Haven't played Skyrim since 2012--need advice, please :)

[AdventureGirl]

Hi, all. *waves*

 

My name is Ashley--or Ash if you'd like--and I'm new to this site.  ::

 

I bought Skyrim in 2012, but had too much going on to ever get past The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller quest, haha.

 

So, a lot has changed. When I last was in the know, NMM and BOSS were primarily used. I had a few mods added through NMM back then, but not too many as, again, I had little time.

 

 

I would like to play Skyrim again (have all DLCs now), but I'm quite honestly lost.

 

I've downloaded Mod Organizer and bookmarked mods that I thought would be worth looking into/I remembered from 2012, but I honestly have no idea if they're any good. I've looked at S.T.E.P. before, but this was at least a year ago.

 

I don't have anything Skyrim related on my computer--the steam game is uninstalled and both the Skyrim folder in steamapp and My Games is deleted for (I think?) a fresh install.

 

 

My system specs are as follows:

-i5 2500k 3.30ghz not overclocked

-8GB RAM

-715+ GB space

-AMD HD Radeon 6670 1GB  <<<this is my weakest point, but I have no idea what graphics card I would upgrade to. I know I have 600W power supply. If you would like a Newegg link to the PC rig I own, please ask!

 

 

This is the list of mods I typed up (some were from 2012), but, again, I'm essentially new to modding and S.T.E.P:

 

-Ornate Saddles

-Immersive Saturation Boost

-Sub Surface Full Body Map for Coverwomen and UNP UNPB Bodies

-Coverwomen

-No More Blocky Faces

-Natural Eyes

-High Quality Eyes

-Enhanced Better Sorting

-Book Covers Skyrim

-Book Covers Skyrim - Compatibility Patch Collection

-Better Skill and Quest Books Names

-Relighting Skyrim

-Skyrim Project Optimization

-Moonlight Tales Version

-The Paarthurnax Dilemma

-Improved Fish

-The Choice is Yours 

-skyBirds 

-When Vampires Attack

-Amazing Follower Tweaks

-Even Better Quest Objectives

-Cooking Expanded

-Drinking Fountains of Skyrim

-Herbal Tea

-Be a Milk Drinker

-Harvest Overhaul

-SkyTEST - Realistic Animals and Predators

-Gildergreen Regrown

-Point The Way

-Glowing Ore Veins 300

-AC87s Vilkas and Farkas

-I Wash - New Skin for Skyrim

-Inconsequential NPCs

-Bellyaches Ohdaviing Replacer

-Bellyaches HD Dragon Replacer Pack

-Radiant and Unique Potions and Poisons HD

-Enhanced Blood Textures

-Immersive NPC in the dark

-Fishing In Skyrim

-Rainbows

-Torch of Everlasting with Dynamic Shadows

-EZ2C Dialogue Menu 

-Convenient Horses

-Birds of Skyrim 065 BSA archive

-Hunting Grounds Weapon Pack

-Hunting Grounds Outfit

-Heart of the Beast - ALL Sounds

-Faster Mining

-Dragon Language Book

-Disease Descriptions for the Immersive Adventurer

-Real Days and Months

-Real Shelter - Full Release

-Frostfall - Hypothermia Camping Survival

-Sell Unusual Gems - Stones of Barenziah

-Bellyaches Animal and Creature Pack

-Lanterns of Skyrim - All In One

-Dynamic TimeScale now with AutoSave

-Pure Waters

-Pure Weather

-A Quality World Map

-Falskaar

-Wyrmstooth

-iNeed - Food Water and Sleep

-Footprints

-Timing is Everything - Quest Delay and Timing Control

-DIMONIZED UNP female body

-Wet and Cold

-Predator Vision - Vampire Werewolf and Khajiit

-Run For Your Lives

-Birds and Flocks Hearthfire Edition

-Read And Learn Speechcraft Speech

-Deadly Dragons

-Better Magic

-ACE - Athyra's Comprehensive Enhancements

-SkyUI

-Unofficial Dragonborn Patch

-Unofficial Hearthfire Patch

-Unofficial Dawnguard Patch

-Unofficial Skyrim Patch

 

 

 

Whew, thanks for reading this and I'm excited to meet new people and learn more about S.T.E.P!

