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About this mod
A script-free total recalibration of Skyrim's detection formula, which improves the balanced and realism of sneaking. Enemies will have enhanced sight and hearing abilities, and will search longer when alerted. Represents over 350 hours of meticulous research and optimization work.
- Requirements
- Permissions and credits
- Changelogs
Have you tried RAID Weathers? - the weather mod optimised for detection mechanics.
Shameless plug: If you're looking for a simple modding guide, take a look at my Concise Skyrim Modding Guide.
Introduction
This is a complete recalibration of Skyrim's detection formula, which improves the balanced and realism of sneaking. It is not a "hardcore" mod - sneaking is both harder and easier where necessary. You can use it by itself, or load it after perk and gameplay overhaul mods.
Instead of making simple tweaks to the vanilla settings (like other detection mods do), this mod holistically re-calibrates the whole formula from the ground up. This represents over 350 hours of meticulous research and optimization work.
Features
5 versions for different user preferences and various lighting mod setups
You can only use one version at the same time. It is safe to swap versions or uninstall during a playthrough.
You can use any RAID version with any lighting/weather mod setup you want, but my recommendations are provided in the 2nd image above.
Realistic AI Detection Lite
Small increase to NPC visual detection ability both indoors and outdoors. Small audio detection rebalance.
This is what vanilla detection should have been. This version is optimal for vanilla lighting if you want a bit more realism but not much more difficulty.
After checking the 2nd image above, if you are still not sure what version to get, start with this one, and upgrade to a more powerful version later if needed.
Realistic AI Detection - Medium Interior, Medium Exterior
Medium increase to NPC visual detection ability both indoors and outdoors. Moderate audio detection rebalance.
This version is suitable for vanilla lighting and many other lighting/weather mods if you want much more realistic and challenging sneak gameplay.
Realistic AI Detection - High Interior, High Exterior
Large increase to NPC visual detection ability both indoors and outdoors. Moderate audio detection rebalance.
This version is over-powered for Vanilla and most other lighting/weather mods, but ideal for ELFX Enhancer/Hardcore and RAID Weathers.
This is the original version of the mod I use myself in combination with ELFX "Hardcore" and RAID Weathers - the way its meant to be played.
Realistic AI Detection - High Interior, Medium Exterior
Large increase to indoor visual detection ability, medium increase to outdoor detection. Moderate audio detection rebalance.
This version is over-powered for Vanilla and most other lighting/weather mods.
Realistic AI Detection - Medium Interior, High Exterior
Medium increase to indoor visual detection ability, large increase to outdoor detection. Moderate audio detection rebalance.
This version is over-powered for Vanilla and most other lighting/weather mods.
Lighting/weather mods and stealth gameplay balance
Light-based detection mechanics in Skyrim are controlled by two things. First, the lighting/weather mods you use, and second, the detection mod you use. The lighting/weather mod controls what amount of light is in a location. The detection formula (tweaked by "Realistic AI Detection") then controls how that amount of light affects detection mechanics. If a lighting/weather mod does not provide appropriate lighting data to the detection formula, then there is little a detection mod like this can do to fix it.
One of the reasons some lighting/weather mods do not provide appropriate lighting data, is that Skyrim's engine does not feed all forms of lighting data into the detection formula. As far as I know, only "Sunlight Scale" in the imagespace records, and "Ambient" and "Sunlight" in the weather records are fed into the detection formula. All other imagespace and weather records (including "DALC" data), and external effects like ENB and Reshade, are ignored by the detection formula. So if a lighting/weather mod makes nights very dark the wrong way, the game engine still interprets that night as vanilla bright. So, the player could be blinded by the darkness, while enemy NPCs would still spot you easily from afar, which feels unfair (example: any dark ENB presets). The opposite is also possible - some mods appear as bright as vanilla but tell the detection formula it is extremely dark - resulting in near-blind NPCs in well lit environments (example: Luminosity).
There can be other problems too: some mods provide higher light levels for stormy or foggy weather than clear weather, and some mods provide higher light levels for a particular weather type at night than the same weather during the day.
While some of these flaws can be easily fixed by lighting/weather mod authors, optimising a whole weather mod for detection balance is hard work.
I tested nearly every weather and lighting mod for detection balance, using "player.gll". See the second image above for the results.
The "player.gll" console command prints out values ranging from 0 to 150+, representing the "real" amount of light at your character that is used in detection calculations by NPCs. If you try this, make sure to disable RAID (as it affects results), and stay away from point-light sources like candles and fires. Also take shadows near buildings into consideration. Also note that after loading a save or changing the weather or time of day, "player.gll" readouts often glitch out, so it is best to unpause the game for a few seconds and re-take the "player.gll" reading a few times to ensure the correct value is displayed. In vanilla Skyrim, values for daytime range from about 40 to 150, and night values ranges from about 30 to 70, depending on the weather.
You can of course use other weather and lighting mods. This “trifecta” just shows you how to get the best gameplay balance if that is your priority.
Installation
Use your mod management program, or put the .esp file in your Skyrim/data folder and activate it in the mod tab from the main menu.
Place it near the bottom of your load order, below any mods that also edit detection settings.
Do not clean this mod with SSEEdit.
Uninstalling
Just uninstall it using your mod manager, or delete the mod's .esp file in Skyrim/data
It is 100% safe to uninstall or re-install during a serious playthrough.
Compatibility with other mods
This mod must be loaded after any mods that also edit detection settings (like Immersive Citizens, Requiem, Combat Evolved, Thief Skills Rebalance for Ordinator, and NAT).
RAID is compatible with all lighting/weather mods, but your choice of those mods will strongly affect detection balance (even if you don't use RAID) as explained above. See the 2nd mod image for RAID version suggestions for different weather/lighting mods.
More specific mod compatibility info:
"Magic Sneak Attacks" is compatible and highly recommended.
"Dynamic Weather and Time Based Detection" is compatible. Its features do not overlap much with RAID, so they can compliment each other.
However, DWATBD can behave erratically sometimes. Test with it disabled if you encounter problems with detection.
Some users have reported that the hardcore sneaking component of "Ultimate Combat" conflicts with RAID.
Mods that add extra enemies to dungeons may sometimes cause problems when used with this mod - see the article tab for more info and a solution.
Mods that change detection settings via scripts (like Skytweak) may produce unexpected results if used in combination with this mod.
"Improved Traps" is compatible, but RAID will reduce the range enemies can hear traps by about 30% (a minor unintended side effect).
"Face Light" breaks detection mechanics if used with RAID as it makes bad edits to detection GMSTs using scripts.
"Invisibility" was problematic for some users, but others report no issues. If you have trouble, use the newer Uninterrupted Invisibility mod instead.
Other mods that are technically fully compatible, but worsen or break detection mechanics, EVEN IF YOU DON'T USE RAID:
"EVLaS" breaks shadow based detection mechanics at dawn/dusk/night whether you use RAID or not.
"Relationship Dialogue Overhaul" has a minor bug that prevents civilian NPCs from commenting on dead bodies they find.
Mods adding illumination effects to weapons may allow enemies to spot you easily. Note: vanilla weapon effects (like dawnbreaker) don't affect sneaking.
"Moon Phase Affects Brightness at Night" strongly affects detection balance, sometimes making it worse (depending on the weather mod you use).
FAQ
Q1: Can you please tell me what version of this mod to use with my specific mod setup.
A: Look at the 2nd picture above that lists most lighting mods and suggests a RAID version to go with them. If you are still unsure, sorry, I can't help you. There are so many different mod setups out there, and detection balance is very subjective anyway. If in doubt, just try RAID "Lite" first.
You can always try another version later. It is 100% safe to uninstall or reinstall another version during a serious playthrough.
Q2: Do I need to use the "High" version if my mods make the game much darker?
A: Not necessarily. Darker lighting mods do not always affect detection the way you would expect. See the "lighting/weather mods" section above.
Q3: I tried the "Lite" version but it still feels too difficult. Help?
A: Obviously sneaking will be a bit harder with this mod, but you should be fine if you use common sense. Some basic advice:
1. Make sure your other mods are not messing up detection (like dark ENBs as explained further up).
2. Avoid enemy line-of-sight, no matter how high your sneak skill/perk level is.
3. Don't equip any light source, including spells that light up your hand.
4. Invest in the "stealth" and "muffled movement" sneak perks (or their equivalent if you use a perk mod).
5. The invisibility potion or spell will be essential in some situations.
6. Stay in the shadows, where it is dark. (ELFX Enhancer/ELE/RLO/Ambiance make sneaking easier as they makes dungeons darker, the correct way)
7. Keep the total weight of your equipped armor and weapon low. (Note - anything not equipped has no effect on sneaking).
