Dead is Dead with OOO + MMM : IV

» Sat May 28, 2011 5:48 pm

So I've spent most of my holiday break coming back to Oblivion with OOO + MMM, as well as Enhanced Economy, Ren's Guard Overhaul, and several other smaller mods.

Before I installed OOO + MMM, I found it fairly easy to stay alive. Now it is, very, VERY difficult. I must have started up 8 or 9 characters since about December, and everyone of them has been killed one way or another.

Do any of you guys play with some of these really hard overhaul mods and try to stick to a Dead is Dead play style? If so, any tips?

How do you deal with those dang chest traps?

Its not like I cannot keep playing any of the characters that have died; & moreover, I have Kuertee's Alternative's to Death mod installed too, so pretty often I just get saved by the good samaritan. But playing Dead is Dead makes the game so much more fun. However, with the added lethality and unpredictability plus the toughter economy it is a real challenge to strike the right balance between advancing at a good pace and not dying!

» Sat May 28, 2011 5:16 pm

I too struggled on the low levels, but you have to learn

Although OOO makes it so that looting chests in the Imperial City Market District is stealing, there are still many locations where chests can be looted without going to jail, OOO's increase of price of random goods makes this even more useful.

A warrior style character is the easiest to keep alive at low levels. A good build is a Redguard, Warrior birthsign, Strength and Endurance, Blade/Blunt, Heavy armour, Armourer, Block, Restoration, Marksman, Alchemy. This allows you to be strong in combat early on and also make more money early on.

An EXCELLENT location to find gear without putting yourself in danger is located just to the north-west of bruma, only about 20 meters or so. There, bandits often get into massive fights with guards, so the area is often scattered with guard and bandit corpses free for the taking. DO NOT EVER GO TOO FAR WEST, or a frost Minotaur or two will [censored] you. Stick to the location, and at worse there will be 3 living bandits to fight. The loot includes Imperial Legion Armour, Arctic Fur armour, and Arctic Bows (Which are equivalent to dwarvern I think)

If you want to Dungeon Dive, Derelict mine is a nice location, it has many goblins, but its not too hard if your above level 6 for the first area. The second and third areas should only be attempted above level 10, and you can also find a Daedric dagger there!

Finaly, those chest traps. At level 8 with the warrior build I described above, they take about 3/4 of my health, what you should do is make sure you are fully healed before opening.

» Sat May 28, 2011 12:47 pm

A warrior style character is the easiest to keep alive at low levels. A good build is a Redguard, Warrior birthsign, Strength and Endurance, Blade/Blunt, Heavy armour, Armourer, Block, Restoration, Marksman, Alchemy. This allows you to be strong in combat early on and also make more money early on.

That does sound like an interesting build. Don't know if I've ever played a straigtup warrior. I tend to try to play either battle mage types, mixtures of battlemage/thief, or straightup thief. I think that is what is killing me: trying to be too multi-dimensional. I get the impression that highly-focused chracters tend to do better.

Why do both blade and blunt? I think I'd switch out blunt for either alteration, conjuration or illusion. Probably alteration would be the smart thing to do. I don't like the "blunt" weapons in the game; too big and goofy looking, though it is true there are some strong ones when it comes to stats.

Without Sneak, and without Light Armor, is marksman really that useful?

It would be nice to have a character that I really could do dead is dead with up to level 15 or so. By then you are basically immortal anyway.

So that is it with the traps? Just let them blast you!? There isn't any "disarm" ability that has been added in?

» Sat May 28, 2011 4:21 pm

That does sound like an interesting build. Don't know if I've ever played a straigtup warrior. I tend to try to play either battle mage types, mixtures of battlemage/thief, or straightup thief. I think that is what is killing me: trying to be too multi-dimensional. I get the impression that highly-focused chracters tend to do better.

