Staff Picks - 15 Dec 16 (2024)

Another week, another set of staff (and guest) picks to present you.

Before we begin theweeks' picks, I just want to clarify that the way we do this is very simple, each staff member choosesa mod of their choice, and then I compile them all and post them up. So when I saw that both Robin and I had picked a mod from the same author I thought it might be seen as favouritism or that we were colluding. Let me assure you; we're not. I guess you can chalk it down to 'great minds' and all that.

Just remember that other mods on the site may do roughly the same thing, so keep your eyes peeled and understand that these are just our personal picks. That said, hopefully, you'll find something you may not have seen before and who knows, maybe we'll even learn a little about each other along the way.

We love to hear your selections, so if you have a mod you would like to submit to the community (not your own), then please check out this new and handy form.

Dark0ne

I'm not too up to date on my modding at the moment, but the little group of modders who welcome me into their Skype group chats talk about the mods being made by registrator2000 like it's the second coming. And I can see why.

HUDFramework sets the groundwork for a range of awesome mods you never knew you needed, and now wonder what the hell Bethesda were thinking by not doing it themselves. From the description, HUDFramework makes it possible for mods to add new UI elements to the HUD. Sounds simple enough, but what are the practical implications?

Companion Status HUD is a great example of what this means for modding Fallout 4. Much to my personal chagrin (see last week's staff picks), followers are very popular with Fallout 4 players. Companion Status HUD will provide you with real-time feedback on your companion's health and stats via a HUD widget made possible by the HUDFramework.

You never knew you needed it until you try it. Well done, registrator2000.

SirSalami

Though XCOM 2 is a great game in its own right, I find that XCOM: Enemy Unknown still holds up quite well, especially when you consider the meagre system requirements. The sequel did bring some nice quality of life enhancements to the interface however that are sorely missed with its predecessor, specifically regarding unit's line-of-sight.

When initiating movement of a unit in XCOM 2, it is immediately apparent whether or not that unit will have line-of-sight to an enemy at a known location. This was not the case in XCOM: EU, making unit movement an unnecessarily ambiguous experience at times. Thankfully, "Line-of-Sight Indicators" brings XCOM 2's LOS indicators to XCOM: EU, helping to ensure that you always keep your eyes on the prize.

TerrorFox1234

Where to even begin with this mod? This a complete package for revamping Mass Effect 3. It adds new weapons, new armors, new companions, new missions, new Normandy upgrades and the list just keeps going. You’ll need to read the mod description to get all the details about everything this mod does.

I enjoy replaying most BioWare games. Part of what makes the games so replayable are the choices that span across the entire series. Something you did in ME1 may change an event in ME3. Yeah, we won’t get into the “choice” at the end of ME3. In any case, the point is that I have played and replayed the Mass Effect series enough times now that I’ve experienced most of the choices from all sides. So, what to do? Simply pack it up and never touch Mass Effect again?

Of course not! Mod it! This mod allowed me to approach ME3 again, with a completely fresh feeling. There was plenty to discover just within the new mod functions alone! If you’re looking to step back into ME3, I don’t recommend doing so without grabbing EGM first.

BlindJudge

One of my favourite game series of all time is Max Payne. I remember buying it on a friends recommendation and experiencing bullet-time for the first time. Max Payne was the gaming equivalent of a John Woo movie, and it made for an exciting and incredibly stylish game.

Jump forward from 2001 to 2008 and Fallout 3 is released with V.A.T.S., a system that allows you to stop time and target specific areas of your enemies bodies. It reintroduced that feeling of power as you stopped enemies in their tracks and picked them apart, piece by piece.

The trouble with V.A.T.S. is that it feels a little overpowered to me. It takes away the need to avoid incoming fire and removes some of the 'drama' within a gunfight.

Bring in Bullet Time - Slow Time by registrator2000. The first thing to do when you install this mod is to go to your Pipboy and configure it how you would like from the 'Inventory > Aid' section. I like it to be a little less OP, so I change the time-dilation to be 50% and my AP cost to be 30 or 40 AP/s. That way I'm not running around murdering Raiders while they remain totally stationary.

However you choose to use the mod, I'm sure you will find it a lot of fun. As registrator2000 has put within their mod description. Other bullet time mods are out there and feel free to check them all out and find the one that best suits you.

Right, I'm off to become the Fallout 4 version of Neo... See you in the Wasteland.

(Guest submission)ZZZ02

Lycanthropy in vanilla Skyrim is meh at best! There are many mods that attempt to rectify the situation, but none handle it better than the 'Moonlight Tales Overhaul Series".

"Moonlight Tales Essentials Overhauled" is a combination of the main features of the three overhauls by 'Spwned' done in a very compatible and lightweight manner. Plus, it also has it's own unique immersion features such as losing control of your werewolf and dropping your gear. The best part is everything is configurable via one mcm, so if you want to go full feral immersion or only have a new fur color then this is the mod for you!

Combine this with real feeding and a perk overhaul of your choice, and you have the complete experience.

Every week, we feature a few mods that have caught our staff’s attention, as well as some that were submitted by you, the Nexus Mods community. If there is a mod you’d like to see on this list, then please check out this quick and handy form.

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