8. When sneaking up to someone from behind, it is best to move slowly (use the walk button on keyboard) when you get close.
9. Get creative and devise new tactics like this - Using inigo's teleport ability to stealth one-shot a bandit chief
Q4: Sometimes NPCs are very slow to detect me (even when not sneaking), or other NPCs (even if hit by a "Frenzy" spell). Is it caused by this mod?
A: Possibly, but only to a limited extent. If you are using RAID "Lite", it may mean your lighting setup requires a more powerful version of RAID like "medium" or "high". However, some lighting/weather mods have detection balance problems (as explained higher up this page) that can't be fixed by any version of RAID - in that case you would need to fix your lighting setup, or accept this side effect, or stop using RAID.
Vanilla detection does not exhibit this problem as much because it allows NPCs that can't see anything (because of your choice of lighting mod) to still sense or "wall-hack" nearby targets that are not in sneak mode. RAID greatly reduces this wall-hacking ability thus forcing NPCs to rely more on sight and hearing - which works fine with vanilla lighting, or a well designed lighting/weather mod, but otherwise will not.
Also check your load order for any mods mentioned in the compatibility section.
Q5: How does RAID compare with Ordinator's optional Thief Skills Rebalanced module? Are they compatible?
A: They are only compatible if you put RAID lower in your load order, as RAID must overwrite any detection settings.
Get Thief Skills (without RAID) if you just want slightly harder vanilla sneak mechanics. It feels similar to vanilla.
Get RAID if you want a total overhaul of sneak mechanics. It feels very different from vanilla.
Q6: I want to play a sneaky mage, but enemies keep spotting me when I have a glowing spell in my hands. What can be done about this?
A: After extensive testing, I have found that looking slightly down from horizontal strongly increases the effect spell glow has on detection. This is a quirk of how Skyrim's detection works, it has nothing to do with RAID. Looking up by just 5deg from horizontal will minimise how much NPCs can detect spell glow. It sounds silly, but its true! Try this with the "player.gll" console command if you don't believe me.
Also, there is a mod called "Lights Out" that disables spell glow when equipped in your hand. It has compatibility patches for many magic mods.
You could also try "The Art of Shadow" mod, which gives you 2 spells to create darkness to hide in (the opposite of candlelight and magelight).
And, if you play a sneaky mage, don't forget to try "Magic Sneak Attacks".
Q7: Enemies and/or followers are sometimes unresponsive in my game, as if they are brain dead. Is it caused by this mod?
A: No. Check your other mods. Some people even experience this problem in vanilla Skyrim. Also, if your setup has script lag or generally poor performance, detection responsiveness may suffer as a result.
Also note, the "Immersive Citizens" mod will stop civilians and named NPCs from retaliating when you attack, if you are a much higher level than them (they are not brain dead, but controlled by an "avoid combat" AI package).
Q8: Does this mod affect NPCs, mod added NPCs, followers, animals, dragons, falmer etc? Does it affect how NPCs can detect other NPCs?
A: Yes. It affects the detection of everything. This is the case with all detection mods, not just mine.
Q9: Falmer can see me if I use this mod. Aren't Falmer supposed to be blind?
A: Falmer are NOT 100% blind. They are actually 80% blind according to the game files. In vanilla this may seem like 100% because normal NPC vision is already very weak. In RAID, all enemies can see much better, including Falmer, but their sight is still 80% worse than that of a normal enemy.
Q10: Does this mod work in Enderal SE?
A: Yes.
Q11: Did Bethesda change how detection behaves in Special Edition, compared to Legendary Edition.
A: Yes and no. There are no major changes, and the detection formula is identical. However, Bethesda did make small changes to lighting, particularly the weather at night. Special Edition nights have even more light than Legendary Edition nights.
Technical information, and DIY tweaking
This mod edits 45 game settings (GMST), and deliberately includes an additional 14 ITM edits. The ITMs are safe and ensure this mod functions correctly when loaded after a mod that also edits detection GMSTs.
If you want to know more about what these GMSTs do, download the "GMST Datasheet" on the download page.
Also, I have sorted these GMST records in xEdit logically by subsystem, in the same order as shown below to make it easer for you to tweak them yourself.
I have added short notes to some to tell you what to change or not. The ones without notes are best left alone unless you really know what you are doing.
Avoid the temptation to directly compare my values to vanilla in isolation! Many of these GMSTs interact with each other so context is very important.
(format: GMST name, vanilla value, RAID3 medium/medium value)
formula core
fSneakBaseValue -15 -4.0
fSneakDistanceAttenuationExponent 2 5
visual
fDetectionViewCone 190 160 easy to tweak yourself, but 160 is the best compromise
fDetectionSneakLightMod 15 6 decrease this to make it easier to hide in the dark both inside and outside
fSneakLightMult 0.33 0.6 controls how fast sneak eye indicator opens indoors in general
fSneakLightExteriorMult 0.5 1.0 controls how fast sneak eye indicator opens outdoors in general
fSneakLightMoveMult 0.01 0.1
fSneakLightRunMult 0.2 0.7
iLightLevelInteriorMod 25 13 increase to make it easier to hide in the dark when inside. don't go over 25
iLightLevelExteriorMod 0 10 increase to make it easier to hide in the dark when outside
iLightLevelMax 300 200
audio
fSneakSoundsMult 1 .7
fSneakSoundLosMult 0.3 0.28
fSneakEquippedWeightBase 12 5
fSneakEquippedWeightMult .5 0.25
fSneakActionMult 2 1
fSneakRunningMult 2 2.15
distances
fSneakMaxDistance 2500 5400 master control for how far away NPCs can detect you via sight, sound, and sneak skill
fSneakExteriorDistanceMult 2.1 1.2 (vanilla 2.1*2500=5250)
fSneakFlyingDistanceMult 3 ITM if dragons have trouble finding and engaging you, increase this value to 5 or higher
fDetectProjectileDistanceNPC 512 ITM
fDetectProjectileDistancePlayer 1024 ITM
fDetectEventDistanceNPC 512 ITM
fDetectEventDistancePlayer 1536 ITM
iCrimeAlarmLowRecDistance 2000 1500 lower this to make guards less likely to respond to witnesses who report your crimes
iCrimeAlarmRecDistance 4000 3000 lower this to make guards less likely to respond to witnesses who report your crimes
fDeadReactionDistance 400 800 avoid increasing this one too much, its weird
timers
fCombatStealthPointRegenAlertWaitTime 10 15 you could increase these for even longer searches, avoid going over 50
fCombatStealthPointRegenDetectedEventWaitTime 10 30 you could increase these for even longer searches, avoid going over 100 fCombatStealthPointRegenAttackedWaitTime 15 50 you could increase these for even longer searches, avoid going over 100
fCombatStealthPointRegenLostWaitTime 10 20 you could increase these for even longer searches, avoid going over 100
fCombatDetectionLostTimeLimit 10 15 avoid messing with this one
fCombatDetectionNoticedTimeLimit 10 5 avoid messing with this one (how long NPCs wall hack you in open combat)
fActorAlertSoundTimer 5 2 avoid messing with this one
fDetectionEventExpireTime 5 2 avoid messing with this one
contextual modifiers
fSneakAlertMod 0 1 don't touch
fSneakCombatMod -0.4 -2 don't touch
fSneakSleepBonus 0 -0.3 you can fine-tune, but any lower than -0.5 and sleeping NPCs are in a coma
skill system
fSneakSkillMult 0.5 0.08 don't touch!!!
fPlayerDetectionSneakMult 0.4 0.7
fPlayerDetectionSneakBase 10 5
fSneakPerceptionSkillMax 100 ITM
fSneakPerceptionSkillMin 0 ITM
stealth point system
fCombatStealthPointDrainMult 3 ITM
fCombatStealthPointRegenMult 0.2 0.08 increase to speed up sneak "eye" icon closing speed (after the above timers run out)
fCombatStealthPointRegenMin 5 2.5 increase to speed up sneak "eye" icon closing speed (after the above timers run out)
iCombatStealthPointDetectionThreshold 25 35
iCombatStealthPointSneakDetectionThreshold 70 ITM
fCombatStealthPointAttackedMaxValue 50 ITM
fCombatStealthPointDetectedEventMaxValue 75 ITM
fCombatStealthPointMax 100 ITM
search system
fCombatSearchExteriorRadiusMax 2048 2560 if you increase the timers above, u can increase this slightly for further reaching searches
fCombatSearchExteriorRadiusMin 1280 1536
fCombatSearchInteriorRadiusMax 1280 1536 if you increase the timers above, u can increase this slightly for further reaching searches
fCombatSearchInteriorRadiusMin 768 1024
fCombatSearchSightRadius 1536 1024
fCombatSearchInvestigateTime 2.5 3.5
fCombatSearchLookTime 1 ITM
fCombatSearchStartWaitTime 1 ITM
Credits and permissions
Mod by Olivier Doorenbos.
