I’m back messing around with Skyrim. Yea, Skyrim, that game that came up prior to the internet being invented, I believe.
When the special edition first came out, I tried it, found that most mods didn’t work with it, and put it down. Some time has now passed and more mods are available, so I’ve given it another shot. Much of this was prompted from playing Elder Scrolls Legends, so hey, at least that’s a win for that game and getting people interested (again) in related Elder Scrolls games (ESO still sucks).
Nexus mod manager makes things easier in terms of grabbing mods, but unfortunately some of the more complex mods still need you to tinker with .init files and such. Setting up Skyrim with mods is a game itself for many, and it takes a long-ass time to get it right if you go all-in.
I’m 70+ mods in, and perhaps the most shocking part is my PC with a 1080 GTX can’t run the game at 60 FPS at all times. Again, a lot of those mods are 4k texture mods, I’m pretty sure the ENB I’m running is a FPS killer as well, and since Skyrim doesn’t support 3440×1440, I had to tinker to get that working as well, but come on…
It does look good though, I’ll give it that. The landscape is gorgeous, caves and dungeons drip with atmosphere, and the towns feel alive and active, all of which just makes me madder that Bethesda still hasn’t given us even a hint of the next game in the series.
I’m getting a new PC for Christmas, and will start planning that as soon as Digital Storm puts up their holiday discounts, so maybe my next PC can finally run Skyrim correctly. Ha, just kidding, I’ll likely stack enough mods to choke that PC too. It’s what the mod game is all about anyway, right?
Hardcore Casual 
A new computer when you already have a 1080? Some kind of MOBO/Processor upgrade then?
The computer my wife is using is 6 years old and likely on its last legs. It already can’t run PUBG well, and sometimes locks up when playing Grim Dawn or LoL. She will get my current PC, which is 3 years old, and somewhat recently had the 1080 added.
I’m not sure when I order if the new PC will also have a 1080, or if I’ll go with something like a 1060 and swap in the 1080 to the new machine. 1080 prices are still high, and with my wife using just a 24″ monitor, a 1060 will be fine on the 3 year old machine. The only hang-up to that plan is I want the new machine tested and configured for a 1080, so I’m hoping Digital Storm can accommodate that. Not a deal breaker if they can’t (at this point I don’t even think Nvidia has different drivers for cards, do they? it’s just all one automatically downloaded package?), but would be nice.
Would you mind posting the mods you are using? I’ve been debating the same thing but haven’t an idea of where to start.
A Quality World Map – 9.0.1 A Quality World Map – Vivid with Stone Roads User Interface 12/5/2017 8:24:52 AM 1/18/2017 8:37:38 PM 13792 9.0.1 / 9.0.1 IcePenguin
Achievements Mods Enabler – AchievementsModsEnabler Utilities 12/5/2017 8:25:09 AM 1/18/2017 8:43:02 PM 35851 1.0.0.5 / 1.0.0.9 xSHADOWMANx or Sumwunn at github
Alternate Start – Live Another Life – Alternate Start – Live Another Life Gameplay Effects and Changes 12/5/2017 8:26:07 AM 1/18/2017 8:40:59 PM 29491 4.0.1 / 4.0.3 Arthmoor
Ars Metallica – Smithing Enhancement – Ars Metallica – Smithing Enhancement Crafting 12/5/2017 8:27:41 AM 1/18/2017 8:46:47 PM 35902 2.0 / 2.0.2 Arthmoor
Better descriptions SSE-7134-2-0 Unassigned 12/5/2017 10:01:40 AM 12/5/2017 9:21:42 AM ?
