So I feel the very first post should be dedicated to explaining how I go about playing. First of all; this is not my first playthrough of Skyrim. I have already finished the game on my old Xbox 360, but I loved the game back then, and now that I have a gaming rig that will allow me to "open the hood" and add mods, I felt it was time for a second playthrough.
Whats more, I wanted to document it. To write down what I see and where my travels take me. My first - and probably most important mod to that end - is "Random Alternate Start". It grants you a basic starter-kit of weapons and potions, and drops you down somewhere in Skyrim with a mission to investigate the Dragon-attack on Helgen. Obviously this kicks off the main storyline, so I won't be going there right away - but rather when I'm organically brought to the surrounding area..
I also impose certain rules on myself that may seem a little harsh (or not harsh enough if you know what's out there in the modding community) but I feel it adds to my immersion without pulling my attention too far away from the adventure itself. For instance, I won't allow myself to fast-travel. I can use carriages, and I've added the mod "Scenic Carriage Rides" but my main transportation will be either a horse (when I get one) or my own digital feet.
Another restriction is that I will seldom use the world-map. I've added a mod that makes it paper-like in texture, and removes the player cursor, so I only get an approximation on where I am when I open it. I want to explore with the same sense of blindness that one would get in the real world. Thats why the map, the quest-markers and the compass will only be used when I'm close to my objective - not when I'm out wandering Skyrim. Don't worry, though - I won't document tedious details about how I went the wrong way and had to backtrack.
At some point, I'll also add a list of all the mods I use while playing. Some are huge, some are small. But they are what I feel gives the best possible experience based on my my computers capabilities, and my own preferences.
Wish me luck!