All Donation Points go to charity. $720 donated as of Mar-2022. God bless!
You may distribute this mod in a "mod pack", only if it is non-commercial, no DP, and you have full permissions+credits for all other mods in the pack.
If you want to do anything else that goes beyond personal use, please contact me first (here on Nexus).
And hey Bethesda Studios, I would be happy to properly calibrate the detection formula of your next Elder Scrolls game. You could do with my help!
Disclaimer
Not suitable for casual gamers and console peasants. No liability will be accepted if these risk groups experience severe stress and feelings of inadequacy as a result of using this mod.
Approved for the glorious PCMR.
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(Off Topic):
List of Rated Quest / Dungeon Mods:
Here's a list of Skyrim quest mods I have played, and rated, as objectively as possible (just my opinion).
I hope this helps you find some good quest mods you may not have tried before (and I hope it helps you to avoid wasting time on the bad ones).
Note: well known mods in bold
Note: "#" indicates a mod unsuitable for a non-dragonborn player character
Mod Name Rating Size Stability/bugs Combat Notes
enderal SE 10/10 HUGE! good hard+ bigger and better than many $60 "AAA" games (not set in the elder scrolls world)
mediEvil H.o.G. 10/10 fair excellent medium+ excellent custom music and annimations. great humor. epic final boss fight
beyond skyrim: bruma 9/10 HUGE good medium+ the benchmark for new lands mods. on par with official DLC. very lore-friendly
interesting NPCs 9/10 HUGE mediocre medium+ excellent quests, followers, writing, and humor. very lore friendly. some bugs
***DAWNGUARD*** *9/10* HUGE ok medium for comparison, this DLC would get a "9/10" if it was a mod (less as paid DLC)
inigo 9/10 fair excellent - arguably the ultimate follower mod. very well voiced. mostly lore friendly
lucien 9/10 fair mediocre medium follower with excellent writing and voicing. good quest. very lore friendly
clockwork 9/10 Large good medium+ beautiful mansion. epic dungeon. good quests and voicing. creepy
identity crisis 8/10 small mediocre medium high quality short quest with great voice acting. but breaks dragon riding
# unslaad 8/10 Large good hard+ fairy tale with a sad *studio ghibli* vibe. the feels. mostly unvoiced. nice OP loot
the cheese of ages 8/10 fair mediocre medium very funny but still lore-friendly, good dungeons, custom music. some minor bugs
***DRAGONBORN*** *7/10* HUGE mediocre medium for comparison, this DLC would get a "7/10" if it was a mod (less as paid DLC)
# wyrmstooth 7/10 HUGE mediocre medium+ beautiful DLC sized island. excellent music and voicing. but some glitchy quests
# the republic of maslea 7/10 Large mediocre hard wonderful tropical land. good story but unfinished. good music. partly unvoiced
# dreamborne isles 7/10 Large mediocre very hard wonderful environments and music. lots of platforming. but unbalanced combat
carved brink 7/10 Large poor medium best environments ever. well voiced (but some too loud). confusing dialog. CTDs
the shire 7/10 HUGE poor hard huge beautiful hobbit land. branching story. but patronising quests/dialog. lvl 30+
# rigmor of bruma 7/10 Large poor very hard great adventure. impressive environments. but awkward parts, unbalanced combat
# maelstrom 7/10 fair mediocre very hard great puzzle dungeon. well written and voiced. but some enemies one-shot you
the fire within 7/10 fair mediocre medium+ good dungeon, puzzles, and follower (xp32 not needed for vanilla clothing install)
hel rising 7/10 fair good medium high quality dungeon quest with decent puzzles
tale of tsatampra xiros 7/10 small mediocre medium very nice visuals. well voiced, but some too loud. lvl 20+ (SSE only)
away - come away 7/10 small ok hard well made quest about a mysterious sword. not follower friendly. lvl 30+
beyond reach 7/10 HUGE poor very hard good mature dark story. but lacks polish. awkward dialogue with continuity errors
# moon and star 7/10 fair ok hard great voicing, puzzles, village, and custom boss fight. minor quest order flaws
falskaar 7/10 HUGE ok hard new land with good dungeons. some restrictive quests, navmesh bugs. lvl50+
the forgotten city 7/10 Large poor medium+ good story. custom music. but some flawed dialogue, fake skill checks, and CTDs
project AHO 7/10 Large bad hard great visuals, music, and voicing. but awkward plot, some fetch quests, and bugs
helgen reborn 7/10 Large ok hard good variety, great dungeon, but some "meh" content too, and unconvincing plot
# the noble chaurus 7/10 small poor hard+ great scripted scenes, sounds, boss battle, and notes. but glitchy parts (LE only)
# yellow king 7/10 small ok medium+ good original dungeon with custom assets. good story told through books/notes
# nyhus 7/10 Large mediocre hard surprisingly good new lands mod. voiced basic quests. mostly navmeshed
# m'rissi's tails of trouble 7/10 fair bad hard nice follower. very well voiced. but harsh restrictive quest scenes. random CTDs
# moonpath to elsweyr 7/10 Large mediocre medium nice environments and voicing. bring "Lucien" (follower mod with moonpath patch)
# discworld alpha 6/10 Large bad medium+ good voicing, humor, and music. creative quest design. but unfinished (LE only)
# qaxe's questorium 6/10 Large poor EXTREME well voiced adventures, nice visuals. but silly plot, difficulty spikes. OP loot. lvl 70+
darkend 6/10 Large mediocre EXTREME impressive bleak environments. but bad boss fight balance. no follower navmesh
the shroud of jotunheim 6/10 Large poor hard great dark atmosphere, but a bit tedious and glitchy. no followers (LE only)
# dragon break 6/10 fair ok medium+ [adult humor] funny adventures. well voiced. but annoying random chatter. lvl40+
# midwood isle 6/10 Large bad medium+ new land. well voiced. some restrictive scenes and bad NPC spawns. many CTDs
sorcery 6/10 fair good medium (steam workshop) decent quest, nice environments to explore
undeath 6/10 fair poor medium good lore, atmosphere and custom music. needs patches. not follower friendly
# orange moon 6/10 fair poor medium+ good dungeon. good unmarked puzzle quest. well written notes. very lore friendly
primeval real estate 6/10 tiny good medium short dungeon with very well voiced humorous dialogue (SSE only)
fortune's tradehouse 6/10 small good easy a set of decent short quests. excellent voicing. slightly OP loot
a feathered friend 6/10 tiny good easy nice short quest, well voiced
immersive idiots 6/10 fair mediocre EXTREME [crude adult humor] good funny voice acting. for lvl 70+. some bugs
club obos 6/10 small ok medium [crude adult humor] simple funny quest with a good voice actor (LE only)
# the shadow of meresis 6/10 fair ok hard good puzzles and voice acting, but some translation errors and other flaws
# pirates of the pacific 6/10 fair mediocre medium+ decent well paced adventure. basic voicing. nice visuals. not lore friendly (LE only)
# red flame 6/10 small ok medium impressive cathedral. good unmarked quest and well written notes. few enemies
#easierrider's dungeon pk 6/10 Large mediocre medium a set of high quality dungeons. but minor fps dips and some not follower friendly
# the island 6/10 Large poor easy beautiful. exploration focus. but tedious "find item" puzzles, backtracking, low fps
# secret of dragon cleft 6/10 Large bad very hard wow. epic dungeon with unique design! but serious bugs. no followers (LE only)
# the hanging gardens 6/10 fair mediocre very hard beautiful dwemer temple/island, but low fps and not follower friendly
the evil mansion 6/10 fair ok hard good resident evil remake with many key/button puzzles. lore and follower friendly
# death consumes all 6/10 Large bad very hard+ good but flawed story, great voicing. some tedious, confusing, or broken quests
conan hyborian age 6/10 small ok hard decent dungeon quest, with custom music and voiced conan, hard boss
idemdall's folly 6/10 small ok medium+ decent dungeon quest. neat boss fight. has an annoying talking sword. lvl 30+
the secrets of arc cyrae 6/10 fair poor hard decent dungeons. normal difficulty, except for a 20+ draugr ambush (SSE only)
the midden - expanded 6/10 fair poor moderate high quality lore friendly dungeon. well written. but some bugs, not follower friendly
#konahriks accoutrement 6/10 fair ok hard decent dungeon with some neat features. lore friendly
# aesir armor 6/10 small mediocre hard decent dungeon with hard riddle puzzles. minor light flicker and roombound bugs
volundr 6/10 fair mediocre medium good dungeon. slightly OP custom spells and loot. minor music bug (LE only)
