It's important to either hide your victims' bodies, or to avoid detection after knocking them out. Hiding bodies in dark places decreases the chance of detection, as does hiding them in enclosed spaces or behind walls. "Corpse detection" is a bit of a misnomer, since it only applies to unconscious bodies; victims killed with normal weapons will not be noticed by other actors.

Running for Help

Some NPCs, including most townsfolk, are naturally timid. If they detect you while in a suspicious state, they may run for help. They will find a nearby guard and report your crime, at which point the guard will begin to search for you. If you are caught by the guard, you will be fined based on the crime committed.

Calling for Help

When you are caught committing a minor offense such as dousing a light or shooting a noisemaker arrow, NPCs may call for help. This will cause nearby guards to run to the scene of the crime and search for you. If they catch you, you will be fined.

Tools of the Trade

The heart of Thieves Arsenal is the set of tools which will assist you in playing a stealthy character. These tools are meant to help you avoid combat and outwit your adversaries. A decent Sneak skill and good strategy will make them more effective.

The tools can be purchased from Basso the Boxman, an entrepeneur who operates a hidden shop within the Imperial City. Basso often contacts suitably skilled thieves while they are in the City.

Note that if you draw an arrow and then decide you don't want to fire it, you can cancel the shot by pressing the "grab" key or button while holding down the "attack" button. This feature works for all arrows in the game.

Finally, be aware that these tools are not strictly legal, so using them in towns can get you into trouble. Civilians who catch you in the act may call for the guards or even run to the nearest guard to report your crime. Guards will actively search for you if they become alerted. However, you will only be fined if a guard actually finds you - they will not automatically know where you are like they normally do in Oblivion.

Water Arrows

The crystal tips of these arrows are filled with water. When fired at a surface, the crystal shatters, releasing its contents. Water arrows can be used to extinguish open light sources like torches and fires. If an actor sees a light go out, he may become suspicious and search for the cause, possibly casting a Light spell or lighting a torch to aid his vision. Doused lights will be relit between one and two days later.

Note: When dousing a light, aim at the center of the flames. Lights in dungeons and castles are extinguishable; those in homes and shops generally are not.

Vine Arrows

Vine arrows contain the seeds of an incredibly fast-growing species of jungle vine within their crystalline tips. When shot at a surface, the seeds are implanted into the surface, where they will attempt to grow. If there is sufficient room, a dangling vine will sprout which can then be climbed. To climb a vine, stand underneath it and look directly up. You may jump up to grab onto the vine if it is too high to reach when standing. To climb down, look directly down. Should you try to attack or cast a spell while climbing, you will lose your grip on the vine and fall. It is possible to jump off the vine at any point by using the movement and jump keys, and even to jump from one vine to another. Jumping at the top of the vine allows you to mantle up onto a ledge or rooftop. Vines will disappear one to two days after they began growing.

Note: Since the vine grows downward, it is best to fire the vine arrow at the flat underside of a ledge or rooftop. Keep in mind that the collision used by Bethesda's meshes doesn't always match the visual shape of the mesh, so for instance, some wooden abuttments on buildings in Bravil lack collision and thus can't be used for climbing.

Update: You can now replace Vine Arrows with Rope Arrows, which have the same functionality but different artwork. See the Customization section for details.

Blackjack

The blackjack is a thief's best friend. It does no damage, but is perfectly weighted to apply maximum force to the back of a victim's head, rendering him unconscious. The blackjack works on all NPCs, including dremora, and a handful of humanoid creatures as well. These include Goblins, Clannfear, Scamps, Xivilai, Flame Atronachs, and Spriggans. You cannot blackjack an NPC who has his weapon drawn or is engaged in combat, nor anyone who is aware of your presence.

Noisemaker Arrow

Noisemaker arrows are filled with a pyrotechnic mixture which explodes with a loud noise when striking a surface. When NPCs and creatures hear this noise, they will run off to investigate. Once they've discovered your trickery, they will search the area for you. Noisemaker arrows are very useful for distracting opponents so you can sneak past them.

Gas Arrows

The crystal affixed to the tip of a gas arrow contains a highly poisonous gas which renders air-breathing actors unconscious. This gas can be injected into a single opponent with a direct hit, or released in a smal cloud when fired at the ground. This can be useful for knocking out several opponents standing close together. The duration of the effect is determined by the victim's resistance to poison; highly resistant actors, including all Argonians and the undead, will never be knocked out, but may become suspicious if they notice the cloud of gas. Be careful not to get too close to the cloud yourself, or your character will be knocked out for a short time, rendering him vulnerable to attack.

