6 ms·

I played the main quest, a high fraction of the sidequests & major faction quest trees, one of the expansions, and most of the other one, in OpenMW something li

by bamfly 3y ago

I played the main quest, a high fraction of the sidequests & major faction quest trees, one of the expansions, and most of the other one, in OpenMW something like 18-24 months ago. With a few mods, and draw distance cranked up fairly high, and at 4K resolution. Worked perfectly. Zero glitches the whole time, and the official engine would have crashed at least a dozen times in such a playthrough, while this one didn't even crash once. [EDIT] I mean, zero unexpected glitches. Obviously the entire game is made of glitches.

mawadev 3y ago
"All of this just works" - Todd Howard
bjablonski 3y ago
Would you care to share mods that worked as expected with OpenMW? I've just started my journey today, so any input will be appriecieted.
- Acrobatic_Road 3y ago
  Unless it says "MWSE" it should work with OpenMW. 99.9% guaranteed.
- bamfly 3y ago
  I can't remember which ones I used. Texture mods IIRC worked fine, pretty sure I had hi-res replacement mods for most of the textures in the game. I did some loading art replacer thing so they'd be widescreen and hi-res, but that wasn't so much a mod as replacing some images. I think I may have used some of the "Comes Alive" stuff—I know I used to "back in the day", so I assume I did this time, and I'd probably remember if it hadn't worked. One obscure library mod that I like, that adds an empty library just outside Vivec that you can fill by giving them books to copy, that worked fine. Twin Lamps, fairly certain I used that one. As I recall, the main things that don't work are graphics overhauls that require patching or wrapping the original executable in some fashion. Usually these do some kind of shader magic to e.g. make the water look nicer. [EDIT] Oh, and I think I had Herbalism installed. If not that, something similar. A mod that turns plants from containers into pick-ups is one of those don't-play-without-it things, for me.
- polytely 3y ago
  There is a cool site with mod lists that are confirmed to be compatible with OpenMW. I'm currently running 'I heart vanilla' which is basically the vanilla game with extra content and some balance and bug fixes. Highly recommend checking it out. https://modding-openmw.com/ https://modding-openmw.com/
- dfu 3y ago
  As polytely said, https://modding-openmw.com/ https://modding-openmw.com/ is a great resource for openmw mod lists. Also, for certain mods, you do need at least OpenMW 0.48 release candidate [1], a development build [2] (it's below Release Versions), or just build from source. I'm pretty sure it was after 0.47 when they added the ability to add shaders, and configure them using the F2 menu. The modding-openmw site will tell you if you actually need a 0.48 build for a particular mod. I usually use "I Heart Vanilla" [3] as a base and then pick extra mods from "Expanded Vanilla" [4], which includes the load order if you also want Tamriel Rebuilt [5] (which lets you explore the mainland). The Expansions Integrated, Tribunal Rebalance, Bloodmoon Rebalance, and Expansion Delay are all nice mods too. Makes the expansions really feel like they are part of the base game. When adding extra mods like that, I just use the load ordering they suggest. One of my favorites (in "Expanded Vanilla") is called Natural Character Growth and Decay [6], so you don't have to worry about min-maxing the level mechanics. It has some options, and I turn off the decay bit for a more relaxing time. It allows you to just play the game as you want. I love the addition of shaders, and use Zesterer's Volumetric Cloud & Mist Mod for OpenMW [7] as you can have the game keep some of that hazy feeling yet still have distant land and objects. I also use Bloom Linear shader [8]. If you want some other shaders, you can use OMWFX Shaders [9] and/or Zesterer's OpenMW Shader Pack [10]. I have used Zesterer's OpenMW Shader Pack, but you have to edit the config.glsl if you want to set it different from the