Skyrim V: Skyrim

[Divayth Fyr]

Can anyone definitively state if the patch that Steam downloaded is the official one? It just seems like there was zero word that it was time for PC to get it.

Is this suitable evidence? ;) Also, how would an unofficial patch get on Steam?

[Daverin]

Not "unofficial" per se, just I thought we were still only getting beta. However, that pretty much says it all. Looks like some news sources need to catch up...

[Triaxx]

They really didn't announce it, did they.

Enchanting: Dwemer Ruins. There's almost no where better. 70% of the spiders and spheres and such will have gems as loot, and you can soul trap all the Falmer and Chaurus for more. It's like an enchanter's dream.

Sword and Sorcery: Another good Midas Spell, though hard to get is Force Push. Like a castable dragon shout, it pushes enemies back, making it easier to avoid getting whalloped. It is magicka hungry though. Hard to get because Pearl's are surprisingly rare.

And this video mentions something about spell casting problems, so it's worth a watch if you can't figure it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8Vrt...1&feature=plcp

[Daverin]

Well, it deserves to be said: Whoever makes SKSE deserves to be congratulated for being able to stay so on top of it, since I had the right version before I even downloaded the patch! (Was playing offline, decided to stay online in case there are any shenanigans that I don't know about forced offline play.)

And now, time to see what is causing my latest CTD with no error... And I just remembered I have Papyrus. I'm going to see about causing the CTD again, and then learning to read the darn thing...

EDIT: Wow. Looks like scripts going haywire all over the place. That said, the last of them mentioned failing to load "LvlPredatorScript.psc" due to not being able to enable with an "enable state parent." If I were to guess (and I'd rather research), the darn thing is trying to spawn some wolves or something... and something is horrendously ruining the script. I honestly have no clue what mod would be doing this. Fantastic.

Must fix this so I can do mounted combat!

Reading, it appears it CAN be because of scripts from uninstalled mods; this IS a save with some mods uninstalled, but still none should deal with those, I don't think... Might as well try a new game anyways, I suppose. Its not like this got far at all.

[Triaxx]

Try SkyTEST, or Skyrim Monster Mod. One changes predator behavior, the other adds wolf packs.

[Daverin]

Have neither; once had SkyTEST, but that should have been wiped after the clean reinstall I did yesterday. I think. Unless scripts are stored in ANOTHER hideyhole.

Currently looking up a blog that reveals how to find scripts and the mods that use them. Except it could be more clear in places...

EDIT: Joy, I get how to do it, but it involves a string name search with WinRAR. The things I do to get the game set up to taste...

DOUBLE EDIT: Well, it would appear the psc appears nowhere. Which would probably support the assertion that it is because the saved game is looking for lost scripts.

The only oddity found is that, apparently, the extremely popular (as in second most endorsed download series at Skyrim of all time) 2k HD textures could not be searched because of unknown method of formatting or somesuch. Now I wonder if the game is trying to load textures that are bad or something...

[The_Jackal]

Okay,
Now I only have to decide what race my sniper will be.
Also... should I focus on Illusion and Bows / Sneak, or should I go pure Bows / Sneak? I like the idea of hedging my bets with illusion spells, but it makes leveling up thief skills takes longer.

For race, it honestly doesn't make much difference. Go for whatever race looks the coolest to you, the looks are far, far more important than racial bonuses for your character. The minimaxer's choice is Breton, for the 25% resist magic, but any race will do just fine.

For my money, pure stealth is the way to go for a archer/sniper. Here's the critical perks I'd recommend:

http://skyrimcalculator.com/#137927

Shadow Warrior is sickeningly powerful, it basically is an at-will vanish spell. Add in a few invisibility potions, and you're never, ever going to be caught as a sniper. Maxing smithing/enchanting/alchemy will also ensure you can upgrade your weapons and armour to ridiculous levels.

[Avilan the Grey]

http://skyrimcalculator.com/#137927

Thanks for the tips. I am planning to run Path Of Shadow though. Changes some things.

