From f4e5c0a14b332a0cea3dff3f6c1f9e542d208269 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: MewLew <167646123+Mew-Lew@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Fri, 21 Aug 2026 21:37:53 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] Revise OpenMW guide for Xbox installation and setup Updated the OpenMW guide for Xbox Series S/X, clarifying installation steps, storage setup, and performance recommendations. Improved language for clarity and consistency throughout the document. Signed-off-by: MewLew <167646123+Mew-Lew@users.noreply.github.com> --- docs/ports/openmw-guide.mdx | 247 ++++++++++++++++++++++-------------- 1 file changed, 151 insertions(+), 96 deletions(-) diff --git a/docs/ports/openmw-guide.mdx b/docs/ports/openmw-guide.mdx index d9e4743..354fe45 100644 --- a/docs/ports/openmw-guide.mdx +++ b/docs/ports/openmw-guide.mdx @@ -9,40 +9,53 @@ tags: slug: openmw-guide --- -Getting OpenMW running on an Xbox Series S or Series X in Developer Mode is a fantastic way to experience *The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind* on modern console hardware. Because this is an unofficial community port running through a custom translation layer, setting everything up properly takes a bit of care. +OpenMW lets you play *The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind* on an Xbox Series S or Series X in Developer Mode. -This guide walks you through installation, storage configuration, performance tuning, and migrating desktop mod lists. +This guide covers installation, storage, the setup wizard, useful settings and mods. -*This is an unofficial port. Xbox specific issues should be discussed in dev mode community discords and not reported to the upstream OpenMW development team.* +*Please do not report Xbox specific problems to the upstream OpenMW team. Use the Xbox Dev Mode community instead.* ### Requirements -- You will need an Xbox Series S or Xbox Series X configured for Developer Mode (Xbox One is not supported). -- You will need the OpenMW `.msix` package. -- You will need the dependency file supplied with the release. -- You will need your own legally owned copy of **The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind**. The **Game of the Year (GOTY)** edition is strongly recommended, as it includes the **Tribunal** and **Bloodmoon** expansions. -This port is strictly an engine package and does not include original game files, textures, or mods. +- An Xbox Series S or Series X configured for Developer Mode. Xbox One is not supported. +- The OpenMW `.msix` package. +- The dependency file supplied with the release. +- Your own legally owned copy of **The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind**. + +The **Game of the Year** edition is recommended because it includes the **Tribunal** and **Bloodmoon** expansions. + +This port contains the OpenMW engine only. It does not include Morrowind game files, textures or mods. ### Install OpenMW -1. Open the **Xbox Device Portal** on your browser while your console is in Developer Mode. -2. Install the OpenMW `.msix` bundle via the App Manager. -3. Install the required dependency file supplied with the release. -### External Storage Setup -Copy the complete **contents** of Morrowind's original `Data Files` folder to your USB drive: +1. Start the Xbox in Developer Mode. +2. Open the **Xbox Device Portal** in a browser. +3. Install the OpenMW `.msix` through the App Manager. +4. Install the dependency file supplied with the release. + +### External storage setup + +Copy the complete **contents** of Morrowind's original `Data Files` folder to: + +```text +E:\OpenMW\data +``` + +Copy `Morrowind.ini` from the original Morrowind installation folder to: ```text -E:/OpenMW/data +E:\OpenMW\Morrowind.ini ``` -The folder should contain essential files such as: +Your files should include: ```text -Morrowind.esm -Morrowind.bsa +E:\OpenMW\Morrowind.ini +E:\OpenMW\data\Morrowind.esm +E:\OpenMW\data\Morrowind.bsa ``` -It should also contain subdirectories including: +The `data` folder should also contain folders such as: ```text Meshes @@ -51,156 +64,198 @@ Sound Textures ``` -Add the **Tribunal** and **Bloodmoon** files as well if your edition includes them. +Copy the Tribunal and Bloodmoon files into the same `data` folder if your edition includes them. -OpenMW automatically uses external storage when it finds: +OpenMW uses external storage when it finds: ```text -E:/OpenMW/data/Morrowind.esm +E:\OpenMW\data\Morrowind.esm ``` -If this file is not found, OpenMW will fall back to internal `LocalState` storage instead. +If it cannot find this file, it checks internal `LocalState` storage instead. -### Internal Storage Setup -1. Access the app's `LocalState` folder in the Xbox Device Portal. -2. Create this folder: +### Internal storage setup + +Open the app's `LocalState` folder through the Xbox Device Portal and create: ```text -LocalState/data +LocalState\data ``` -3. Upload the **contents** of your Morrowind `Data Files` directory into: +Upload the contents of Morrowind's original `Data Files` folder into it. Upload `Morrowind.ini` directly to the root of `LocalState`. + +The final layout should include: ```text -LocalState/data +LocalState\Morrowind.ini +LocalState\data\Morrowind.esm +LocalState\data\Morrowind.bsa ``` -OpenMW will use internal storage whenever it detects: +### First launch and setup wizard + +A clean installation opens the **Setup Wizard** automatically. You can run it again later from the launcher front page. + +The wizard checks external storage first, followed by `LocalState`. It looks for: ```text -LocalState/data/Morrowind.esm +Morrowind.ini +data\Morrowind.esm +data\Morrowind.bsa ``` -### First Launch & Controls -A clean first launch automatically generates a default configuration file: +For a new installation: + +1. Leave **Import Settings From Morrowind.ini** enabled. +2. Leave **Import Add-on and Plugin Selection** enabled. +3. Disable **Import Bitmap Fonts Setup From Morrowind.ini** if you want to keep OpenMW's clearer TrueType fonts. +4. Review the detected installation and select **Apply**. + +Importing `Morrowind.ini` restores original game information used for intro movies, weather, level up text and other Morrowind data. + +If you run the wizard again after setting up mods, enable only **Import Settings From Morrowind.ini**. Disable the add-on/plugin and bitmap font options so your content order is preserved. + +The wizard backs up the current configuration as: ```text -openmw.cfg +LocalState\openmw.cfg.bak ``` -*Tribunal* and *Bloodmoon* expansions are automatically recognized when their files are present. +Rerunning the wizard also refreshes the archive list from `Morrowind.ini`. If you use mod archives, check **Modding > Archive Files** afterwards. + +Start with an unmodded game and confirm that it reaches the main menu before adding mods. -The launcher features graphics settings alongside three core modding tabs: -- **Data Directories** -- **Content Files** -- **Archive Files** +### Launcher controls -#### Launcher Controls -- **D-pad:** Navigate menus -- **A:** Select / Confirm +- **D-pad:** Navigate +- **A:** Select or confirm - **B:** Go back - **LB / RB:** Switch tabs -- **D-pad Left / Right:** Switch between list items and sidebar buttons -- **Menu / Start:** Launch Morrowind directly from any page +- **D-pad Left / Right:** Switch between a list and its action buttons +- **Menu / Start:** Launch Morrowind from any launcher page -Start with an unmodded, vanilla game first to verify your base installation works smoothly before adding mods. +### Recommended settings -#### Recommended Initial Settings -On your first launch, run through these menus to tweak your base configuration: +The launcher settings closely follow the desktop OpenMW launcher. Options that are unsafe or unsupported on Xbox have been left out. -* **Graphics:** Set your resolution and enable **VSync**. If playing on a higher resolution display, increase the **UI Scale** for better text readability and enable **Stretch menu background** to display backgrounds cleanly in widescreen. -* **Input:** Enable **Controller menus** for easier console navigation. You may also want to reduce the **Menu cursor speed**. -* **Gameplay:** Check the **Gameplay** tab for additional quality of life toggles and