How to mod the correct way (Newbie)

LargeStyle · January 24, 2013

With all due respect...

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/6974/capturevmm.jpg

RavageTheEarth · January 25, 2013

Sorry about that, I apologize I was on my extremely crappy cell phone and it was running the mobile version because my service is so crappy it would never load the full version so I couldn't search. I was just trying to start a little discussion on the IMAGINATOR ENB. Not trying to come off as lazy or anything like that. Anyways I'm thinking of starting my modding career off with this:

ENB by Boris Vorontsos (Will I be able to run this ENB through NMM???)

http://enbdev.com/

Skyrim Visual Immersion by Matso

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=5587

Skyrim HD - 2K Textures by NebuLa

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=607

Skyrim Flora Overhaul by vurt

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=141

Lush Grass by OpticShooter

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=3288

Lush Trees by OpticShooter

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=3385

Field of view set to 80

I got this list from this video:

I don't want anything to change too much, I just want everything to look extremely beautiful without making it feel like a different game. Does anyone have any opinions on these? Anyone here about this ENB? All opinions and discussion are welcome.

Edited January 25, 2013 by RavageTheEarth

RavageTheEarth · January 25, 2013

Ok completely disregard my last post. I have changed all those mods after doing some research. THIS is why I am waiting before I start modding. Ok, so should I install an ENB before or after a series of texture mods. Anyways, here is my list. This in order of installation from first to last. The ENB is the only thing I am going to manually install so should that be first or last? I figured I would put it first on the list for the sake of argument. Thanks guys, I hope I am not being too annoying.

True Vision ENB

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/85

Skyrim 2k Textures

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/607

Serious HD Retexture SKyrim

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/2146

Skyrim Flora Overhaul

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/141

Lush Trees

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/3385

WATER

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/13268

Enhanced Night Skyrim

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/85

Static Mesh Improvement

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/8655

LargeStyle · January 25, 2013

No need to apologise! I wasn't having a go at you, and if it came across that way then I apologise too :thumbsup:

Anyway, ENB can't be installed by NMM as ENB is installed into Skyrims main directory - NMM can't place mods into this folder. ENB therefore has to be manually added. The ENB mod creator (Boris) disallowed the hosting of the main processing files on Nexus so when you download someone ENB preset read the mod description page to find out which ENB the present is based on, then download the original version first from Boris' website: here. Once you have the standard ENB files in your Skyrim directory then copy over the ENB preset files (from the downloaded mod on Nexus) and overwrite any files when prompted. Just be aware that the wrapper version of ENB uses a d3d9.dll file which other mods may also have, so make sure you won't overwrite another d3d9.dll. If you already have another mod that uses this file then use the injector version of ENB which does not contain the d3d9.dll file - just make sure you run the ENBinjector.exe file before you start Skyrim otherwise ENB won't run.

As for your mod list, you probably won't get everything right first time, but in my opinion what you've chosen is a very good start. Don't forget that if you're wanting high resolution textures then install Bethesdas official HiRes Texture Pack first before any other texutre mods. This will give a more thorough basis for better textures that other mods may not change.

For general landscape textures, Skyrim 2k Textures is perhaps the most popular, but I personally use "Texture Pack Combiner" mod which uses 3 major texture mods together - however one of these mods is currently absent from Nexus, but it's worth looking at: link

One thing I think worth mentioning is with the Flora overhaul mod - it's a great mod and I really like it, but it doesn't really improve the flora that's already in Skyrim, it changes it. Here's what I mean:

Without Flora Overhaul:

http://img805.imageshack.us/img805/3373/1vanilla.jpg

With Flora Overhaul:

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/9186/2skyrimfloraoverhaulhir.jpg

If you really want to get the "best" graphics then here's a picture with Flora Overhaul (Summer Edition) and Glorious Grasses

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/5971/8skyrimfloraoverhaul2su.jpg

Plus there are other mod such as Skyrim Bigger Trees:

Without Skyrim Bigger Trees:

http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/6804/6vanilla2.jpg

With Skyrim Bigger Trees:

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/1576/9skyrimbigtreesbigversi.jpg

Lastly for environments, if you aren't aware of it, maybe check this mod out: HD Enhanced Terrain.

Also, you may want to look into improving people with mods too. The following image compares standard males (on the left) and modded males (on the right). Note the only mod used is: Better males - Beautiful nudes and faces - New hairstyles - and don't worry about the "nudes" part if it concerns you, this mod is just a general male overhaul.