temple of kruziik 6/10 small good medium nice draugr dungeon, like heimfeigr (but shorter), cool boss fight
sea of ghosts 6/10 fair ok medium+ (steam workshop) ship travel and island exploration. mediocre voicing. OP loot
thief in the (k)night 6/10 small mediocre - relaxing treasure hunt with well written notes. but items can glitch out (LE only)
the dead bee scrolls 6/10 small good medium poorly voiced, but otherwise a good quality small dungeon quest (LE only)
# salem 6/10 Large mediocre very hard basic island with nice silly lighthearted adventures. not lore friendly. lvl 60+ (LE)
the mcmiller chronicles 6/10 small good medium+ some amusing parts, but also a bit tedious - slow pacing, and slow voice acting
moonshimmer mine 6/10 fair ok medium decent dungeon. well balanced. but has 1 "broken active script" (LE only)
temple of phynaster 6/10 small ok medium+ nice snow-elf themed dungeon (SSE only)
ogmund's tomb 6/10 fair good medium decent conventional draugr dungeon. no bugs. follower friendly
cairnstone tower 6/10 fair poor very hard+ hardcore soul cairn dungeon with custom bosses. glitchy. no followers (LE only)
the tower of nchunak 6/10 small mediocre hard fairly decent voiced dungeon quest with a good maze (LE only)
tramp's rest 6/10 tiny ok hard classic D&D themed dungeon. custom assets and enemies. not follower friendly
curse of the hound amlt. 6/10 tiny poor medium well voiced short dungeon quest. but the dungeon is very basic
# green sleeves 6/10 fair good easy decent follow-the-notes quest. many lore friendly books. neat custom follower
frozen in time 6/10 fair mediocre easy neat necromancer waifu quest. but mediocre voicing, minor quest design flaws
stendarr's beacon ruhm. 6/10 tiny ok easy great visuals. but dungeon quest part is very short. semi lore friendly (SSE only)
white flower 6/10 tiny ok - relaxing beautiful environments. no quest or enemies (SSE only)
# iomaungandr rising 6/10 small ok medium decent dragon shout puzzles. but annoying rumbling noise
middle earth redone 6/10 Large poor easy good and bad LOTR levels. has some enemies, but no quests. low fps, CTDs
# vominheim 5/10 Large ok very hard decent dungeon crawl island. follower friendly. no quests or voicing. lvl 50+
hammet's dungeon packs 5/10 HUGE ok hard decent big dungeon pack. follower friendly. slightly OP loot. unleveled. lvl 40+
# glamoril 5/10 fair poor hard good boss fights. but quest fails to start on some saves. not follower friendly
# the tools of kagrenac 5/10 fair mediocre hard tedious puzzles. voices too loud. not follower friendly. nice slightly OP loot
# dwemertech 5/10 fair poor very hard hi-tech themed quest. OP weapons/spells. not so lore friendly
dwemer colosseum 5/10 fair mediocre hard arena with crowd effects, but has some rough edges. not lore friendly
the candle makers 5/10 fair mediocre medium+ simple quests in a nice mountain fortress. mixed voicing. feels unfinished (LE only)
# qothmaar 5/10 small mediocre medium puzzle dungeon with good scripted boss fight. minor "active effects" bug (LE only)
# insanity clause 5/10 fair bad *mixed* funny xmas themed mod, great voicing, but has very glitchy quest mechanics
# tinvaak 5/10 small bad easy well written books. lore friendly. but tedious. some CTDs and other serious bugs
a mortal ailment 5/10 tiny mediocre medium well voiced short "talk to and then kill" dragon quest. average writing (SSE only)
dwarven pride 5/10 small bad medium+ well voiced. good dungeon. but some backtracking. CTDs if boss gets near you
the haven 5/10* fair bad - beautiful island (no quests), but low fps, and dirty edits that mess up your game
# ambriel 5/10 fair bad medium+ story taken from star wars. poor writing, not so lore friendly, very buggy quests
# mirai 5/10 fair poor hard teen "waifu" follower. mix of good and annoying voicing. flawed story. CTDs
heimfeigr 5/10 fair mediocre medium decent draugr dungeon. custom music, puzzle, and scripted boss. some bugs
akaviri ruins of savirien 5/10 small mediocre medium decent open air akaviri themed dungeon (SSE only)
# fight the thalmor 1 5/10 small bad hard nice environment and dungeon. but bad writing, and fatal bug if you have followers
into the depths 5/10 small ok medium basic but nice short haunted dungeon, some jump scares, no followers (LE only)
# world of rudra 5/10* Large bad very hard+ beautiful oriental lands. but tedious buggy unvoiced quests, bad engrish. CTDs
# song of parkin-san 5/10 fair mediocre easy good story, but also annoying and tedious. lovely ending. ties in daedric quests
underhanded slavery 5/10 small bad hard well voiced short quest. but serious bugs and CTDs
teldryn serious 5/10 fair mediocre hard some neat features, but badly written messy plot. not follower friendly
shadows of the past 5/10 fair ok hard moderately decent fetch/kill quests in varied locations, some poor voice acting
path of the revenant 5/10 small ok hard necromancy themed small dungeon and player home. good unique loot
# anfangrum's cleft 5/10 fair ok medium+ average dungeon with a dragon fight, books, and "find the lever" puzzles (LE only)
agent of righteous might 5/10 Large poor hard great story, but many bugs, some very tedious and glitchy quests, mixed writing
lost colony of akavir SE 5/10 Large poor hard impressive environment design. has enemies but no quests. limited navmesh
m.h.a.r.p.h.i.n 5/10 fair poor very hard sometimes funny and wonderful. also weird, buggy, and tedious. not lore friendly
jurgholm 5/10 fair good very hard large dremora dungeon with some neat features. for lvl 60+ players
sins of the past 5/10 small ok - five well written short stories, found during a simple quest. relaxing (LE only)
# molag bal's inferno 5/10 fair bad EXTREME good visuals and voicing. but tedious and broken parts, loud dante, CTDs
fable - shadow of past 5/10 fair poor medium beautiful island. nice music. custom assets. but few enemies, no LOD (LE only)
# shadow of the dragon 5/10 fair BROKEN very hard great story, good challenging combat. but unfinished and broken quests (LE only)
# the last refuge 5/10 Large BROKEN very hard a well voiced adventure with some nice locations, but mostly ruined by bugs
# valley of outcasts 4/10 fair bad very hard well voiced. but many bugs, some tedious and confusing parts, crude level design
a cure for the nightmare 4/10 small bad easy decent voiced short nightmare themed quest, but quite glitchy (LE only)
cycle of the silencer 4/10 fair BROKEN hard decent story, some neat cutscenes. but glitchy broken quests (LE only)
skyrim underground 4/10 Large mediocre hard mostly dull corridors. custom enemies. one of the quest givers was well voiced
lord balmer's playground 4/10 small bad medium short jump scare dungeon with multiple endings. tedious and rough parts (LE only)
gothic orpheus project 4/10 Large bad very hard new land with nice environments but low fps. bad fetch quests with bad engrish
# the volgon isles 4/10 Large bad medium nice looking new land. but no quests, few enemies, limited navmesh (LE only)
orvar's tomb remastered 4/10 tiny mediocre moderate half decent small dungeon with a boss fight (LE only)
skjolga's basin 4/10 small ok easy half decent dungeon with a story told through journals
wild goose chase quest 4/10 tiny good easy joke mod that parodies bethesda's dumb quest design (LE only)
arweden 4/10 fair poor very hard badly written. dull start, but dungeon part is ok. bring 3+ followers into dungeon
ayleid ruins of arashai 4/10 fair poor hard a few nice areas, but mostly dull corridors. not follower friendly (LE only)
the realms of daedra 4/10 small good medium (steam workshop) short, not voiced
the warrior of rivercrest 4/10 tiny good medium small village and basic arena dungeon. ties in the TES:Blades story (SSE only)
fugitive of the natural ord 4/10 fair mediocre hard some simple half decent quests. but lots of fast travel, follower repeats lines a lot
#anna npcs 4/10 fair mediocre - like "interesting NPCs", but lower quality and less lore friendly. a few good bits
pit fighter 4/10 fair good medium+ ok but repetitive, no difficulty scaling, lacks some excitement
# fight the thalmor 2-4 4/10 fair bad hard weak story, many enemies in tight spaces, not lore friendly, not follower friendly
sword of sigdan 4/10 fair mediocre EXTREME large dungeon with very hard boss fights for lvl 70+ players. not follower friendly
solemn keep 4/10 small DANGER hard nice looking bandit dungeon, but may cause severe script lag* (tested on Oldrim)
it beats for her 4/10 tiny good - subtle storytelling, but very basic, not voiced
