Skyrim survival-based playthrough (just trying to make a living)

[pksky]

I've gotten a lot of enjoyment out of survival-themed mods like Frostfall and Hunterborn and wanted to make a new playthrough that focusses on that. The idea is that I'd like to play as more of a regular citizen of Skyrim trying to make it in the world than the Dragonborn trying to save it.
To that end, I've got some mods in mind which will focus on my character becoming a self-sufficient citizen who can provide for him/her self (and a family?) survive, earn a living, accumulate a home and possessions and die of natural causes as an old, man or woman. (hehe, is there a mod that allows one to die of old age?)
I want to do as little of the quest lines as possible (can I do none?) I don't want to do dungeons and get lots of great, valuable loot. The closest I think I might come to that is by installing the "notice board" mod and accompanying mercenaries to help them on their missions and getting the gold reward for a successful adventure where they don't get killed. Again, this is treating me like a regular citizen, playing second fiddle to other NPCs.
Here's a list of mods I have in mind, some by their proper titles, although some I'm not sure of. If anyone can suggest some more that would go well with the list for playing this "sims" style suvival game I would appreciate it. So how do I "win" the game? Not sure. What do you think the goal marker should be? Have a 3-bedroom home, family, full health, steady food/income and maxed out frostfall/hunterborn stats?

-Campfire
-Frostfall
-Hunterborn
-Hunting in Skyrim (to trap animals)
-some kind of wolf follower (because I need a best friend to help me hunt and protect me. There's one I have to look up that actually eats and grows over time, which I think would fit in great for this role-play) ah, it's called " Wolf Follower - Dynamic pet including Hunger and Growth system by Hypno" and it grows over time, gets hungry and needs food, can have a "home" set anywhere and other neat features.
-Farm Anywhere to grow my own food
-Constructible Shacks (to build my own home, rather than buy a player-home)
-Woodcutter (to chop down trees and make my own furniture/belongings)
-Jaxonz positioner to position my belongings in my constructed home
-Chesko's Last Seed would be ideal and I'm eagerly awaiting that one for a needs mod, otherwise...
-Realistic Needs and diseases (I believe it has good patch/integration with frostfall and hunterborn. Correct me if I'm wrong or if there's a better-integrated needs mod)
-torch craft (last longer the better you get at making them)
-realistic torches (which can be extinguished in bad weather)

Are there other mods that you can suggest for a playthrough that is more about survival and making a life for yourself rather than being a hero and questing? Anything that would complement the survival aspect and downplay the overpowered dragonborn-questing side of the game?

[Project579]

For the needs and disease part i will go with Last Seed from the author of Campfire and Frostfall if it gets released in time otherwise Realistic Needs and diseases remember that on skyrim you cannot switch mods in middle of a play through. Just for immersion you should try a weather mod like Climates of Tamriel, Purity, Vivid weathers ecc. then chesko wearable lantern with the fuel consumption option active. And Think To Yourself Messages for immersion.

Edited September 4, 2016 by Project579

[Elias555]

Similar playthrough and mods to my current one. My characters goal is to be adored. I think woodcutter already allows you to plant trees and plants under the cooking menu. Might be CCO. Skyrim unbound. Scarcity x10. Relationship dialogue overhaul. Travelers of skyrim. Lanterns. Solitude furniture. Timing is everthing. SCS athletics, unarmoured, sustenance. Animallica. Real weapon replacer. Warmth. Real bows.
That's the bulk of the other mods.

 

-some kind of wolf follower (because I need a best friend to help me hunt and protect me.

Never understood this for a character that'll be hunting wolves. There's a few meeko replacers that turn him into a wolf.

 

 

remember that on skyrim you cannot switch mods in middle of a play through.

Rubbish. As long as you're not daft about it you can remove most mods. Some of the risky to remove mods have an MCM option that allows you to safely remove said mod.

[Project579]

I said it right before speaking of Last Seed and Realistic needs and diseases for a reason if you switch to one and another don't come back complaining that you have a disease that no longer goes away or that some times you die randomly....

[pksky]

For the needs and disease part i will go with Last Seed from the author of Campfire and Frostfall if it gets released in time otherwise Realistic Needs and diseases remember that on skyrim you cannot switch mods in middle of a play through. Just for immersion you should try a weather mod like Climates of Tamriel, Purity, Vivid weathers ecc. then chesko wearable lantern with the fuel consumption option active. And Think To Yourself Messages for immersion.

 

Yes, I'm familiar with those pitfalls. Last Seed is "coming soon" so maybe it will come by the time I gather a mod list together and start playing. Otherwise, I am a bit familiar with uninstalling, "cleaning" mods and such. I did have a couple issues with scripted mods in the past, but was able to fix them by following some advice regarding uninstalling, using save cleaners and reinstalling. You're right though, that with the numerous effects and constant script polling with a needs mod, it's best NOT to get into that kind of trouble.

[pksky]

Similar playthrough and mods to my current one. My characters goal is to be adored. I think woodcutter already allows you to plant trees and plants under the cooking menu. Might be CCO. Skyrim unbound. Scarcity x10. Relationship dialogue overhaul. Travelers of skyrim. Lanterns. Solitude furniture. Timing is everthing. SCS athletics, unarmoured, sustenance. Animallica. Real weapon replacer. Warmth. Real bows.

That's the bulk of the other mods.

 

Thanks for the additional suggestions. They sound like the sort of thing I'm looking for. I'll check them out!

 

Never understood this for a character that'll be hunting wolves. There's a few meeko replacers that turn him into a wolf.

 

I think it's quite natural. All the dogs that people enjoy now as "best friend" were a result of symbiotic relationships between wolves and man with man eventually domesticating and breeding wolves. Considering that I imagine the playthrough to be more solitary in nature, with me providing for myself, I can see a character being more likely to keep around an animal for a follower/companionship than a person.

[pksky]

Just had a thought, and to bump this in case someone new can see it and add suggestions... I use grass mods like SFO, but I remember selecting a "medium" height to the grasses. For this playthrough I think going for the tall height might be more challenging, since both predators and prey will be more difficult to spot and hunt as they run into tall grass. Also, I just remembered and found a mod called "If It Bleeds It Leads" which sounds great for hunting. Animals that are shot will drip blood on the ground and take damage as they run away, so they can be tracked by their blood trail and possibly have their body found at the end of the trail if they've been hurt enough.

[Vakarlan]

Thank you OP. You could jam in some immersion mods like Wet and Cold, I like the ash option the best during the DragonBorn Quest line.

Edited September 15, 2016 by Vakarlan