Sharlikran
Thanks for visiting my page:
I’ve worked on a number of tools and mods created for Bethesda games over the years. If you've ever used one and wondered how you could say thanks — whether it's for a Starbucks, a burger, or even helping with computer upgrades so I can keep modding — I truly appreciate the support.
If you're curious about my current system specs (Window 7 and a Gen 1 CPU), you can click this link.
A Moment of Realization
I was recently talking to a younger coworker, someone I assumed was in his 20s. I greeted him, and his response was so quiet it was almost inaudible. Without thinking, I replied, "Okay, Corbin Dallas," referencing The Fifth Element.
He hadn’t seen the movie — which surprised me, given its popularity. After I told him the title, he pulled out his phone, Googled it, and replied in an even tone of incredulity:
Quote
I don’t think my parents were dating at the time!
Celebrities are often asked, "When did you realize you were famous?" If I’m ever interviewed, this will be the moment I realized I was old. Because now, before I ask a young person anything, I have to first ask myself: Were their parents dating at the time? And, more importantly: Were their parents even born at the time?
System Limitations and Future Plans
I’m still using a Windows 7 system with aging hardware, which limits my ability to work on newer tools, test modern games like Starfield, or fully keep up with ESO modding. More and more software — including things like Steam, Discord, and Element — have dropped support for Windows 7, making it harder to stay current or collaborate effectively.
My Microsoft Screwdriver
I plan to keep my Windows 7 computer as it is my “Microsoft screwdriver.” This term comes from a story where a critical Microsoft build machine wouldn’t stay powered on — the switch kept clicking off. To keep the system running long enough to compile the code, someone jammed a screwdriver into the power switch. The machine stayed on, and the build was saved.
Chen, Raymond. “The Magical Excel 97 Far East Language Build Screwdriver.” The Old New Thing, 19 Nov. 2019. Accessed 10 Aug. 2025. The Old New Thing
While I don’t have to wedge a screwdriver into my power button to keep my machine alive, I do have my own “vintage build lab” of sorts. My Windows 7 setup still compiles the Python 2.7 version of Wrye Bash without complaint, and several tools in my workflow simply wouldn’t behave properly on Windows 10 or newer. It may be old, but it’s still the right tool for the job.
About Me
• 1.1 Other GitHub repositories:
• 1.2.2 Interests and Hobbies:
1.1 - Other GitHub repositories:
The following sections highlight some of the tools, repositories, and small side projects I’ve been involved with over the years. Some are actively maintained, others are preserved for historical or educational value, and a few were experiments that helped me learn more along the way.
1.1.1 - ESOUIMods:
A collection of Elder Scrolls Online mods and utilities I've worked on or contributed to. My most notable contribution was adding a filtering system to Harvest Map by Shinni, allowing players to selectively show or hide node types based on their preferences. This was particularly useful back when loading large data sets could impact performance.
I also created a companion tool called *HarvestMerge*, which let users import and combine gathering data from others. I'm not sure how people share data today, but with some updates, it might still have value.
I’ve helped maintain and update over 20 ESO addons, including several widely used libraries and map tools. Some of these have been downloaded millions of times across the years, thanks to the community’s continued interest.
Maintained AddOns:
• Delete LibStub and Embedded libraries, PointsofColor, TurkishScrollsOnline (Türkçe), Advanced Nameplates
• LibQuestData, Destinations, LibRecipe, Master Merchant 3.0, DarkUI
• ConspicuousQuestMarkers, Tamriel Trade Centre Companion, LibMapData, Advanced Member Tooltip - LibHistoire
• Importers for Master Merchant 3.0, MailR - Revised, ScuttleBuddy, ScrySpy, CraftAutoLoot
Contributing Team Member:
• Alchemy Tooltips, Community Leveling Guides, CustomCompassPins, Dryzler's LoreBooks (Beta)
• EsoKR, EsoUA — Ukrainian Localization, Inventory Insight, LibAlchemy, LibMapPins
• LibPrice, LoreBooks, Map Coordinates, Sieged Keeps, SkyShards
• Slightly Improved™ Experience Bar, WritWorthy
1.1.2 - TESnip-Skyrim-Edition
This project exists primarily for historical purposes. I previously attempted to revive TESVSnip by finding volunteers to help improve it for use with Skyrim plugins. Two contributors, Leandor and SmaugNogardeht, assisted during that time. While there was some interest, the tool was never improved enough to be considered reliable, and I do not recommend using it for active mod development.
