Total N00B Seeks Guidance

[JR]

I realize that such speak may just get me banned (Ha Ha - I think), but I've actually never played Morrowind. (PLEASE, be gentle! I'm attempting to make amends! Read on!)

Well, I happened across the full Elder Scrolls Anthology for ~$30 online and decided to buy. (I think I paid that much for just Oblivion or Skyrim alone when I purchased them on Steam "back in the day". So, I wasn't passing it up.) Being that they run in a DOS emulator, I'm not sure I will even mess with Arena or Daggerfall. But, I definitely went ahead and installed Morrowind. I have hit the Nexus already and browsed some of the mods available. But, what I'm really looking for is a brief list of what most would consider "essential mods" for the game. (Bearing in mind that, having not played the game before, I'm okay, at this point, with keeping some things "vanilla" for now.) I'm particularly interested in "bug fix" type mods. You know, things that correct various issues that are "broken" in the base game. (For example, if I were helping a new Skyrim gamer, the first thing I'd have them install would be the various Unofficial USKP patches, SKSE, and SkyUI. We could then delve into heavier mods after they've played through with an "enhanced/fixed vanilla" game.)

I know I likely could have turned to Google for help. But, most of the time you end up wasting time as not everyone has the same idea of what "essential" is. At least here, there could be some back-and-forth discussion. So, if anyone can help, I'd appreciate it.

[blockhead]

You'll want to find a mod to make Cliff Racers unaggressive.

Aside from that, for a first playthrough, you might want to try vanilla, no mods. Then, after that, you will be better able to pick mods.

[gabrielman]

Dec 18, 2014 2:09:34 GMT JR said:

I realize that such speak may just get me banned (Ha Ha - I think), but I've actually never played Morrowind. (PLEASE, be gentle! I'm attempting to make amends! Read on!)

Well, I happened across the full Elder Scrolls Anthology for ~$30 online and decided to buy. (I think I paid that much for just Oblivion or Skyrim alone when I purchased them on Steam "back in the day". So, I wasn't passing it up.) Being that they run in a DOS emulator, I'm not sure I will even mess with Arena or Daggerfall. But, I definitely went ahead and installed Morrowind. I have hit the Nexus already and browsed some of the mods available. But, what I'm really looking for is a brief list of what most would consider "essential mods" for the game. (Bearing in mind that, having not played the game before, I'm okay, at this point, with keeping some things "vanilla" for now.) I'm particularly interested in "bug fix" type mods. You know, things that correct various issues that are "broken" in the base game. (For example, if I were helping a new Skyrim gamer, the first thing I'd have them install would be the various Unofficial USKP patches, SKSE, and SkyUI. We could then delve into heavier mods after they've played through with an "enhanced/fixed vanilla" game.)

I know I likely could have turned to Google for help. But, most of the time you end up wasting time as not everyone has the same idea of what "essential" is. At least here, there could be some back-and-forth discussion. So, if anyone can help, I'd appreciate it.

Morrowind Code Patch and Morrowind Patch Project are all you really need for a first play through. There are a ton of good mods out there that add to the game, and make it more interesting in many ways, but you might want to get a vanilla experience.

If, however, you want some mods that don't change the core game, but simply add to it, I could suggest a few. One of them being Tamriel Rebuilt, which adds in a portion of mainland Morrowind, and will add it all in some day. Children of Morrowind is a must for some depth. Also, if you like to be really immersed in the game, Abot's mods for scenic travel are great, as is his mod that gives you a ride-able guar. Some people like to get MGSO (Morrowind Graphics and Sound Overhaul) but if you want the best experience, stick with the vanilla graphics. You could get MGE (Morrowind Graphics Extender) but I always have issues with it making the water look downright horrible.

If you want some tips for beginners, I'd be happy to help

[Sniffles]

Blockhead is a blockhead. Morrowind wouldn't be Morrowind without cliff racers munching your butt. You enjoyment of the game initially should be the number of cliff racer caused reloads. Nothing quite like successfully raiding some dungeon and emerging with the rosy glow of a job well done only to get dead from several squadrons of Stuka dive racers and discover you have to reload from the start of the dungeon or maybe even that gameplay day.

