I'm looking forward to running DFU, I'm just waiting for more mods to come out. I want a different experience from my vanilla playthrough of the game (on dosbox).
There's actually quite a bit out already. If you start with the recommended list in the description for this mod:
https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/5 that will get you going. I removed a few of these/disabled some of their settings after trying them but it was a good base to work from when fine tuning my install. From there just looking through the nexus and trying the ones I liked got me the rest of the way. Because file sizes are so small for most of these and installation is just extracting one file to your mods folder there's no cost to just downloading something that seems sorta interesting. You can just delete the file if you don't like it and there seems to be no consequence to your install from doing this. You don't seem to need a fresh character or anything. Or you could just use my mod list as a base and add/remove to your liking. If you use something like this and fuck with the settings a bit your game will only have a passing resemblance to the original, guaranteed.
I can't remember what settings I've changed but some things that come to mind were:
- turning motion blur way down in the post processing mod as the default settings were OTT
- turning eye adaptation off in the same mod as everything was too dark
- turning down the dungeon darkness in better ambience (counter intuitively this makes dungeons darker)
- disabling flying insects in vibrant wind (the butterflies look nice but are a bit incongruous in snowy weather)
- setting terrain distance to 2 (can't remember if this is in distant terrain or game settings) because distant terrain causes lag during loading and the further your terrain distance the longer the lag takes to subside
- Mucking with post processing a lot. Can't remember the changes just play with it and see what looks good. Bloom looks absolutely ridiculous. I have no idea why they included that.
- Changing convenient clock to a text box with date and time and scaling it down to .7 (default height)
- I also ran the reshade thing that comes bundled with dream and it has sharpened everything up a little. I think.
- Mucked with the ini file to change the zoom distance of the map and make the dungeon map always solid. There's a guide for how to do it on the nexus.
For game settings you can figure all that out but I suggest going to enhancements and disabling allow guild quest selection, allow magic item repair, instant repairs and enemy infighting. Those are just cheats and ruin game balance. Also decreasing ambient dungeon lighting, player torch light and making nights darker can all be done in the settings and should be IMO. I also like click to attack enabled but if you liked the combat in the original you may not.
Anyway, my DFU mods:
+ Basic magic regen. This one is very much a maybe. It makes the game significantly easier and trivializes a couple mechanics but it makes dungeoneering a smoother more enjoyable experience as there is less fleeing down the hall and sleeping mid fight. I like it, you may not. I unreservedly recommend all of the other mods listed above.
Edit: Add improved interior lighting as a must have. Disregard windmills of Daggerfall in the above list (it's disabled) unless not using dream. It looks like ass in dream.
Edit 2: I've added realtime reflections. Highly recommended.
Some that are personal preference:
Levelup adjuster - lets you set your attribute and HP gains to a static value if you're someone who is tempted to reload when they get a shit roll. I set both to the median value and enabled retroactive HP gains for increasing endurance.
Roleplay and realism (+ roleplay and realism items): Makes the game a little harder in quite a few subtle ways. Having played with and without it I greatly prefer the slower pace this gives the game. Turn off the NPC and enemy replacers if using dream and turn of the horse riding changes because they suck.
Unlevelled loot: Makes loot based on luck stat based on level. It's a nice change and not as OP as it sounds. You can't afford the good stuff at low level anyway.
Quest pack 1: It's good. Adds quests that are good enough that a new player like me can't tell them from the vanilla quests.
Pilgrimages/archeologists: Have installed but haven't encountered the content yet. It doesn't break anything.
Races redone: Not really necessary. Adjusts starting stats after character creation based on race and gives some racial bonuses. A bit of a cheat as it gives one free advantage. Still, I like it.
Sneak and crouch combined: Does what it says on the tin. A solid mod and a sensible change.
Honorable mention: Ironman and ironman game systems. Adds some amazing features and an ironman mode but is currently non functional until another version comes out. One to watch.
Do not recommend:
Travel options. Weird, janky way of replacing fast travel. Hate it. There should be some risk to reckless travel and camping out but text based random encounters would be way better.
Climate and calories - requires travel options. Would be an ok mod otherwise for people who like survival mechanics in their RPGs (Like me) but still isn't great. Just a bit too in depth so it requires too much management. Would prefer a simplified version that adds eating and temperature to the game in a less complex manner. So it's not worth putting up with travel options.
Realistic wagon: Requires travel options so didn't keep it installed long enough to try driving the wagon.
Lousy lycans: Provides a much needed nerf to lycanthropy but requires realistic wagon. Also sounds a bit extreme as it makes you drop all your items when you transform. A mod that just removes lycanthropy buffs from human form is much needed. I had it installed for a bit but removed it before becoming a lycan. I've asked the author if he'd make a cut down version but no reply as yet.
Scars: Just randomly kills you for the lols every so often by spawning high level creatures next to you. Nice idea and very ambitious mod but needs level scaling badly. Fuck this mod. Also seems to be one you need to restart the game with if you uninstall it so don't touch it.