Why do both blade and blunt? I think I'd switch out blunt for either alteration, conjuration or illusion. Probably alteration would be the smart thing to do. I don't like the "blunt" weapons in the game; too big and goofy looking, though it is true there are some strong ones when it comes to stats.

Without Sneak, and without Light Armor, is marksman really that useful?

It would be nice to have a character that I really could do dead is dead with up to level 15 or so. By then you are basically immortal anyway.

So that is it with the traps? Just let them blast you!? There isn't any "disarm" ability that has been added in?

Switch marksman out for destruction if you want, its just that I think marksman would be better as your spells would be weakened by heavy armour. You need at least some way to deal ranged damage, as eventually you will face an enemy you cannot reach.
I said blade or blunt, that is what the / is for
I just let the traps blast me, in order to open trapped chests I think you need to use the spell.

» Sat May 28, 2011 2:56 pm

I get the impression that highly-focused chracters tend to do better.

I would say no. My experience is that later on in the game Martigen's mod throws enemies at you that practically force you to be a jack-of-all trades character to survive.

I play a lot of "pure" warriors myself. In general, my warriors tend to be easier to play up to about level 15 or 20. After 15 or 20 it seems to me that my mages become easier to play than my warriors. But against beefed-up bosses and creatures like the Balrog, I find I have to use everything I've got to survive: physical damage and magical damage. I think most veterans of OOO+MMM (or FCOM) will say that these mods encourage jack-of-all-characters in the long run.

» Sat May 28, 2011 3:51 am

I would say no. My experience is that later on in the game Martigen's mod throws enemies at you that practically force you to be a jack-of-all trades character to survive.

I play a lot of "pure" warriors myself. In general, my warriors tend to be easier to play up to about level 15 or 20. After 15 or 20 it seems to me that my mages become easier to play than my warriors. But against beefed-up bosses and creatures like the Balrog, I find I have to use everything I've got to survive: physical damage and magical damage. I think most veterans of OOO+MMM (or FCOM) will say that these mods encourage jack-of-all-characters in the long run.

In the long run a mixed character would be stronger, but for survivability in the early game a pure warrior is best, and I think it is early game which is where you are struggling?

» Sat May 28, 2011 3:24 am

In the long run a mixed character would be stronger, but for survivability in the early game a pure warrior is best, and I think it is early game which is where you are struggling?

I'm confused. Are you responding to my post? Because that is exactly what I said.

» Sat May 28, 2011 8:55 am

For the chests, the only one that will kill you outright is Shocker. The other three (Rust, Combustion and Freezing Grasp) are DoT's, so you can dispel them via spell, potion or scroll before they can kill you. Shocker though, yeah, if it hits, you're probably dead. Alchemy is a real big help here, make Resist Shock potions whenever you can and pop one before your try a chest. Resist Shock spells are good here as well (I don't remember if those are in vanilla or not). You can stack different potions as well, though that can get spendy, tedious and heavy (potion weight).

I generally carry a couple of pieces of Shock Shield jewelry with me that I swap in before I try to open a locked chest, and I use a resist shock potion as well, I rarely die from them that way.

Blackberries + Crab Meat...mmmmmmmmm, think I ought to sell that formula to Snapple, I'll make a fortune!

» Sat May 28, 2011 7:22 am

One alternative to dead is dead you can try, is to exit game when you are killed. I do this to avoid loading artefacts (for the sake of a stable save) and must say that it actually makes the gameplay more exciting. Of course you are the only one who knows your preferences, but I think this way you will really try to avoid dead, but you won't need to make a new character when that happens.

If you raise your security skill, you will be able to detect (and maybe disable, not sure yet) traps, but the shock protection and being healed ideas are really good.

With OOO and MMM you will not only find enemies that have many levels more than you, you will found them in big groups sometimes. Stealth is mandatory, if you are the one caught by surprise by a group of though enemies you are toast.