settings to fit your playstyle. +- **Display:** Choose the resolution, VSync and frame limit. Fullscreen is recommended. You can also enable **Show FPS** here. +- **Interface:** Adjust the GUI scaling factor and font size if text is too small. Enable **Stretch menu background** for widescreen displays. Controller menus and controller tooltips are also found here. +- **Input:** Adjust look sensitivity, stick dead zone and menu cursor speed. +- **Gameplay:** Contains OpenMW gameplay fixes and quality of life options. +- **Visuals:** Contains animations, textures, shaders, terrain, post-processing, shadows, lighting and water settings. -### Performance & Graphics Settings -Because OpenMW translates graphics calls through a custom multi-layer pipeline: +### Performance and graphics + +This port passes the game through several graphics layers: ```text OpenMW > OpenSceneGraph > desktop OpenGL > Mesa/Gallium > Xbox GPU ``` -Performance can drop quickly if heavy visual settings are enabled. To maintain a steadier frame rate: -- Keep **post-processing off**. -- Keep **shadows off**, or only enable essential options with modest shadow resolution. -- Keep **water textures and reflections modest**, and avoid combining multiple water effects. -- Keep **viewing distance sensible**; avoid expansive distant terrain. -- Reduce the **rendering resolution** if you need to lower GPU load. You can only do this in the launcher, not in game. +Vanilla Morrowind can run well, but heavy graphics settings and large mod lists add up quickly. + +To improve performance: -> **Important Warning:** Anti-aliasing is disabled by default because it crashes Mesa. Do not attempt to add or restore an `antialiasing` setting in `settings.cfg`. +1. Disable **Settings > Visuals > Post Processing**. +2. Reduce or disable options under **Settings > Visuals > Shadows**. +3. Lower water textures, reflections and ripple detail under **Settings > Visuals > Water**. +4. Reduce viewing distance and distant land under **Settings > Visuals > Terrain**. +5. Select a lower resolution under **Settings > Display**. +6. Reduce heavy texture, groundcover and script-heavy mods. -### Installing Mods on Xbox -External mods can be stored on your USB drive under: +Rendering resolution must be selected in the launcher before starting the game. Changing it from the in-game menu is not supported reliably by the Xbox graphics path. + +> **Important:** Anti-aliasing is disabled because it can crash the Mesa graphics driver. Do not manually add or restore an `antialiasing` setting in `settings.cfg`. + +### Installing mods on Xbox + +External mods can be stored under: ```text -E:/OpenMW/mods +E:\OpenMW\mods ``` -Keep each mod inside its own dedicated subfolder while preserving the directory structure provided by the mod author. Internal mods can also be stored under `LocalState`. +Internal mods can also be stored under `LocalState`. Keep each mod in its own folder and preserve the layout supplied by the mod author. -In the launcher: -1. Add the mod's actual data folder under **Data Directories**. +Open **Modding** from the launcher and use its three tabs: + +1. Add each mod's actual data folder under **Data Directories**. 2. Enable its required plugins under **Content Files**. -3. Add any `.bsa` files under **Archive Files**. -4. Arrange your load order strictly according to the mod instructions. +3. Add any required `.bsa` files under **Archive Files**. +4. Arrange everything in the order given by the mod instructions. + +Do not enable every plugin automatically. Many mods include optional files, compatibility patches or choices that should not be used together. -Avoid enabling every plugin automatically, as mods often include optional or mutually exclusive plugin choices. +### Move a desktop mod setup to Xbox -### Move a Desktop Mod Setup to Xbox -For a large mod list (such as the **Morrowind Starter Pack** from Modding-OpenMW), configuring and testing everything on PC first is much easier. +For a large mod list, configuring and testing everything on PC first is much easier. The **Morrowind Starter Pack** from [Modding-OpenMW](https://modding-openmw.com/) has been tested this