About to play this for the first time...

[poke_ravi]

Should I install any mods? I was thinking about installing the sound and graphics overhaul mod just so that the game looks more up to date.

[Vespertine]

Why even play if you`re just going to install mods right away. Play it the way it is so you get the original experience.

[destroyor]

Some of the "original experience" just did not age well - besides graphics "there are some changes I feel to be so necessary that their collective release to me qualifies more as a bug fix than anything else" (direct quote from BTB[btb2.free.fr]):

Morrowind Code Patch[www.nexusmods.com]
exe optimizer[timeslip.users.sourceforge.net]
4GB Patch[www.ntcore.com]
Graphic Herbalism[www.nexusmods.com] - this mod is so good, Bethesda implemented this function starting from Oblivion.
Multi Autosave[www.nexusmods.com]
Quick char[btb2.free.fr] - clean and simple quick start mod, see above BTB link for info.

I would strongly argue the above are essential to a smooth Morrowind experience.

I'm on the fence re: Unofficial Morrowind Patch[www.theassimilationlab.com] - there are lots of vital bug fixes but I don't like some of the subjective changes.

Morrowind Overhaul - Sounds And Graphics (MSGO)[www.nexusmods.com] - a very popular mod because it comes in a single neat package. I'm sorry to say I would NOT recommend this mod.

You should at least take a look at STEP Guide: A modern Morrowind[wiki.step-project.com] - it's a step by step guide to a modern looking Morrowind. The best thing about it is you get to have a choice (unlike MSGO). Don't like a mod? Don't install it. Don't have top of the line video card? Skip a few graphic intensive mods and you are good to go. I tried both (MSGO & STEP) and imho I can say with STEP you get a more stable, better looking and generally more vanilla + lore friendly feel game.

Extra info if you are having trouble w/ exe optimizer and 4GB patch:
You might run into problem running the exe optimizer and 4GB Patch due to Application load error 5:0000065434. The short version is Morrowind.exe is locked by Steam and won't run without Steam.exe. This problem is especially apparent if you installed Steam and Morrowind on different drives; you have a couple solutions:
1. copy and paste a copy of Steam.exe into your Morrowind folder - this might not work, if so, go to step 2.
2. run command prompt (run-> cmd), make sure you are inside the Morrowind folder. For example, if you installed Steam on d:\steam\steam.exe and Morrowind on e:\steamlibrary\steamapps\common\morrowind\morrowind.exe. For those unfamiliar with command prompt here are the commands:
e: [hit enter, hereafter refer as ENTER]
cd steamlibrary [ENTER]
cd steamapps [ENTER]
cd common [ENTER]
cd morrowind [ENTER]
mklink "steam.exe" "d:\steam\steam.exe"

After mklink make sure Steam is running in the background and logged in before you patch the game w/ exe optimizer and 4GB Patch. If you are using Morrowind Code Patch (MCP), make sure to run exe optimizer AFTER MCP, and 4GB patch AFTER exe optimizer.

[poke_ravi]

Originally posted by destroyor:

Some of the "original experience" just did not age well - besides graphics "there are some changes I feel to be so necessary that their collective release to me qualifies more as a bug fix than anything else" (direct quote from BTB[btb2.free.fr]):

Morrowind Code Patch[www.nexusmods.com]
exe optimizer[timeslip.users.sourceforge.net]
4GB Patch[www.ntcore.com]
Graphic Herbalism[www.nexusmods.com] - this mod is so good, Bethesda implemented this function starting from Oblivion.
Multi Autosave[www.nexusmods.com]
Quick char[btb2.free.fr] - clean and simple quick start mod, see above BTB link for info.

I would strongly argue the above are essential to a smooth Morrowind experience.

I'm on the fence re: Unofficial Morrowind Patch[www.theassimilationlab.com] - there are lots of vital bug fixes but I don't like some of the subjective changes.