Holy Water Fountains

In the chapels of the Nine Divines, fountains of water blessed by the priests are used for healing and rituals. By dipping your water arrows in these fountains, you can imbue them with special properties. Holy water arrows have power over the undead. Direct contact with an undead creature will cause that creature to flee from you in terror. Firing a holy water arrow at the gronud releases a puddle of holy water. When an undead creature comes too close to the puddle, the dark magic which animates it will be dispelled for a short period of time, rendering the creature immobile. Puddles of holy water are very useful for blocking off passages or taking out a group of undead creatures.

Grease Arrows

Banded to the tip of a grease arrow is a small, oil-filled sack. When the arrow is fired at the ground, the arrow head pierces this sack, releasing a slippery puddle of oil. Actors who walk through the puddle will slip and fall. If they fall far enough, they may be rendered unconscious and even take damage. If the actor is running, he will slide much further. Grease arrows are particularly effective when fired at the top of a flight of stairs, or in the path of an actor who is chasing you.

A direct hit with a grease arrow will soak your opponent in oil, which is highly flammable. Any Fire Damage spell which is cast upon the oil-drenched victim will then deal extra damage.

Getting the Most out of the Arsenal

Strategy

A mix of strategy and stealth will help you maximize the potential of your new tools. A few examples of strategies:

- Purchase the Blackjack first. Unlike the arrows, the blackjack never needs to be replaced. It's a thief's best friend.

- Fire a grease arrow at the ground, then lure a group of opponents into the puddle by engaging them in combat or by firing a noisemaker.

- Use a noisemaker to bring opponents running to a location, then gas them all with a well-placed gas arrow.

- Use a vine arrow to climb to inaccessible ledges in dungeons or onto rooftops, then snipe your opponents from above.

- Drag the bodies of your unconscious victims into water to drown them, or throw them off of ledges to cause extra damage.

Customization

Certain features of the mod can be adjusted to your preference. To access the configuration menu, activate the "Strange Candle" on the second floor of Basso's shop, at the top of the ladder. The options are:

- Price Scale: You can specify the cost of Basso's tools by choosing one of four options. Note that "Dirt Cheap" is technically a cheat, and is not recommended. Also, bear in mind that the prices increase with your character's level regardless of the scaling option chosen.

- Quest Markers: By default, quest markers for Basso's quests will point only to the general location of your objectives, requiring you to explore a bit to meet your goals. If you don't like thinking for yourself and prefer the usual hand-holding provided by Oblivion, use this option to make quest markers point to the exact locations of your objectives.

- Rope Arrows: Use this option to switch between Vine Arrows and Rope Arrows. Both types function the same way; the only difference is aesthetic.

- Ren's Guard Overhaul: If you are using Ren's Guard Overhaul, use this option to enable compatibility with that mod. Note that while I have worked with Reneer to eliminate conflicts between our mods, 100% compatibility is not guaranteed.

Recommended Mods

There are many excellent stealth mods available for Oblivion, and many of them complement Thieves Arsenal wonderfully.

The most important by far is Realistic Ragdolls and Force. This mod makes dragging corpses much, much easier, which is essential if you wish to avoid other actors noticing your unconscious victims.

Others include:

- JOG's Stealth Overhaul or Attack and Hide: Both of these mods make it easier to hide during combat, but JOG's mod includes some additional improvements to the stealth system.

- Vaults of Cyrodiil: This mod adds well-guarded treasure vaults to the castles of Cyrodiil. The vaults are nearly impossible to plunder without engaging in combat; with the new tools provided by Thieves Arsenal, they are merely very challenging.

- Window Entrances: Allows you to sneak into houses through the windows. Currently only Anvil is implemented, but with a few vine arrows in your possession, this is a highly useful mod.

- Lockpicks: Grumblepunk's mod allows you to craft new lockpicks from useless metal clutter like tongs, shears, and forks. Never run out of lockpicks again!

These mods can be downloaded at http:\\www.TESSource.net or http:\\www.planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com.

Compatibility

Thieves Arsenal was designed with two goals in regard to compatibility with other mods:

- Avoid altering existing NPCs, objects, game settings, etc in order to prevent conflicts with other mods that alter the same things;

- Ensure that the changes made by Thieves Arsenal are applicable to new creatures and objects added by other mods.

There are very few situtations in which significant conflicts can arise between Thieves Arsenal and another mod. The most important conflict to be aware of is with Lights. Mods which add scripts to existing lights will conflicts with Thieves Arsenal. On the other hand, non-scripted lights added by other mods will generally be extinguishable with the water arrows included in Thieves Arsenal.

