How to install and play Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion multiplayer mod?

Despite all the obvious ways in which Elder Scrolls V Skyrim was groundbreaking in 2011, it could not outclass Oblivion in a number of categories. Oblivion, released in 2006, was a near-unanimously well-received success. Although much of the unique mystique and personality of Morrowind faded with it, it remains to be the perfect middle-ground between Skyrim's accessibility and Morrowind's old-school trait.

Oblivion's small player community remains loyal. For those who want to enjoy the quaint charm of an old gem in multiplayer, it is still possible in 2022, thanks to mods. The following are ways in which players can currently set up a multiplayer session, depending on a few prerequisite conditions.

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Setting up Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion in a co-op/multiplayer session

There have been numerous attempts to dig up the Oblivion codebase and make it conducive to a multiplayer environment. Its similarity to Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, developed on the same Bethesda in-house engine, made it serviceable on the Fallout-based 'VaultMP - Vault-tec multiplayer' platform. Historically, there have also been several alternatives in the past decade, including Shockkiller's standalone 'Shocks Oblivion Multiplayer.'

However, the only one that happens to work in 2022 is myswordnu's 'Oblivion Online - MadeEasy'.

While a number of other mods in Elder Scrolls V Skyrim and Fallout use the papyrus script extenders like SKSE64 and F4SE, myswordnu's mod does not rely on OBSE. Instead, it is handled through an executable that injects the code in runtime, much like OBSE itself. However, OBSE has become a requirement since v1.5 of the mod, and it will install by itself if the player's copy does not have it.

The prerequisite to run multiplayer properly is patch v1.2.0416 or higher. The latest patches for both the GOG and Steam edition of the game function with it properly.

To host a session, a player needs to:

1. Download the mod from the Nexus page and place the file in their game archive.
2. Launch the game through the newly-placed exe
3. Buy the spells 'ObOnline' and 'ObOffline' from First Edition, located in the Market District of the Imperial City; these handle the ability to toggle between online and offline mode for both host and other clients.

Left: the window that indicates whether OblivionOnline is ready to launch; Right: the server addon window (Image via Nexusmods/myswordnu)

The 'Addon Server' window, launched alongside Elder Scrolls V Skyrim, tracks the connection status of the end-user. To connect to a friend's game session, all you need to do is type in the host's IP in the field and start the session to connect.

Playing couch co-op

Melkiah's co-op mod offers an alternate approach. Instead of multi-node sessions, this mod turns Elder Scrolls V Skyrim into a proper couch co-op with player 1 and player 2, each with their own distinct set of controls. The secondary character, player 2, is one of the many available NPCs that can be recruited as a controllable companion. A button layout spell, added with the mod, enables you to change player2 controls.