I first played Morrowind on the Xbox and now in anticipation of Skyrim's release I've decided to start playing Morrowind on my PC. This'll be my first time playing any of the Elder Scrolls games on a computer. So it goes without saying that it'll be my first time playing a modded Elder Scrolls game.

Before I fire up my first game on the PC what are some basic mods that you folk feel are necessary? I'm not asking which mods are your favorite in particular, but which ones have a widespread, general appeal? Which mods make playing this on the PC worth it?

I recommend http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1196406-relz-morrowind-overhaul-sounds-graphics/. This is a very easy to install compilation of mods that enhance the sound and graphics of Morrowind reaching an amazing result. Here is a video on how everything looks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r6hilB6Dlc

As for Gameplay, until Morrowind Overhaul: Game Experience is ready, I recommend http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1191614-btbs-game-improvements-the-attack-of-the-50-foot-topic/, a great overhaul.

I actually recommend starting off on a much smaller scale, as it's worked out pretty well for me. Basically you should decide on the thing that most annoys you about Morrowind, and find the mod that fixes it in the way you find most suitable, then move onto the other annoying things. Mehrunes Razor for example, there's a few mods that make that the little dagger of divine death the in-game lore touts it to be. Stuff like that.

Of course, I'm of the mind that Morrowind, generally-speaking, looks good enough as it is, and that its gameplay aspects are what most need retooling. BTB's improvements touch on that to pretty great extent, and he's been kind enough (or insane enough, depending upon how you look at it) to allow the rest of us the luxury of picking and choosing which aspects we want to put at his mercy, whether it's Spells, Alchemy, Equipment, Character Creation/Development, etc., we can have it all if we wish, or only take one. Very handy.

*Points to sig*

http://arcimaestroantares.webs.com/suggestedmods.htm

and

http://arcimaestroantares.webs.com/mymods.htm

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I'll read through all the links and see if there's anything that catches my eye.

Prior to returning to this thread I downloaded: Tamriel Rebuilt (I'm a bit confused by it- it's supposed to recreate the mainland but the landmass appears off to the east on my map), Better Bodies (I don't notice a difference- so either I'm forgetting what bodies looked like before or I did something wrong), Better Books, Better Heads (I get error messages with certain heads so I'm thinking I'm going to uninstall that- I'd rather have a completely clean build), Better Argonian Heads (maybe this is what's causing the conflict with Better Heads) and a mod that lets Argonians breathe underwater permanently.

With Better Bodies I'm guessing you did something wrong, as the difference is quite striking, actually.

http://www.skyrimportal.com/media/blogs/skyrim/empireoftamriel.gif

You see how the mainland of Morrowind kind of wraps around much of the island of Vvardenfell, like Pac-Man about to eat a giant rock? That's what Tamriel Rebuilt is working on adding.

I don't know about the Better Heads problem, I never encountered it myself.

1. While TR adds a large chunk of Morrowind's mainland in the east it's still a WIP.
2. Be sure to install everything correct, refer to the readme. If you got it right you might want even better body textures. My recommendation: http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=5635 topped with http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=7039&id=6825.
3. I'm not sure about this, but I'd suggest http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=5883 topped with Westley's (http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1034794-wipz-westlys-head-replacer-for-lack-of-a-better-title-forthcoming/page__st__100__p__15296380#entry15296380 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1034794-wipz-westlys-head-replacer-for-lack-of-a-better-title-forthcoming/page__st__180__p__15350727#entry15350727 | http://www.4shared.com/file/X7y71BY3/Westlys_Pluginless_Replacer_Re.html). They are pluginless which means they replace less heads (more NPC use the same head, like in vanilla), but also no conflicts. Westley's heads also stay true to the originals.

If you're having errors after installing mods, then you're not following the instructions in the ReadMe.
And I would suggest reading a tutorial on how to install mods.

Be sure to install Wrye Mash and the community patches, because they really do fix a lot of problems.
Links and info: http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1060141-mod-recommendations-for-new-players/page__hl__recommendations