Morrowind Overhaul - Sounds And Graphics (MSGO)[www.nexusmods.com] - a very popular mod because it comes in a single neat package. I'm sorry to say I would NOT recommend this mod.

You should at least take a look at STEP Guide: A modern Morrowind[wiki.step-project.com] - it's a step by step guide to a modern looking Morrowind. The best thing about it is you get to have a choice (unlike MSGO). Don't like a mod? Don't install it. Don't have top of the line video card? Skip a few graphic intensive mods and you are good to go. I tried both (MSGO & STEP) and imho I can say with STEP you get a more stable, better looking and generally more vanilla + lore friendly feel game.

Extra info if you are having trouble w/ exe optimizer and 4GB patch:
You might run into problem running the exe optimizer and 4GB Patch due to Application load error 5:0000065434. The short version is Morrowind.exe is locked by Steam and won't run without Steam.exe. This problem is especially apparent if you installed Steam and Morrowind on different drives; you have a couple solutions:
1. copy and paste a copy of Steam.exe into your Morrowind folder - this might not work, if so, go to step 2.
2. run command prompt (run-> cmd), make sure you are inside the Morrowind folder. For example, if you installed Steam on d:\steam\steam.exe and Morrowind on e:\steamlibrary\steamapps\common\morrowind\morrowind.exe. For those unfamiliar with command prompt here are the commands:
e: [hit enter, hereafter refer as ENTER]
cd steamlibrary [ENTER]
cd steamapps [ENTER]
cd common [ENTER]
cd morrowind [ENTER]
mklink "steam.exe" "d:\steam\steam.exe"

After mklink make sure Steam is running in the background and logged in before you patch the game w/ exe optimizer and 4GB Patch. If you are using Morrowind Code Patch (MCP), make sure to run exe optimizer AFTER MCP, and 4GB patch AFTER exe optimizer.

WOW thank you! This is helpful.

[Colossal Sprout]

One thing worth noting about MGE/XE and any other mods that enhance draw distance, it might seem very subtle/negligible but being able to see a lot further makes the game world 'feel' a lot smaller, brighter, less mysterious, much more easy to navigate etc. There's a lot to be said for playing vanilla at least the first time, while everything is still a first impression. You can't undo that inital impact. I think there are settings in MGE to choose normal distances though IIRC...

Some people can't stomach the vanilla limit but it's a very effective and rewarding element of the game if you can.

[Trickle]

My suggestion for a first time playthrough is:
MSGO - linked above. It containsl the code patch, 4gb patch and MGX graphics mods.

You need a mod to stop the immediate Dark Brotherhood attacks. Everyone needed a mod for this back in 2002 due to the first expansion ruining play for new characters.
http://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/14891/?

I also suggest you look up a mod to stop the Solthsteim roumours which ruined some of the base game NPC conversations. Again this make it more true to a vanilla release experience.
http://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/42952/?

[destroyor]

Keep in mind MSGO 3.0 included a slightly outdated MCP and thus missing one vital feature: When examining a container, you may take all items by pressing the "Ready Weapon" key. This works for any keyboard binding. If "Ready Weapon" is bound to a mouse button, you have to hold down that mouse button and press any key (except space) to trigger it.

It might seem like a small thing to you but it's damn annoying trying to loot ingredients from barrels, sacks, etc using only your mouse.

Edit: Just checked and MSGO included an outdated exe optimizer as well. If you choose to use MSGO, make sure you download the latest version of MCP + exe optimizer and patch the game again after MSGO installation.

[Trickle]

Trying to install separate gfx mods one at a time isn't going to be viable for most people.

The reality is people are going to have to chose either MGSO or leave it at just MGXE and the Watercoloured mod.

There is a guide on adding update patches to MGSO here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Morrowind/comments/448vwh/mgso_updating_and_optimization_guide/

But people can do that after getting up and running with the game and deciding if they are going to see it through. Imo just wacking on MGSO and a couple of extra Nexus mods gets people up and running and then they can decide how much further to take it.