» Sat May 28, 2011 10:44 am

Hi boys and girls i have one question regarding my character in OOO. I am currently playing with female dark elf, class Arcane Archer with intelligence and agility. For majors she have blade, marksman, illusion, mysticism, conjuration, restoration and light armor. Birth sign is Ritual.
Is this good choice for OOO? I am asking this, because i am having hard time in the beginning.

She uses her blade only if she find her self in CQB, so her strength is no to high. Currently i am putting all of my point in to the intelligence, agility and willpower.

» Sat May 28, 2011 6:00 am

Hi boys and girls i have one question regarding my character in OOO. I am currently playing with female dark elf, class Arcane Archer with intelligence and agility. For majors she have blade, marksman, illusion, mysticism, conjuration, restoration and light armor. Birth sign is Ritual.
Is this good choice for OOO? I am asking this, because i am having hard time in the beginning.

She uses her blade only if she find her self in CQB, so her strength is no to high. Currently i am putting all of my point in to the intelligence, agility and willpower.

There is no way to have an easy time in the beginning, you WILL struggle. Make a lot of health potions, guzzling those can help you survive difficult fights which are beyond your current level, and therefore pick up some better gear.

» Sat May 28, 2011 5:08 am

I also can recommend a mod I found great, is deadly weapons.

With this mod, you REALLY don't want to get hit, but so do your enemies. It's not like hard mod where your enemies can take 100 hit and you just one. With this mod, everyone is pretty much done with one high level mace hit. Armors are greatly enhanced to cope with that, but heavy armors slow you down. The combats need a LOT more tactic, especially if you pick deadly reflex mod with that.
I guarantee you'll fear a daedra weapon sword with this mod.

» Sat May 28, 2011 11:48 am

There is no way to have an easy time in the beginning, you WILL struggle. Make a lot of health potions, guzzling those can help you survive difficult fights which are beyond your current level, and therefore pick up some better gear.

Ok, thanks.

» Sat May 28, 2011 4:37 am

I finally (after >600 hours of playing this game) have found a character that I really think I like. I don't want him to die and I'm playing more patiently and thoughtfully.

An Altmer Spellsword (stock class). I was going to take Blaster's suggestion and make a Redguard . . . then as I was clicking through the faces, I decided to try an orc (still never played one). Enjoyed hearing the snarky dark elf prisoner's comments

But then, I just didn't have it in me (yet) to play a pure heavy swinging orc, so he got deleted pretty quick; as in, before I even killed the zombie in the tutorial!

Then I was gonna do the Redguard, but I dunno, the idea of a pure mage Altmer hit me. His random face was kinda regal, but kinda rugged, almost somewhat Asian, and it appealed. All through the tutorial he was gonna be a pure mage. I left behind all the armor, took Mage birthsign. But then when Baurus asked me, I was looking at the stock classes, and suddenly realized the spellsword mix sounded just about perfect for my playstyle.

I never played stock characters without OOO because I always used Majors as Minors to avoid the leveling problem. With OOO and realistic leveling, that is not a problem so now I'm getting to enjoy playing a stock character!

So far he is level 3, has nearly died about 10 times! Finished Hackdirt, and delivered the amulet but otherwise have totally not done my usual pattern. He is going his own way

Hopefully I'll keep him alive for a long time.

» Sat May 28, 2011 3:55 am

he is level 3, has nearly died about 10 times! Finished Hackdirt...

You're doing great to finish Hackdirt at level 3 with OOO. That's not easy. :foodndrink:

» Sat May 28, 2011 5:00 am

You're doing great to finish Hackdirt at level 3 with OOO. That's not easy. :foodndrink:

Yeah, I'm actually pretty good with this game. Should be after spending >600 hours on it!

