From c5e81df8e2f22d806f8baba1c28b69cf84fde4f8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Bill Niblock Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2021 23:43:02 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] Oblivion Adventure Part 2! --- _posts/2021-12-09-oblivion-linux-2.md | 160 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 160 insertions(+) create mode 100644 _posts/2021-12-09-oblivion-linux-2.md diff --git a/_posts/2021-12-09-oblivion-linux-2.md b/_posts/2021-12-09-oblivion-linux-2.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..87d9d68 --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2021-12-09-oblivion-linux-2.md @@ -0,0 +1,160 @@ +--- + tabtitle: "Oblivion on Linux Part 2, Mods" + title: "Oblivion on Linux, with Mods! Part 2 - Mods" + topics: [gaming] + pub: "2021-12-09" + short_desc: "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion still has one of the more + active modding communities. In this, part 2 of my journey to get Oblivion + modded and running on Linux, I'll cover some of my favorite mods." +--- + +Every player's mod list is different. Some will focus on visuals, making the +game as graphically impressive and pretty as possible. Others care primarily +about additional content. I tend towards the later, with a preference for +additional survival or realism mods. I recommend starting with the "Core Mods" +section in the [Oblivion Comprehensive Modding Guide by +Dispensation](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/49898) which will cover +some essential performance and enhancement mods. + +Below are some specific mods I would like to highlight, and which I enjoy. + + +## Survival Related + +### Basic Primary Needs & Personal Hygiene + +- [Nexus Link - Basic Primary Needs](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/37088) +- [Nexus Link - Basic Personal Hygiene](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/42038_) + +These two mods cover most of the survival aspects of my mod pack. "Basic Primary +Needs" adds hunger, thirst, and fatigue, while "Basic Personal Hygiene" adds +cleanliness. Managing these will feel tedious to some, but I really like having +to eat and drink, and visiting a bath house after a long time adventuring. + +Each mod can make use of [additional HUD Status +Bars](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/34905), which makes tracking the +new needs much easier. + +### Traveler's Tent + +- [Nexus Link](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/49654) + +This mod adds a portable player home, and is supremely comfy. Because I avoid +fast-travel, I wanted some sort of camping mod. I originally used [Maskar's +Camping Mod](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/37197) before learning of +this mod. By comparison, the tent in Traveler's Tent feels almost like cheating, +but sometimes it's important to treat yourself. + + +## World Enhancement + +These I would consider my graphical improvements. I'm generally not too +concerned with making the game look good, but I love making the game feel more +realistic. These mods make Cyrodiil feel more alive. + +### Better Cities + +- [Nexus Link](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/16513/) + +This is a massive collection of city overhaul and enhancement mods. I was +awe-struck when I walked around the Imperial City for the first time with this +mod enabled. Bravil felt like a dangerous, crowded harbor town. Leyawin looks +like an actual place people live. Though the improvements do come with FPS hits. +Doubly-so if enabling the Open Cities option, which moves cities into the +overworld space, instead of their own individual instances. It's a balancing +act: the immersion of walking directly into a city sometimes isn't worth +crashing to desktop when adventuring around cities. + +### COBL + +- [Nexus Link](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/21104) + +"Common Oblivion" enriches the world of Oblivion by adding lots of little +things, and helping different mods "talk" to each other. I like to think of it +as filling in a lot of the details that feel missing from vanilla Oblivion. + +### Enhanced Economy + +- [Nexus Link](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/25078) +- [Lubrons Patch](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/47184) + +This mod and the corresponding patch make the economy of the world more dynamic. +What I really like are the merchant quests that are added. Several merchants in +each town will ask you to find an item in one of the nearby dungeons. It adds +flavor to the game in just the right way. + +Lubron's Patch for Enhanced Economy fixes some bugs and cleans up the code a +bit. + +### Lights of Oblivion - Road Lanterns + +- [Nexus Link](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/46131) + +A very simple mod that I feel really enhances my travel around Cyrodiil. I avoid +fast-traveling whenever possible, and walking lit roads at night feels comfy. +I'm partial to the Imperial model. + +### Natural Environments + +- [Nexus Link](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/2536) + +Arguably the only graphical enhancement mod, Natural Environments provides +options for modifying the weather, water, and vegetation around Cyrodiil. The +weather and vegetation enhancements especially stand out. Overall the mods +don't cause me much performance impact, if any. + +### Cyrodiil Travel Services + +- [AFK Mods Link](https://www.afkmods.com/index.php?/files/file/263-cyrodiil-travel-services/) + +I really enjoyed that in Skyrim there was a dude with a wagon you could pay to +travel to the various cities. This mod adds similar functionality, and then +some. Useful when playing the game without fast-travel enabled. + + +## Overhauls + +Arguably, these are the heavy hitters. These mods will alter the mechanics of +the game, often making things more challenging but also more rewarding. + +### Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul + +- [Nexus Link](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/42780) + +Maskar's Overhaul is a massive endeavor. It "[improves] many aspects of the +game, while maintaining the overall feel of the game and ensuring compatibility +with most other mods." I think it does so with great success! However, be +forewarned, that this overhaul makes the game more challenging. + +There is too much to cover about Maskar's in this post, but I highly recommend +it. It comes with a PDF instruction manual, which is 61 pages long. + +### Vanilla Combat Enhanced + +- [Nexus Link](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/45314) + +As the name implies, this overhaul adjusts but does not change the vanilla +combat experience. Whereas other mods add new moves or fatigue systems, this mod +updates the vanilla combat experience to be more challenging and fair. It works +with Maskar's after a small modification, which will be covered in the next +part. This is one of the mods that I haven't played with for too long, and +there are definitely some additional or alternative combat mods I'm considering. +Namely, [Dynamic Oblivion Combat](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/49873) +and [Combat Additions](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/49939). + +### Supreme Magicka + +- [Nexus Link](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/12466) + +Rounding out the trio is a magic overhaul. Supreme Magicka approaches magic in +Oblivion in a similar way to Vanilla Combat Enhanced with combat: it seeks to +improve and expand, without replacing. To continue similarities, this mod is one +I haven't sank my teeth into as much. The characters I've been playing most +recently haven't achieved very powerful magical capabilities yet. An alternative +to this mod is [Av Latta +Magicka](https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/49096). + +## Next Steps + +In the last part of this series, I want to walk through a complete install of +Oblivion from scratch.