Essential mods

[Realm Imp]

As the title says what are the essential mods that you recommend to fully immerse myself to the game? I haven't bought the game yet but I thought I would know first if the game is best played vanilla or with mods? Thanks and more power to you mech lads

[Grubfist]

I enjoy it both vanilla and with the YAML mods. I recommend everyone play it vanilla first.

[✰N0ni✰]

Both vanilla and modded are fun to play, would recommend a normal campaign first before skipping to modded. As for essential mods YAML (Yet Another Mechlab) and Yet Another Weapon open up more customization and options making it worth doing a new run, you can tweak settings to make it as easy or as financially difficult as possible.

[BilliBobBillsen]

if you are really new or havent played in years go vanilla for your first campaign. then mods as you will know what you want.

[pete]

There are no essential mods.

[Valen]

Originally posted by pete:

There are no essential mods.

I second this... In addition - some mods have bugs in them.

[Dalinar917]

I'm going to echo Pete and Valen here. There are no essential or mandatory mods needed to play this game. Best play the game in vanilla first to learn and understand it. Then after you've played vanilla if you have the desire to mod, download and install mods to tailor the game experience to your own personal taste OP.

[Bovril Brigadier]

Modding MW5 is like discovering what flavour of ice cream you like
Start always with vanilla, then gradually try different flavours to see what you might like.
You may be someone who goes for mint chocolate chip or instead someone who prefers a raspberry ripple.
Only yourself can decide what you want out of the experience.

[pRaX]

Originally posted by Strayed:

Modding MW5 is like discovering what flavour of ice cream you like
Start always with vanilla, then gradually try different flavours to see what you might like.
You may be someone who goes for mint chocolate chip or instead someone who prefers a raspberry ripple.
Only yourself can decide what you want out of the experience.

That's not discovering your favourite ice cream flavour.
It's logical common sense.
But then again, common sense isn't that common after all.

[Bovril Brigadier]

Originally posted by pRaX:

That's not discovering your favourite ice cream flavour.
It's logical common sense.
But then again, common sense isn't that common after all.

You dare refuse the scoop analogy?

[Cockpuncher]

Originally posted by pete:

There are no essential mods.

Remove Jumpship Animation is kinda must-have ;).

For me essentials are YAML (in "lore abiding citizen mode"), Coyote's Mission Pack and vonBiomes. And Remove Jumpship Animation and Star Map Mouse Over for QoL.

Finished vanilla campaign and career after ~200 hours, mods extrended this to ~500 hours. So a lot of fun comes from mods...

[pRaX]

Originally posted by Strayed:

Originally posted by pRaX:

That's not discovering your favourite ice cream flavour.
It's logical common sense.
But then again, common sense isn't that common after all.

You dare refuse the scoop analogy?

Not really. I guess it's more like that there shouldn't be a need for an anology in the first place.

[Calum the Lustful Husk]

I have never played this game without merctech installed

[CCCP]

depends what you're looking for. i always run the full suite of 'yet another' mods, smmo, vonbiomes, coyotes misson pack, adv career starts, remove jumpship animation, max tonnage. some prefer merctech. some prefer xenopac. other just want the 'make it pretty' mods. browse the workshop, browse nexus, see what suits your tastes.

[Senna]

The ones I have found that are game changers are the Pilot Overhaul (adds a cool spin on pilot stats/traits) and Coyotes Mission (give a fresh assortment of mission types). I have a hard time playing without both of these. I can take/leave all of the YAML ones. As far as QoL ones, vonBiomes, WarFX, Cockpit glass, StarMapMouseOver, Armor Green, Heat Gauge and Enable Infantry are all nice to haves.

[Hairy Coo]

I am a big fan of Roguetech so in this game I got quickly bored with vanila mechlab. Day 2 after start playing this game I installed YAML and a bunch of QoL mods author recommended. My experience been good so far.

That said, complexity that YAML brings might not be for everyone, just like Roguetech wasnt for everyone. Sorta depends on how nerdy you are about the big stompy robots.