Edited August 20, 2014 by AdventureGirl

[AdventureGirl]

Okay, I found something that might be a compromise between building it myself and pre-built.

 

This allows you to choose your own parts:

https://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/CyberPower_Z97_i5_Configurator/

 

Someone posted this config as a suggestion, not sure if it's any good:

*BASE_PRICE: [+685]

BLUETOOTH: None

CABLE: None

CAS: Corsair Carbide 300R w/ USB 3.0

CASUPGRADE: None

CD: 24X Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive (BLACK COLOR)

CD2: None

COOLANT: Standard Coolant

CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-4690 3.50 GHz 6MB LGA1150

CS_FAN: Maximum 120MM Color Case Cooling Fans for your selected case [+15] (Blue Color)

DOCKINGSTATION: None

ENGRAVING: None

ENGRAVING_MSG:

FA_HDD: None

FAN: * Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO CPU Cooler w/ PWM fan - Efficient Cooling Performance [+4]

FLASHMEDIA: None

 

GLASSES: None

HDD: 1TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD (Single Drive)

HDD2: None

HEADSET: None

IUSB: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports

KEYBOARD: AZZA Multimedia USB Gaming Keyboard

 

MEMORY: 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/1866MHz Dual Channel Memory (Corsair Vengeance [+33])

 

MOTHERBOARD: ASUS Z97-K ATX w/ Intel GbLAN, 2 PCIe x16, 2 PCIe x1, 2 PCI, 1 x M.2, 6x SATA 6Gb/s [+10]

MOUSE: AZZA Optical 1600dpi Gaming Mouse with Weight Adjustable Cartridge

NETWORK: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network

 

OS: None - FORMAT HARD DRIVE ONLY

OVERCLOCK: No Overclocking

POWERSUPPLY: 750 Watts - Corsair CX750 750W 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply [+53]

RUSH: Standard processing time: ship within 2 to 3 weeks

SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR [3 Year Labor, 1 Year Parts] LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT

SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO

 

VIDEO: EVGA Superclocked NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 2GB GDDR5 w/ ACX Cooling PCIe 3.0 x16 Video Card [+181] (Single Card)

WNC: None

_PRICE: (+981)

 

 

 

Anyway, it might be a good compromise since they do list the R9 ones as well?

I would prefer a blue theme over any other color, though. :)

[Shadriss]

EDIT: Original post deleted because the author was stupid. :p

 

The above said, it's not that hard to build a system yourself, and I've always far preferred it to buying something someone else made. The only additional thing you'd have to do at that point is install the O/S itself, which can be a small pain, but this way, you get exactly what you want, no compromises.

Edited August 21, 2014 by Shadriss

[phazer11]

Alright. I'll go with Nvidia just since I've done more recent research on it and it's what ENB is designed around.

Here's what I would go with if you're just going to upgrade what you have. I would have you upgrade your RAM and motherboard as well but 8GB is probably fine unless you're actually buying new. The motherboard I would upgrade but I don't think you can even find Ivy bridge boards anymore (or they're at a steep price like the Sabertooth Z77 I was going to recommend). I don't personally have that case but I hear it's nice.

Link

 

If you're building from scratch.

Link

[CovertSlinky]

Phazer listed a good build there for the "from scratch". And his other option is really good choice, plus you get yer new case and a nice I might say. I can attest to that cooler, as you can see I have one too, for the price and being an air cooled option, can't complain one bit, and it's noise level dbA is one of the best you can find for that price. 

Edited August 21, 2014 by CovertSlinky

[AdventureGirl]

Looks pretty good. Here is a picture of my desk though as I'm not sure if a full case would fit?

 

Please excuse the quality, was taken at night on a cell phone.

