Wanted: best Oblivion experience (PSTD from Morrowind)

[thwap]

I'm a new Oblivion player, and I want it all.

 

I'm a vet of Morrowind on the Xbox. I should get a medal for what I put up with; constant crashing from the conflict that arose if you used the GOTY disk with games begun on the regular disk, the horrid expansion pack programming error that gave a quest to kill some number of things but for some folks didn't work. It was that last straw that saw me smash my xbox to bits and swear off the sadists at Bethesda. Sure, there were fixes for these problems, but discovering them required internet access; something I didn't have those years ago.

 

Now I've realized my new quad core graphics-enhanced computer can play Oblivion. GOTY Deluxe is in my hands. The walkthrough guidebook has been ordered. I want to do everything in my power to have a great experience.

 

I have poked around a bit on Oblivion on a friend's 360, and talked shop; the main gameplay element that I don't like is the idea of every foe a scaled foe.

 

I want the total unknown danger of Morrowind!

 

I want to walk around a corner and never know if the new creature or person I meet is powerful enough to crush me like a bug, or week enough to kill with a kiss. In Morrowind, certain geographical areas tended to be populated with lesser foes; and outlying regions became more challenging. This is the only issue I know I'd like to address with a mod. But I don't want it to ruin the game experience or balance. I want a difficult, rewarding game!

 

I would like it if as many of the stock quest programming errors that might have existed would be fixed, as well.

 

Surely there must be lots and lots of players like me. Where, or where, are your recommended 1st play through modification lists?

 

I'd love to hear from anybody with links to such info, or debates about what mods are best for 1st-time players of the game. Please, help me out.

[WastelandAssassin]

well, if you want enemies to be of set levels, and not scaling with you, than OOO does just that

i think that also FCOM does the same, but i didn't test it

 

however, i must also recommend you to play the game (or at least some of it) without mods, before starting to use mods

you should probably get the feel of the game, before starting to change it (never got to play Morrowind, so don't know the differences, but still, it's general advice)

 

the problem with using such mods, is that they do much more than just changing enemies to have set levels

they add lots of contents, plenty of new items, creatures and quests, and could really change how you could play the game

after playing with OOO, it definitely does NOT ruin the game experience, but it is a very different one, so think well before using such mods (read about what they do, to make sure that you like it all)

 

as for other mods, what exactly are you also looking for??

any other specific things that you want to add to the game??

[SandsOfTime404]

As Wasteland said, it may be best to just hold off on mods for a little bit. Getting a feel for the game in it's unspoiled form can't hurt, and if you go mod-crazy early on it tends to detract from the experience (in my opinion). I originally had Oblivion for the 360, and I loved it just fine. Console versions can't be modded like the PC version, and I noticed that something as simple as access to the CS really changed how I played the game on PC. That was before downloading some mods and fidgeting with every minute detail.

 

It's your call though. Certain mods don't really affect gameplay too much. I downloaded the HG Eye Candy and a High-Rez skin texture pack for it pretty much before anything else. Of course those are both purely aesthetic in nature. Once you start adding in custom armors, weapons, etc., and things like OOO especially, the game really evolves.

[thwap]

I appreciate the advice and tips! I guess I am most concerned about encountering a major error, like the ones I encountered in Morrowind. I want as many of those Bethesda f-ups repaired as humanly possible. I like to play in such a way as to try absolutely everything within the game itself before consulting a printed guide or a website for advice or extra information. My frustration with Morrowind was partly fed by this playing style; the final straw was that expansion pack quest that I tried to defeat for weeks. By the time I had given up and looked up info online to discover that it was programming error, I had no saved game to return to that pre-dated the quest. (One of the main points Bethesda made to avoid the constant crashing was to keep only 3 saved games, which I had begun to do; so it was the advice of how to avoid one type of programming screw-up that forced the impossibility of following the directions for fixing another).

 

I will research this OOO and FCOM mod. I don't see a need for custom armor or weapons, but strict superficial improvements would be fine. Anything to increase the immersion and self-directed theatrical experience. Nothing to alter the danger.

[Shadowfen]

I appreciate the advice and tips! I guess I am most concerned about encountering a major error, like the ones I encountered in Morrowind. I want as many of those Bethesda f-ups repaired as humanly possible. I like to play in such a way as to try absolutely everything within the game itself before consulting a printed guide or a website for advice or extra information. My frustration with Morrowind was partly fed by this playing style; the final straw was that expansion pack quest that I tried to defeat for weeks. By the time I had given up and looked up info online to discover that it was programming error, I had no saved game to return to that pre-dated the quest. (One of the main points Bethesda made to avoid the constant crashing was to keep only 3 saved games, which I had begun to do; so it was the advice of how to avoid one type of programming screw-up that forced the impossibility of following the directions for fixing another).

 

I will research this OOO and FCOM mod. I don't see a need for custom armor or weapons, but strict superficial improvements would be fine. Anything to increase the immersion and self-directed theatrical experience. Nothing to alter the danger.

 

Once you've installed your GOTY disk 2 with Shivering Isles (and coincidentally the latest official patch), get and install the Unofficial Oblivion Patch mod(s) which make sweeping fixes to a variety of oblivion bugs and oopsies. I'd also recommend Denock Arrow and Toggleable Quantity Prompt which take care of a couple of glaring annoyances in the game interface.

[thwap]

K, so I followed the truly horrid FCOM loading info from http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/fcominstall.html. I also added the Denock Arrow and Toggleable Quantity Prompt mods you suggested; thanks!

 

 

Two mods are mentioned in the horridly written, out-of-date-link-referenced, and otherwise toiletpaper-worthy FCOM page; namely nGCD and Progress.

 

What is wrong with the leveling system built into the game as it stands with FCOM stuff loaded?

 

I have yet to play the game, but I want to get things as close to what I imagine is ideal before starting it off.

 

Now I'm off to start a disposable character so I can poke around in the "Testing Hall"!

Edited January 2, 2011 by thwap

[thwap]

No luck yet; here's a thread I started critiquing some of the outdated erroneous info out there. Can anybody recommend a functional FCOM how-to?

 

http://www.thenexusforums.com/index.php?/topic/284446-listing-httpdevnullsweetdangernet-fcom-disinfo/page__p__2574138__fromsearch__1#entry2574138