I have only played skyrim on xbox 360. I just bought skyrim and all the dlc and I want to mod the game since I've never nodded anything before. I was browsing the steam community workshop and frankly I am overwhelmed with choices. It looks like alot of mods do the same thing. Can any of you guys recommend some good mods to someone just starting?
Posted Oct 10, 2016, 2:37 PM UTC
The sidebar is a great place to start! STEP is wonderful, as well. I'm not intimately familiar with either as I learned before they were super developed, but a couple tips:
Make a list of mods you want before messing around with setup so you can make sure you get all the compatibility patches they may have without missing something.
Categorize your list into visual, overhaul, medium, and minor mods. Install them in batches so that you know what's causing problems, and if you need to trim your load order/have to choose between two incompatible mods, you have an easier time.
Use Mod Organizer. It's just overall a better tool than NMM and makes it a lot easier to repair any mess-ups you make.
Even if you can't/don't want to run an ENB, install ENBoost. ENBoost makes Skyrim run better overall and you will see frame increases across the board. It also gives you better control over video options even if you don't install an ENB.
It's going to be overwhelming at first, but once you cross the initial learning curve, it gets much, much easier.
The unofficial tagline for the game is "Mod it till it breaks." Carpe diem, brother/sister.
I am a few weeks ahead of you, just started using mods after playing on 360 for years. It is pretty easy for most mods once you get Mod Organizer set up to download nexus links automatically. Mod Organizer has a nice tutorial after you install it. I like it better than FOMM which I used for FNV and FO3. I didn't try to use the Nexus Mod Manager.
I am still too intimidated to try to figure out how install ENBs and anything complicated but most mods will install pretty easily. Make sure you get SKSE and also SkyUI, a lot of mods need those to work properly.
I just look at the most popular downloads and also watch youtube videos for more obscure things. Make sure you read the descriptions AND the comments because some mods are outdated or give people trouble for various reasons and these have a lot of good info (even if it's something simple "where is the key to this house I installed?")
I'll second reading the beginner's guide. Modding is a bit overwhelming when you first dive in, but just take the time to read everything and take it a bit at a time :)
Heya, so the beginner's guide is great, however the next step for you IMO is the STEP Guide. This literally takes you step by step through modding a stable Skyrim with a great starting list of mods. They're not all required or ones you may want, but if you just do the CORE mods (it's all color coded, very well organized and there's explanations for everything) you'll have a great start for your first game.
I would like to chime in here by saying that i find it highly unecessary to follow STEP longer then 2E for a beginner. After that they might grasp enough about modding to read the beginners section and understand what it is all about.
When mentioning the STEP guide one must mention the amount of time and effort is required on the user's side. He'll have to atleast set aside 4+ hours. Not useful for someone who wants just mod and play as soon as possible.
Ok. I was just pointing where to go after the beginner's guide if he's interested. I'm sure he can look at the guide and decide on his own if it's worth the trouble.
Yeah, didn't want to be rude but usually just linking to a bunch of guides to someone who is already overwhelmed is usually a bad idea, at least that's my take on it. Then again, I all for the idea of streamlining the process of modding.
Guides exist so people who don't have any idea where to start can use them. We're not being cold or uncaring when we say 'you should read this first', because everything we say - you've said - is probably already there. If you feel the current guides we're linking to don't work for the 'I'm overwhelmed please help' person, then maybe a different guide - written by you - would be a good idea. The beginner's guide is a good start, though it has stuff I wouldn't put in a beginner's guide anymore (TES edit, wrye bash, enboost).
But I think STEP is usually the best second guide.
And as it says in the guide here
"If you do not like to read then modding probably isn't for you."
Videos in this thread:
VIDEO|COMMENT
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Skyrim Mod Sanctuary - Part 1 : Nexus Mod Manager|1 - Gopher on YouTube made a whole series on modding, it's very step-by-step and can be a great help. I'd also recommend Immersive Armors and Immersive Weapons, since one of my favorite things about modding is having variety in equipment (1) Mod Organizer : Introduction (2) NEXUS MOD MANAGER: Beginner's Guide - Introduction (3) Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE) : Installing and running on Skyrim 1.6 or later (4) LOOT : Load Order Optimisation Tool : Start to Finish|0 - Hey. I don't know if you're interested in learning and getting familiar with all the tools available, but I'll assume you're not and just want to dive in and get a few mods working. I can you help you with that. I will not recommend Steam Workshop ho... I'm a bot working hard to help Redditors find related videos to watch.