[Daverin]

Welp, did a new game, and it now CTD'd before I went to the location it was happening. Thing is, that was a mod location, the Temporal Rift player home, so hopefully it is just that place (although it sucks it had to be that one; it was freaking awesome!)

[Maxios]

I plan on buying this on the PC once the summer sale on Steam starts. What mods should I download after I buy it?

[The_Jackal]

Thanks for the tips. I am planning to run Path Of Shadow though. Changes some things.

Yeah, I see that now. Well, I still think the build is fundamentally sound, since the number of sneak perks doesn't change. I still think a pure rogue sniper would be preferable to an illusionist. Yes, you won't have quite the magic carpet that Shadow Warrior gives you, but the combination of invisibility potions, solid stealth and range should still produce very respectable results.

[Avilan the Grey]

I plan on buying this on the PC once the summer sale on Steam starts. What mods should I download after I buy it?

Personally for me the only mod that is an ABSOLUTE MUST is:

No More Blocky Faces (which can be downloaded separately or as part of the Xenius Character Enhancement mod). It is a purely aestetic thing but faces goes from having odd mistakes (like ridges on the nose tips) to looking very good.

Everything else is optional to me, really.

[Daverin]

Well, after another CTD around Winterhelm, it dawned on me I didn't try disabling the first mod that should have been checked: SMIM. Sure enough, I deactivate just the esp, and all of a sudden I can go past a point that has been consistently doing this (in fact, it was the one that prompted my reinstall.)

For anyone wanting mods, remember this: Any mods that deal with the 3d models themselves and improving them is one of the single most risky categories of mods. There definitely appear to be those who can run them just fine, but always be ready to remove it if anything bad to happen...

The worst part for me is I wonder now if there are other mods I tried uninstalling that were only bad because they were using those meshes. Like, seriously. Ouch.

[Avilan the Grey]

Oh there is one mod I almost forgot to install.
The "no respawns" mod (don't remember the exact name). It doesn't STOP respawns, but it sets it to 999 days.

[Triaxx]

Mods to install? SMIM.

Yes, he just said he had a bad time with it. I think it's worth the risk though.

WATER. Seriously improves the look and feel of water.

Realistic Lighting with Customization 3.4. Improves the lighting to a more 'realistic' level, with improved weather and certain other things built into it.

Deadly Dragons. Because Dragons should be scary.

And Midas Magic, because it's too awesome for words.

[Avilan the Grey]

Mods to install? SMIM.

Yes, he just said he had a bad time with it. I think it's worth the risk though.

WATER. Seriously improves the look and feel of water.

Realistic Lighting with Customization 3.4. Improves the lighting to a more 'realistic' level, with improved weather and certain other things built into it.

Deadly Dragons. Because Dragons should be scary.

And Midas Magic, because it's too awesome for words.

I decided to try another lighting mod; Ultra Realistic Light and Real Nights. I was not a complete fan of the Realistic Lighting one.

Deadly Dragons... He keeps adding junk to it. Plus, I don't want to install it unless they stop spawn points for dragons in towns. Too many quest givers eaten.

[Daverin]

Mods to install? SMIM.

Yes, he just said he had a bad time with it. I think it's worth the risk though.

WATER. Seriously improves the look and feel of water.

Realistic Lighting with Customization 3.4. Improves the lighting to a more 'realistic' level, with improved weather and certain other things built into it.

Deadly Dragons. Because Dragons should be scary.

And Midas Magic, because it's too awesome for words.

I second SMIM. Yes, even though I JUST SAID IT WAS MY PROBLEM. It is an amazing improvement, and you won't know if the meshes will kill you until you do it. Be ready to go without it if you have troubles, but, if it works for you... dang, was that worth it.

I almost would do DD, but that is one thing I am not sure I am ready to mod until I have done enough of it vanilla, whereas the mods I have I am convinced just should be there in the first place, usually adding things (along with something editing the shouts, but given it shows me the changes, I can see why.)

