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Well, I have finally found out what it is like to run a fully re-textured Morrowind on a computer that can actually handle it...
...And wow.. I'm using Darker Morrowind, everything that Connary has created, mods that re-texture Solstheim and Mournhold and a number of others. I also have the game at the highest settings, and it looks just fantastic, as good (if not better) than most newer games.
Oh, and I have also installed Mournhold Expanded and Balmora Expanded.. with *no* hit to my fps

OK, so I've taken care of the fluffy cosmetic matters, so now I need to start thinking about the substance.

I'm wondering if there have been any *must have* new mods released in the last 6 months or year that people would recommend..
Quests?
Tweaks?

Or if anybody would like to recommend mods released at any time that I just was not able to install before, that would be great too.

Tamriel Rebuilt has released its first module.
I've always liked Dracandros' voice as a mod.
LGNPC project mods are quite good (if you want depth) - some new ones released recently. Available [url="http://lgnpc.sabregirl.com/downloads.php"]here[/url]. Secret masters mod adds quests.
Magical trinkets of tamriel is another nice mod - adds a bunch of new items to equip.
Scripted spells is an interesting mod - adds some new spell effects.
Daedric sorcery is a mod that had a great concept, but I think I ran into a bug fairly early on.

MCA?

That's a few I've thought of.

Mournhold Expanded really is a marvelous mod, a true labour of love. I just found one snag with it, it isn't compatible with Multi-Mark. There was apparently an attempt to make it compatible, when I layed down the Mark it said Mournyhold Docks, but when I tried Recalling I ended up in the void (Mournhold Test Area).

It was inevitable... *sigh* I ended up reinstalling again because I was not totally happy with some of the things I'd added. "Darker Morrowind" is indeed beautifully done, but a touch *too* dark, I found, so instead I went with the various visual packs, overlaid by a few others (Egyptian Vivec/Velothi by Tygirwulf, Faylynn's Rustic Hlaalu, Jarrod's Imperial Forts)

Still thinking about what else I'm going to add, since I'm going slowly, so far I have:

Better Heads Bloodmoon addon.esm
Better Heads Tribunal addon.esm
Better Heads.esm
Book Rotate.esm
Texture Fix 1.8.esm
Weapon Rotate.esm
Balmora, Guild of Mages Home.esp
BB_Clothiers_of_Vvardenfell_v1.1.esp
Better Bodies.esp
Book Rotate - Bloodmoon v5.3.esp
Book Rotate - Tribunal v5.3.esp
dh_furn.esp
dh_furn_stores.esp
dh_thriftshop.esp
dxm_metallic_signs.esp
Faster-v10.esp
Hlaalo Manor.esp
Lantern replacer By Leeloo.esp
LMHistoricalTapestries.esp
NymBotanist'sRetreat.esp
Provincial_Bath _Shoppe_v1.esp
ShieldPlacer_MWTribBM.esp
Slof's BB neck fix.esp
Slof's Better Beasts b.esp
Suran Archery Store_v3.0.esp
Syc_AtHomeAlchemy.esp
WA_SoulGems(!).esp
Weapon Rotate - Bloodmoon.esp
Weapon Rotate - Tribunal.esp
Weapon Rotate - Vendors.esp

So my game is still relatively virginal


@Greg,
when I checked some of those LGNPC mods were temporaily unavailable. The series is good and adds lots of depth to the game, I have played it in the past. I do have a few critiques though. By the nature of the project, since it has multiple authors, I have sometimes found the writing to be a bit inconsistent, I also occasionally wonder if they haven't went a little full bore on some of the xenophobic interpretation. *shrugs* But that is probably just me, those mods do breathe some much needed life into the gameworld

I've also found that the LGNPC series can occasionally cause conflicts.
So yeah, great recommendation, but I'm holding on it for now.

What have peoples' experiences been with MCA? Is it stable? Does it generally play nicely with other mods? Is it well written?

I looked at the Tamriel Rebuilt module and was tempted, but then I saw it is still in Beta. So.. I'm curious, has anyone else tried it?

I'm also considering Silgrad Tower, thoughts on that one?



@Galrean,
I don't use multimark, so that isn't really a problem for me. But, in moments of extreme laziness (actually, with my old PC it was just a tactic of trying to avoid as many loading zones as possible), I have used the COC command. When you type coc "Mournhold" into the console exactly the same thing happens, you end up in the void. So I don't think it is so much a problem with multimark as it is a function of the game.
Though, I'm not exactly tech savvy, so that is just a guess.