Sadly, I've already breached my "Dead is Dead" rule with this guy, twice in fact. Worse, the Good Samaritan didn't save me either time *sigh*

In both cases, it was a combination of (a) failure to concentrate (e.g., the doggy wanting to get in my lap, or take her out or my wife walking through the room); (B) not taking it "seriously" (starting to get cocky and taking things for granted like: "Oh, that raider was a pushover; this next guy (Dark Elf in Iron armor with a claymore barreling down on me on the road just south of Weynon Priory) will be no problem . . . *WOOF!* and the second death © playing for too long and when tired (just plain didn't pay attention that the outlaw was hacking me to pieces and failed to run away in time).

If ONLY there was an easy way to make all the 'early' quests I've now redone so many times, not quite so tedious . . . The added stupidity of the first restart: I had left behind the rusty iron armor in the tutorial (thinking I was going to be a mage). Had I been wearing some armor I probably wouldn't have died.

Well at least now I know, Altmer Spellsword is the class for me. I'm wondering though if he shouldn't have taken Warrior birthsign? I REALLY like being able to cast lots of spells in quick succession (expanded hotkeys is my best friend).

OOO + MMM really makes Oblivion into almost a "strategy" game! Which I like cause it sort've works to reduce that tedium thing, and it can even be rationalized in terms of roleplaying ("Ahh! Here is that "Hackdirt" place that my old Uncle Anvileid was telling me about when I was a boy . . . IIRC, I need to get me a Eyes of Eventide spell to help with this particular quest . . . "

So what is good back story for a High Elf Spellsword? I was thinking something like: he is middle age (what is middle age for an Altmer?) and worked most of his life as a scribe for the Summerset Isles Royal Guard (or some such?). He was asked to accompany a high ranking guild mage/diplomat on a journey to the Imperial City (to report the boycott of Imperial Goods) but their ship crashed in a storm. He was captured by bandits, and then falsely considered to be part of the bandit gang when it was captured by Imperials.

I think what I'll do is restart (yet again!) and with the realization that I like the Altmer Spellsword thing, play this next guy as Darith's brother. I _really_ want to stick to dead is dead if at all possible (Good Samaritan mod allowing of course).

» Sat May 28, 2011 11:31 am

I would like to try and play dead is dead as I'm on OOO too. My biggest problem, preventing me from doing that, is that I can't use my best gear most of the time. I would level too fast, or extremely inefficiently, if I used my sword of badassery and my light armor of coolness all the time. Then I'm stuck using blunt weapons and heavy armor, which stunts my style and gets me killed more often than not. It's one of the drawback of the leveling system in TES.

» Sat May 28, 2011 2:08 am

I have Realistic Leveling. For a long time, I was using it with Vanilla Leveling settings, but just with the number of possible training sessions turned up and cost per sessions reduced.

At Pseron's suggestion, I have actually started to use the mod on full settings, i.e., WITHOUT the vanilla TESIV leveling system.

It has much improved my fun and reduced the amount of time I spend doing stupid "training" (or console cheating) in order to efficiently level.

Basically, as far as I can tell the major way it changes leveling: (a) minors count toward levelling too, albeit at a reduced rate compared to majors; (B) leveling a skill raises not just the main attribute, but the two "adjacent" attributes on the "KCAS wheel"

* uses the KCAS "wheel" concept to allow skills to contribute a small amount to related attributes as well as their primary attribute. It does this in a simple and balanced way without significantly changing how skills relate to attributes.

Actual it is such a good mod, here is the whole intro from the readme

Spoiler

Realistic Leveling
==================

Version: 1.13
Author: Donovan Baarda (abo@minkirri.apana.org.au)

** ATTENTION: This mod requires http://obse.silverlock.org/ or greater, and should be installed with http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=2097 or greater!**

This mod changes leveling and attribute advances to be more realistic and provide better game play. Level and attributes will increase naturally as your skills improve, without the need to micromanage them or worry about what skills to use to optimise your advancement.

Inspired by the mods "NaturalLeveling and More" by InbredMonkey, "Simplified Leveling" by Digizen, "Kobu's Character Advancement System" by Kobu, "AF Level Mod" by Auryn and Fraktyl, and "Better Leveling" by grandcalabash. Designed to work together with http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=10925 and http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=21424, but does not require them. Also works together well with any skill advancement mods including http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=14304, which is available as an OMOD with install script in http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=12801.