Better Standing Stone Descriptions – Better Standing Stone Descriptions v1.0 User Interface 12/5/2017 9:19:12 AM 12/5/2017 9:19:08 AM 7741 1.0 / 1.0 Immy
Enhanced Blood Textures SE – Enhanced Blood Textures SE Visuals and Graphics 12/5/2017 8:28:22 AM 1/18/2017 8:42:44 PM 9892 3.73 / 3.73 dDefinder
Fores New Idles in Skyrim – FNIS – FNIS Behavior SE V7_0 Beta Animation 12/5/2017 8:28:26 AM 1/18/2017 8:39:22 PM 4721 7.0.Beta / 7.0.Beta fore
Immersive Armors – Immersive Armors 8.1 SSE Test Armour 12/5/2017 8:29:29 AM 12/5/2017 10:40:30 PM 5924 8.1 / 8.1 Hothtrooper44
Immersive Citizens – AI Overhaul SE – Immersive Citizens – AI Overhaul Immersion 12/5/2017 8:29:38 AM 1/18/2017 8:39:29 PM 17213 0.3.8.1 / 0.3.8.1 Arnaud dOrchymont
Immersive Patrols SE – Immersive Patrols SE Immersion 12/5/2017 8:29:41 AM 1/18/2017 8:44:05 PM 14146 1.3.1 / 1.3.1 Scrabbulor
Realistic Water Two Environmental 12/5/2017 8:30:12 AM 1/18/2017 8:40:47 PM 10105 1.25 / 1.25 isoku
Relationship Dialogue Overhaul – RDO SE – Relationship Dialogue Overhaul – RDO Final Immersion 12/5/2017 8:32:31 AM 1/18/2017 8:46:44 PM 1171 Final / Final cloudedtruth
RS Children Overhaul – RSSE Children Overhaul 1.0.3 NPC – Children 12/5/2017 8:33:10 AM 1/18/2017 8:46:12 PM 10172 1.0.3 / 1.0.3 Azrael_wtf and Ranaline
Skyrim 2017 Textures – 4K Diffuse 2K Normal map – Whiterun Models and Textures 12/5/2017 9:58:58 AM 12/5/2017 9:31:21 AM 5880 ? Pfuscher aka Zerwas1
Skyrim 2017 Textures – 4K Diffuse 2K Normalmap – Bridges Models and Textures 12/5/2017 9:59:02 AM 12/5/2017 9:27:26 AM 7027 ? Pfuscher aka Zerwas1
Skyrim 2017 Textures – 4K diffuse 2K Normalmap – Farmhouse Models and Textures 12/5/2017 9:59:12 AM 12/5/2017 9:27:41 AM 5863 ? Pfuscher aka Zerwas1
Skyrim 2017 Textures – 4K Diffuse 2K Normalmap – High Hrothgar Models and Textures 12/5/2017 9:59:36 AM 12/5/2017 9:31:56 AM 6985 ? Pfuscher aka Zerwas1
Skyrim 2017 Textures – 4K Diffuse 2K Normalmap – Landscape with FIX Models and Textures 12/5/2017 9:59:55 AM 12/5/2017 9:31:32 AM 32338 ? Pfuscher aka Zerwas1
Skyrim 2017 Textures – 4K Diffuse 2K Normalmap – Mines Models and Textures 12/5/2017 10:00:17 AM 12/5/2017 9:30:51 AM 7023 ? Pfuscher aka Zerwas1
Skyrim 2017 Textures – 4K Diffuse 2K Normalmap – Mountains Models and Textures 12/5/2017 10:00:19 AM 12/5/2017 9:30:07 AM 5358 ? Pfuscher aka Zerwas1
Skyrim 2017 Textures – 4K Diffuse 2K Normalmap – Riften Models and Textures 12/5/2017 10:00:27 AM 12/5/2017 9:31:00 AM 6053 ? Pfuscher aka Zerwas1
Skyrim 2017 Textures – 4K Diffuse 2K Normalmap – Roads 1.1 Models and Textures 12/5/2017 10:00:29 AM 12/5/2017 9:30:55 AM 22460 1.1 / ? Pfuscher aka Zerwas1
Skyrim 2017 Textures – 4K Diffuse 2K Normalmap – Solitude Models and Textures 12/5/2017 10:00:45 AM 12/5/2017 9:32:17 AM 7661 2.0 / ? Pfuscher aka Zerwas1
Skyrim 2017 Textures – 4K Diffuse 2K Normalmap – Windhelm Models and Textures 12/5/2017 10:00:54 AM 12/5/2017 9:31:59 AM 6060 ? Pfuscher aka Zerwas1
Skyrim 2017 Textures – 4K Diffuse 2K1K Normalmap – Markarth Models and Textures 12/5/2017 10:01:14 AM 12/5/2017 9:32:16 AM 6051 ? Pfuscher aka Zerwas1
Skyrim Flora Overhaul SE – Skyrim Flora Overhaul SE v2.72a Models and Textures 12/5/2017 8:33:27 AM 1/18/2017 8:41:23 PM 7568 2.72a / 2.72a vurt