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2950/malesk.jpg

Females can be harder to get right perhaps mainly because there are so many female mods out there. I've quickly made another comparison image with standard females on the left and modded females on the right:

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/1959/femalezv.jpg

To achieve this result, I installed the following mods and have been listed in the order that they need to be installed in:

Luscious Faces - Hi-definition natural female faces (main file)

Luscious Faces - Hi-definition natural female faces (Optional File - No Makeup in Base File)

Here the rest of the mods that I am personally and currently using:

Visual Mods:

Real Snow

Darker LOD Trees

Hectrol CAVES DELUXE HighRes Retex

No stretching

Pure Waters

TreesHD_Skyrim_Variation

Gameplay Enhancing Mods:

Exhausted - with some personal adjustments I made in Creation Kit.

Lightning during Thunder Storms

New Ragdolls ... or ... Realistic Ragdolls and Force

Oblivious Horses

Forsworn Children

Sound / Audio Mods:

Improved Combat Sounds

Ultra Realistic Bow Shoot Sounds

Bug / Game Fixes:

Closer Quivers and Longer Arrows

Unofficial Skyrim Patch

Whiterun Lighting Fix

Winterhold Delete Snow Patches

Other good mods (that I'm currently not using):

aMidianBorn Book of Silence - awesome retexturing of standard armours.

Enhanced Lights and FX

Terrain Bump - Texture Pack

Wet and Cold

Edited January 25, 2013 by LargeStyle

RavageTheEarth · January 26, 2013

Definelty the most helpful reply yet! Thank you! So I don't think I'm gonna use an ENB. I just want skyrim to look the same, but a thousand times more detailed. I might do some slight lighting mod, but that is it. So can I install the bethesda texture pack through NMM? Also, would I be able to ask you what your system specs are? Thanks agin! Edited January 26, 2013 by RavageTheEarth

LargeStyle · January 26, 2013

So can I install the bethesda texture pack through NMM?

No, it's a free DLC add-on that's only obtainable via Steam.

Also, would I be able to ask you what your system specs are?

Yes of course. My pc is getting old now and it was never designed for games, it's my music workstation pc that's been adapted to gaming. Anyway: CPU: Q6600 @ 2.4Ghz (no overclock), GPU: GTX 260 (no overclock)m RAM: 8Gb DDR2. The rest is just old Gigabyte motherboard, multiple SATA2 HDDs and my Creative XtremeGamer soundcard.

FYI: If you want to know someones system specs then this information can be found by looking at someones profile - just click their name and it will take you to the profile page.

As for ENBs, I keep on falling in and out of love with it (sad to say). I've just fallen back in love again for now as I've just come across a good ENB on Nexus. It's getting late here so I'll post back tomorrow no doubt with some ENB pictures!

RavageTheEarth · January 26, 2013

Holy crap! and you run all of those mods? What graphics settings are you playing on? I am about to buy myself a i5 3570k with an MSI Twin Frozr III 7950 (along with every other component for a fresh build) and I have been really scared wondering if I would be able to play Skyrim on ultra with everything retextured to 2k since Skyrim is going to be the only game I am going to play for months and months (and months). It's a little scary blindly (well not blindly since I have done HOURS of research on components every day) spending over $1000 on a custom computer build and not knowing if I will be able to play my favorite game with all these mods. I currently own a ps3 and I ruined it for myself by watching some video's of Skyrim with mods on pc. Don't get my wrong, it's an amazing game, but I feel like now when I play I am walking around without my glasses on haha. I really look forward to this journey as I love learning new things and seeing the true beauty in games. and I would love to see some pics!!! Looking forward to that. -Josh Edited January 26, 2013 by RavageTheEarth

RavageTheEarth · January 26, 2013

I have a million other questions, but I can't think of them all at once so I will just post as they come to me. Here is #1: Can I combine Lush Trees with Skyrim Bigger Trees? I see in bigger trees there is a lot of detail to them. Is that from a texture pack or from the Bigger Trees mod itself?

Also, would I be able to use Pure Waters with WATER? Should I just install Pure Waters after I install WATER so it will overwrite the right files?

Edited January 26, 2013 by RavageTheEarth

RavageTheEarth · January 26, 2013

Ok so I just spent hours researching and compiling this list of mods that I would love to have. Am I dreaming or is this realistic with my system specs (MSI Twin Frozr III 7950 OC'd, Intel Core i5 3570k OC'd, Kingston SSD)?

Skyrim 2k Textures

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/607

Serious HD Retexture SKyrim

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/2146

Glorious Grasses

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/9185

Lush Trees

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/3385

Skyrim Bigger Trees

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/17168

TreesHD Skyrim Variation

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/3812