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Ive finished Skyrim twice with another good run 75% through.
Im looking to pop back into it but feel something different is needed.

Specifically I'd be looking for a mod which throws in some cool side quest chains, I love being sent off to some remote cave to find a sphere which might do this or that sort of thing.
In addition a good weather or "settings" mod too.
Finally something that might add a nice new mechanic - maybe like Fallout where you have to eat/sleep regularly, maybe stay warm, camp out etc.

I've checked the mod database sites but there really is a wild myriad to choose from.

Anyone had some succeses?

Try Wyrmstooth, Falskaar or Helgen Reborn for quests. They're all really beefy primary questlines with optional attached.

I had a really good thread where I compiled a list of some favorites of mine and others suggested more. See if I can find it; Found it

Woah, many thanks!!

I personally quite like interesting npcs. Adds a large amount of fully voiced npcs, followers, etc. And it has some pretty insane quest chains. So its pretty great for that.

I kinda walked away from it when Steam started selling the mods, has that changed?
I had not looked.
I did not want to support that kind of thing (more-so Steam monetization than the mod publishers).
I enjoyed Skyrim a great deal but Steam is really making me look elsewhere like GOG or buying direct from the publisher.

Valve canceled the program I believe. Feedback was wildly negative and they had little choice.

The Vilja follower mod has a whole (fully-voiced) quest chain.

Since the Nexus exists, you do not need to buy mods from Valve. You can donate to specific mod-creators on Nexus, if you like, but it is not required.

Companion/Quest Mods:
Vilja
Rigmor of Bruma (this one is really fun, includes new areas and storyline)
Sophia (far more humor than srsbzns)
Falskaar


Realism Mods:
Frostfall
Real Human Needs

Game Overhauls:
Requiem
Apocalypse Mage Mod
Civil War Overhaul
College of Winterhold Reborn

 Psienesis wrote:
Since the Nexus exists, you do not need to buy mods from Valve. You can donate to specific mod-creators on Nexus, if you like, but it is not required.

Companion/Quest Mods:
Vilja
Rigmor of Bruma (this one is really fun, includes new areas and storyline)
Sophia (far more humor than srsbzns)
Falskaar


Realism Mods:
Frostfall
Real Human Needs

Game Overhauls:
Requiem
Apocalypse Mage Mod
Civil War Overhaul
College of Winterhold Reborn

There's also Skyrim Redone. I haven't played that, but I did play Requiem.
Its...ok. There's some pretty neat mechanics, but it is a tad unbalanced (oh hai Alteration!) and it really wants you to grind. Like, if you don't grind you won't be able to clear a bandit cave, let alone draugr.
I would not advise playing it without requiem plus, unless you want to deal with invisible bs.
Turns out the creator's idea of late game difficulty is to cheat.

Also, it is not designed for Dragonborn, and the only Dragonborn patch for it isn't that well designed.

They did buff daedric artifacts though, which is nice.

Immersive patrols is one I really like - combined with the Civil War Overhaul it really feels like there is a war on.

Oh, two I forgot!

Immersive Armors
Immersive Weapons

 Bromsy wrote:
Immersive patrols is one I really like - combined with the Civil War Overhaul it really feels like there is a war on.

Yeah, I liked all the mods that populated the place, really made it feel more like a lived-in area not a barren wilderness.
A lot of bizarre encounter / fights broke out and I remember being puzzled a few times of what the heck was going on.

Glad the chargeable mods got set back to free on Steam.
I figured Nexus would be a strong source for shaming them.
There are some truly awesome mods that I like to the authors to know I chose to donate to, not pay to use... just seems nicer.
I may have to look into it all again since I dumped ALL my mods, not quite a rage-quit but something close.

Playing Arkham Origins as my open world for now, looking hard at Mad Max... Fallout 4 on the horizon... my real open world will just not seem as interesting.

Out of all of them, my favorite has to be the one that replaces dragons with Macho Man Randy Savage

 jreilly89 wrote:
Out of all of them, my favorite has to be the one that replaces dragons with Macho Man Randy Savage

... I thought that was just a given. Is there someone who plays PC-Skyrim *without* that mod?

I am suddenly breaking out in a sweat at the thought of hearing "OOOHhhhhh YYYYyyyeah!" <shudder> worse than hearing the dragon roar by far.

