New to game, do you think I should play unmodded first?

[Zatasha]

I don't think I've played a purely unmodded Elder Scrolls game since Morrowind. I have always found all the community's favorite bugfixes first, at the very least. Unofficial Patches and Immersion mods are the first on my priority list, like Take Notes listed above. I don't add frill like altered house mods until later, and don't add things like Brehanin's Better Vampires unless I already know the vanilla system will bore me. Generally, play the game and get a feel for what you don't like. Do you like HAVING to explore in order to find what you need, or do you have moods where not having a compass would piss you off? Of course that directs the flavor more toward Morrowind, but it's still ncie sometimes. With so many mods having easy to use mcm menus or other configuration, it is super easy to have a different flavor, but not completely alter the theme or taste of Skyrim.

That said, I recently did a STEP install using all their recommended bug fixes and most of their other recommended visual mods. It was a really quick, easy path to getting the more usable, pretty Skyrim that I generally expect when I boot it up these days. My list of necessities changes each time I do a new install, but this time, it is this:

• SkyUI
• Skse
• Mod Organizer
• RaceMenu (my icon is a pink khajiit, I don't think this needs much explanation.)
• Skyrim Flora Overhaul (with a couple texture overwrites, but still. I've been using Vurt's stuff since Morrowind, don't miss out on this.)
• Footprints
• Point The Way
• A water mod. I used to use only WATER, but this play through I'm using Realistic Water 2.
• This playthrough I am using several community-beloved mods, like The Paarthurnax Dilemma and Run For Your Lives. I also picked up this grouping of [x] for good guys, because really my current character wouldn't go along with several of the Daedric quests.
• I always use Khajiit Speak but if you're not playing an Elsweyr native raised on Ta'agra it probably won't interest you terribly much.
• I like Achieve That. It's kinda cute and fun and you can just opt not to use their reward/glory system if you feel it is unbalancing or Too Cheap.
• I highly recommend Frostfall and a needs mod (I use Realistic Needs And Diseases) if you find running around in a blizzard and eating 50 potatoes in the middle of a fight but never at any other time a little too silly.
• I use Sperg. I love Sperg. Sperg is great fun. I did a playthrough without Sperg, but I like Sperg so much that I hardly remember what vanilla perks were like.
• I also have a bunch of mods for marriage and hearthfire, like the multi-adoption, my home is your home, dudestia's marriage mod, and although it isn't about marriage necessarily, I use AFT as well to manage all my followers (and have up to five of them with me at a time. Because I'm a tiny baby and fightin's Too Hard (jk)) House mods are somewhat included in this section. A lot of house mods can be too free or cheaty for some people, so I don't recommend house mods until you're on the "I'm Just Having Fun With My Load Order" stage of modding Skyrim.

This list would be very, very long if I actually listed my favorite mods for you, but that should be a suitable summary. I also use mods for whenever I have a character that has a monstrous aspect, like vampirism or werewolf blood. The more customizable, the better.

 

But as people above said--play through vanilla until you find what makes you bored and unhappy. The point of the game is to make you happy, so use mods to supplement that as you find things that make you unhappy. If pretty skyrim with Automatic Variants and 30 visual plugins makes you happy, go for it. If literally being a dragon makes you happy, go for it. There are zillions of mods out there, surely some of them will fit your tastes. Just make sure you mod SAFELY! Uninstall and install according to directions, and if you are going to uninstall a scripted mod, use the Savetool to clean orphaned scripts from your save. ALWAYS make back ups. Have fun!

[CherryBelle]

Thanks so much, guys! Lol. I did have a bit of a horror/funny moment where I uninstalled the enhanced character edit mod, and my character's face disappeared, excluding the teeth and brows. That was... an experience.

http://www.myimg.us/images/05.16.14/42779.jpg

 

I reinstalled it and had no issues though. lol. It's REALLY hard not to be tempted to download mods.. but I think I am going to try and run through the game once in vanilla mode, excluding those patches people suggested such as the high res and unofficial patches.

[TheMarduk]

It isn't a good idea to put mods right from the start. You have to play the game first to understand what is missing and you would like to add (specially on your second playthrough) Skyrim original release is so full of gaps on my opnion, that you will not take long to see problem solvers here on nexus.

