Skyrim Newby - cry for help

[Teytame]

Hello everyone.

I am very new in Skyrim, it has been less then a week for me. And although I appreciate the lore & vast environment of the game (among other things), in fact I already love the game, I just wish to make it look less... depressing. I've spent over an hour just to make a character that isn't utterly ugly (those presets... OH DEAR GODS!) and bearable to look at from the back, but there are also NPCs and those faces mostly unavoidable. Especially when it comes to your companions, I mean, you DO want to look at them without pain...

 

So, I've downloaded a few mods, installed them following instructions... they didn't work.

Went to see a few videos on a subject, those mods are shown in XB (I use PC), but the mods don't seem to specify where they can be used... I tried different mods, same story. At this time I am ready to cry, mostly for the time wasted, only browsing through the mods takes hours... I don't have much time to play and I've spent countless hours in failed attempts to modify the game instead of playing it, but the knowledge that the game CAN be visually improved won't let me rest now, so I'm stuck and I really need your help.

 

If someone here could kindly suggest the PC mods that they are using (and very happy with) with detailed instructions for the dummies on how to install them (how YOU did it), I would be eternally grateful.

Here are a few things I would love to improve:

~Characters: both playable and NPCs (textures, skins, shapes if possible, just give me everything), this is a vital improvement for me at this time.

~Environment: general textures and lighting...

~And anything you think that can enrich the game, like any kind of perks.

 

Also, perhaps there are some suggestions on settings, that can make a difference. I maxed everything I had in setting, and I don't even know what some of those things are, but I don't see much of a difference. Skyrim doesn't care for explanations much, does it?

 

Thank you very much in advance for your willingness to share your precious time to help a newby & happy gaming.

[WastelandAssassin]

there are so many different options , so it really depends on what exactly you are looking for

and it would also depend on the strength of your system (for somewhat weaker systems it would be best to avoid the heavier mods , especially with the engine of Skyrim , unless you have Skyrim SE which is a bit of a different story , and you should really clear up which of the two you actually have)

 

however , to me it seems like the biggest issue you have is just not understanding how to actually mod the game

for me , I always started with the tutorials by Gopher (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1CSCMwaDubQ4rcYCpX40Eg)

you would have to decide which mod manager you wish to use . if it's NMM , get the latest version from the GitHUB . for MO you need to download the latest version (if you are using Skyrim LE , get the latest version of MO from the MO2 mod page on the Skyrim SE , if you have Skyrim SE get MO2 from that page) , or you could use Vortex (though I'm not sure how many tutorials exist for that , as I have yet to try it out)

after you decide on the mod manager , watch the basic tutorials for it before you even attempt to do any modding , to be sure you are doing it properly

 

after you have tried the basics , if you have any specific questions , or if you would like more specific mod suggestions , feel free to ask

but do start with learning the basics , it's really important

[Teytame]

there are so many different options , so it really depends on what exactly you are looking for

and it would also depend on the strength of your system (for somewhat weaker systems it would be best to avoid the heavier mods , especially with the engine of Skyrim , unless you have Skyrim SE which is a bit of a different story , and you should really clear up which of the two you actually have)

 

however , to me it seems like the biggest issue you have is just not understanding how to actually mod the game

for me , I always started with the tutorials by Gopher (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1CSCMwaDubQ4rcYCpX40Eg)

you would have to decide which mod manager you wish to use . if it's NMM , get the latest version from the GitHUB . for MO you need to download the latest version (if you are using Skyrim LE , get the latest version of MO from the MO2 mod page on the Skyrim SE , if you have Skyrim SE get MO2 from that page) , or you could use Vortex (though I'm not sure how many tutorials exist for that , as I have yet to try it out)

after you decide on the mod manager , watch the basic tutorials for it before you even attempt to do any modding , to be sure you are doing it properly

 

after you have tried the basics , if you have any specific questions , or if you would like more specific mod suggestions , feel free to ask

but do start with learning the basics , it's really important

Hello & thank you for your reply.

Yes, there are TOO many options, that's why I've specified only a few and asked for the mods that people actually know and use, so I could check them out and see if they are for me. That would definitely save some time in searching. I'm sure my system can handle a few high resolution mods. If by SE you mean Special Edition, then no, I think my game is basic, just "Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim".

As I understand, mod manager is just a convenience & is not essential for the mods to work. However, I will definitely check the tutorials, perhaps the solution is there, thank you.

[Teytame]

I think I finally figured it out, at least I've had my 1st success with a mod.

I don't even know why I bothered installing the Mod Manager, that thing does nothing but fills your HD with countless folders. You still have to extract manually and into specific locations and you can manually download any mod. Perhaps there's something I don't know, but so far that thing seems to be utterly useless, I'm going to uninstall it.