On a less flippant note. a tad more seriously. One mod that is a must but only after several days or weeks of game play and having stomped the length and breadth of Vardenfell. Better Looking Morrowind. Best of the best of the best is to have played it until you feel just a little burnt out and jaded then install that mod. It's like starting an entirely new game, all the wonder back again. The mod I'm thinking of simply gives greenery, trees, and ashlands turns to grasslands.

[golddragon]

I hate cliff racers.

Too stringy. And taste like mudcrabs.

[JR]

LOL Thanks, folks.
I'm looking forward to this.

[jgf]

I recommend the Better Bodies mod, this makes a world of difference everywhere you go. But I also highly recommend playing a while before adding many mods, just so you get the hang of the game and a better idea of what mods you would like.

I always use the Cliff Racer mod simply because i quickly tired of having to stop every three steps in the Molag Mar region to hack and slash a dozen of them. A similar mod I like is Passive Healthy Wildlife; does it make sense that every animal in the game always attacks you on sight? With this mod all blighted, diseased, and aggressive animals will still attack, others will only attack if you get too close, most will not attack unless you attack them first.

I tried and removed the Tamriel Rebuilt mod, after spending weeks with it; if they ever actually finish this mod it will be an interesting one. I also like the Necessities of Morrowind, which adds food and drink and requires you to eat, drink, and sleep each day; but many people hate this mod. Another controversial mod, which I now cannot imagine playing without, is Galsiah's Character Development; this removes the immersion breaking pop-up window where you distribute points, all skill and character leveling is handled smoothly in the background.

[Sniffles]

Dec 20, 2014 0:14:03 GMT jgf said:

I recommend the Better Bodies mod, this makes a world of difference everywhere you go. But I also highly recommend playing a while before adding many mods, just so you get the hang of the game and a better idea of what mods you would like.

I always use the Cliff Racer mod simply because i quickly tired of having to stop every three steps in the Molag Mar region to hack and slash a dozen of them. A similar mod I like is Passive Healthy Wildlife; does it make sense that every animal in the game always attacks you on sight? With this mod all blighted, diseased, and aggressive animals will still attack, others will only attack if you get too close, most will not attack unless you attack them first.

I tried and removed the Tamriel Rebuilt mod, after spending weeks with it; if they ever actually finish this mod it will be an interesting one. I also like the Necessities of Morrowind, which adds food and drink and requires you to eat, drink, and sleep each day; but many people hate this mod. Another controversial mod, which I now cannot imagine playing without, is Galsiah's Character Development; this removes the immersion breaking pop-up window where you distribute points, all skill and character leveling is handled smoothly in the background.

Could you give me a link to better bodies please?

I had and lost  cliff racer mod which was custom and extraordinary. It was an ordinary bow but had some goody on it where it did a LOT of damage to cliff racers. That was why I got into bows. Once I got the controls down pat cliff racers were just a minor annoyance at worst, and wonderful target practice.

So you would not recommend MSGO?

[Jac]

Sniffles: mw.modhistory.com/download-21-6037

MSGO is a great base to start changing the visual aesthetics of Morrowind, but it doesn't cover everything and isn't to everybody's tastes. I don't use it because the landscape mods I use aren't included in it. I do recommend trying it though, just make sure you get the patches and update MCP/MGE XE.

[jgf]

Dec 20, 2014 2:49:29 GMT Sniffles said:

Could you give me a link to better bodies please?

So you would not recommend MSGO?

Better Bodies - www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/3880

MSGO is a collection of that person's favorite mods, and they do all work together. But whether you would like his/her selection is the question. And if you pick and choose from among them, you might as well pick and choose from one of the major download sites (where you will get screenshots, descriptions, and sometimes reviews, of each mod).

This is not a castigation of MSGO, I don't even know what mods are included. Just my general opinion of compilation mods.

"...a “compilation” of the best mods out there, packed together with care for detail and user-friendliness. In fact you will be able to install hundreds of beautiful mods at once, with a simple installer designed by us with simplicity in mind"

Who decided the "best" mods? And I'm always leery of installers since you don't know what they will add until you run them (I spent months recreating my texture folder after an installer which was only supposed to replace foliage also overwrote my custom creature and building textures).