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Morrowind: fresh installation with many mods - the order of steps and tips for managing mods


eRPek

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Reposted from https://bethesda.net/community/topic/166459/morrowind-fresh-installation-with-many-mods-the-order-of-steps-and-tips-for-managing-mods

 

Hello all.

I have not looked here for a long time (actually, the last time I logged in to my account at forums.bethsoft.com). I apologize if I am making a bumble through too general a thread.

I decided to refresh the adventure from Morrowind in the near future. Specifically – along with my 2 brothers. I have a specific situation at home, that each of us likes a different style of play. I've always played an offensive magician (usually Altmer, sometimes Breton), my younger brother usually played a heavy-duty warrior with a long sword as a basic weapon (Redguard or Orc), and my youngest brother almost exclusively played a light-armed thief (Dunmer, short blade, security) with a small admixture of magic (enchantment for the effective use of enchanted items, some alchemy).

To refresh the adventure from Morrowind, of course in a very intensely modding version, I would need your help.

I would like to get your advice and tips on current, best practices regarding the preparation of a fresh installation along with a very large number of mods. Of course, the mods will be different in my case as well as in the case of each of my brothers. An individual approach is not an obstacle here. I am not a novice in the world of Morrowind mods, but my break beyond the wonderful world of Vvardenfell was very long.


I would be grateful for advice on several aspects:

(A) useful tips and tricks for preparing a fresh installation with a large number of mods (general and constructional issues regarding the new game);

(B) tips and tricks for the use of external programs (modding administration, loading order, cleaning, fixing);

(C) other mod advice, including information on interesting mods (and patches) that have been released or polished in the last 4 years (with the division into general purpose mods, mods for magicians, for warriors and for thieves).


I understand that the best practice for preparing a new game involves the following next steps:

1) clean installation of Morrowind GOTY (outside the Program Files);

2) application of Morrowind Code Patch v2.4 (4GB patch is no longer needed) + consider turning off some options: http://abitoftaste.altervista.org/morrowind/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=98&catid=45&Itemid=10&-Morrowind-Code-Patch-options-to-disable; -> this can also be done later.

3) making a list of mods to install + download their latest versions;

4) manual installation of individual mods (do not forget about the Morrowind Patch Project: 1.6.6) + always read the readme carefully ;)

5) tes3lint (https://github.com/mlox/mlox/tree/master/util/tes3lint) – checking each mods with tes3lint: searching for potential problems (including list of Evil GMSTs) + attempt to manually fix problems found (without taking into account these issues, which are automatically repaired by tes3cmd in next steps);

6) tes3cmd (https://github.com/mlox/mlox/tree/master/util/tes3cmd or https://github.com/john-moonsugar/tes3cmd/releases?): clean mods using tes3cmd – automatically solve some of possible problems [tes3cmd.exe clean --replace --hide-backups "modname.esp"];

7) TESTool: additional cleaning mods using TESTool v1.3 (“Clean ESP/ESM (save results in Clean subfolder)” + ON: "Don't change plugin filenames", "Retain file name when cleaning", "Restricted dialog cleaning" and "Restricted cell cleaning" + Execute button);

8) Mlox 0.62 (https://github.com/mlox/mlox) – determining the load order of the active mods;

9) tes3cmd: multipatch of mods using tes3cmd (with merge leveled lists) [tes3cmd.exe multipatch];

10) MWSE installation (http://www.theassimilationlab.com/forums/topic/16287-morrowind-script-extender/) (if the mods need it);

11) installation and configuration of MGE XE (https://bethesda.net/community/topic/51653/mge-xe-graphics-extender-release-and-support-thread/2, https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/41102/ and https://github.com/Hrnchamd/MGE-XE/);

12) play and enjoy ;)

I forgot something? The order should be different? Did I write something wrong?


Additional questions:

I intend to use Wrye Mash (WMSA) to manage mods, load list and saves. I assume that it is currently best to use the Wrye Mash Standalone v87 Beta2 (https://github.com/Wrye-Code-Collection/Wrye-Mash/releases/tag/87b2, https://www.afkmods.com/index.php?/topic/5068-wipz-wrye-mash/), not the older versions: Wrye Mash 84 (originally from Wrye), WMSA by Melchor or WMSA by Yacoby. Is it correct?

Is tes3cmd well integrated with the latest version of Wrye Mash (Wrye Mash Standalone v87 Beta2)?

Does WMSA have any additional options that should be particularly used?

Question about merging of leveled lists used in active plugins: should this be done via WMSA (Mashed Lists.esp), or via multipatch option from tes3cmd (multipatch.esp)? What are the differences? What is safer? [As I understand from WMSA readme, Merged_Leveled_Lists.esp (produced by TesTool) is unnecessary. It is also unnecessary to use the Leveled List Resquencer tool.]

Question about merging objects: Should I merge objects in a game with many mods? If yes, using what tools? I saw MMOG (Morrowind Merged Objects Generator) – http://abitoftaste.altervista.org/morrowind/index.php?option=downloads&task=info&id=53&Itemid=50&-MMOG-Morrowind-Merged-Objects-Generator.

EDIT: I have read: http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Tes3Mod:TESTool#Merge_Objects, http://forums.bethsoft.com/topic/1177482-best-practices-for-making-merged-objects/ and http://wiki.theassimilationlab.com/mmw/TESTool#Merged_Objects. I understand that I should always do the merging objects, except for mods, whose authors explicitly advise against such an activity (see also the rules in Mlox). Currently, it is best to use MMOG.