SkyUI – SkyUI_5_2_SE User Interface 12/2/2017 1:55:21 PM 12/2/2017 1:55:03 PM 35407 5.2SE / 5.2SE SkyUI Team
Static Mesh Improvement Mod – SMIM – SMIM 2-04 Models and Textures 12/5/2017 8:35:21 AM 1/18/2017 8:53:15 PM 8056 2.04 / 2.04 Brumbek
The Forgotten City – The Forgotten City Quests and Adventures 12/5/2017 10:46:07 AM 12/5/2017 10:43:34 AM 32847 1.8 / 1.8 Nick Pearce
Total Character Makeover – Total Character Makeover 1.2 Body, Face, and Hair 12/5/2017 8:35:32 AM 1/18/2017 8:40:52 PM 3198 1.2 / 1.2 Scarla
Ultrawide Interface – UWS Interface User Interface 12/5/2017 8:35:44 AM 12/5/2017 7:37:50 AM 35544 2.0 / 2.0 InAComaDial999
Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch – Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch Bug Fixes 12/5/2017 8:35:56 AM 1/18/2017 8:39:10 PM 38084 4.0.5 / 4.1.1 Unofficial Patch Project Team
UNP Female Body Renewal Models and Textures 12/5/2017 10:55:53 AM 12/5/2017 10:53:26 AM 38930 4.3 / 4.3 dimon99 – Vectorcide – Phigit – Hello Santa – COTS – Reize
Verdant – A Skyrim Grass Plugin – Verdant 1.5 SSE Edition Environmental 12/5/2017 10:34:04 PM 12/5/2017 10:33:12 PM 9392 1.5 / 1.5 Preeum
Vivid Weathers Special Edition – a complete Weather and Visual overhaul for Skyrim SE – Vivid Weathers SE Environmental 12/5/2017 8:37:32 AM 1/18/2017 8:46:49 PM 35374 1.05 / 1.61 Mangaclub – Doodlezoid
Wet and Cold – Wet and Cold v2_15 Immersion 12/5/2017 8:37:42 AM 1/18/2017 8:45:04 PM 12595 2.15 / 2.15 isoku
Here is a list off Nexus Mod as a starting point. Sorry for the garbage format.
Thanks so much for listing them all!
Skyrim is a game I didn’t get past 10 hours into. Started on console and the loading times made me quit. Bought it on Steam but didn’t really play it. It’s a regret, really.
I mean, play it now? It’s easily one of my favorite games of all time, with and without mods. If you do play it now, grab mods aplenty. The list I posted above is a good starting point, though maybe stick to just the simple graphics mods and avoid more complex stuff like SkyUI and the ENB. Also skip alternative start, but do grab: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/168/?
your suggested mods definitely nudged me to redownload – AND turns out I own three of the DLC packs too…. thanks =)
Special edition right?
It actually doesn’t say that, although I acquired the rights through Steam for 3 DLC packs (so maybe it is – hunting down my purchase history. It was so long ago.)
Legendary Edition, turns out (should have checked that BEFORE replying, sorry!)
It should say “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition” in your Steam library. Everyone who owned the original version and all DLC got it for free when it came out.
99% sure Legendary isn’t the Special Edition. Legendary was the original version and all DLC. But if its in Steam, you should have Special Edition as well.
I made a mess of your comments section.
I already owned the Legendary Edition and it was in my library. But, doing a search for the special edition it is letting me install as well. Assuming special edition is the right one to use. Thanks for all the heads up here.