1.1.3 - Elite Dangerous
While I try not to have favorites, Elite Dangerous holds a special place for me — I’ve played every iteration of the game going back to the original. When Elite Dangerous launched, I picked it up immediately along with the Season Pass.
I once tried contributing to TradeDangerous, a project that helps players calculate trade routes based on in-game data. Although I couldn’t keep up with maintaining it, it was a great learning experience. These days, tools like EDMarketConnector are easier to use for price tracking, but don’t offer full trade planning features. I may revisit this project if I return to the game seriously.
1.1.4 - Python Musings
A mix of code snippets and forks — some made while learning, others for testing general-purpose tools unrelated to Elder Scrolls modding.
1.1.5 - ESOlang
Most of my Python development time now goes into maintaining tools that help automate Elder Scrolls Online addon translations — things like converting `.lang` files to `.po`, rebuilding translations, and fixing encoding issues. I also handle license cleanup, batch utilities, and parser fixes for addons used in Korean and Turkish localization projects.
1.1.6 - 010 Templates
While decoding save game headers for Wrye Bash, I modified a 010 Editor template to help visualize the file structure. 010 by SweetScape is a powerful binary editor that lets you apply formatting rules to binary data. It allowed me to better understand and inspect the layout of save files.
1.1.7 - Tower of Shadows
Tower of Shadows was a text-based adventure game I created for BBS systems. It let players fight monsters with other online users, and even allowed sysops and players to write their own adventures using nothing more than a plain text editor like `EDIT.COM`.
Tower of Shadows
By: Daniel Holmes
Fight monsters with other online users. This is a text adventure game, where it will let your users write some adventures of their own. Use just their plain text editor, like "EDIT.COM".
This is Version 0.19b — Try it, I think you and your users will enjoy it.
This game was written for MS-DOS systems and will likely require DOS emulation (like DOSBox) to run correctly. It may also depend on legacy components such as `ANSI.SYS` for proper screen display.
1.2 - Autobiography
Eventually once I figure out how to do it I will have a separate Bio page but for now this will have to do.
My name is pronounced Shar-li-kran (/ʃɑr lɪ kræn/). I started working with BOSS on April 15, 2012. While working with BOSS I was told there was no TES5Edit and nobody had been in touch with the author ElminsterAU. They also told me that I would never get the source code to the program because he guarded it as if he were the Troll in *Three Billy Goats Gruff*. However, with the help of people in the Skyrim community I was able to get a hold of Elminster and after asking for the source code, he gave it to me. He was not the evil troll others had made him out to be but a very kind individual, and he was grateful there was someone willing to update TES5Edit. To this day he is very helpful and always answers my xEdit-related questions.
Starting with my first Bethesda post in regards to TES5Dump on June 26, 2012, and later around July of that year, work on TES5Edit became a group project when Zilav started helping. The first release followed in October. Around that time, there was quite a fuss over TESVSnip, which was removed from Nexus due to unresolved issues. I attempted to revive it by finding volunteers, but the major problems were never fully resolved. Anyone using TESVSnip or FalloutSnip today should proceed with caution.
Over the years I’ve maintained various Bethesda-related utilities including multiple iterations of xEdit — TES5Edit, SSEEdit, FO4Edit, and more. I also helped port record definitions to Wrye Bash/Flash, contributed to the BOSS and LOOT masterlists, and assisted mod authors with plugin troubleshooting, SEQ file issues, and load order corrections. While I’m not as hands-on with these tools today as I once was, I remain involved in keeping some of the project infrastructure organized and publicly available.