My first reality cracker was the lack of cloacking in a land of cold. So I went to nexus to see something about it and then I did download it. Just always be aware of the modder's specifications and procedures, always remember to clean your things and everything should (try to) be okay.

[TheMarduk]

Thanks so much, guys! Lol. I did have a bit of a horror/funny moment where I uninstalled the enhanced character edit mod, and my character's face disappeared, excluding the teeth and brows. That was... an experience.

http://www.myimg.us/images/05.16.14/42779.jpg

 

I reinstalled it and had no issues though. lol. It's REALLY hard not to be tempted to download mods.. but I think I am going to try and run through the game once in vanilla mode, excluding those patches people suggested such as the high res and unofficial patches.

 

O.o that is rather scary hahah good to see that you found the solution. Have no doubts that if something isn't working as it was said, I'll stake my gold on compatibilities issues.

[CherryBelle]

Arrrrrgh it was too much of a temptation. It's the Sims all over again. I played that with no mods for like.. 20 minutes before going F this and going berserk... Same thing happened with Skyrim. But I lasted a few days instead of a half hour. lol. I know I really should do vanilla first, but there's so many amazing ones out there. I just discovered Frostfall... just.. amazing! My wonky face cap happened because I had created a character with the enhanced character edit mod, and then uninstalled the mod, and loaded up the saved game. Apparently, even though ECE doesn't add any extra vertices or anything, Skyrim can't interpret characters created with it.. hence the headless horseman look.

 

I currently have two characters I'm playing, a Nord on the Imperial side and a Wood Elf on the Stormcloak side. I want to have my elf focus mostly on hunting and sneaking. I even considered ignoring the quests... and just crafting a tent and making a 'living' hunting animals and crafting things from their hides. I love exploring game worlds, and Skyrim has such a huge one that I'm entertained for hours. Only problem is, I kept getting ambushed, and I'd find myself without enough time to switch to my close range weapon... and yeah. Even when it's added to my hotkeys.. somehow I get the nerves and I end up dead... lol. But, besides for the random thiefs and bandits wanting to murder me.. it's going well.

 

My Nord on the other hand, is doing the quests, and I have her as a typical berserker type.

 

I'm the kinda person that wants to get in the modding/customization scene... so now there's that too... heh. Thanks for ALL your help. You guys are super friendly and happy to help newcomers!

[madcow12]

id' say after installing the unofficial patches, go for the Tropical Skyrim mod. i've been wanting to get it but don't know which mods i have to remove so waiting until i've finished this playthrough

[MODinsane]

When I bought Skyrim, the first version was for the xBox 360 and completed most everything ingame, got bored, bought the PC version, the rest was insanity! I started without MODs and played several hours, then went MODinsane, thus the nickname I gave myself when signing up, then went Premium. MODs make the game better, but take your time. If you use MODs, the first thing you have to do is clean up some of the Bethesda leftovers with TES5 and Gopher has done a Youtube on this issue. The leftovers are part of what Bethesda left in part of the game that alone w/o MODs you have no issues, but when you start MODs, then you will have issues. Some of the issues are leftover Scripts that conflict with a MOD'd game, junk files unnecessary. Never clean the actual Skyrim file, it is other files part of the game.

 

Gopher's Youtube Vid is his revised version from the first he did. He has one for cleaning MODs also.

 

Cleaning the Master Files:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw3g_N1jcZQ

 

I have not done this one and cleaning MODs should be the responsibility of the authors, but here is his advice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOQO2S6HDBw

 

The disappearing head and face is funny, but one MUST have teeth to eat, or one gums it to death! :laugh:

[Triaxx2]

Archery is a bit weird. You're probably better continuing to shoot even at close range, rather than change weapons. Don't forget you can bash with your bow. That'll back off most enemies enough for another shot.

 

I found that there are a few mods I simply won't play without. SkyUI is obvious. Improved Container Names is one I have to have. It changes the thousand identical 'Barrels' into Barrels of Reagents/Produce/etc. So you know what you're opening before you click on it. Very handy. I also have to have a mod to replace the Brotherhood default armor, because I really hate it.

 

Also, Static Mesh Improvement Mod has become a necessity. I just don't play without it.

[zyg0tic]

Unmodded? I would say no. Mods are necessary as the vanilla game is lacking too much otherwise.