Just to clear up the void and Mournhold thing.

The dialogue system uses certain conditions. A commonly used condition is location. For example all inhabitants of Balmora use Balmora dialogue. So entries do not need to be written for every interior the condition is met if the beginning is (in this case) "Balmora," so "Balmora, Guild of Fighters" would meet the condition "Balmora". Usually there is an exterior to be the base but as Mournhold is constructed from interior cells there is not an exterior cell called "Mournhold". Therefore the developers created a dud cell. Which composes of nothing but void. This way the dialogue can go off the single condition. This does not just apply for "interior exteriors". Producing the Uvirith Awakes I have encountered the same problem. As the exterior Cells are named "Uvirith's Grave" I have had to make an empty interior cell called "Tel Uvirith" to accommodate dialogue conditions.

As for recommended mods I recommended with Tamriel Rebuilt map one. Even as a member I don't use a map until its final release because a lack of quests just makes it all a bit boring. Map two Beta should be out soon though. I highly recommend visiting Port Telvanni in Map one. It can be quite a strain on even the newer computers though.
I'm not really a huge mod user as I tend to cater to my own tastes so if you know what kind of Character you'll be playing I might have something I've created that I could send you.
If you play a Mages' Guild character you might like my Arch-Mage's Quarters mod.

@Magelord

ah..interior cell, that makes sense!


Well my character at the moment is shaping up to be my usual favourite... basically a Dunmer archer/thief type with some magic/alchemy thrown in.

I'm certainly interested in anything you have made though, so do let me know.
I checked out at your Archmage Quarters and it looks very good, so I may give that a whirl also.
Right now I'm using Denina's Balmora Mage Guild Apartment and the Vivec Botanist's Retreat, so your mod would probably fit into the general theme.
(though I did also install install a mod by Master Sam that revamps a certain Balmora manor in case I want something a bit bigger at some point.)

Magelord648 wrote: Usually there is an exterior to be the base but as Mournhold is constructed from interior cells there is not an exterior cell called "Mournhold".

That's the reason you can't levitate in Mournhold. Because the roof is invisible, but there still is one.

The only real issue I've had with MCA is with scaling - you get big mobs at high levels, but if you're RPing, rather than powergaming, you should be ok.

As for homes, Abu's? Kaleigh's (sp?)?

Greg. wrote:That's the reason you can't levitate in Mournhold. Because the roof is invisible, but there still is one.

Though you can levitate in Mournhold's underground areas, though that does make sense, since there's a "real" roof there.

@ DW...
Have Silgrad installed and ran a test character over to that area, start of the quest that opens the area went smooth...and traveled to a couple of spots there and no problems with the list I pm'ed you and Silgrad...
just haven't went there yet in my current game, saving it till after I finish the Bloodmoon expansion.

@ Greg

Actually there is no roof. If you levitate by disabling the script that stops it you can fly right out into the void. If you tick the box "act as exterior" in the CS it gives the cell a sky. You can create some potentially beautiful stuff with it.

@ DW

I have a little mod I threw together for a Thief character. It's a small room in the south wall corner club with a bed, boxes and shelves. Nothing fancy but I find it bearable until I get a stronghold.

@Ml,
I always thought that area could do with a small room or something. You should consider releasing it if you haven't already.

I'm finding right now that the Balmora Mage's Guild location works extremely well since I'm not using any transport mods (trying to be somewhat pure), which is why I may also install your Arch Mage Quarters in Vivec. I'd certainly like to see the Corner Club mod though, it would probably be handy.
Should I send you my email or can you link it here?

btw, this is in no way any kind of pressure or anything like that at all, because I know very well that RL always takes precedence, and things just happen, but how is Uvirith Awakes working out?
Just curious, but if you don't know or would rather not say, that's fine.

DW, if it's not too much to ask could you perhaps post a screenshot? I'm curious about how you made it look.

@Blue Sky,
thanks for the info on Silgrad Tower, I will likely install it when I've completed Bloodmoon myself. Though it may be finicky because I just added A Call to Issilar, it's a really good mod I had tried to play before, but my old computer could not handle it very well. I have the sneaking suspicion they occupy the same area.
Ah well... if it is not possible, I know me, and there will always be future reinstalls


@Tricky,
Sure! I actually haven't enabled screenies yet, but I will do so and take a few shots to post.

