Morrowind 12 years later...

[Genius384]

I'd be willing to help on a guide, I just went through a MGSO + Supplemental mod install and I've been pretty happy with everything.

 

I really wish Mod Organizer supported Morrowind, but the latest Wrye Mash fork (https://github.com/Yacoby/Wrye-Mash/downloads) is pretty good.

[DanielCoffey]

At the moment I am still just at the stage of having got the .exe patched and 4Gb'd. I have got the main Wrye Mash version installed but would be interested in hearing if there is a fork that folks would recommend over it. I have added in the current MPP and have got MWSE to launch the game.

 

I guess my next question is should I use one of the mega-overhauls that bundle a squillion mods or should I go for the individual mod approach? A lot of the older (c. 2013) guides are based on a separate mod approach.

 

EDIT : And what is the current opinion on the state of MGSO 3.0?

Edited June 11, 2015 by DanielCoffey

[Genius384]

MGSO is fantastic, at least as a base mod.  The default settings aren't vanilla friendly, though.  Here is what I have checked in the options:

 

Trees:

Solstheim

Mournhold

 

Ascadian Isles:

Vurt Lorefriendly

 

Ashlands:

More Branchy

 

Grazelands:

Vurt Lite

 

Bitter Coast:

Vality (NO balmora trees)

 

West Gash:

Vurt Lite

 

Grass:

More Colorful

 

Solstehim:

Grass

 

Misc:

New Voices

Dagoth Ur Voices

Fireplaces

Left Gloves

New Magic Sounds

New Game Sounds

 

Armors:

Detailed and Reflecting

 

Crosshair: 

Moon & Star (no other choice is acceptable!)

 

Heads:

Vanilla

 

Bodies:

Better Bodies

 

Lighting:

Realistic Brighter

 

UI:

Vanilla UI

 

Magic Items Glow:

Shimmer

 

 

I did have a ton of problems with the Steam version of the Morrowind executable, so I backed up and replaced it with with a No-CD version of the executable instead prior to running MSGO Installer.  I also install the version of Wrye Mash I linked above, which is the latest/most up to date version, and also has MLOX/TES3CMD integration.  Before running MGSO, do the following:

 

 

- Download the latest Morrowind Code Patch - https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/19510/?/ and exctact it to a temporary folder

- Download the latest development version of the Morrowind Code Patch - https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/26348/? and extract it over top of the files you extracted above

- Open the Data Files folder in the temporary folder above and delete the Showcase esp file

- Copy the official ESM files (Morrowind, Bloodmoon, Tribunal) and their BSA files from your Data files folder and paste them into the Data Files folder in the temporary folder

- Run Morrowind Code Patch and select all the options you want/need

- Save this entire folder in a safe location for later.

- I copy the Morrowind.exe over top of the one in my Morrowind directory.

I take a backup of the Morrowind Data Files directory at this point and copy it to the Wrye Mash installers directory as "Data Files - Vanilla Morrowind".  Then I install it as a mod in Wrye Mash.  At this point, I run MGSO.  When MGSO gets to the "Morrowind Code Patch" portion, I run the code patch but do not check any options or fixes or patches, then apply the patch.  Then I close the MGSO Installer and copy all the stuff from the Temporary folder above EXCEPT the Data Files folder over into my Morrowind directory, and then run the MGSO installer again.  This "tricks" the MGSO installer into thinking the Code Patch was run, but in reality, the latest and greatest Code Patch was run on the Executable.  Then I run all the other options.

 

I don't select Animated Morrowind because I'm not a fan of all the NPCs it adds, although it is a good mod if that is your thing.  I also highly recommend Starfire NPC Additions if you want more NPCs in the game.  Make sure to install the MGSO temporary patch (https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/43463/?/) and re-run the MSGO Options executable and select the options above and click "apply", but don't install using Wrye Mash.  

 

After install, I delete the BTB Version of the Morrowind Patch Project.  I also right click on Better Weapons and Armor.esp in Wrye Mash and select "Repair Refs" to fix problems with this ESP file.  Finally, I delete bm_ex_ice_exit04.nif inside the meshes folder in the Data Files folder, since this mesh causes some doors to be inaccessible.  Then I copy the Data Files folder over to the Wrye Mash installers directory and install it as a mod over top of the vanilla Morrowind data files.  This gets you MGSO 3.0 and Wrye Mash as a mod manager that is aware of all vanilla and MGSO files and conflicts.

 

I replace the version of MLOX with MGSO with this updated one: https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/43001/?/ .  MLOX is usually law, and it recommends disabling or not using a few of the MGSO mods, so take that as you will.

 

I also install TES3CMD - https://www.uesp.net/wiki/Tes3Mod:Tes3cmd in the data files folder.