Just a word of warning about Nexus mods: The website sorts mods by default by the most endorsed of all-time, dating back 5 years. This results in a lot of beginners installing old, outdated, inefficient mods. I recommend looking at newer mods and those that have withstood the test of time.
There are two guides with modern mods to help you:
The steam workshop is a quagmire to navigate through and unresponsive. It will very fast become unwieldy. I say this as someone who spent years and years on the workshop and I have recently (only in the last few months) seen the light and migrated to the Nexus.
I don't know how console will work but if it works, I recommend getting LOOT. Also... READ the installation instructions!!! I am a fucking twat and never do and have had to reinstall my Skyrim from scratch at least 3 times because I simply don't bother to READ the installation instructions of the mods on the Nexus. a LOT (especially the good ones) of them are NOT just simply click install and you're good
I would suggest a solid short list of mods, then you can start adding the ones you want to try. Just be careful, always read the instructions, compatibility notes and try to not install outdated mods.
All of them are compatible with pretty much anything.
I thought you needed to be a paid member in the beginning, but that is for better download speed. To be honest it doesn't really make a difference if u are paid or not. And finally to answer your question, no you do not need to be a paid member.
Gopher on YouTube made a whole series on modding, it's very step-by-step and can be a great help.
I'd also recommend Immersive Armors and Immersive Weapons, since one of my favorite things about modding is having variety in equipment
Hey. I don't know if you're interested in learning and getting familiar with all the tools available, but I'll assume you're not and just want to dive in and get a few mods working. I can you help you with that. I will not recommend Steam Workshop however as that it usually just a glitch and troubleshooting mess in my experience.
Okay so you want to get started. Create a Nexus account which you apparently have already done. Good.
Download a mod manager. I use Mod Organizer and I prefer it, however, you may prefer Nexus Mod Manager. These let's you manage your mods and directly install them correctly. Mod Organizer let's you do a lot things that may go over your head for now. You may want to stick with NMM (Nexus Mod Manager). However, that is up to you. Here is a nice overview of the different tools. [Click me to learn about Mod Organizer] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4ZQpzf_iAE&list=PLE7DlYarj-DcLS9LyjEqOJwFUQIIQewcK), and here to learn about [Nexus Mod Manager] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVfr9pWO6xE).
Once you have gotten a mod manager setup and working, you'll want to install SKSE. Simply follow this [guide] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTGnQIiNVqA). (Don't skip please, it is important that you install SKSE to correct a memory issue in Skyrim.)
After SKSE is up and running, go here and download [this] (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/51038/?). Go to "files" and Download with Manager under "Main Files". This will be downloaded with your preferred mod manager you installed earlier, simply install like a normal mod. This is the mod that corrects the memory issue Skyrim has and SKSE that you downloaded earlier is a requirement to this mod and SKSE is something you'll need for a lot of mods usually. After this, you should be mostly good to go if you don't to spend a lot of time learning other tools. You can start modding bit for bit, but don't go overboard on graphical mods, as that requires you to install ENBoost which I won't go into detail, but you can easily find a guide for it somewhere but I don't want overwhelm you.
After that here are some good mods you can start with:
[Immersive Armors] (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/19733/?) which is basically a compilation of cool new armors.
[Immersive Weapons] (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/27644/?) same as above but for weapons.
[Ordinator] (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/68425/?) A perk overhaul mod that is the best one I have ever tried. If you're tired of vanilla perks this mod will offer you a 500% satisfaction of the perks.
[Unofficial Skyrim Legendary Edition Patch] (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/71214/?) Fixes a lot of bugs in game, game breaking or minor, this mod will cover most of it.
[Frostfall] (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/11163/?) Simply amazing. Makes the game more rewarding. Makes it so that you can't go around swimming in cold water and not warm up. It is very immersive, and this is NOT challenging. It is implemented in a way so that it doesn't interfere with your enjoyment in the game. Instead of a burden, it becomes something you enjoy and appreciate. Frostfall requires [Campfire] (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/64798/?) and SKSE.
[Finally, SkyUI.] (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/3863/?) The pictures can describe much better than I.
Install these normally as you would and then there is a final step: LOOT. This will order your load order and make sure there are not errors in game or issues because of the load order. In most cases this can mean it will save you hours of troubleshooting. Here is [LOOT] (https://loot.github.io/). Here are instructions on how to use it, [click me] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqFCLrYn30c). Remember to use LOOT every time you change mods and remember to hit "apply" when you let LOOT manage your load order.
