Oblivion Idles/Animations

[Fornax91]

So I've just started to learn to animate a little, and I've managed to create an Idle. The tutorial I am following is telling me to put the file I have created in a certain directory, and I should back up the default idle. Except that the folder doesn't exist, and neither does the file I need to back up. The game runs fine though, and the default idle is obviously there. I'm not sure but I think this has to do with the fact that I have the steam version of the game. I was just wondering if there was any simple way for me to insert the idle I have created.

[Asuterisuku]

That would be because the game reads everything - animations, textures, meshes, etc. from the BSA Archives supplied with the game. So long as these archives are in-tact, there is nothing to be overwritten. To use your animation, simply send it to the corresponding directory, and make sure the file's date is more recent than that of the BSA.

[Fornax91]

So do I need to unpack it, replace the file, and then repack it? If not, then how do I tell the game my version is more recent than the default?

[Asuterisuku]

You do not. If the file is more recent, and named the same, the game will read it instead of the archive so long as it's under the correct directory. Also, to tell the date of the file, simply right click on the archive and click properties, then do the same for the file you wish to use. You could also create a file called "ArchiveInvalidation.txt" in the folder "oblivion\data" and force the game to skip the file in the BSA altogether, but I'm not the one to ask how that works.