Introduction
------------

This is a modification for Elderscrolls:Oblivion that improves how attribute and level advancement works. It attempts do to it in a way that is minimal and clean, without excessive overhauling or scripting. It avoids excessive configurability and options, focusing instead on making it right and keeping it simple. It also aims to be as compatible with other mods as possible.

In Vanilla Oblivion, there are many flaws with how attributes and levels advance. These flaws encourage bizarre behaviour to optimise advancement, like avoiding certain skills to delay leveling, intentionally using "out of character" skills to boost attributes, or focusing on endurance skills early to boost your health at later levels. The game turns into an annoying task of micro-managing and tracking skill advancements to "make sure I get +5 strength next level". I find this neither realistic nor fun.

There are also flaws in how attributes and skills are set when starting. Class skills and racial bonuses mean some skills get an initial boost with no regard for how this affects advancement. In practices this initial boost means there is less advancement room left for that skill, which means less advancement opportunity for the corresponding attribute. Stacking your class skills on top of your class specialisation and and race bonuses can give you a high initial skill level, which ironically can mean you cannot max out the corresponding attribute.

There are many other mods that attempt to address these problems, but none of them matched my requirements. Most of them have their own flaws in how advancement works. Some of them were too complicated and changed the game too much. Most of them had bugs or incompatibilities with other mods that introduced new races or abilities. Many of them require you start a new character. All of them fail to take into account the advancement impact of initial class skills.

I wanted a leveling mod that was simple, unobtrusive, and natural. I want advancement to be smooth, with no particular advantages to focusing on particular skills. I wanted all attributes and skills to be treated the same with no special cases that bias certain behaviours. I also wanted a mod that could be used on an existing character, and that worked well with other mods. This is my attempt. Its key features are;

* very simple... 1 quest, 1 small script, 1 settings file, and a replacement leveling menu. The code is very small and clean, and only touches attributes and levels. It also is very efficient and lightweight.

* uses OBSE to look up class, race, and ability bonuses so it should be fully compatible with any custom classes, races, or strange abilities (like vampire and zombie mods etc...).

* only uses skill values, and doesn't touch how skills advance. This means it should be fully compatible with any mods that adjust how skills advance.

* tries very hard to not change the Oblivion advancement curve; attributes and levels should advance at the same rate to the same limits as vanilla Oblivion, except without class skills penalising their related attributes.

* uses the KCAS "wheel" concept to allow skills to contribute a small amount to related attributes as well as their primary attribute. It does this in a simple and balanced way without significantly changing how skills relate to attributes.

* can be used on an existing character savegame. Just enable it, and when your game loads it will re-calculate and adjust your attributes and level based on your skill advancements. If you don't like what it has done, don't save it.

* can be used with a new game, and starts working immediately. If you hang around in the sewers long enough you could level up before you leave. All class changes will be handled correctly and advancements preserved when you finally venture out.

* treats class skill bonuses the same as normal earned skill advances for advancing attributes. This means your starting attributes will be affected by your class skills. If your class training was in sword, you will be stronger than a guy who's class training didn't include any strength skills.

* Attributes and level will advance naturally as your skills advance with no need to sleep. Health will automatically be adjusted for level or endurance advances and applied retro-actively. There is no need to level endurance early.

* Luck will advance naturally in a similar way as other attributes, except using fame, infamy, and level as the related skills. Your fame, infamy, and skill draw the attention of the gods who favour you with luck.

* Different modes of operation; "vanilla leveling" to only advance attributes and use vanilla leveling, "silent leveling" where you level up with no fanfare, "verbose leveling" where the normal levelup messagebox appears, or "sleep leveling" where you are notified when you need to sleep to levelup.