 Psienesis wrote:

 jreilly89 wrote:
Out of all of them, my favorite has to be the one that replaces dragons with Macho Man Randy Savage

... I thought that was just a given. Is there someone who plays PC-Skyrim *without* that mod?

I do, I find that mod utterly immersion-breaking.

Now what where did I put that skimpy daedric plate armour? I know my anime elf had it somewhere... However will I show off her huge tanned breasts now?!

I don't use it either. I find the Randy Dragon's model to be atrociously designed.

Yes, I am going to call it that.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Avatar 720 wrote:

 Psienesis wrote:

 jreilly89 wrote:
Out of all of them, my favorite has to be the one that replaces dragons with Macho Man Randy Savage

... I thought that was just a given. Is there someone who plays PC-Skyrim *without* that mod?

I do, I find that mod utterly immersion-breaking.

Now what where did I put that skimpy daedric plate armour? I know my anime elf had it somewhere... However will I show off her huge tanned breasts now?!

Speaking of that, is there a mod that improves character models without them sticking out like a sore thumb?
There are all sorts of character redesigns and they do look pretty good, but they just clash with the surroundings, you know?
Its not so much as an immersion thing as it is an aesthetic thing.

There's a decent female face replacer that doesn't turn them all into anime whatevers or photomodels.

 CthuluIsSpy wrote:
I don't use it either. I find the Randy Dragon's model to be atrociously designed.

Yes, I am going to call it that.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Avatar 720 wrote:

 Psienesis wrote:

 jreilly89 wrote:
Out of all of them, my favorite has to be the one that replaces dragons with Macho Man Randy Savage

... I thought that was just a given. Is there someone who plays PC-Skyrim *without* that mod?

I do, I find that mod utterly immersion-breaking.

Now what where did I put that skimpy daedric plate armour? I know my anime elf had it somewhere... However will I show off her huge tanned breasts now?!

Speaking of that, is there a mod that improves character models without them sticking out like a sore thumb?
There are all sorts of character redesigns and they do look pretty good, but they just clash with the surroundings, you know?
Its not so much as an immersion thing as it is an aesthetic thing.

There are more model retextures/redesigns/rebuilds/modifications and reworks than one can safely shake a Daedric Axe with Shock and Fire Enchantments at. This is a particular set of mods where it's going to be up to individual tastes, but, yes, there are plenty that keep immersion and world-accuracy in mind.

Can you post a link to one? I can't seem to find it.
The only ones that seem to come to the top are the aforementioned bothersome ones.

If all you want is better-looking faces, then check out "Better Faces" on Nexus. If you want total body mods? That's going to be a 2 to 3 step process (possibly more, depending on how extensive a mod is).

The first part is going to be the base "mesh", or skeleton, that the body is built on. Personally, I'm a fan of the UNP body, as it offers a wide variety of shapes and sizes, as well as (for Step 2) textures. For male characters/NPCs I suggest "Robert's Males" which offers a range of sizes, from fairly-thin to brawnier than the goddamn Juggernaut.

Step 2 is getting an appropriate texture pack to go with the body. The textures are the skins of the models, and can run the range of effects, from swimsuit-model flawless perfection to grubby, grimy, scarred and bruised, tattooed, freckled, you name it. There's probably 127,000 varieties of these on the Nexus, so the best way to find one that works is to first ensure it fits the mesh you chose in Step 1... otherwise your world is going to be populated by freaks.

Texture packs are basically what most people are talking about when they refer to "nude mods", but not all texture packs offer nude bodies. Some have nude/non-nude versions, others are never-nude, and some are the exact opposite. DL and install whichever you prefer.

As an sub-set of these, there's a billion Eye and Hair packs that offer all kinds of color and style varieties, as well as CK switches that open up certain hairstyles/eye colors to all races.

Certain Body Mods will so-radically adjust the dimensions of PCs/NPCs that it will require an additional mod to fit the various armors and clothing items found in the game to the new skeleton, though a lot of the body mods contain these files automatically. Check with the mod in question if you aren't sure.

Once you have your compatible Mesh and Texture packs downloaded, install manually or through the Mod Manager of your choice, along with any required Armor Mods, and away you go.