Known Compatible Mods

These mods have been tested for compatibility and passed:

- JOG's Stealth Overhaul

- Attack and Hide

- Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul

- Francesco's Leveled Creatures-Items

- Martigen's Monster Mod

- Any mod not listed below is almost certainly compatible as well.

Minor Incompatibilities

These mods work with Thieves Arsenal, with a caveat or two:

- Expanded Hotkeys: Expanded Hotkeys is compatible with Thieves Arsenal. However, the new tools cannot be assigned to the extra hotkeys. If you use the two mods together, you'll need to assign the new tools to the default hotkeys and use the expanded hotkeys for other items.

- Ren's Guard Overhaul: Ren and I have worked together to eliminate the conflicts between our mods. If you run both, make sure you turn on compatibility for Ren's in the configuration menu for Thieves Arsenal. See the Customization section for more info.

- Open Cities: Open Cities is compatible, but you will not be able to access two of the seven holy water fountains, as they are located outdoors in the original city worldspaces.

The vast majority of untested mods should be compatible with Thieves Arsenal. Minor conflicts may occur when certain creatures added by other mods don't react appropriately to the new tools. On the other hand, Thieves Arsenal is designed to work with mod-added creatures; for instance, the new undead creatures introduced by Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul are affected by holy water. However, no modder can guarantee or test for compatibility with every other mod, so your results may vary.

Known Issues

Much of the time I've spent creating Thieves Arsenal has been devoted to reducing bugs and testing the scripts in unusual situations. Feedback from my beta testers has helped eliminate even more potential issues. However, as with all mods of any complexity, there are bound to be glitches. A few of these cannot currently be fixed. If you encounter something not mentioned here, please let me know so it can be addressed.

Bugs in Oblivion

There are two issues in Oblivion itself which can cause trouble with Thieves Arsenal:

- When an actor is disabled, whether by paralysis, unconsciousness, or loss of fatigue, Oblivion does not remove that actor from the list of actors who can detect the player. The upshot of this is that, if you knock someone unconscious while they can detect you, the game will continue to think they detect you until they awaken or you leave the cell. I have scripted around most of the implications of this bug. However, your "sneak eye" crosshair may remain bright after knocking someone out even when you are well-hidden. There is currently no known way of fixing this issue short of patching Oblivion - and trust me, I spent a great deal of time looking for a solution. My personal preference is to disable the sneak eye entirely - it forces me to pay attention to my surroundings in order to determine if someone can detect me.

- Oblivion does not purge cells when reloading a savegame. What this means is that, if you load a savegame which was saved within the same cell you are currently in, Oblivion will not bother to reload that cell. This can causes issues even when no mods are installed - for instance, NPCs may not update their AI when the game is loaded, or quest variables and inventories may not be reset appropriately. When playing Thieves Arsenal or other mods, the game may crash when reloading a game saved within the current cell. This generally occurs when the game was saved while NPCs were searching for you. Your savegame is NOT corrupted. The general rule is: if the game you wish to load was saved within the same cell you are currently in, exit to the main menu before loading that savegame. You should be doing this even when running the game with no mods. Again, there is no fix for this unless Bethesda releases a patch.

Other Issues

- Thieves Arsenal is not designed for use with companion mods, because companions tend to attract the attention of opponents while you're trying to be stealthy.

- If you are unable to run Oblivion at a framerate of at least 15 fps, Thieves Arsenal may not function properly.

- Certain quests in Oblivion require that you kill someone directly in order to advance. If a quest directs you to kill someone, do so by conventional means rather than by knocking them out and drowning them, or causing them to slip in oil and take damage. Examples of quests where this can become an issue include the Bravil recommendation (Kalthar) and some Dark Brotherhood quests.

- Mounted NPCs are not affected by the new tools, and ridden horses may exhibit odd behavior. Avoid trying to knock out horses or mounted NPCs until OBSE v0010 is released.

If you encounter any other issues with the mod, please let me know so they can be addressed.

Contact Information

The most current version of this document is available at http:\\www.comcast.net\~scruggsyW\Thieves_Arsenal.htm.

If you have a question about this plugin, please contact me by sending a personal message on the Official Elder Scrolls Forums at http:\\www.elderscrolls.com\forums. My handle there is scruggsywuggsy the ferret.

Please do not alter and distribute this plugin without first requesting permission.

If you wish to use art assets from this plugin, please request permission from the authors credited at the top of this page.

Future Plans

While Thieves Arsenal accomplishes what it was designed to do, some features didn't make it into this release, and others could use improvement. I have plenty of plans for the mod; hopefully real life will cooperate more fully in the future so that those plans can be realized.