* Fully configurable using a RealisticLeveling.ini settings file. The default settings provided should work for most users. Optional settings can be enabled to adjust skill advancement rates if you don't use skill advancement rate mods.

» Sat May 28, 2011 1:48 pm

Is Realistic Leveling compatible with OOO and Enhanced Economy?

» Sat May 28, 2011 8:30 am

Is Realistic Leveling compatible with OOO and Enhanced Economy?

Totally. I'm using all three no problemo.

My mod set

Spoiler

Oblivion.esm
Jog_X_Mod.esm
Oscuro's_Oblivion_Overhaul.esm
Mart's Monster Mod.esm
Mart's Monster Mod for OOO.esm
Unofficial Oblivion Patch.esp
DLCShiveringIsles.esp
Enhanced Economy.esp
Map Marker Overhaul.esp
Map Marker Overhaul - SI additions.esp
DLCVileLair.esp
DLCVileLair - Unofficial Patch.esp
DLCSpellTomes.esp
DLCSpellTomes - Unofficial Patch.esp
LockpickMold.esp
Thieves Arsenal.esp
kuerteeHorseCommands.esp
Oscuro's_Oblivion_Overhaul.esp
OOO-Water_Weeds.esp
Mart's Monster Mod for OOO.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Shivering Isles.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Additional Enemy NPC Vars.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Hunting & Crafting.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Looting NPCs & Creatures.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Durability & Damage.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Less Bone Loot.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Less Rats.esp
Mart's Monster Mod for OOO - LessReaversInGates.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Safer Roads.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - No Wyvern.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - No Pests.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - No Beholdens.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - No Uberhulks.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - No Skeep.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - No Balrogs.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Spawn Rates - Reduced.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Safer Quest Locations.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Dungeons of MMM.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - More Wilderness Life No Gates.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - More Passive Wildlife.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Extra Wounding.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Friendlier Factions OOO.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Farm Animals.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Diverse WaterLife.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Slof Horses Complete.esp
OOO-WaterFish.esp
GlenvarCastle.esp
Region Revive - Lake Rumare.esp
thievery.esp
thievery - EE patch.esp
Window Entrances 1.0.esp
DLCFrostcrag.esp
DLCFrostcrag - Unofficial Patch.esp
Knights.esp
Knights - Unofficial Patch.esp
Mart's Monster Mod for OOO - Knights .esp
AFK_Weye.esp
Rumare-AFK_Weye Patch.esp
BrewHouse.esp
Feldscar.esp
Vergayun.esp
Faregyl.esp
Harvest [Flora].esp
Harvest [Flora] - Shivering Isles.esp
Harvest [Flora] - DLCVileLair.esp
Harvest [Flora] - DLCFrostcrag.esp
Bag of Holding.esp
DropLitTorchOBSE.esp
P1DkeyChain.esp
SetsunaDummyTraining.esp
Toggleable Quantity Prompt.esp
ATakesAll.esp
kuerteeAlternativesToDeathAndReload.esp
Tyler's Hungry, Thirsty, Sleepy, Tired.esp
AudaciousMagery.esp
Lightweight Potions.esp
StealthOverhaul.esp
Thievery_Normal_Thrill.esp
RenGuardOverhaul.esp
kuerteeClothingMatters.esp
Denock Arrows.esp
Duke Patricks - Actors Can Miss Now.esp
RealisticLeveling.esp
Let There Be Darkness - Cyrodiil + SI.esp
Let There Be Darkness - Knights.esp
Let There Be Darkness - Mehrunes Razor.esp
Arena betting.esp
Mart's Monster Mod - Resized Races.esp
OOO-Respawn_Week.esp
Useful Houses.esp
Molapi.esp
Enhanced Hotkeys.esp
Skillbased Thieves Guild Invitation_HARD.esp
kuerteeSimpleVampirism.esp
HeadStart_V1.2.esp
Quest Log Manager.esp

I've been having more crashes here lately, but based on how it happens, I think it is just general need to defrag my machine, not the mods. I suppose it could be from the Rumare Revive or Brewhouse mods, the last one's I installed. But OOO + MMM + Enhanced Econ and Realistic Leveling I definitely played with a lot with no problems.