WATER... do it. All at once, I don't always pay attention to the water sources, but it is still a noticeable difference. I had to uninstall it because it was causing problems. Except, now I don't know if that is ACTUALLY true. Seriously, it bugs me how I have no idea what SMIM touched. I don't even know if it can somehow affect things it has nothing to do with.

Realistic lighting is pretty nice, especially along with CLARALUX and Imaginator, going full on default (which is still not dark enough for my tastes, actually.)

Speaking of lighting/shading tastes, I've been trying to set up the FXAA post-process Injector, but nothing looks too good. Then I realized, and this'll be a stupid question no doubt, but does it work better with... err... FXAA actually turned on? Because FXAA makes Skyrim look blech, unless that is fixed. Also, is there a better FXAA mod?

[Grue Bait]

Do one-handed perks affect conjured weapons?

[Avilan the Grey]

Looked at SMIM, and just from the screenshots... It looks worse than vanilla!
With the exception of the rope picture and wooden pillar, all other pictures look worse and less realistic.

[Daverin]

Well, if this isn't proof that the human perception can be 180 for different people, I don't know what is!

[Dhavaer]

Do one-handed perks affect conjured weapons?

They affect the bound sword.

[Grue Bait]

They affect the bound sword.

So archery affects the bound bow? Perks and all?

[Daverin]

Another mod problem notice: The Unofficial Skyrim Patch has been rather compromised by the 1.6 patch (to be expected when you think about it.) If you still want fixes can apply, check the Nexus patch (maybe Arthmoor posted it in steam too), and look for Arthmoor's link to the 1.05 beta in the comments section.

If not... well, it was another constant source of CTD for me.

[Dhavaer]

So archery affects the bound bow? Perks and all?

And two handed affect the bound axe.

[Avilan the Grey]

Well, if this isn't proof that the human perception can be 180 for different people, I don't know what is!

Okay, the ropes one, the picture of the wood on the pillar, and the cabbage one looks better. The tomato one looks laughably awful: The vanilla one is a realistic looking over-ripe tomato. The Mod's version is one of an UNDER-ripe, partly green, APPLE (because tomatoes do not ripe that way! they mature evenly). The apples are not as awful, just looking worse and less realistic (but not UNrealistic, like the tomatoes).

Anyway, I tried creating a wood elf and... I can't make her not look basically identical to my orc. Except the tusks, of course. On one hand it's good, it shows that they are related, both being Mer.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

it appears that Skyboost is put out of order by the patch as well...

[Daverin]

Skyboost has been outdated for a while now. Further, I believe it is one of many older boosters that rely on a method that was integrated into Skyrim through a patch. So... yeah. No surprise it is broken.

[Avilan the Grey]

Skyboost has been outdated for a while now. Further, I believe it is one of many older boosters that rely on a method that was integrated into Skyrim through a patch. So... yeah. No surprise it is broken.

Indeed, I think it was even in the very first patch the 64Bit functionality (utilizing more than 4GB internal memory) was integrated in Skyrim.

And thank god for the fact that the game autosaves just before character creation. I was messing around so much I had to just dump the game and rush to work...

Better try tonight. For once I want to play a wood elf, but I can't make her look like I want her too.

[Triaxx]

I'm not sure how you can't like SMIM, but to each their own.

I have a save, called New Character, just before character creation, (a little easier to keep track of than an easy to accidentally delete auto-save.) just before they shoot the other guy. Saves me the entire intro, which is only interesting the first time.

The big trouble with Skyboost is that it's been reliant on Script Dragon, and now all, or most of the functions it had are being done by SKSE.

I'm partial to Realistic Lighting, because I like it DARK. And with Realistic Lighting, I can crank it way down if I feel it's not dark enough.

Oh, I forgot one mod that really changes the game. Open Cities. It's awesome. And now that the Nav Mesh bug is fixed...

Of course, now I have to finish my castle...

[Avilan the Grey]

If anyone is interested I will post my full modlist tonight.

Anyway, I will do a female wood elf. Definitely. One-eyed with scars and either mohawk or the next hairdo, the one that is 50% bald and 50% hair.