Uvirith Awakes is taking a short break as I'm actually playing Oblivion at the moment and getting aquainted with the construction set for that.

Before I put up the room in South Wall, would you prefer the shelves to have space or chests on them? I made it with storage in mind as I'm somewhat of a collecter and needed the space but if you'd prefer to display your stuff it'll only take a few secs to remove the chests.

I finish my first GCSE this week and it should be relatively easy sailing into summer before I start year 11 so real life shouldn't be getting in the way too much.

Ah OK Ml, let us know what you think of Oblivion. Based on reviews and comments on this site, and some experience trying it on a friend's computer made me decide I'd only buy it f I saw a collector's pack really cheap, so I'd also be interested in your take
I tend to prefer chests over display area when it is a small space, more economical

OK, as promised,
[url="http://my.opera.com/DragonWench/albums/show.dml?id=552344"]Screenshots[/url]

Hm.. texture pack seems a little awkward. Looks good on the swamps, but it kinda stinks at Balmora and the bone/shell-style indoors. I don't know, it just messes with the atmosphere.

I think I'm going to play chess tonight.

@Tricky,
Well personal tastes and all that
Balmora is, as mentioned in the image title, Faylynn's Rustic Hlaalo while the Redoran is from the Visual Packs.
I actually quite like them, but I'm also still messing around to see what ultimately works best.

I generally prefer a more earthy/rustic look (though I do like those rather vivid shrooms ), so yeah, as I said, still experimenting. The nice thing about Morrowind is that there is a huge array of textures and mods out there to pretty much suit any individual style.

True. But to go through all of them.. again.. A little daunting.

Girls just wanna have fun.

I'll get the file up at the weekend then.

Vanilla Oblivion to be blunt is terrible. Morrowind always wins. However, install unique landscapes and an overhaul (I use OOO) and the game becomes much more playable. The problem is Bethesda made the game for spoilt teenagers with games consoles rather than seasoned gamers which Morrowind was made for so without the overhaul it's just too easy. CS is fiddly too but I'm getting there. Probably won't release Oblivion mods for a long time though.

Get the GOTY edition if you want to play. It's cheap by now so it won't be a huge waste if you don't like it.

Magelord648 wrote:Vanilla Oblivion to be blunt is terrible. Morrowind always wins. However, install unique landscapes and an overhaul (I use OOO) and the game becomes much more playable. The problem is Bethesda made the game for spoilt teenagers with games consoles rather than seasoned gamers which Morrowind was made for so without the overhaul it's just too easy. CS is fiddly too but I'm getting there. Probably won't release Oblivion mods for a long time though.

Don't do it! It's a trap!!!

My experience of Oblivion mods is... poor, particularly with quest mods. The biggest issue is that a feature, which in core oblivion was poor, actually makes any mods worse. I'm talking about voice acting. The fact that modders' NPCs either 1)don't speak or 2)speak with poor sound/voice quality which doesn't fit with the 2 voice actors bethesda used.

I'm going to disagree with you on the difficulty thing. If you play hack and slash, then oblivion is easy. If you play a mage or stealth based character, you will find the game a lot harder.

The skillset in oblivion is far too narrow. For example:
-Weapon skills go from 6 to 3
-Armour skills go from 4 down to 2
-Conjuration was nerfed - only one summoned creature present at a time reduced its usefulness
-Alteration was severely reduced, cutting levitate, slowfall and jump spells from its repertoire

The other thing about skills (particularly magic skills) is that you only get to cast better spells at level 25, 50, 75 and 100, so the difference between a 49 and 50 in a casting skill is the same as the difference between a 25 and a 74 in a casting skill. It's not incremental enough, like morrowind.

The main quest is good, if somewhat repetitive (how many

Spoiler

oblivion gates

were there?), and the game is pretty, but it's not much like morrowind. It's a shame tamriel rebuilt are moving on to oblivion scale after Morrowind province is done.

So anyway, I'll get back on topic...

Did you like Mournhold Expanded? I thought it was too different to Mournhold itself for my liking. A lot of it didn't seem to fit in with most of the rest of the game. Maybe that's just me...