First Playthrough Mods

[Lord Barrett]

Hello everyone, this is my virgin post, so please be gentle.

I'm traveling right now, but when I get back next week, I plan on buying Mount&Blade: Warband. I thought the game sounded fantastic, and after spending a few days lurking the forums here, I'm convinced.

Anyway, I'm trying to decide on what mods I should use on my first playthrough. I don't want anything that changes gameplay majorly, since it's my first time playing. I'm more or less looking for game improvements, rather than game alterations. Also, I'm only concerned with mods that affect Single Player, since that is what I will be playing first.

So here's the list I'm thinking about:

Warband Battle Size Changer
More Metal Sound Mod
Better Banners Mod
Minimod: Companion Export & Banner Export
Thel's Facepack
Fixed Weapon Length
Minimod - Reworked Armors
Diplomacy
Tweak MB (if this really counts as a mod)


Thoughts? Any recommendations? Like I said, I've spent a few days lurking the forums here, so if you mention any of the major mods, I should know what you are talking about. Thanks for your input in advance. I look forward to seeing you on the battlefield! 

NOTE: I put this thread where I thought it belonged. If this is in the wrong place, I apologize profusely. Mods, please move it to the correct location.

SIDE PROJECT: Is there anyone that would be kind enough to help me create my own custom banner to use in-game as well as in the forum? I would really appreciate it. Send me a PM or simply reply here if you are interested.

 

[Orion]

Well, I'm not sure if graphical enhancement has been ported over to Warband but that's one helluva good-looking mod. As far as I know, it's simply a graphical update, but the screenshots I've seen are astounding. If you have yet to play Warband (or the original Mount &Blade, for that matter) you might not want to mess around with the Battle Size changer yet. Battles that are excessively large are quite difficult unless you come prepared.

As far as getting your own banner (and I think there's a tutorial for adding it in yourself somewhere in the same topic), you can go here and request one. There's probably someone checking that thread who'd be interested in doing it for you. I probably could, but I'm doubting my photoshop skills lately since I haven't meddled with it seriously for over half a year.

 

[Sheriff-murder]

The battle sizer can be used with any mod, there's no issues with using it.

 

[Orion]

Never said that, now did I? 

It just makes it harder if you've got absurdly large battles. I don't bother with it personally, as I think the default maximum of 100 is just fine.

 

[Sheriff-murder]

Using the battle sizer changer, you can customize it perfectly to your preference. You are no way forced to have a "absurdly large battles".

 

[Orion]

This is true, but I consider anything over the default 100 to be "absurdly large" and that then makes the Battle Size Changer pointless, unless you wish to lower battle size less than the minimum (which I'm not sure you can do, seeing as how I don't use it) and that would make it much too easy and slow.

Of course "absurdly large" is an opinion, so to each his own. If your "absurdly large" is 300, go ahead and play at 250 or whatever pleases you.

 

[Sheriff-murder]

You can set it down to two units.

 

[Thel]

Warband Battle Size Changer <==== this is basically a nobrainer, go get it, unless your pc can't handle it.
More Metal Sound Mod <===== if your ears hurt from the original sounds, like mine do, then get this also but be sure to install it correctly, or else stuff will get weird.
Better Banners Mod <==== make sure you install this right also, its very good and they merge well with the original banners, dont look out of place...
Thel's Facepack <========  (of course I recommend mine hehe ;P) but if you are into new meshes/shapes for females especially and a slightly different look, check out "Female face model and textures replacer" no men though yet.
Minimod - Reworked Armors <=== if I am not mistaken, the (currently beta-unreleased) new patch updates most of these armours, but until you acquire it, this works well.
Diplomacy <==== I seem to remember this being buggy or something?
Tweak MB (if this really counts as a mod) <==== do, but don't screw stuff up.

I also recommend,
Pike and Blade for more balanced factions and new units, faster/diverse horses.
Arena Overhaul <==== this WILL make your game experience much better, dont go without it. Without it, all arenas are just a ring of sand/dirt/grass, very boring and with no tactics.
New (map) battle sound to replace the really underwhelming "argh, ooh, clang" sounds on the minimap whenever you run past a battle or skirmish.

also if you are somewhat interested in TweakMB/tweaking/balancing/stuffs, maybe try out the Litus mod.

 

[Lord Barrett]

If you have yet to play Warband (or the original Mount &Blade, for that matter) you might not want to mess around with the Battle Size changer yet. Battles that are excessively large are quite difficult unless you come prepared.

As far as getting your own banner (and I think there's a tutorial for adding it in yourself somewhere in the same topic), you can go here and request one. There's probably someone checking that thread who'd be interested in doing it for you. I probably could, but I'm doubting my photoshop skills lately since I haven't meddled with it seriously for over half a year.