way. -1. Finish and validate the setup on PC. -2. Let `openmw-navmeshtool` finish generating navigation data if you want pre-built pathfinding caches. -3. Copy your complete PC mods folder to your USB drive: +1. Finish and test the setup on PC. +2. Let `openmw-navmeshtool` finish if you want to transfer its generated navigation cache. +3. Copy the complete mods folder to: ```text -E:/OpenMW/mods +E:\OpenMW\mods ``` -4. In `openmw.cfg`, replace desktop drive paths with USB drive paths: +4. In `openmw.cfg`, replace desktop mod paths with their Xbox locations. For example: ```text data="E:/OpenMW/mods/Patch for Purists" ``` -*(Replaces paths like `data="C:\OpenMWMods\Patch for Purists"`)* - -5. Change the main game data path to: +5. Set the main game-data path to: ```text data="E:/OpenMW/data" ``` -6. Check that no `data=` line still points to local PC drives. -7. Upload `openmw.cfg`, `settings.cfg`, and `navmesh.db` (if generated) directly to the root of `LocalState`. +6. Check that no `data=` entry still points to a drive or folder on the PC. +7. Upload `openmw.cfg`, `settings.cfg` and `navmesh.db`, if generated, to the root of `LocalState`. + +Do not run the complete setup wizard import after uploading an existing mod configuration. If you need to restore the original Morrowind settings, run the wizard with only **Import Settings From Morrowind.ini** enabled, then check **Archive Files** before launching. + +Large mod lists can be demanding. The Morrowind Starter Pack has run at roughly **15 to 25 FPS** in testing, depending on the location and enabled graphics settings. -*Note on Performance:* Complex setups like the Morrowind Starter Pack run around **15–25 FPS** on console. Treat heavy modding as an experimental compatibility test rather than a target for high-framerate gameplay. +### Saves and backups -#### If Performance Drops Severely, Lower Settings in This Order: -1. Disable post-processing. -2. Reduce or disable shadows. -3. Lower water quality and reflections. -4. Reduce viewing distance and distant terrain. -5. Lower rendering resolution. -6. Remove heavy visual or texture overhaul mods. -7. Reduce active script-heavy plugins in your load order. +OpenMW keeps saves, configuration files, logs, caches and `navmesh.db` inside `LocalState`. -### Saves & Backups -OpenMW keeps saves, configuration files, logs, caches, and `navmesh.db` inside `LocalState`. Always back up `LocalState` via the Xbox Device Portal before uninstalling the app or making major changes to your mod list. +Back up `LocalState` through the Xbox Device Portal before uninstalling the app or making large changes to a mod list. Uninstalling the package removes its internal storage. -### Quick Fixes +### Quick fixes #### Morrowind is not found -Verify that `Morrowind.esm` exists in one of these paths: + +Check that the required files exist in one of these layouts: + ```text -E:/OpenMW/data/Morrowind.esm -LocalState/data/Morrowind.esm +E:\OpenMW\Morrowind.ini +E:\OpenMW\data\Morrowind.esm +E:\OpenMW\data\Morrowind.bsa ``` +```text +LocalState\Morrowind.ini +LocalState\data\Morrowind.esm +LocalState\data\Morrowind.bsa +``` + +#### Intro movies are missing + +Run the **Setup Wizard** and import the settings from `Morrowind.ini`. These settings include the original movie entries. + +#### A mod archive disappeared after running the wizard + +Open **Modding > Archive Files** and add or enable the mod's `.bsa` file again. The wizard refreshes this list from `Morrowind.ini`. + #### Copied desktop settings crash the game -Remove anti-aliasing and desktop only post-processing settings from `settings.cfg`. Start with lighter shadow and water options. + +Remove anti-aliasing and desktop-only post-processing settings from `settings.cfg`. Start with post-processing disabled and lighter shadow and water settings. #### Performance is poor -Disable post-processing first. Next, reduce shadows, water effects, viewing distance, and resolution. Test on a clean, unmodded save. + +Disable post-processing first. Then reduce shadows, water effects, viewing distance and resolution. Test without mods to separate a port problem from a demanding mod setup. ---