 

The most enjoyment breaking thing for me in vanilla is enchanting and improving of weapons and armor. If you make uber items, then except no challenge. Then it is no longer about tactics and choosing the right tools for each job, but rather one-shotting everything. To prevent this, you have to use your own discretion. I just use perk and skill based item improvement, rather than boosting it further with potions and gear.

 

Two other breaking things, a) how easy it is to sneak in vanilla b) instant heal potions.

 

For difficulty I stick with Adept. But then I add increased spawns, High Level Enemies and Skyrim Immersive Creatures and OBIS. This improves difficulty not by simply boosting enemy hp, damage, stamina, but rather increasing the amount of enemies and their capabilities.

 

As mentioned, unofficial patches are a must. I would also recommend the following:

 

- ESSENTIAL - SKSE and SkyUI. Run the game through SKSE always.

- To improve performance of the game, using the ENboost is a must. Basically it is ENB functionality in order to improve performance, whilst preserving vanilla look. Does wonders for framerate.

- Dynamic Potions mod. Use this to make heal potions heal over time rather than instant. Configurable to your liking.

- Stealth Skills Rebalanced - significant but not drastic change to stealth skills and combat.

- Convenient Horses

- Extensible Follower Framework

- No Boring Sleep Wait Menu

- No More Blocky Faces

- Reactive Guards

- Run For Your Lives

- When Vampires Attack

- Treebalance

- Better Messagebox Controls

- Superior Lore-Friendly Hair

 

With installing most mods, I use Nexus Mod Manager (NMM). Manually downloaded files usually have instructions for how to install them, and are usually patches for NMM installed mods.

Here's my process:

1. Manage/install/disable with NMM. Close NMM.

2. Auto-order with LOOT

3. Open Wrye Bash. Uncheck 'bashed patch' in list. Right click 'bashed patch', choose Rebuild Patch. Follow prompts, including unchecking mods that can be merged (it tells you which ones). Build patch, enable bashed patch.

4. Close all.

5. Run Skyrim through SKSE.

[MODinsane]

Unmodded? I would say no. Mods are necessary as the vanilla game is lacking too much otherwise.

 

The most enjoyment breaking thing for me in vanilla is enchanting and improving of weapons and armor. If you make uber items, then except no challenge. Then it is no longer about tactics and choosing the right tools for each job, but rather one-shotting everything. To prevent this, you have to use your own discretion. I just use perk and skill based item improvement, rather than boosting it further with potions and gear.

 

Two other breaking things, a) how easy it is to sneak in vanilla b) instant heal potions.

 

For difficulty I stick with Adept. But then I add increased spawns, High Level Enemies and Skyrim Immersive Creatures and OBIS. This improves difficulty not by simply boosting enemy hp, damage, stamina, but rather increasing the amount of enemies and their capabilities.

 

As mentioned, unofficial patches are a must. I would also recommend the following:

 

- ESSENTIAL - SKSE and SkyUI. Run the game through SKSE always.

- To improve performance of the game, using the ENboost is a must. Basically it is ENB functionality in order to improve performance, whilst preserving vanilla look. Does wonders for framerate.

- Dynamic Potions mod. Use this to make heal potions heal over time rather than instant. Configurable to your liking.

- Stealth Skills Rebalanced - significant but not drastic change to stealth skills and combat.

- Convenient Horses

- Extensible Follower Framework

- No Boring Sleep Wait Menu

- No More Blocky Faces

- Reactive Guards

- Run For Your Lives

- When Vampires Attack

- Treebalance

- Better Messagebox Controls

- Superior Lore-Friendly Hair

 

With installing most mods, I use Nexus Mod Manager (NMM). Manually downloaded files usually have instructions for how to install them, and are usually patches for NMM installed mods.

Here's my process:

1. Manage/install/disable with NMM. Close NMM.

2. Auto-order with LOOT

3. Open Wrye Bash. Uncheck 'bashed patch' in list. Right click 'bashed patch', choose Rebuild Patch. Follow prompts, including unchecking mods that can be merged (it tells you which ones). Build patch, enable bashed patch.

4. Close all.

5. Run Skyrim through SKSE.

Works for me every time I install or uninstall and of course running TES5 Edit