I'm publicly listed as a co-maintainer of xEdit on Nexus Mods, and my profile has received over 900,000 unique downloads. I also manage several GitHub organizations, including TES5Edit, 010-Editor-Templates, and Python-Musings, helping to preserve modding tools and related resources for ongoing community use.
Whether maintaining a utility or supporting others behind the scenes, I’ve always focused on improving the experience for players and modders who enjoy Elder Scrolls and Fallout as much as I do.
1.2.1 - Gaming History:
My first experiences with computers go back to grade school on a Commodore PET. From there I graduated to a Commodore 64, then a 128, and eventually to a Sears-bought Intel 386SX PC — likely one of their early Windows-capable systems. I started programming in BASIC on the Commodore systems, and later moved on to Borland Pascal on the 386. When Borland Pascal 7.0 introduced objects, it was the first time I had even heard of object-oriented programming. To this day, OOP is still a bit of a mystery to me. I never felt like I fully understood it, but I probably use it anyway without realizing it — since I write programs in Lua and Python all the time.
I’ve tried games like Neverwinter, DDO, Warframe, EVE (which I hated), and Elite Dangerous — but I mostly played World of Warcraft. Aside from many years of raiding in WoW, my deeper community involvement began with Bethesda titles such as Morrowind, Fallout 3, New Vegas, Fallout 4, Skyrim/SSE, and Oblivion.
I couldn’t possibly list every game I’ve played in the last 20 years. I don’t really have favorites, and I can’t explain why I have that philosophy — I just do. That said, I did enjoy classics like *Day of the Tentacle*, *Full Throttle*, and *Leisure Suit Larry* back in the day.
These days, most of my time is spent working on Elder Scrolls Online projects. While I’ve stepped back from Skyrim modding for now, I’ve been thinking about getting back into single-player games again. Once I’m able to upgrade my computer, I plan to revisit modding for Skyrim, Fallout, and possibly Starfield, depending on what tools and opportunities are available.
1.2.2 - Interests and Hobbies:
I have a family of five, and my background has always been centered around computers and technology. I’ve worked in tech support, for Intel, and at just about any computer-based company I could get hired at. So no — I don’t carve wood or restore vintage cars.
That said, I guess you could call me a shade tree mechanic. I’ve been helping my daughter keep her 2005 Acura TL alive — mostly because she keeps wrecking it or something breaks. Out of the four wheels, I’ve rebuilt the suspension on three of them. The only one I don’t think I’ve touched yet is the driver’s side rear tire.
Because of my tech background, all five of my kids also play console and PC games — it runs in the family.
1.2.3 - Meaning of my name:
I’ve always used the name Sharlikran, going all the way back to when I ran a BBS. It originally came from a D&D Elf character in *The Elves of Alfheim* supplement.
When I was actively running my BBS, I went to a Halloween BBS party where we were encouraged to dress as our handle. So I showed up as an Elf — full garb, cape, and even a polearm... which was actually the closet pole I used to hang my clothes on. My tunic may have been a bit too short and a little too “authentic” compared to the artwork in the D&D books — it didn’t leave much to the imagination.
I can’t remember the exact BBS name, but I think it had the word *Heart* in it — maybe *Heartbeats*. Either way, I ended up winning the costume contest for dressing as my handle. The prize? A calculator — and at the time, that was about the coolest thing I could have gotten. It could even convert decimal to hex.
1.2.4 - Notable quote
A notable quote is from the title of the second autobiography by Richard Feynman, "What Do You Care What Other People Think?" Which is the second of two books from the American physicist. The first being, "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" That book was introduced to me by ElminsterAU himself and will stick with me for the rest of my days.
1.3 - First TES5Dump Posts
These links are broken now, but I’ve archived the original HTML and screenshots and plan to restore the content in some form later so others can see the early development of TES5Edit.