# the abandoned temple 4/10 fair poor hard badly placed entrance, dull corridors and repetitive puzzles. not follower friendly
immersive dungeons 4/10 Large bad very hard huge dungeons with many enemies and too many traps. no followers. some CTDs
# nereva 4/10 Large mediocre medium+ (steam workshop) fairly pretty but basic new land. unvoiced fetch quests. OP loot
temple of black rock 4/10 small poor very hard+ half decent draugr dungeon with backtracking. get shouted at a lot. OP final boss
# the warpers 4/10 fair BROKEN hard+ decent story and dungeons. unvoiced. but glitchy broken quests (LE only)
mines of moria revised 3/10 Large bad very hard amazing scale, but many low quality or broken parts. not follower friendly (LE only)
tale of the dragon's bane 3/10 small ok - easy to follow treasure hunt with a story. bad placement of notes, many typos
sondenheim 3/10 small good moderate fairly basic small dungeon, but not bad
# spectraverse 3/10 Large bad EXTREME well voiced. some neat puzzles. but ruined by confusing overly-harsh mechanics
# wheels of lull 3/10 Large BROKEN hard great potential, but ruined by very tedious parts, and many CTDs
brhuce hammar 3/10 fair bad hard [strong language] funny. cool. but very tedious parts, painful loud sounds, CTDs
doubtsuspended quest pk 3/10 fair poor easy well voiced but otherwise dull quests. not ideal for paragon characters
forgotten dungeons 3/10 Large ok medium a mix of average and bad dungeons. slight copy-paste feel
skyrim sewers 3/10 fair mediocre medium dull level design. very under-scaled relative to overworld distances
gersonia 3/10 fair poor very hard huge dungeon. platforming, hard traps. bad navmesh. not lore friendly (LE only)
rescue bronwen 3/10 small poor hard short, fun. but silly, mixed voicing, and stupidly over-sized dogs (LE only)
isobel 3/10 small bad easy voiced basic quests using radiant system. last quest was broken. also form-43
umbra island 3/10 Large bad very hard some neat ideas, but flawed puzzles, glitchy enemies, cheap traps. no followers
the bigger they are 3/10 small good medium (steam workshop) short quest with a boss fight, not voiced
no mercy 3/10 small ok hard (steam workshop) basic level design, no voice acting. short, but lore friendly
skyrim murder mysteries 3/10 small mediocre easy basic follow-the-notes quests. basic writing. no puzzles or thinking
folkvangr 3/10 small mediocre medium small island with a town and a tedious dungeon. a few enemies, no quests
# frostmaarch 3/10 fair poor hard basic land with nice views. dragons. no quests/dungeons. bad navmesh (LE only)
# zelda tarm ruins 3/10 small bad medium nice music and level based on oracle of seasons. but also very basic and buggy
ashland mine 3/10 tiny poor hard tiny basic mine full of glitched large skeevers. map to find mine missing texture
lost wonders of mzark 3/10 fair poor very hard painfuly loud sound effects, tedious gameplay, low frame rates
volthar manor revisited 3/10 fair poor EXTREME tedious hard find-the-item puzzles. not so lore friendly. very OP loot. lvl 70+
wulftur's lodge 3/10 ? bad ? good voicing and visuals. but first quest seems to be broken, or cant figure it out
#gray cowl of nocturnal 3/10 Large good hard+ tedious puzzles, running, backtracking, bad level design, and bad writing. OP loot
ravengate 3/10 fair bad EXTREME had potential, but poorly balanced, trolls the player, backtracking, bad dialogue etc
the sinister seven 3/10 fair poor EXTREME nice concept, but poorly balanced and not lore friendly. OP oversized bosses etc
# blackland 3/10 Large poor hard mostly fetch quests, bad voicing, bad level design. lots of running. lvl 50+ (LE only)
# curse of akavir - phoe 3/10 HUGE BROKEN hard a few nice environments. but ruined by how broken and empty the rest is. a pity
the isles esroniet 3/10 Large bad hard nice looking town, but rest is bad. too much walking. bad dungeons. wild edits
# the index 2/10 small BROKEN EXTREME would be an epic boss battle, but too many bugs and constant CTDs (LE only)
the warden stone 2/10 tiny ok medium+ just a very basic and small dungeon (LE only)
great treasure hunt 2/10 small poor - not great. poorly placed clues. some could glitch out. badly written
captain sharphook 2/10 fair bad medium+ bad follow-the-clues treasure hunt. notes fell through the map. tedious (LE only)
windcaller pass 2/10 small poor medium+ large but dull caves with a copy-paste feel. over-powered loot
tomb of ahranas 2/10 tiny poor hard badly designed low effort dungeon from 2012 (LE only)
secret of dragonhead 2/10 fair ok hard low quality dungeon with lots of running. has not aged well since 2012
# the sky residence 2/10 small bad hard low quality new land. very loud bad voice recordings. not lore friendly (LE only)
the master's trial 2/10 fair poor medium bland fetch quests, bad writing, mixed voicing, some bugs. ~5 hours...wasted
mara's island 1/10 fair bad medium nonsensical plot, lazy level design, lazy NPC placement, CTDs (LE only)
the forgotten prince 1/10 fair bad mixed ok voicing. bad writing. awful copy-paste dungeons. serious bugs (LE only)
# vodahmin qoth 1/10 small bad very hard+ low quality tedious dungeon. pointless master locked doors. trolling wild edits
Also take a look at my Concise Skyrim Modding Guide
Shameless plug: If you're looking for a simple modding guide, take a look at my Concise Skyrim Modding Guide.
Introduction
This is a complete recalibration of Skyrim's detection formula, which improves the balanced and realism of sneaking. It is not a "hardcore" mod - sneaking is both harder and easier where necessary. You can use it by itself, or load it after perk and gameplay overhaul mods.
Instead of making simple tweaks to the vanilla settings (like other detection mods do), this mod holistically re-calibrates the whole formula from the ground up. This represents over 350 hours of meticulous research and optimization work.
Features
- No scripts. No perk edits. No performance impact. 100% reliable.
- NPC view cone is reduced to 160deg (from 190deg in vanilla).
- Ambient light, equipment weight, and line-of-sight are now more important than your sneak skill level. Enemies won't become deaf and blind as you increase your sneak level and perks.
- NPCs are much more sensitive to light. They can now see better in dimly lit environments, and will quickly spot you if you are carrying a light source. Even equipping a spell that lights up your hand will get you spotted. However, in total darkness (with a mod like ELFX Hardcore) NPCs will be blind.
- A higher attenuation factor in the detection formula enables NPCs to see you realistically in very low light levels when very near, without making detection over-powered at further distances (same applies to hearing). It also makes this mod scale better to different perk, armor, and lighting mods.
- The difference between NPC detection range for interiors and exteriors has been greatly reduced. (in vanilla, enemies had x2.1 more detection range outside compared to inside. RAID increases interior ranges significantly, but reduces the outdoor range multiple to between x1.1 or x1.3 depending on the version). Overall this means RAID indoors detection range is about 30% higher than vanilla, while outdoor detection range is about the same as vanilla.
- Enemies will search longer - 70 seconds if you fire an arrow into their knee (was 20), ~70 sec after losing track of someone in combat (was ~40), 40 sec if they find a dead body (was 15), and 20-50 sec if they see or hear something (was 12-20).
- When searching, enemies will do a better job checking corners, and they will cover a larger area.
- The huge difference between standing and sneaking has been reduced to a realistic amount. No longer will enemies detect you unfairly far away just because you were standing, and neither will they become blind and deaf the moment you start to sneak.
- NPC wall-hacking has been reduced in various scenarios: In vanilla, if you broke line-of-sight in combat, NPCs could wall-hack you for up to 10 seconds - this has now been reduced to 5 seconds (making it easier to evade a pursuing enemy, and then backstab them). In vanilla, any nearby enemy with a sneak skill over 50 would wall-hack you indefinitely if you were standing - this effect has now been reduced. In vanilla, casting any loud spell would heavily drain your ability to stay hidden for 5 seconds, which usually resulted in getting wall-hacked over large distances for 10 seconds - this has now been reduced to a slight drain for only 2 seconds, which almost eliminates wall-hacking.
