Hi!

I am not very used to mods on morrowind and how it works so... here are any questions:

(forgot to mention, I am using this guide to mod: http://pastebin.com/7gF2VLaf)

NEW QUESTIONS (unanswered)

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ANSWERED QUESTIONS

Normal mapping is a technique in order to add more detail to meshes (3D models) without using more polygons (actually sculpting more details).

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?So the normal maps version would look nicer (looks like it has more 3D details etc.), theoretically.

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?I think mixing and matching is fine; the Normal Maps version only has the textures for the normal maps (hence why they, probably, look like some weird psychedelic things) - just drop the HD textures on top and it should look fine.

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?Morrowind isn't that delicate; the worst you could do is end with errors about missing meshes and textures (annoying but generally harmless; missing meshes become ugly error markers tho) or have your game look very ugly.

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?Just a question, but did you read the readme? They tend to give detailed instructions for these kind of things.

I read every readme! but for this they do not mention the optional stuff at all. but the guide I am using (from pastbin) simply says go ahead and install all the optinal stuff. but to me that doesnt make much sense, if the optional stuff is conflicing with each other sometimes :/

but ok, that explains that... thanks!

New question submitted... YAY:

From the same download as number 1:

3. MASTER INDEX PLUGIN

These !Optionals are even more confusing! But if I am told what they mean, I think I will not have problems so much in the future with their kind!

So. Anyone looking at this, can they figure out which ones am I supposed to put in? And what those optional folders actually mean?

I believe that Master Index + Indexes high-res textures is.... IDK

I believe that Master Index Glowmapped would be some kind of glowing version (but is it high definition?)

I believe that Master Index new icon would maybe replace the offical Master Index icon folder? (BUT THE FILE IN THE OFFICAL FOLDER IS .TGA, WHILE THE FILE IN THE OPTIONAL FOLDER IS A .DDS!!!)

I believe that Smoothed indexes mesh is.... IDK

So can anyone explain these optional folders, because from what I can tell, there are conflicting files, and does it make sense to put in the "default" files , and then some of these optional ones? but which can work? why choose one over the other?

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Morrowind Official Plugins (folder)

Master Index (folder)

!Optional (folder)

Master Index + Indexes high-res textures (folder)

Textures (folder)

tx_index_master_01.dds

tx_index_master_01_g.dds

tx_portal_block.dds

Master Index Glowmapped (folder)

Meshes (folder)

m (folder)

Misc_Index_Master.NIF

Textures (folder)

Tx_index_master_01_g.dds

Master Index new icon (folder)

Icons (folder)

misc_master_index.dds

Smoothed Indexes mesh (folder)

Meshes (folder)

m (folder)

misc_portal_shard.nif

Icons (folder)

Misc_master_index.tga

Meshes (folder)

M (folder)

Misc_Index_Master.NIF

Textures (folder)

Tx_index_master_01.dds'

readme_masterindex.txt (no information about !optional folder!)

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?The first one has a high-resolution texture. Glow mapped is, you guessed it correctly, a glowing version. New icon would be a new icon (although the differing formats is odd; pick one or the other). Smoothed meshes are models with a higher polycount (hence looking "smoother" and theoretically making them better, but more polys doesn't always means better...).

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It would be up to you to pick which optional to use. You could combine all of them, but I would avoid it (I wouldn't use any optionals except maybe the glowmaps, but ?that's just me ). You could do something like High-Res first, followed by Glow Map (so the glowing effect is preserved) and then the new icon (deleting the old .tga one). I personally don't like to use "smoothed meshes", but that's a decision up to you.

?As a general rule, overwriting is... well, overwriting. If you have a Glowmap mesh that overwrites, say, an smoothed mesh, you either pick the glowing effects or the smooth mesh. The only way to get both would be if the author made a smoothed glowmapped mesh. If you add the smooth meshes to the mix (put them first and overwrite them, in order to keep whatever special effects other meshes have), you might end with some meshes smooth and other meshes that aren't (leading to inconsistent looks, which might be distracting... or not).

?Hopefully this is useful.

Ok, about normal maps: Morrowind is an old game and doesn't natively support them. You'll need the http://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/19510/? (actually, you need that no matter what, it's the most essential thing for Morrowind ever) and make sure you install the "Bump/Reflect map local lighting" patch from the "- Graphics Changes -" section. This is what makes normal maps kind of work, otherwise objects which use them would always appear very bright. It's not real normal mapping though, just a fake effect that somewhat looks like normal mapping (more about normal mapping here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_mapping. Basically every game newer than Morrowind uses it).

These are high-res textures for the master index and the normal propylon indices that are already in the base game. As it includes a high-res glow map as well, they need to be installed after the glow-mapped folder, or make sure not to overwrite the high-res glow map again.

As I wrote above, it's not. The high-res glow map is in the high-res textures folder.

It's a new icon for the Master Index, yes. And don't worry about the file format, the game automatically prefers .dds files if files with the same name of both types are present. You can also delete the .tga one if you like, but it won't do any harm if you don't.

It's a smoothed (less blocky, more polygons) version of the mesh (the 3D model) of the normal propylon indices.

You always need the default files, and if you want to use some or all of the optional parts install them on top. Make sure to install the high-res textures last.

It doesn't.