- More tools, including flashbombs and wall-climbing gloves.

- Physics on the hanging iron lamps occassionally goes wonky after the light is extinguished.

Missions will continue to be released episodically as they are finished. Five missions are currently planned as part of an overall story. Mission One is currently under construction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before you ask, check to see if your question has already been answered.

Oblivion Script Extender

Commonly asked questions about Oblivion Script Extender.

How do I install OBSE?

Download the latest version of OBSE from obse.silverlock.org. Then copy OBSE_loader.exe and OBSE_Loader.dll to your Oblivion folder (not the Data subfolder).

How do I run OBSE?

If you wish to use mods that require OBSE (like Thieves Arsenal), you must launch the game with OBSE_Loader.exe instead of the Oblivion Launcher. Just double-click the .exe. in your Oblivion folder. Alternatively, use one of the many OBSE-aware launchers like Oblivion Mod Manager, OBSE Launcher, or OBSE-Compatible Oblivion Launcher.

OBSE doesn't work for me!

OBSE supports several language versions of Oblivion. However, it does not work with the Direct2Drive version of the game. It also requires the official patch v1.15, available from Bethesda Softworks at www.elderscrolls.com. If you run Oblivion using Oldblivion, you will need to launch OBSE with the -old argument. See OBSE documentation for more information.

Is OBSE compatible with Shivering Isles or the new patch for Oblivion?

Yes, provided you're using a compatible version of OBSE.

Gameplay

Where can I purchase the new tools?

The tools are available to a select few customers at a hidden shop within the Imperial City. The proprietor of the shop will contact you while you're in the city, provided your Sneak skill is at least 25. Go to the Imperial City, see the sights, and try to look inconspicuous. Eventually someone will contact you - you'll know him when you see him.

When does Basso restock his inventory?

Basso restocks when you've used the tools you've already purchased. For each tool, there is a maximum you can possess at one time. For instance, you may only purchase 30 noisemaker arrows at a time. If you purchase all 30 noisemakers and then use 5 of them, Basso will have 5 more in his inventory the next time you visit him. So use them strategically when you really need them.

Why can't I douse certain lights?

As a general rule, open light sources and open flames found within castles, dungeons, and quest areas (such as the Imperial Palace) can be extinguished with water arrows. Some very large fires cannot be extinguished because the arrows don't contain enough water. Floor lamps and candles can generally not be doused either, with the exception of wall-mounted candle sconces. And enclosed lamps like those found inside ships cannot be doused because the metalwork is too small for an arrow to pass through.

But why can't I douse lights in homes and shops?

Because replacing the existing lights with extinguishable lights requires an immense amount of time and effort. A sizable portion of the time spent developing Thieves Arsenal involved tediously replacing all the lights in castles and dungeons. Hand-editing over four hundred cells was enough for me. I am simply not interested in doing that work for shops and homes as well, where the gameplay effect would be minimal given the small size of the interiors and the general lack of anything worth stealing.

Where can I purchase holy water arrows?

Holy water arrows cannot be purchased. Instead you must use one of the holy water fountains which are located at each of the town chapels of Cyrodiil. To use the fountain, activate it and place as many ordinary water arrows as you wish inside it. They will immediately be converted to holy water arrows, which you can then take.

How does Basso know if I've killed someone while on a job, and why does he care?

He has his ways. You'll find out more about Basso and his secrets in later missions.

How do I get an Odd Jobs quest?

Each Odd Job begins when you receive a letter in the Imperial City. You'll receive the first letter three to five days after meeting Basso. Thereafter, a new job will become available three to five days after completing the previous job. Visit the Imperial City during the day and the letter will be delivered.

Troubleshooting

Why doesn't the mod work for me?

- Download the latest version of OBSE from http://obse.silverlock.org and install it according to the simple instructions included.

- Read the section of this FAQ dealing with OBSE-related questions.

- If you are running Windows 2000, follow the suggestions in the INI Tweaks section of this readme.

- Send me detailed information about the problem so I can help you.

Why did the game crash when I tried to Quickload?

Because there is a bug in Oblivion. Avoid using the in-game menu to load a savegame that was saved in the same cell you are currently in.

Why is my sneaking crosshair bright when no one can detect me?

Because there's another bug in Oblivion. See the Known Issues section for more info.

Is this mod compatible with <insert your favorite mod here>?

I have no idea. I don't use many mods, and don't keep up with the ones which are released. If you think you've found a conflict, let me know the name of the mod and what it's supposed to do, and I will consider fixing it.