Vanilla or OpenMW?

[BeeRadd]

I hear that the game is virtually unplayable as it's vanilla form due to crashes, corrupted saves, performance issues at times, etc. I was just wondering if that is true to the extent of being absolutely unavoidable or if certain factors have to come into play? Even if I don't want to install mods as I would be starting my first play-through, is OpenMW truly the best way to get the "vanilla" experience? Thanks for any clarification.

[psychotron666]

Vanilla is fine, of the 3 modern elder scrolls it's the most stable one. But that's cus it doesn't have in depth AI or physics, the engine isn't being strained the same as the newer games and there's less things to go wrong. In short it runs perfectly fine vanilla.

Openmw is great though too, what It does to modernize the experience is gives higher resolutions and qol improvements in the UI (like keyboard shortcuts in inventory and whatnot).

[COINCELPRO]

not true at all, to any extent

[meheezen]

i play vanilla and recommend OpenMW

the original executable on any modern system (post windows XP) will cause many issues; mostly related to changes on how windows NT handles files and permissions and the decomissioning of DirectX7/8. only DX 9c still has backwards support nowadays

[Ghost]

The only reason not to be using OpenMW would be wanting to play a mod that requires MWSE.

[theo]

Originally posted by Ghost:

The only reason not to be using OpenMW would be wanting to play a mod that requires MWSE.

There's no objective reason to use OpenMW. NOT using something doesn't require a reason.

[WingedKagouti]

Originally posted by theo:

Originally posted by Ghost:

The only reason not to be using OpenMW would be wanting to play a mod that requires MWSE.

There's no objective reason to use OpenMW. NOT using something doesn't require a reason.

A few of the reasons to use OpenMW:

• Not having to muck around with the Code Patch to get the game running decently on modern systems.
  
• Not having to muck around with a Graphics Extender to get a reasonably modern resolution.
  
• Being able to alt-tab without fear of the game crashing.

Besides that OpenMW doesn't replace the original installation or mess around with the executables, so you can just launch the original version instead if you feel the need to.

[psychotron666]

^ not entirely true.

Openmw changes the way birthsigns are calculated, and actually makes the fortifications of attributes (like the lady's endurance) functionally useless (will not give you the bonus on level up, because it functions as a fortification and not a flat bonus).

Though that might have been patched in recently, I know the devs of openmw were fighting it for years saying it should be calculated this way for some reason, they may have seen the light (or even added a toggleable option).

[Bou]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR-WZ8NOG_k

[theo]

Originally posted by WingedKagouti:

Originally posted by theo:

There's no objective reason to use OpenMW. NOT using something doesn't require a reason.

A few of the reasons to use OpenMW:

• Not having to muck around with the Code Patch to get the game running decently on modern systems.
  
• Not having to muck around with a Graphics Extender to get a reasonably modern resolution.
  
• Being able to alt-tab without fear of the game crashing.

Besides that OpenMW doesn't replace the original installation or mess around with the executables, so you can just launch the original version instead if you feel the need to.

It runs decently on its own, it's not Daggerfall that won't even launch without 3rd party software and will make your eyes bleed on LCD screens. One can play Morrowind and not notice any of its engine problems, or easily ignore them (for example no alt tabbing is something you get used to in all Bethesda games).
If you start having issues then yes that's a reason to look into it, but then in my opinion MCP is just an easier way around (it's got resolution support as far as I remember).
Unlike openmw MCP is compatible with vanilla save games and everything else vanilla, it's lightweight and can be set up, modified or removed on the fly, and it doesn't break Steam integration. And of course there's MWSE dependant mods

Anyway I mean Openmw is good and all, and you can have reasons to use it, but don't make it sound like it's a norm and you need an excuse to prefer vanilla, so far it's the other way around.
When you just launch your game there isn't an option to play openmw instead, you have to make a specific effort to go find, research and install it. And since the game is playable as is, you don't have any direct incentive to do that right away.

[Deknaps Teg]

Vanilla isnt unplayable per-say, you can get mods that help with stabilizing the game n prevent crashing for a while, but ittle eventually happen.

as for OpenMW haven't experienced any crashing and ive added/removed mods from the same save file with no problem.

OpenMW is a better modding experience imo, so id play vanilla for the og experience.

[Hera]

OpenMW is a better game engine at this point. Easier to mod too.

[bvrakvs]

OpenMW is essentially the vanilla with bug fixes & QoL improvements, best way to play Morrowind, evade annoying graphical mods that deviates from the original feel.

[theo]

The most deviating graphical feature is huge view distance to be honest

[bvrakvs]

Originally posted by theo:

The most deviating graphical feature is huge view distance to be honest

I can tolerate that, originally bethesda wanted a greater view distance, and vivec as a open city, rather than seperate indoor blocks, but damn those early 2000s computing limitations :(

[psychotron666]

Originally posted by Valrum:

If people are curious about the status of OpenMW, here is a few pages comparing what they’ve implemented to MCP and MGE XE:
https://wiki.openmw.org/index.php?title=MCP
https://wiki.openmw.org/index.php?title=MGE_XE

This clearly shows how unfinished OpenMW really is. They even decided to leave out certain options provided in these vanilla plugins, I kind of disagree with some of their design decisions.

Honestly, thinking about it, Vanilla Morrowind with Morrowind Code Patch (MCP) may be a better first-time experience.

Like I said above about the birthsigns. While I'm glad they finally patched it properly in the recent update, for years they were fighting the fact that they should be changed at all, saying that the way they implemented as a fortification (making lady's endurance bonus useless) is how the game is supposed to be. So they have a history of stubbornness and "my way is the way it's supposed to be"