- "Invisibility" and "Muffle" effects now work when standing and running. In vanilla, these effects did not work against any enemy type when out of sneak mode. With this mod, if you have both "invisibility" and "muffle" active, you will now be 100% undetectable to low level bandits, even while sprinting right in-front of them. However, enemies with enhanced detection abilities, like mages, vampires, falmer, and dragons, will be able to see through these effects when you are standing or running (but not as much as in vanilla).
- If an enemy has not detected you yet and is in combat with someone else, it is now easier to sneak past or backstab them (since all their attention is focused on combat). This effect is stronger in dark environments.
- NPC reaction time is slightly increased in some situations. If you suddenly appear in front of a relaxed enemy, they may need a second to realise you are an enemy (instead of instantly attacking as they do in vanilla).
- Sleeping enemies have slightly reduced hearing abilities (in vanilla their hearing was the same as when awake).
- Enemies will notice dead bodies 10m away and start a search (was 5m in vanilla). Civilians are also more likely to react to dead bodies nearby instead of ignoring them as they often do in vanilla.
- When someone sees you commit a crime, the distance guards come running has been reduced significantly.
5 versions for different user preferences and various lighting mod setups
You can only use one version at the same time. It is safe to swap versions or uninstall during a playthrough.
You can use any RAID version with any lighting/weather mod setup you want, but my recommendations are provided in the 2nd image above.
Realistic AI Detection Lite
Small increase to NPC visual detection ability both indoors and outdoors. Small audio detection rebalance.
This is what vanilla detection should have been. This version is optimal for vanilla lighting if you want a bit more realism but not much more difficulty.
After checking the 2nd image above, if you are still not sure what version to get, start with this one, and upgrade to a more powerful version later if needed.
Realistic AI Detection - Medium Interior, Medium Exterior
Medium increase to NPC visual detection ability both indoors and outdoors. Moderate audio detection rebalance.
This version is suitable for vanilla lighting and many other lighting/weather mods if you want much more realistic and challenging sneak gameplay.
Realistic AI Detection - High Interior, High Exterior
Large increase to NPC visual detection ability both indoors and outdoors. Moderate audio detection rebalance.
This version is over-powered for Vanilla and most other lighting/weather mods, but ideal for ELFX Enhancer/Hardcore and RAID Weathers.
This is the original version of the mod I use myself in combination with ELFX "Hardcore" and RAID Weathers - the way its meant to be played.
Realistic AI Detection - High Interior, Medium Exterior
Large increase to indoor visual detection ability, medium increase to outdoor detection. Moderate audio detection rebalance.
This version is over-powered for Vanilla and most other lighting/weather mods.
Realistic AI Detection - Medium Interior, High Exterior
Medium increase to indoor visual detection ability, large increase to outdoor detection. Moderate audio detection rebalance.
This version is over-powered for Vanilla and most other lighting/weather mods.
Lighting/weather mods and stealth gameplay balance
Light-based detection mechanics in Skyrim are controlled by two things. First, the lighting/weather mods you use, and second, the detection mod you use. The lighting/weather mod controls what amount of light is in a location. The detection formula (tweaked by "Realistic AI Detection") then controls how that amount of light affects detection mechanics. If a lighting/weather mod does not provide appropriate lighting data to the detection formula, then there is little a detection mod like this can do to fix it.
One of the reasons some lighting/weather mods do not provide appropriate lighting data, is that Skyrim's engine does not feed all forms of lighting data into the detection formula. As far as I know, only "Sunlight Scale" in the imagespace records, and "Ambient" and "Sunlight" in the weather records are fed into the detection formula. All other imagespace and weather records (including "DALC" data), and external effects like ENB and Reshade, are ignored by the detection formula. So if a lighting/weather mod makes nights very dark the wrong way, the game engine still interprets that night as vanilla bright. So, the player could be blinded by the darkness, while enemy NPCs would still spot you easily from afar, which feels unfair (example: any dark ENB presets). The opposite is also possible - some mods appear as bright as vanilla but tell the detection formula it is extremely dark - resulting in near-blind NPCs in well lit environments (example: Luminosity).
There can be other problems too: some mods provide higher light levels for stormy or foggy weather than clear weather, and some mods provide higher light levels for a particular weather type at night than the same weather during the day.
While some of these flaws can be easily fixed by lighting/weather mod authors, optimising a whole weather mod for detection balance is hard work.
I tested nearly every weather and lighting mod for detection balance, using "player.gll". See the second image above for the results.
The "player.gll" console command prints out values ranging from 0 to 150+, representing the "real" amount of light at your character that is used in detection calculations by NPCs. If you try this, make sure to disable RAID (as it affects results), and stay away from point-light sources like candles and fires. Also take shadows near buildings into consideration. Also note that after loading a save or changing the weather or time of day, "player.gll" readouts often glitch out, so it is best to unpause the game for a few seconds and re-take the "player.gll" reading a few times to ensure the correct value is displayed. In vanilla Skyrim, values for daytime range from about 40 to 150, and night values ranges from about 30 to 70, depending on the weather.
You can of course use other weather and lighting mods. This “trifecta” just shows you how to get the best gameplay balance if that is your priority.
Installation
Use your mod management program, or put the .esp file in your Skyrim/data folder and activate it in the mod tab from the main menu.
Place it near the bottom of your load order, below any mods that also edit detection settings.
Do not clean this mod with SSEEdit.
Uninstalling
Just uninstall it using your mod manager, or delete the mod's .esp file in Skyrim/data
It is 100% safe to uninstall or re-install during a serious playthrough.
Compatibility with other mods
This mod must be loaded after any mods that also edit detection settings (like Immersive Citizens, Requiem, Combat Evolved, Thief Skills Rebalance for Ordinator, and NAT).
RAID is compatible with all lighting/weather mods, but your choice of those mods will strongly affect detection balance (even if you don't use RAID) as explained above. See the 2nd mod image for RAID version suggestions for different weather/lighting mods.
More specific mod compatibility info:
"Magic Sneak Attacks" is compatible and highly recommended.
"Dynamic Weather and Time Based Detection" is compatible. Its features do not overlap much with RAID, so they can compliment each other.
However, DWATBD can behave erratically sometimes. Test with it disabled if you encounter problems with detection.
Some users have reported that the hardcore sneaking component of "Ultimate Combat" conflicts with RAID.
Mods that add extra enemies to dungeons may sometimes cause problems when used with this mod - see the article tab for more info and a solution.
Mods that change detection settings via scripts (like Skytweak) may produce unexpected results if used in combination with this mod.
"Improved Traps" is compatible, but RAID will reduce the range enemies can hear traps by about 30% (a minor unintended side effect).
"Face Light" breaks detection mechanics if used with RAID as it makes bad edits to detection GMSTs using scripts.
"Invisibility" was problematic for some users, but others report no issues. If you have trouble, use the newer Uninterrupted Invisibility mod instead.
Other mods that are technically fully compatible, but worsen or break detection mechanics, EVEN IF YOU DON'T USE RAID:
"EVLaS" breaks shadow based detection mechanics at dawn/dusk/night whether you use RAID or not.
"Relationship Dialogue Overhaul" has a minor bug that prevents civilian NPCs from commenting on dead bodies they find.
Mods adding illumination effects to weapons may allow enemies to spot you easily. Note: vanilla weapon effects (like dawnbreaker) don't affect sneaking.
"Moon Phase Affects Brightness at Night" strongly affects detection balance, sometimes making it worse (depending on the weather mod you use).
FAQ
Q1: Can you please tell me what version of this mod to use with my specific mod setup.
A: Look at the 2nd picture above that lists most lighting mods and suggests a RAID version to go with them. If you are still unsure, sorry, I can't help you. There are so many different mod setups out there, and detection balance is very subjective anyway. If in doubt, just try RAID "Lite" first.
You can always try another version later. It is 100% safe to uninstall or reinstall another version during a serious playthrough.
Q2: Do I need to use the "High" version if my mods make the game much darker?
A: Not necessarily. Darker lighting mods do not always affect detection the way you would expect. See the "lighting/weather mods" section above.
Q3: I tried the "Lite" version but it still feels too difficult. Help?
A: Obviously sneaking will be a bit harder with this mod, but you should be fine if you use common sense. Some basic advice:
1. Make sure your other mods are not messing up detection (like dark ENBs as explained further up).
2. Avoid enemy line-of-sight, no matter how high your sneak skill/perk level is.
3. Don't equip any light source, including spells that light up your hand.
4. Invest in the "stealth" and "muffled movement" sneak perks (or their equivalent if you use a perk mod).
5. The invisibility potion or spell will be essential in some situations.
6. Stay in the shadows, where it is dark. (ELFX Enhancer/ELE/RLO/Ambiance make sneaking easier as they makes dungeons darker, the correct way)
7. Keep the total weight of your equipped armor and weapon low. (Note - anything not equipped has no effect on sneaking).