Cleaning saved game: What tools should I use?  I saw tes3cmd getitemcount strip tool (http://abitoftaste.altervista.org/morrowind/index.php?option=downloads&task=info&id=84&Itemid=50&-tes3cmd-getitemcount-strip-tool).

Do you think I should put this thread also on The Assimilation Lab (http://www.theassimilationlab.com/forums/forum/446-the-elder-scrolls-iii-morrowind/)?

EDIT: TAL - http://www.theassimilationlab.com/forums/topic/16382-morrowind-fresh-installation-with-many-mods-the-order-of-steps-and-tips-for-managing-mods/

Thank you in advance for your advises and help.

Best regards,

eRPek

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3 hours ago, eRPek said:

1) clean installation of Morrowind GOTY (outside the Program Files);

Yes, that's correct.  Just to avoid issues with UAC in Windows Vista or newer.

3 hours ago, eRPek said:

2) application of Morrowind Code Patch v2.4 (4GB patch is no longer needed) + consider turning off some options: http://abitoftaste.altervista.org/morrowind/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=98&catid=45&Itemid=10&-Morrowind-Code-Patch-options-to-disable; -> this can also be done later.

Also, correct and you mention the 4 Gb patch are no longer needed.  A word of advice is to use the latest stable MGE-XE beta version, so check the threads on these forums.

http://mw.modhistory.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=1008  --  If you want to post in that thread you need to do this.

https://bethesda.net/community/topic/51635/morrowind-code-patch-download-and-support-thread

https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/19510

3 hours ago, eRPek said:

3) making a list of mods to install + download their latest versions;

I think it would be better to read the ReadMe for each mod and follow the instructions before installing a mod.  The ReadMe is included in the archive for a purpose and sometimes it's worth the time to actually read a ReadMe, just to aviod an issue.

3 hours ago, eRPek said:

4) manual installation of individual mods (do not forget about the Morrowind Patch Project: 1.6.6) + always read the readme carefully ;)

No.  Manual installation are not recommended, except for a single esp (a patch can sometimes also have a few other files) as a mod patch.  Again, no of using the MPP 1.6.6, because I once try it and to me it seems incomplete plus it also have at least one dirty edit.

3 hours ago, eRPek said:

5) tes3lint (https://github.com/mlox/mlox/tree/master/util/tes3lint) – checking each mods with tes3lint: searching for potential problems (including list of Evil GMSTs) + attempt to manually fix problems found (without taking into account these issues, which are automatically repaired by tes3cmd in next steps);

Read the latest tes3cmd thread here and the previous threads if you can for any post that has instructions of to clean mods with tes3cmd.  Especially abot's posts are very useful.

3 hours ago, eRPek said:

6) tes3cmd (https://github.com/mlox/mlox/tree/master/util/tes3cmd or https://github.com/john-moonsugar/tes3cmd/releases?): clean mods using tes3cmd – automatically solve some of possible problems [tes3cmd.exe clean --replace --hide-backups "modname.esp"];

Use it if you are comfortable with tes3cmd.

3 hours ago, eRPek said:

7) TESTool: additional cleaning mods using TESTool v1.3 (“Clean ESP/ESM (save results in Clean subfolder)” + ON: "Don't change plugin filenames", "Retain file name when cleaning", "Restricted dialog cleaning" and "Restricted cell cleaning" + Execute button);

Eh, I have to say no of using TESTool since it's well known that sometimes it could causes more issues than actually solving one.  Instead, start to learn of how the Enchanted Editor works and to me it does more than this one can imagine.

As for mod cleaning, I know there is another tool that can clean mods and most people aren't using the TESPCD tool as a mod cleaning tool these days, which is also excellent to us when one wants to narrow down an issue.

4 hours ago, eRPek said:

8) Mlox 0.62 (https://github.com/mlox/mlox) – determining the load order of the active mods;

Yes.  What more is there to say about mlox, except always use the latest mlox_rules.

4 hours ago, eRPek said:

9) tes3cmd: multipatch of mods using tes3cmd (with merge leveled lists) [tes3cmd.exe multipatch];

Again yes.  That's correct.

4 hours ago, eRPek said:

10) MWSE installation (http://www.theassimilationlab.com/forums/topic/16287-morrowind-script-extender/) (if the mods need it);

This requires either the stable MGE (178-Rev) or MGE-XE with MWSE enabled, otherwise it requires a separate installation of MWSE.  Just follow the instructions in that thread.

4 hours ago, eRPek said:

11) installation and configuration of MGE XE (https://bethesda.net/community/topic/51653/mge-xe-graphics-extender-release-and-support-thread/2, https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/41102/ and https://github.com/Hrnchamd/MGE-XE/);

Check the threads on Bethsda.net and Nexus.

 

What version of Wrye Mash or WMSA should I use?

That's a good question.

Let me say this, if I were you I would use Melchor's WSMA since it's most stable, but lacks the later improvements.  However, Sharlikran's WMSA which is a fork of Yacoby's WMSA is the latest WMSA and I've been testing the code for a while now and I would recommend using the latest WMSA since it has a lot of improvements.  IIRC Only, Yacoby's WMSA and the latest WMSA can clean mods via the tes3cmd gui in the Mods tab in WMSA.

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