vanilla preset. The game looks nice with just FXAA, clouds and mist, and linear bloom (very mild). The "Expanded Vanilla" guide under shaders gives a good preset, and then you can change them using the F2 menu in-game. This all said, it's been awhile since I've properly played last. I take my old list and update it occasionally as mods change or new features are added to OpenMW, thinking I will play through it again one of these days. [1] https://openmw.org/2022/openmw-0-48-0-is-now-in-rc-phase/ https://openmw.org/2022/openmw-0-48-0-is-now-in-rc-phase/ [2] https://openmw.org/downloads/ https://openmw.org/downloads/ [3] https://modding-openmw.com/lists/i-heart-vanilla/ https://modding-openmw.com/lists/i-heart-vanilla/ [4] https://modding-openmw.com/lists/expanded-vanilla/ https://modding-openmw.com/lists/expanded-vanilla/ [5] https://www.tamriel-rebuilt.org/ https://www.tamriel-rebuilt.org/ [6] https://modding-openmw.com/mods/ncgdmw-lua-edition/ https://modding-openmw.com/mods/ncgdmw-lua-edition/ [7] https://github.com/zesterer/openmw-volumetric-clouds https://github.com/zesterer/openmw-volumetric-clouds [8] https://modding-openmw.com/mods/bloom-linear/ https://modding-openmw.com/mods/bloom-linear/ [9] https://modding-openmw.com/mods/omwfx-shaders/ https://modding-openmw.com/mods/omwfx-shaders/ [10] https://github.com/zesterer/openmw-shaders https://github.com/zesterer/openmw-shaders
- contrarian1234 3y ago
  I'd suggest taking a look at Morrowind Rebirth All the alternatives seem to involved managing a plethora of mini-mods that hopefully work together.. it's really easy to install and it turns the game instantly from a drab/stale/dated look to something a lot busier and lively - at least at a surface level. Maybe it has some issues that I'm just not aware of - I never really got far in playing it I'd be curious what other people thought of it. It seems to never be mentioned in lists and "hardcore" players seem to not like it for some reason
hombre_fatal 3y ago
I noticed that view distance can also remove some of the mystique from a game. When it's cranked too high, the world feels much smaller even though it takes just as long to walk anywhere. Probably because my mental understanding of the world is so fuzzy that it allows my brain to overestimate how far apart the more concrete nodes are like cities. Walking the path from Balmora to some quest location and being distracted half the time with cliff racers and dungeons doesn't really establish how far I walked in my head. It could have been kilometers. But looking at the whole 3D model of the world removes all of that fuzzy uncertainty that made the world feel big. The best example of this is looking at all of Vivec in your viewport. Without the fog and short view distance, Vivec looks so small despite the amount of times I got lost in it as a kid. There seems to be a healthy balance of fog + view distance.
- bamfly 3y ago
  Yeah, high enough to see most of Fort Ebon from Vivec and vice-versa is roughly the sweet spot, IMO. (Or is it Ebonheart? That sounds right.)
- huevosabio 3y ago
  I agree. Also, I really liked the hazy vibe that Morrowind has from an immersion point of view. It's a volcanic island, it makes sense for there to be tons of smoke that clouds your view! It really goes well with the bizarre out-worldly vegetation and fauna. When I played Oblivion and Skyrim, both great games, I felt I was back in a medieval setting rather than some fantasy land. (Skyrim is a bit better, Oblivion's look and feel is too Europe in the Middle Ages).
  - hombre_fatal 3y ago
    Yeah, that's why I could never get into Skyrim even when playing it after I beat Morrowind a few years ago on OpenMW. It's cliche criticism, but it felt like a generic medieval setting. The generic dragon opener of an otherwise interesting hook also crystalizes the feeling. It just can't compete with Morrowind's giant mushrooms and random people calling me a filthy N'wah. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utG17UeUv00 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utG17UeUv00 (19 seconds)