8. When sneaking up to someone from behind, it is best to move slowly (use the walk button on keyboard) when you get close.
9. Get creative and devise new tactics like this - Using inigo's teleport ability to stealth one-shot a bandit chief
Q4: Sometimes NPCs are very slow to detect me (even when not sneaking), or other NPCs (even if hit by a "Frenzy" spell). Is it caused by this mod?
A: Possibly, but only to a limited extent. If you are using RAID "Lite", it may mean your lighting setup requires a more powerful version of RAID like "medium" or "high". However, some lighting/weather mods have detection balance problems (as explained higher up this page) that can't be fixed by any version of RAID - in that case you would need to fix your lighting setup, or accept this side effect, or stop using RAID.
Vanilla detection does not exhibit this problem as much because it allows NPCs that can't see anything (because of your choice of lighting mod) to still sense or "wall-hack" nearby targets that are not in sneak mode. RAID greatly reduces this wall-hacking ability thus forcing NPCs to rely more on sight and hearing - which works fine with vanilla lighting, or a well designed lighting/weather mod, but otherwise will not.
Also check your load order for any mods mentioned in the compatibility section.
Q5: How does RAID compare with Ordinator's optional Thief Skills Rebalanced module? Are they compatible?
A: They are only compatible if you put RAID lower in your load order, as RAID must overwrite any detection settings.
Get Thief Skills (without RAID) if you just want slightly harder vanilla sneak mechanics. It feels similar to vanilla.
Get RAID if you want a total overhaul of sneak mechanics. It feels very different from vanilla.
Q6: I want to play a sneaky mage, but enemies keep spotting me when I have a glowing spell in my hands. What can be done about this?
A: After extensive testing, I have found that looking slightly down from horizontal strongly increases the effect spell glow has on detection. This is a quirk of how Skyrim's detection works, it has nothing to do with RAID. Looking up by just 5deg from horizontal will minimise how much NPCs can detect spell glow. It sounds silly, but its true! Try this with the "player.gll" console command if you don't believe me.
Also, there is a mod called "Lights Out" that disables spell glow when equipped in your hand. It has compatibility patches for many magic mods.
You could also try "The Art of Shadow" mod, which gives you 2 spells to create darkness to hide in (the opposite of candlelight and magelight).
And, if you play a sneaky mage, don't forget to try "Magic Sneak Attacks".
Q7: Enemies and/or followers are sometimes unresponsive in my game, as if they are brain dead. Is it caused by this mod?
A: No. Check your other mods. Some people even experience this problem in vanilla Skyrim. Also, if your setup has script lag or generally poor performance, detection responsiveness may suffer as a result.
Also note, the "Immersive Citizens" mod will stop civilians and named NPCs from retaliating when you attack, if you are a much higher level than them (they are not brain dead, but controlled by an "avoid combat" AI package).
Q8: Does this mod affect NPCs, mod added NPCs, followers, animals, dragons, falmer etc? Does it affect how NPCs can detect other NPCs?
A: Yes. It affects the detection of everything. This is the case with all detection mods, not just mine.
Q9: Falmer can see me if I use this mod. Aren't Falmer supposed to be blind?
A: Falmer are NOT 100% blind. They are actually 80% blind according to the game files. In vanilla this may seem like 100% because normal NPC vision is already very weak. In RAID, all enemies can see much better, including Falmer, but their sight is still 80% worse than that of a normal enemy.
Q10: Does this mod work in Enderal SE?
A: Yes.
Q11: Did Bethesda change how detection behaves in Special Edition, compared to Legendary Edition.
A: Yes and no. There are no major changes, and the detection formula is identical. However, Bethesda did make small changes to lighting, particularly the weather at night. Special Edition nights have even more light than Legendary Edition nights.
Technical information, and DIY tweaking
This mod edits 45 game settings (GMST), and deliberately includes an additional 14 ITM edits. The ITMs are safe and ensure this mod functions correctly when loaded after a mod that also edits detection GMSTs.
If you want to know more about what these GMSTs do, download the "GMST Datasheet" on the download page.
Also, I have sorted these GMST records in xEdit logically by subsystem, in the same order as shown below to make it easer for you to tweak them yourself.
I have added short notes to some to tell you what to change or not. The ones without notes are best left alone unless you really know what you are doing.
Avoid the temptation to directly compare my values to vanilla in isolation! Many of these GMSTs interact with each other so context is very important.
(format: GMST name, vanilla value, RAID3 medium/medium value)
formula core
fSneakBaseValue -15 -4.0
fSneakDistanceAttenuationExponent 2 5
visual
fDetectionViewCone 190 160 easy to tweak yourself, but 160 is the best compromise
fDetectionSneakLightMod 15 6 decrease this to make it easier to hide in the dark both inside and outside
fSneakLightMult 0.33 0.6 controls how fast sneak eye indicator opens indoors in general
fSneakLightExteriorMult 0.5 1.0 controls how fast sneak eye indicator opens outdoors in general
fSneakLightMoveMult 0.01 0.1
fSneakLightRunMult 0.2 0.7
iLightLevelInteriorMod 25 13 increase to make it easier to hide in the dark when inside. don't go over 25
iLightLevelExteriorMod 0 10 increase to make it easier to hide in the dark when outside
iLightLevelMax 300 200
audio
fSneakSoundsMult 1 .7
fSneakSoundLosMult 0.3 0.28
fSneakEquippedWeightBase 12 5
fSneakEquippedWeightMult .5 0.25
fSneakActionMult 2 1
fSneakRunningMult 2 2.15
distances
fSneakMaxDistance 2500 5400 master control for how far away NPCs can detect you via sight, sound, and sneak skill
fSneakExteriorDistanceMult 2.1 1.2 (vanilla 2.1*2500=5250)
fSneakFlyingDistanceMult 3 ITM if dragons have trouble finding and engaging you, increase this value to 5 or higher
fDetectProjectileDistanceNPC 512 ITM
fDetectProjectileDistancePlayer 1024 ITM
fDetectEventDistanceNPC 512 ITM
fDetectEventDistancePlayer 1536 ITM
iCrimeAlarmLowRecDistance 2000 1500 lower this to make guards less likely to respond to witnesses who report your crimes
iCrimeAlarmRecDistance 4000 3000 lower this to make guards less likely to respond to witnesses who report your crimes
fDeadReactionDistance 400 800 avoid increasing this one too much, its weird
timers
fCombatStealthPointRegenAlertWaitTime 10 15 you could increase these for even longer searches, avoid going over 50
fCombatStealthPointRegenDetectedEventWaitTime 10 30 you could increase these for even longer searches, avoid going over 100 fCombatStealthPointRegenAttackedWaitTime 15 50 you could increase these for even longer searches, avoid going over 100
fCombatStealthPointRegenLostWaitTime 10 20 you could increase these for even longer searches, avoid going over 100
fCombatDetectionLostTimeLimit 10 15 avoid messing with this one
fCombatDetectionNoticedTimeLimit 10 5 avoid messing with this one (how long NPCs wall hack you in open combat)
fActorAlertSoundTimer 5 2 avoid messing with this one
fDetectionEventExpireTime 5 2 avoid messing with this one
contextual modifiers
fSneakAlertMod 0 1 don't touch
fSneakCombatMod -0.4 -2 don't touch
fSneakSleepBonus 0 -0.3 you can fine-tune, but any lower than -0.5 and sleeping NPCs are in a coma
skill system
fSneakSkillMult 0.5 0.08 don't touch!!!
fPlayerDetectionSneakMult 0.4 0.7
fPlayerDetectionSneakBase 10 5
fSneakPerceptionSkillMax 100 ITM
fSneakPerceptionSkillMin 0 ITM
stealth point system
fCombatStealthPointDrainMult 3 ITM
fCombatStealthPointRegenMult 0.2 0.08 increase to speed up sneak "eye" icon closing speed (after the above timers run out)
fCombatStealthPointRegenMin 5 2.5 increase to speed up sneak "eye" icon closing speed (after the above timers run out)
iCombatStealthPointDetectionThreshold 25 35
iCombatStealthPointSneakDetectionThreshold 70 ITM
fCombatStealthPointAttackedMaxValue 50 ITM
fCombatStealthPointDetectedEventMaxValue 75 ITM
fCombatStealthPointMax 100 ITM
search system
fCombatSearchExteriorRadiusMax 2048 2560 if you increase the timers above, u can increase this slightly for further reaching searches
fCombatSearchExteriorRadiusMin 1280 1536
fCombatSearchInteriorRadiusMax 1280 1536 if you increase the timers above, u can increase this slightly for further reaching searches
fCombatSearchInteriorRadiusMin 768 1024
fCombatSearchSightRadius 1536 1024
fCombatSearchInvestigateTime 2.5 3.5
fCombatSearchLookTime 1 ITM
fCombatSearchStartWaitTime 1 ITM
Credits and permissions
Mod by Olivier Doorenbos.