After all this, you should launch the game and enjoy until you notice something you want to mod away and then you can install them. Oh, also you need to launch Skyrim from the SKSE launcher, which is covered in the SKSE installation video, so no more steam launching.
Some notes: Read all the description. If not, you need to read the "Required and compatibility" sections of them.
Watch Gopher on Youtube to find new mods. Simply search for his name and something like mod and it will show you lots of mods. I.E "Gopher Mods" and instructions on how to download.
Install all the mods from EnaiSiaion. (JK, but he makes great mods that simply works without issues)
Edit: Here is a good mod that will change the game visually to make it look nicer: [Purity] (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/65242/?), changes the weather and the waters to look better.
Here is a texture mod [Skyrim 2K] (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/607/?tab=2&navtag=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nexusmods.com%2Fskyrim%2Fajax%2Fmodfiles%2F%3Fid%3D607&pUp=1), I recommend the "COMPLETE LITE" option over the "FULL" version. Almost no difference but better performance.
You should also get the official Skyrim HD Pack that Bethesda released some years ago, which you install like a DLC via Steam. It is free.
Even better then reading the sidebar is to first do [STEP] (http://wiki.step-project.com/STEP:2.2.9.2) until 2E section is done then return to sidebar. STEP is a long process if you follow it from beginning to end, but getting to 2E should help you understand modding and build a good vanilla Skyrim basis.
I think there is too much information in the sidebar at once. STEP tells you what to do and is very solid advice in general. However, if you decide to use an ENB then dont follow ENBoost section on STEP and get modern brawl bugs fix instead of the one listed there. Then once STEP 2E is done make sure you at least get "bug fixes" and "crash fixes".
Look up "Lootable Crates". It's a simple, small mod; but this increases immersion like crazy. I downloaded it last year and it is still my favorite.
Take a look at Nexus' 100 top downloaded or popular mods that'll be a good start most of us either have or at some time used most of them.
Half of those are outdated and only remain on that list because they had a 50,000 endorsement head start.
That's what bothers me about Fallout 4. Most front page mods are already outdated lol
It "bothers" you that you are expected to make up your own mind which mods to use instead of being served a list on a silver platter?
Yes, exactly.
No, it bothers me because it looks messy. It gets my OCD senses tingling. The same type of messy when someone makes a superb mod and use 2 minutes to make a description. Now, if the front page was filled with mods like Frostfall, Ordinator, USLEEP etc. it would look much nicer. Instead we get a front page filled with mods from the release month which was created by xSnip and hasn't been updated since. Cough, craftable ammo.. which has been superseeded by other mods but won't get on frontpage because the outdated one is there and everyone downloads that one.
Forget all the different guides: if you want to reasonably mod and have control over your mods, read the beginners guide. If you don't, and just want to dive in, use the Steam Workshop. You can look up youtubers doing mod reviews and install the ones that look cool. If you're overwhelmed by the mods on Steam Workshop having to go through all the different guides and learn all the different tools will surely just make you less comfortable. I realise I'll get downvoted, but ultimately, you decide. Do you want to just mod, or do you want to learn along the way and know the game's inner mechanics/learn all the different tools? (Not mandatory btw) I myself prefer the latter, but I know a lot of new modders like the first option and that is understandable.
Steam Workshop is flawed in my opinion, to the point where I will probably never use it, but that's because it gets unreliable past the 10+ mods mark.
First of all forget the Steam Workshop and go to the Nexus, but before you do that, read the Beginner's Guide in the sidebar
mfw
I mean if he's going to be overwhelmed, he may as well be overwhelmed in the right place.
Yes exactly. Exactly. ;p
but I also told him to read to the beginners guide first that should lessen the dive
Is that an Imperial Stormtrooper (almost wrote 'cloak') in the background?
Thanks the sidebar looks like a good place to start.
The Nexus can be a bit much on first sight. I found it helpful to browse "by categories" and look into the ones you want to enhance. Do you want more immersive game behavior, a companion to follow you through your adventures that has more personality, more variety in armor or weapons, refined animations,... Sort by "most endorsed" should give you the better ones.
Nexus said I needed to be a member to download anything and I already made an account. Do you need to be a paid member?
You're supposed to also log into your account.
No. you don't need to pay (but doing the one time 2.99 support donation is a nice gesture and stops the ads, if you can afford to). If you tried right away, give it some time. Sometimes nexus does things slow.
If you enjoy Nexus mods you should consider paying for a membership. But no, you don't have to pay.