 

 

My monitor is 24 inch and plays on 1920x1080 resolution, by the way.

Edited August 21, 2014 by AdventureGirl

[AdventureGirl]

Okay,  I tried to use this picker myself…did I do okay? Is 8GB sufficient? Do I need SSD? I’m playing on 1920-1080 by the way. Can do R9 280 if it’s better. :)

 

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/p/3WmHqs

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($224.99 @ Amazon)

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.98 @ OutletPC)

Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($144.99 @ Amazon)

Memory: Kingston 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($83.99 @ Amazon)

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($55.98 @ OutletPC)

Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 780 3GB DirectCU II Video Card  ($429.99 @ NCIX US)

Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($49.99 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: XFX 650W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($49.99 @ NCIX US)

Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer  ($15.98 @ OutletPC)

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit)  ($92.98 @ OutletPC)

Total: $1178.86

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-08-21 09:37 EDT-0400

[phazer11]

I don't know. To build a proper PC around a GTX 780 you'd need to look to spend around $1300-1500. That power supply you chose is not good enough, you are over paying for that 8GB of RAM andf that 1TB drive is not worth the money. The case... might work I don't know if it will let you fit a GTX 780 though it's a long card. You'll have to measure your desk and then look at the dimensions on the case. I wouldn't recommend any PC to be placed on a desktop unless it's an all-in-one least of all a Full Tower case.

 

Here's the kind of thing you'd need. You shouldn't need an optical drive since you have one in your current computer. If you must have a HDD then I'll make another build with all that plus the OS. If you got another optical drive you shouldn't bother with a DVD drive since you have one and upgrade to a BD drive.

Link

 

Here's the one with everything including a 3TB drive for only double what that 1TB drive would cost you... and it's faster. Since you're in college you can get Windows 8/8.1 for about $50 with a university or college email address.

Link

 

As far as SSD's go I love mine. They have some 120GB for $90 right now and some 250GB for $120 or so right now.

[Member121]

Yes, you used partspicker perfectly! fun isn't it?

 

You have a pretty solid build. It could be tweaked here and there. I like the 4GB GPUs phazer linked to only because early on in my build research I decided on a 4GB card. There's so many choices it's overwhelming. I narrowed it down to 4GB, three or four manufacturers and under $450. = Gigabyte GTX 770 4GB GV-N770OC-4GD $449.99 LOVE it!

 

You may not need a cooler living in northern US. And, cpu comes with stock cooler. Up to you. Not a mistake to get a good cooler.

 

You may not need an optical drive. I used my new optical drive once... to install my os. Maybe keep your old drive.

 

STEP recommends installing Steam/Skyrim on a separate drive. I found that to be very good advice. A new SSD is really fast and you may not ever buy another mechanical drive again. (I installed OS on 1TB mechanical HDD and Steam/Skyrim on 250GB SSD. Working great for me.)

 

Welcome to the addictive world of pc building!

[AdventureGirl]

I don't know. To build a proper PC around a GTX 780 you'd need to look to spend around $1300-1500. That power supply you chose is not good enough, you are over paying for that 8GB of RAM andf that 1TB drive is not worth the money. The case... might work I don't know if it will let you fit a GTX 780 though it's a long card. You'll have to measure your desk and then look at the dimensions on the case. I wouldn't recommend any PC to be placed on a desktop unless it's an all-in-one least of all a Full Tower case.

 

Here's the kind of thing you'd need. You shouldn't need an optical drive since you have one in your current computer. If you must have a HDD then I'll make another build with all that plus the OS. If you got another optical drive you shouldn't bother with a DVD drive since you have one and upgrade to a BD drive.

Link

 

Here's the one with everything including a 3TB drive for only double what that 1TB drive would cost you... and it's faster. Since you're in college you can get Windows 8/8.1 for about $50 with a university or college email address.

Link

 

As far as SSD's go I love mine. They have some 120GB for $90 right now and some 250GB for $120 or so right now.