 

At this point, you have a few more fixes and updated mods to install in Wrye Mash (except for MGE-XE):

• The 1.6.6 beta of the Morrowind Patch Project (replaces the older BTB version we deleted earlier) - https://www.theassimilationlab.com/forums/files/download/1060-previous-patches-unofficial-morrowind-patch
• The latest MGE-XE - https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/41102/? and the latest development version over top of that - https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/26348/?
• Potion and Scroll Icons - https://mw.modhistory.com/download--12174 (note that I don't currently use this due to conflicts with BTB's mods)
• Morrowind Containers Animated - https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/42238/?/
• SpiritHawke's Daedric Armor Fix - https://download.fliggerty.com/download--852
• Latest Windows Glow - https://abitoftaste.altervista.org/morrowind/index.php?option=downloads&Itemid=50&task=info&id=45&-Windows-Glow-Raven-Rock-English-Patch
• Dunmer Lantern Replacer Fix - https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/43219/?/ 

I also install these great Skyrim-like UI Mods - https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/43039/?/ https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/43026/?/ https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/43341/?/

 

For Better Heads/Better Bodies, I install Better Bodies ZW (Overwriting) - https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/42395/? , Westly's Head Replacer https://download.fliggerty.com/download-127-874 (closer to vanilla), I install (overwriting) Better Beast Bodies - https://mw.modhistory.com/download-10-10928, Pluginless head replacer for Khajiit - https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/43110/?

 

For MGE-XE, I'm using mostly default settings and automatic generation of all settings, and I have my distant land draw distance at 21 cells (which is close enough to vanilla but still lets you see stuff in the distance.)

 

That should get you going with a pretty decent and vanilla friendly install.

 

There are merits to doing it manually, but in my experience MGSO is pretty selective in what goes in, texture quality, etc.

 

A good guide for supplementing on top of those mods is here - https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=323619999&insideModal=1 

 

If you want to take a DIY approach, instead of installing MGSO, use Knot's Guide - https://www.somethingfornobody.com/blog/morrowind-modding-guide/

[DanielCoffey]

Thank you for that guide - I had spotted the MGSO Updating and Installation Walkthrough on the Nexus and I managed to get everything sorted on the second attempt. I have added TR and rebuilt the Distant Lands and so far everything seems normal apart from the FPS indicator which MGSO added.

 

It is ignoring the MaxFPS=60 setting from Morrowind.ini and capping itself at 120 which I would like to alter but don't know which value I should be looking for in which file.

[Genius384]

The FPS limiter you want to use is in the MGE-XE GUI on the main page.

[DanielCoffey]

That's great - I have spotted it in MGE Options, thanks.

 

I am getting a solid 120fps (capped) in Seyda Neen with MGSO only and 75 to 120fps when I add Morrowind Rebirth and look towards the swamp with the MR extra buildings.

[Maleficus04]

Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask thread to ask about this in, but it's the only place I've seen discussing Morrowind that's recent enough to hope for a response. I also recently reinstalled Morrowind after a few years and installed MGSO. Everything is running fine for the most part, but no matter what I do, I cannot get the game's fps to cap. It fluctuates between around 105 and 140 at most times, depending on where I am, which is way too high for my taste and that big of a jump also causes some stuttering.

 

I've tried editing the .ini file's "Max FPS" setting, as well as the MGEXEgui and the fps optimizer's fps limiters. The only way to get any sort of cap seems to be by enabling vsync through MGEXEgui, which, for whatever reason, caps my FPS at 150, despite my monitor's refresh rate being 75. Even so, I could deal with that if vsync didn't introduce a ridiculous amount of mouse input lag. I've also made sure everything that could possibly need it is running with admin privileges.

 

So, my question is... what's going on? Is there any reason why all of my mods and other features would be working but not any sort of fps limiter? I followed the MGSO directions to the T and everything else seems like it's working. The only other thing I can think of to do is install Morrowind off of my main drive, so it's not stuck in the Program Files (x86) folder, but I don't see how that would make a difference when everything else seems to be working, regardless.

 

Sorry for the long post, but I could really use some help. Any ideas or suggestions would really be appreciated.

Edited July 19, 2015 by Maleficus04

[DanielCoffey]

I am not using MGSO at the moment (as I am looking at OpenMW) but in the MGE settings is an option for vsync, as you have seen. In my case it capped at 2x monitor refresh (120fps instead of 60fps) but it worked fine. I think if you look at the MGE options closely there is a fps field which can be tweaked but I did not find it was used when I tried it. Perhaps it is in a MGE ini file somewhere?

 

If you are looking at OpenMW yourself, the current version (the OSG branch) does not have shaders, shadows and distant terrain because they have changed the rendering engine recently but they are working on getting those features back in.

Edited July 19, 2015 by DanielCoffey

[Maleficus04]

OpenMW certainly seems interesting, but at the moment, I'm mostly just looking to use whatever is the easiest to use, most up-to-date, wide-reaching graphics overhaul available. I'm trying to get a friend into the game without tons of time spent modding, as I do that enough for my own games to want to deal with it for someone else that just wants better graphics. With both the most up-to-date and MGSO version of MGEXE I see the option to set an FPS limit, but neither actually seems to do anything. And vsync, even if I could get a reasonable cap with, gives so much mouse lag that I wouldn't consider it a worthwhile tradeoff.

 

I just can't fathom what would cause only that one aspect not to work, while every other feature of the program is working as intended. It's very frustrating to say the least.

 

Edit: I managed to get it working correctly after a fair amount of screwing around. I tried installing the game on an external, which didn't change anything. Then just outright moving my entire steam folder to my C: drive. The latter seemed to do it. It's very odd to me though, that no other game has given me a problem for being in program files (x86) (so long as I gave proper admin privileges) and every other aspect of all of my mods/programs worked, but for some reason the fps cap/display didn't. But whatever, I'll take the victory.

Edited July 20, 2015 by Maleficus04