[WastelandAssassin]

well , good luck with that

because unless you really know what you are doing , you are going to have plenty of issues if you go manual

especially if you'll have conflicts , or wish to remove mods

 

to me it seems like you don't actually understand how modding works , as mod managers don't require you to extract mods manually , and I have no idea what "countless folders" you are on about

whatever the case , it's your decision . I would suggest not going manual until you have plenty of experience , but go ahead if you think it's best

[WakahisaSensei]

I recommend using mod organizer 2.0 (or whatever the latest version is). I converted all my mods to it for three very good reasons. 1. It has tutorials to teach you how to use it to its fullest. 2. It works great with finding and resolving conflicting mods. 3. It does not permanently edit any files in your game so if a mod is not to your liking there is no risk of permanent damage. The only catch is that you must boot the game from mod organizer (which is easy to do so...)

 

I recommend downloading SKSE so mods with scripts can run easier (I believe that's what it does since it's called SKSE script extender) and using that to launch the game. Also make sure to get LOOT (which is a mod organizer to ensure mods load in the proper order) and finally get FNIS (which allows you to load custom animation mods. Just make sure to run FNIS everytime you install or delete a mod which alters animations.) I'd also recommend SKY UI (which gives in game menus for certain mods) but I don't think its a necessity for mods that just improve looks.

 

As for beautifying Skyrim, I can suggest what I use but everyone's preferences are different. I make extensive use of CBBE based mods (as I accidentally permanently installed them so I have little choice or experience with other models). I also recommend a mod called "Botox of Skyrim". It makes the women at least look a great deal better. For males you want to get the "Better Males" mods (though I confess I'm looking for a better mod for male faces. Not satisfied with male mods yet.) Apachi sky hair is good for various hair models and eyes of amber is good for 100+ eye options (including some anime ones if you have an interest for it). What else what else...Demonaic textures (to give skin a more realistic shine/oil/sweat depending on installers choice). Maybe HDT physics (not sure what it does but a lot of mods require it so I got it) and racemenu for dawnguard (fixes some issues if you have custom races). I also use FNIS sexy walk (makes female characters not walk as if they're men. I think you need SKI UI to use it though, and obviously FNIS) I think that's all the mods I use to make skyrim characters prettier.

 

I'm happy to answer any questions you have. Feel free to PM me. I'm relatively new to skyrim modding so I went through a lot of this myself and a good deal of my struggles and solutions are fresh in my mind. I still have some problems that are unsolved but I'm still learning and also experimenting a lot. (I've completely broken skyrim three times to get where I am now and learned a good deal each time...except when I emptied solstheim of all enemies. I still don't know how I did that and have not been able to recreate that.)

[Drakae]

1. https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/6194

Install following the instructions.

 

2. Go to the mod page you want, perhaps after googling "top 10 mods to improve character looks", for instance...

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/7887

 

3. Go on files and click "Mod Manager Download", the mod manager you have installed on step 1 will open up.

On the right tab, at the very end, there is "Downloads", wait for the mod to finish downloading then double click it to install the mod.

 

4. Installed mod will be displayed on the left, click the checkbox to enable it.

 

Modding takes effort and a lot of trial and error, there are other tools such as "LOOT" to ease up the process but the bigger the list gets, the more likely for it to cause incompatibilities, etc.

[Teytame]

well , good luck with that

because unless you really know what you are doing , you are going to have plenty of issues if you go manual

especially if you'll have conflicts , or wish to remove mods

 

to me it seems like you don't actually understand how modding works , as mod managers don't require you to extract mods manually , and I have no idea what "countless folders" you are on about

whatever the case , it's your decision . I would suggest not going manual until you have plenty of experience , but go ahead if you think it's best

No, I don't understand how it all works, which I clearly stated at the beginning, otherwise I wouldn't be here. And no, Mod Managers do not require manual extraction, SOME MODS DO, you don't seem to know on the subject more the I do, but I thank you for your reply.

[Teytame]

I recommend using mod organizer 2.0 (or whatever the latest version is). I converted all my mods to it for three very good reasons. 1. It has tutorials to teach you how to use it to its fullest. 2. It works great with finding and resolving conflicting mods. 3. It does not permanently edit any files in your game so if a mod is not to your liking there is no risk of permanent damage. The only catch is that you must boot the game from mod organizer (which is easy to do so...)

I will definitely look into that Mod Organizer, thank you very much. Right now I'm using NMM & even though it is convenient for the most mods, I could definitely use the finding conflicts and none invasive nature of that Organizer.

I am currently having problems with 2 Java based Mods from the same author and uninstalling them will cause a lot of problems.

 

I already have SKY UI, SKSE and CBBE - which seems to be very popular, because it's basically the 1st thing I saw. I'm happy with the skin & the nakedness is a funny and unusual perk, definitely makes the game cornier. =)

I will need to look into LOOT and FNIS, with that Organizer it seems exactly what I need. I've already made a mess which bore positive and negative results, it's my learning process, always the hard way. Perhaps I should start all over before I went too far & start with that Organizer & just reinstall everything through that. Those 2 mods, as wonderful as they may be, are giving me hell & the solution is nowhere on horizon.

 

Thank you very much for your help and suggestions, I really appreciate your entire input.

[Teytame]

 

Modding takes effort and a lot of trial and error, there are other tools such as "LOOT" to ease up the process but the bigger the list gets, the more likely for it to cause incompatibilities, etc.

I absolutely agree, that's why I already starting drawing a line on which improvements I need, want & which I can live without.

Thank you & good luck to us all =)