I think some of the functions in Ren's might sort've fight a little bit with the functions in Enhanced Economy and/or the crafting feature in MMM. Sometimes, after I commit a crime that no one could have possibly seen, I get followed by guards (esp. if I run) and then eventually one of them will finally arrest me and charge me a 20 septim bounty. Then when I get out of prison, another one will run up and arrest me again, sometimes for another 20, sometimes zero. Then usually it seems to have cleared out, but sometimes it seems to get caught in this loop of: get out of jail-get arrested for zero bounty again . . .

» Sat May 28, 2011 6:34 am

Thank you.

» Sat May 28, 2011 3:18 am

Anthropoid, if your character is going to be doing a lot of magic in addition to physical damage I would suggest using http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=14304 along with Realistic Leveling. Progress's main function is to control exactly how fast your skills raise. But it has another couple of features that come in particularly handy for characters who use magic. One of these features calculates skill progression based on the strength of the spell, not on how many times you cast the spell. You will raise your Destruction skill faster by casting higher-level spells, eliminating the need to spam low-level spells to raise a skill (i.e. no more spamming Heal Minor Wounds to raise Restoration, etc).

The other nice feature is that you gain a small amount of experience when you miss. If you're into roleplaying this makes it possible to roleplay that your character is practicing magic by flinging spells at targets and training dummies - and actually raise the skill as you do it. I walk/run everywhere and I love to use that time to raise my Destruction skill by throwing a few fireballs into the night sky.

All settings in Progress are configurable by the player down to a tenth of a point. Tweaking the mod's .ini file allows you to adjust exactly how fast you want specific skills to level. For instance, a common practice is to choose Alchemy as a Minor so that it doesn't level fast (a terrible thing for roleplayers to have to do). Instead, I would choose Alchemy as a Major for a magic-using character and tell Progress to level Alchemy very slowly. I have a different Progress .ini tailored for the needs of each character I play. I love it.

» Sat May 28, 2011 2:20 am

Thanks Pseron! I think I will download that one too

ADDIT: and I'm also taking your advice on doing the Et in Arkay Spritus quest with my new character (who I haven't cheated with yet!) Seith Ethyniriel, the Altmer Elf Sword brother of my last character who died at the hands of the bandits, Darith Ethyniriel. Seith came to Cyrodil when his brother did not return from the diplomatic trip for 3 months. Initially he was intent on finding his brother, but thinks that this Arkay thing may offer clues to Darith's whereabouts.

Wouldn't it be cool if there was a mod that allowed you to have relatives, spouses, that sort of thing, in game?

» Sat May 28, 2011 3:23 pm

Some of those plugin features in progress sound terrific (partial experience for misses; magicka cost modified xp; etc.). However, I installed it and it seemed to take over on the whole levelling process, meaning, it turned off at least some of the features of Realistic Leveling, though I'm not sure which ones in total.

Namely, in default RL, you can train as up to 100 times per level (which effectively = as many as you want). This was set back to 10 per level. I suspect that basically Progress was taking over from RL. There are other aspects of RL that I don't want to lose.

Not sure it would be possible to only get the individual plugins in Progress 2.2 to work but with RL levelling maths as the core?

» Sat May 28, 2011 5:11 am

I've never had the problem you describe. The two best places to ask about this would be in http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1126697-relz-wipz-tejons-thread-o-mods/ (to ask about Progress) or in http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1081281-abos-mods/page__p__15748151#entry15748151 ( to ask about Realistic Leveling). I would try tejon first, as it sounds like Progress is causing the problem. I suspect the answer will involve a simple change to Progress's .ini file. I don't have the time to look the issue up myself to see what might be causing the problem but I know one of them can help you find a solution.