by bamfly 3y ago

mawadev 3y ago

"All of this just works" - Todd Howard

bjablonski 3y ago

Would you care to share mods that worked as expected with OpenMW? I've just started my journey today, so any input will be appriecieted.

Acrobatic_Road 3y ago
Unless it says "MWSE" it should work with OpenMW. 99.9% guaranteed.
bamfly 3y ago
I can't remember which ones I used. Texture mods IIRC worked fine, pretty sure I had hi-res replacement mods for most of the textures in the game. I did some loading art replacer thing so they'd be widescreen and hi-res, but that wasn't so much a mod as replacing some images. I think I may have used some of the "Comes Alive" stuff—I know I used to "back in the day", so I assume I did this time, and I'd probably remember if it hadn't worked. One obscure library mod that I like, that adds an empty library just outside Vivec that you can fill by giving them books to copy, that worked fine. Twin Lamps, fairly certain I used that one. As I recall, the main things that don't work are graphics overhauls that require patching or wrapping the original executable in some fashion. Usually these do some kind of shader magic to e.g. make the water look nicer. [EDIT] Oh, and I think I had Herbalism installed. If not that, something similar. A mod that turns plants from containers into pick-ups is one of those don't-play-without-it things, for me.
polytely 3y ago
There is a cool site with mod lists that are confirmed to be compatible with OpenMW. I'm currently running 'I heart vanilla' which is basically the vanilla game with extra content and some balance and bug fixes. Highly recommend checking it out. https://modding-openmw.com/ https://modding-openmw.com/
dfu 3y ago
As polytely said, https://modding-openmw.com/ https://modding-openmw.com/ is a great resource for openmw mod lists. Also, for certain mods, you do need at least OpenMW 0.48 release candidate [1], a development build [2] (it's below Release Versions), or just build from source. I'm pretty sure it was after 0.47 when they added the ability to add shaders, and configure them using the F2 menu. The modding-openmw site will tell you if you actually need a 0.48 build for a particular mod. I usually use "I Heart Vanilla" [3] as a base and then pick extra mods from "Expanded Vanilla" [4], which includes the load order if you also want Tamriel Rebuilt [5] (which lets you explore the mainland). The Expansions Integrated, Tribunal Rebalance, Bloodmoon Rebalance, and Expansion Delay are all nice mods too. Makes the expansions really feel like they are part of the base game. When adding extra mods like that, I just use the load ordering they suggest. One of my favorites (in "Expanded Vanilla") is called Natural Character Growth and Decay [6], so you don't have to worry about min-maxing the level mechanics. It has some options, and I turn off the decay bit for a more relaxing time. It allows you to just play the game as you want. I love the addition of shaders, and use Zesterer's Volumetric Cloud & Mist Mod for OpenMW [7] as you can have the game keep some of that hazy feeling yet still have distant land and objects. I also use Bloom Linear shader [8]. If you want some other shaders, you can use OMWFX Shaders [9] and/or Zesterer's OpenMW Shader Pack [10]. I have used Zesterer's OpenMW Shader Pack, but you have to edit the config.glsl if you want to set it different from the vanilla preset. The game looks nice with just FXAA, clouds and mist, and linear bloom (very mild). The "Expanded Vanilla" guide under shaders gives a good preset, and then you can change them using the F2 menu in-game. This all said, it's been awhile since I've properly played last. I take my old list and update it occasionally as mods change or new features are added to OpenMW, thinking I will play through it again one of these days. [1] https://openmw.org/2022/openmw-0-48-0-is-now-in-rc-phase/ https://openmw.org/2022/openmw-0-48-0-is-now-in-rc-phase/ [2] https://openmw.org/downloads/ https://openmw.org/downloads/ [3] https://modding-openmw.com/lists/i-heart-vanilla/ https://modding-openmw.com/lists/i-heart-vanilla/ [4] https://modding-openmw.com/lists/expanded-vanilla/ https://modding-openmw.com/lists/expanded-vanilla/ [5] https://www.tamriel-rebuilt.org/ https://www.tamriel-rebuilt.org/ [6] https://modding-openmw.com/mods/ncgdmw-lua-edition/ https://modding-openmw.com/mods/ncgdmw-lua-edition/ [7] https://github.com/zesterer/openmw-volumetric-clouds https://github.com/zesterer/openmw-volumetric-clouds [8] https://modding-openmw.com/mods/bloom-linear/ https://modding-openmw.com/mods/bloom-linear/ [9] https://modding-openmw.com/mods/omwfx-shaders/ https://modding-openmw.com/mods/omwfx-shaders/ [10] https://github.com/zesterer/openmw-shaders https://github.com/zesterer/openmw-shaders
contrarian1234 3y ago
I'd suggest taking a look at Morrowind Rebirth All the alternatives seem to involved managing a plethora of mini-mods that hopefully work together.. it's really easy to install and it turns the game instantly from a drab/stale/dated look to something a lot busier and lively - at least at a surface level. Maybe it has some issues that I'm just not aware of - I never really got far in playing it I'd be curious what other people thought of it. It seems to never be mentioned in lists and "hardcore" players seem to not like it for some reason

hombre_fatal 3y ago

I noticed that view distance can also remove some of the mystique from a game. When it's cranked too high, the world feels much smaller even though it takes just as long to walk anywhere. Probably because my mental understanding of the world is so fuzzy that it allows my brain to overestimate how far apart the more concrete nodes are like cities. Walking the path from Balmora to some quest location and being distracted half the time with cliff racers and dungeons doesn't really establish how far I walked in my head. It could have been kilometers. But looking at the whole 3D model of the world removes all of that fuzzy uncertainty that made the world feel big. The best example of this is looking at all of Vivec in your viewport. Without the fog and short view distance, Vivec looks so small despite the amount of times I got lost in it as a kid. There seems to be a healthy balance of fog + view distance.

bamfly 3y ago
Yeah, high enough to see most of Fort Ebon from Vivec and vice-versa is roughly the sweet spot, IMO. (Or is it Ebonheart? That sounds right.)
huevosabio 3y ago
I agree. Also, I really liked the hazy vibe that Morrowind has from an immersion point of view. It's a volcanic island, it makes sense for there to be tons of smoke that clouds your view! It really goes well with the bizarre out-worldly vegetation and fauna. When I played Oblivion and Skyrim, both great games, I felt I was back in a medieval setting rather than some fantasy land. (Skyrim is a bit better, Oblivion's look and feel is too Europe in the Middle Ages).
- hombre_fatal 3y ago
  Yeah, that's why I could never get into Skyrim even when playing it after I beat Morrowind a few years ago on OpenMW. It's cliche criticism, but it felt like a generic medieval setting. The generic dragon opener of an otherwise interesting hook also crystalizes the feeling. It just can't compete with Morrowind's giant mushrooms and random people calling me a filthy N'wah. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utG17UeUv00 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utG17UeUv00 (19 seconds)