Thanks for the links, checking them out. I actually graduated college so I don't have the college discounts anymore, unfortunately.

 

 

Those are a bit higher than what I wanted my budget to be, unfortunately. I'd like to not go over $1250-1275

Edited August 21, 2014 by AdventureGirl

[phazer11]

Thanks for the links, checking them out. I actually graduated college so I don't have the college discounts anymore, unfortunately.

 

 

Those are a bit higher than what I wanted my budget to be, unfortunately. I'd like to not go over $1250-1275

That is why I picked the GTX 760 4GB out for you in this from scratch build from last night. As I said you should be good on the DVD drive front since you have the one in your current machine. I would still check if Microsoft accepts your school email (they should so long as you can still receive emails from it). If you want a bit beefier of a card it'll cost you about $1300 with a slight modification to the build from last night. Like so.

Link

[AdventureGirl]

That is why I picked the GTX 760 4GB out for you in this from scratch build from last night. As I said you should be good on the DVD drive front since you have the one in your current machine. I would still check if Microsoft accepts your school email (they should so long as you can still receive emails from it). If you want a bit beefier of a card it'll cost you about $1300 with a slight modification to the build from last night. Like so.

Link

Well, I actually wouldn't be able to use the DVD as this current PC will be going to my father, whose PC is on its way out. :)

 

And I'm willing to go up to $1350.

[AdventureGirl]

Okay, I think I might have something based on stuff said mixed with my own ideas:

 

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/p/w7WLdC

Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/p/w7WLdC/by_merchant/

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($209.99 @ Amazon) 

Motherboard: ASRock H97 PERFORMANCE ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($74.99 @ Newegg) 

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($84.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($104.99 @ NCIX US) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($55.98 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 290 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card ($349.99 @ NCIX US) 

Case: NZXT H440 (White/Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($109.99 @ Amazon) 

Power Supply: XFX 650W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ NCIX US) 

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC) 

Total: $1130.89

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-08-22 12:10 EDT-0400

 

There is also a Red/Black case for the H440, but I wanted to have some sort of blue lighting, such as this: https://www.amazon.com/NZXT-CB-LED20-BU-2-Metres-Sensitivity-Sleeved/dp/B0046Y5Z5G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-1&keywords=pc+led

 

If I did the Red/Black case though, it'd be the red version of those lights:

https://www.amazon.com/NZXT-CB-LED20-RD-2-Metres-Sensitivity-Sleeved/dp/B0046Y1622/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-1&keywords=NZXT++red+led

 

 

Would the White/Black get dirty easily do you think, or more like the Wii, which never looks bad?

 

I chose the H440 because it has 4 fans, sound proofing for less noise, good quality.

 

 

Thoughts? :)

[Halde]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to get a clean case? Without a lot of christmas lights?

[phazer11]

Well... I picked the motherboards and power supplies I did out for a reason.

 

First off they are the two most critical components in the entire PC. If your power supply isn't of sufficient quality then it could take your PC out causing a lot of headaches. The ones I picked out were also gold or platinum efficiency rating so they won't waste as much power.

 

The motherboard is next on the list. The one you picked out is not a good board if you have a K series processor. In order to make proper use of a K series processor you need either a P97 or Z97 motherboard I recommend Z97. I don't trust any of the boards that are under $100, however almost anything in the $150-220 range are in general the best range of quality and features.

 

If you're dead set about only getting 8GB of RAM... fine. Here is a build that has the better parts (the graphics card being debatable depending on which company you like), I threw in the SSD and two options of HDD. I recommend the Toshiba 3TB HDD since it's triple the size of storage as the one you picked out (plus it's faster and better in every way) for twice the cost it's pretty much the most cost efficient drive out there right now.

Link

[Nozzer66]

^ Solid build. 

 

I have the ASUS Maximus VI hero and it's a great board. I'd imagine the VII Hero would be no exception. You cant really go wrong with SeaSonic Power Supplies, and EVGA cards are solid performers. I roll with an EVGA 780 Ti and it's just about bullet proof.