Thanks for the advice Orion. I'm not too concerned about difficulty, as I'm used to playing roguelikes and other insanely difficult types of games. I enjoy the extreme challenge. Also, I plan on scaling up the size of battles as I progress in the game, to give myself a "learning curve", so to speak. In addition, if you ever change your mind about getting into banners again, be sure to let me know


Thanks are also in order for Thel, I appreciate your insight, and humility. *nudge, nudge* I also like your recommendations, though I do have a few questions:

Thel's Facepack <========  (of course I recommend mine hehe ;P) but if you are into new meshes/shapes for females especially and a slightly different look, check out "Female face model and textures replacer" no men though yet.

Are these two compatible or do I have to choose between the two?

Minimod - Reworked Armors <=== if I am not mistaken, the (currently beta-unreleased) new patch updates most of these armours, but until you acquire it, this works well.

So, if I'm planning on making my purchase Tuesday of next week, should I use this or just forego it?

I also recommend,
Pike and Blade for more balanced factions and new units, faster/diverse horses.

I like the prospect of new units, but one phrase in there bothers me. "More balanced factions." Does this mean that the factions lose some of their unique flavor and they become more generic? If so, I'm not really interested.

also if you are somewhat interested in TweakMB/tweaking/balancing/stuffs, maybe try out the Litus mod.

I saw this, and it definitely looked interesting. However, I want to get a little more experience in the game before altering it that drastically.

Once again, thank you everyone for your replies. Sorry if my replies are slow and infrequent, but I am travelling right now and posting from my mobile.

 

[Thel]

Are these two compatible or do I have to choose between the two?
not compatible at all, you must have one or the other

So, if I'm planning on making my purchase Tuesday of next week, should I use this or just forego it?
The 1.120 patch with the retextured armours and some new models is not released. but it will be released soon so maybe you do not actually want to use this mod if you are travelling. but if you purchase m&b fast enough maybe use it

I like the prospect of new units, but one phrase in there bothers me. "More balanced factions." Does this mean that the factions lose some of their unique flavor and they become more generic? If so, I'm not really interested.
khergits become more of an "invading force who use other factions -flavours- (like mounted khergits with bardiches = vaegirs, khergits with sarranid like clothing etc" but they are still khergit, that's the only one that bothers me slightly, but the whole package is good.

I saw this, and it definitely looked interesting. However, I want to get a little more experience in the game before altering it that drastically.
if you are talking about modding ability, its very easy to use, I'm not a modder at all except texturing and stuff, and tweak mb helped me make simple changes with no fuss whatsoever. piece of cake.
as for more experience in the game, try without any mods whatsoever on your first run through. that is what I suggest.

 

[Lord Barrett]

Fantastic response yet again, Thel. Looks like I'm going to have to start looking out for you on these forums (and on the MP battlefield ), you speak sense.

I think you've convinced me to start with no mods and slowly add them in as I see fit.

Last question for you:
Are all of these mods (with the exception of Litus) backwards compatible with games that do not have the mod? Or do I need to start a new game with each of them (if so, I might install them in bunches)?



Anyone else have anything to add? Any further opinions?

Thanks again.

 

[Somebody]

...
Warband Battle Size Changer
More Metal Sound Mod
Better Banners Mod
Minimod: Companion Export & Banner Export
Thel's Facepack
Fixed Weapon Length
Minimod - Reworked Armors
Diplomacy
Tweak MB (if this really counts as a mod)
...

Are all of these mods (with the exception of Litus) backwards compatible with games that do not have the mod? Or do I need to start a new game with each of them (if so, I might install them in bunches)?

Most of the tweaks which you've listed are graphical overhauls, with the exception of Companion Export, which alters the game menu, fixed weapon length and reworked armors (both of which alter items, but reworked armors is a graphical mod for a couple of items you can do by hand). Diplomacy, which changes almost every file and adds various slots, is probably not backwards compatible. I've only heard of people adding to mods though, so no comment there if you're looking for backward compatibility with Native.

Like Thel suggested, start slow and explore the various aspects of single-player, then customize it to your liking with mods.

 

[Sheriff-murder]

After you have played through native, with or without mods, then you of course got all the major mods.

 

[Lord Barrett]

Thanks for the info, Somebody.

After you have played through native, with or without mods, then you of course got all the major mods.

What? I'm sorry Graylord, I don't quite understand what you are trying to say here.

 

[Sheriff-murder]

Mods that replaces the game entirely, this is the most common type of mods.

 

[Lord Barrett]

Ahh, I see now, Graylord. Thanks for the clarification.


So does anyone else have any opinions on said matter? Or is the general concensus that I should definitely play vanilla first?

Thanks to everyone that contributed to this thread.