For a first playthrough think I should use Better Cities?

[furnaps]

I am playing through Oblivion for the first time and I really want to experience the game the way it was inteded story wise, etc but Just update the graphics and UI..

 

I have a ton of graphical mods installed atm and Also better cities..

 

I have not started my play through yet and I'm wondering if I should remove Better cities or keep it..

 

Does it change anything that would effect balance? I don't want mods that turn the game into something different just update it to look like its from 2013, I know better cities changes city layouts but does it also add any Quests or Items?

 

And if it does add items are they fair and balanced in line with the original intentions of the game..

 

I really wish I could find a video of a before and after of the cities with the mod installed, I mean there is screen shots but I don't have any screen shots of vanilla cities.. I'm just affraid to alter the game To much since its my first playthrough..

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks.

[lonewolfkai]

I played my first time without BetterCities and then later added it. I haven't removed it from my Load Order since. The vanilla cities are terribly bland and BC makes it so much better. Think of BC as a graphical update. The modders intended it to be vanilla friendly, meaning, you won't get balance-affecting changes. Yes, there are a couple quests added.

 

If you're doubtful, just try it without the mod and then later add it to the game. BC is fairly easy to install. If you do this though, make sure you're inside a building, ie interiors.

 

I'd also suggest adding Crowded Cities as well. Without that, the cities will look empty.

[VikingofTamriel]

Generally, I'd say yes, it really makes the cities come alive.

However, for those who want to roleplay and follow only 'established' lore, it might be an immersion braker with the lack of voiceovers, and the add-ons to many of the cities contradicting what the guards tell you when asking for directions (cities having added more inns, more bookstores in the IC, etc), and unfortunately some added characters having non-lore friendly names.

[lonewolfkai]

Generally, I'd say yes, it really makes the cities come alive.

However, for those who want to roleplay and follow only 'established' lore, it might be an immersion braker with the lack of voiceovers, and the add-ons to many of the cities contradicting what the guards tell you when asking for directions (cities having added more inns, more bookstores in the IC, etc), and unfortunately some added characters having non-lore friendly names.

I beg to differ on this. There is no conflict to established lore and no voice overs has nothing to do with lore. There is also no name in the mod that contradicts lore at all. Where are you basing this on?

 

I say prove this to Vorians and Ismelda and you might have a leg to stand on. They are on the Bethsoft forums mostly though, so I'd go there.

Edited September 9, 2013 by lonewolf_kai

[VikingofTamriel]

I didn't say the lack of voiceovers were a break of lore, I said they might break immersion in some people's eyes.

As for names, there's an established naming Convention for TES races, see here (and its sub-pages) - in short one can say that Imperial names tend to be Latin/Italian, Breton names are French/Celtic, Nord names tend to be Norse/Scandinavian/Germanic inspired, With elven names being more inspired by LoTR and Khajiit names kinda Persian/Middle Eastern-inspired. Named NPCs in Better Cities are listed here. The majority of names are fine, although there are a few that can be seen as "problematic" in comparison With the Conventions, such as Imperials, Bretons and Dunmer not having surnames, or Orcs lacking the typical hyphenated middle/surnames. This may well be left over from the early days of the mod, long before the current People responsible for it took over. Also, the descriptions of the cities given e.g. by guards and shopkeepers (such as Phintias saying that the First Edition is the only bookstore in the Imperial City, or the naming of all Inns/hotels in the city) becomes of not contradicted then a bit lacking in info With the extra stuff added to the cities. Of course, changing Vanilla dialogue is kinda hard, so this is not really something that can be done anything about, but might be seen as slightly problematic by some "lore purists".

[lonewolfkai]

As I said, don't tell me, bring it to Vorians and Ismelda.

 

But I can tell you there's nothing in lore that contradicts naming in BBC. I see no where that what they used "can't" be used.

 

Also, missing info from directions is NOT lore contradiction. It could just as easily be explained that Phintias for example is either ignorant that other stores exist or that he is merely pointing out the more popular ones.

 

But as I said, don't take this up with me, take it to the mod caretakers . At the very least, bring it to the mod's commenting page here on the Nexus. If you're going to accuse them of slander like this, then you owe it to them to at least defend themselves.

[Zaldir]

I would say yes, definitely use Better Cities on your first playthrough. It adds so much more atmosphere to the cities, and makes them much less bland.

Not what you are asking for entirely, but I would also recommend using the Unique Landscape mods, as they make the landscape a lot more interesting (you'll also need a patch for compatibility with Better Cities).

 

Better cities adds no unbalanced things, and I know it adds at least one quest-line (plus generic quests), which is the Gold Horse Courier.

[VikingofTamriel]

It also adds the Rangers Guild faction and questline, although that may not be Complete (yet)

[lonewolfkai]

I would say yes, definitely use Better Cities on your first playthrough. It adds so much more atmosphere to the cities, and makes them much less bland.

Not what you are asking for entirely, but I would also recommend using the Unique Landscape mods, as they make the landscape a lot more interesting (you'll also need a patch for compatibility with Better Cities).

 

Better cities adds no unbalanced things, and I know it adds at least one quest-line (plus generic quests), which is the Gold Horse Courier.

Oh definately UL! That makes a HUGE difference! Along those lines, I'd suggest taking a look at Better Dungeons too. A word of warning though, it does remove the ambient lighting in them, so you'll have to use torches and light spells and/or nighteye.