All Donation Points go to charity. $720 donated as of Mar-2022. God bless!
You may distribute this mod in a "mod pack", only if it is non-commercial, no DP, and you have full permissions+credits for all other mods in the pack.
If you want to do anything else that goes beyond personal use, please contact me first (here on Nexus).
And hey Bethesda Studios, I would be happy to properly calibrate the detection formula of your next Elder Scrolls game. You could do with my help!
Disclaimer
Not suitable for casual gamers and console peasants. No liability will be accepted if these risk groups experience severe stress and feelings of inadequacy as a result of using this mod.
Approved for the glorious PCMR.
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(Off Topic):
List of Rated Quest / Dungeon Mods:
Here's a list of Skyrim quest mods I have played, and rated, as objectively as possible (just my opinion).
I hope this helps you find some good quest mods you may not have tried before (and I hope it helps you to avoid wasting time on the bad ones).
Note: well known mods in bold
Note: "#" indicates a mod unsuitable for a non-dragonborn player character
Mod Name Rating Size Stability/bugs Combat Notes
enderal SE 10/10 HUGE! good hard+ bigger and better than many $60 "AAA" games (not set in the elder scrolls world)
mediEvil H.o.G. 10/10 fair excellent medium+ excellent custom music and annimations. great humor. epic final boss fight
beyond skyrim: bruma 9/10 HUGE good medium+ the benchmark for new lands mods. on par with official DLC. very lore-friendly
interesting NPCs 9/10 HUGE mediocre medium+ excellent quests, followers, writing, and humor. very lore friendly. some bugs
***DAWNGUARD*** *9/10* HUGE ok medium for comparison, this DLC would get a "9/10" if it was a mod (less as paid DLC)
inigo 9/10 fair excellent - arguably the ultimate follower mod. very well voiced. mostly lore friendly
lucien 9/10 fair mediocre medium follower with excellent writing and voicing. good quest. very lore friendly
clockwork 9/10 Large good medium+ beautiful mansion. epic dungeon. good quests and voicing. creepy
identity crisis 8/10 small mediocre medium high quality short quest with great voice acting. but breaks dragon riding
# unslaad 8/10 Large good hard+ fairy tale with a sad *studio ghibli* vibe. the feels. mostly unvoiced. nice OP loot
the cheese of ages 8/10 fair mediocre medium very funny but still lore-friendly, good dungeons, custom music. some minor bugs
***DRAGONBORN*** *7/10* HUGE mediocre medium for comparison, this DLC would get a "7/10" if it was a mod (less as paid DLC)
# wyrmstooth 7/10 HUGE mediocre medium+ beautiful DLC sized island. excellent music and voicing. but some glitchy quests
# the republic of maslea 7/10 Large mediocre hard wonderful tropical land. good story but unfinished. good music. partly unvoiced
# dreamborne isles 7/10 Large mediocre very hard wonderful environments and music. lots of platforming. but unbalanced combat
carved brink 7/10 Large poor medium best environments ever. well voiced (but some too loud). confusing dialog. CTDs
the shire 7/10 HUGE poor hard huge beautiful hobbit land. branching story. but patronising quests/dialog. lvl 30+
# rigmor of bruma 7/10 Large poor very hard great adventure. impressive environments. but awkward parts, unbalanced combat
# maelstrom 7/10 fair mediocre very hard great puzzle dungeon. well written and voiced. but some enemies one-shot you
the fire within 7/10 fair mediocre medium+ good dungeon, puzzles, and follower (xp32 not needed for vanilla clothing install)
hel rising 7/10 fair good medium high quality dungeon quest with decent puzzles
tale of tsatampra xiros 7/10 small mediocre medium very nice visuals. well voiced, but some too loud. lvl 20+ (SSE only)
away - come away 7/10 small ok hard well made quest about a mysterious sword. not follower friendly. lvl 30+
beyond reach 7/10 HUGE poor very hard good mature dark story. but lacks polish. awkward dialogue with continuity errors
# moon and star 7/10 fair ok hard great voicing, puzzles, village, and custom boss fight. minor quest order flaws
falskaar 7/10 HUGE ok hard new land with good dungeons. some restrictive quests, navmesh bugs. lvl50+
the forgotten city 7/10 Large poor medium+ good story. custom music. but some flawed dialogue, fake skill checks, and CTDs
project AHO 7/10 Large bad hard great visuals, music, and voicing. but awkward plot, some fetch quests, and bugs
helgen reborn 7/10 Large ok hard good variety, great dungeon, but some "meh" content too, and unconvincing plot
# the noble chaurus 7/10 small poor hard+ great scripted scenes, sounds, boss battle, and notes. but glitchy parts (LE only)
# yellow king 7/10 small ok medium+ good original dungeon with custom assets. good story told through books/notes
# nyhus 7/10 Large mediocre hard surprisingly good new lands mod. voiced basic quests. mostly navmeshed
# m'rissi's tails of trouble 7/10 fair bad hard nice follower. very well voiced. but harsh restrictive quest scenes. random CTDs
# moonpath to elsweyr 7/10 Large mediocre medium nice environments and voicing. bring "Lucien" (follower mod with moonpath patch)
# discworld alpha 6/10 Large bad medium+ good voicing, humor, and music. creative quest design. but unfinished (LE only)
# qaxe's questorium 6/10 Large poor EXTREME well voiced adventures, nice visuals. but silly plot, difficulty spikes. OP loot. lvl 70+
darkend 6/10 Large mediocre EXTREME impressive bleak environments. but bad boss fight balance. no follower navmesh
the shroud of jotunheim 6/10 Large poor hard great dark atmosphere, but a bit tedious and glitchy. no followers (LE only)
# dragon break 6/10 fair ok medium+ [adult humor] funny adventures. well voiced. but annoying random chatter. lvl40+
# midwood isle 6/10 Large bad medium+ new land. well voiced. some restrictive scenes and bad NPC spawns. many CTDs
sorcery 6/10 fair good medium (steam workshop) decent quest, nice environments to explore
undeath 6/10 fair poor medium good lore, atmosphere and custom music. needs patches. not follower friendly
# orange moon 6/10 fair poor medium+ good dungeon. good unmarked puzzle quest. well written notes. very lore friendly
primeval real estate 6/10 tiny good medium short dungeon with very well voiced humorous dialogue (SSE only)
fortune's tradehouse 6/10 small good easy a set of decent short quests. excellent voicing. slightly OP loot
a feathered friend 6/10 tiny good easy nice short quest, well voiced
immersive idiots 6/10 fair mediocre EXTREME [crude adult humor] good funny voice acting. for lvl 70+. some bugs
club obos 6/10 small ok medium [crude adult humor] simple funny quest with a good voice actor (LE only)
# the shadow of meresis 6/10 fair ok hard good puzzles and voice acting, but some translation errors and other flaws
# pirates of the pacific 6/10 fair mediocre medium+ decent well paced adventure. basic voicing. nice visuals. not lore friendly (LE only)
# red flame 6/10 small ok medium impressive cathedral. good unmarked quest and well written notes. few enemies
#easierrider's dungeon pk 6/10 Large mediocre medium a set of high quality dungeons. but minor fps dips and some not follower friendly
# the island 6/10 Large poor easy beautiful. exploration focus. but tedious "find item" puzzles, backtracking, low fps
# secret of dragon cleft 6/10 Large bad very hard wow. epic dungeon with unique design! but serious bugs. no followers (LE only)
# the hanging gardens 6/10 fair mediocre very hard beautiful dwemer temple/island, but low fps and not follower friendly
the evil mansion 6/10 fair ok hard good resident evil remake with many key/button puzzles. lore and follower friendly
# death consumes all 6/10 Large bad very hard+ good but flawed story, great voicing. some tedious, confusing, or broken quests
conan hyborian age 6/10 small ok hard decent dungeon quest, with custom music and voiced conan, hard boss
idemdall's folly 6/10 small ok medium+ decent dungeon quest. neat boss fight. has an annoying talking sword. lvl 30+
the secrets of arc cyrae 6/10 fair poor hard decent dungeons. normal difficulty, except for a 20+ draugr ambush (SSE only)
the midden - expanded 6/10 fair poor moderate high quality lore friendly dungeon. well written. but some bugs, not follower friendly
#konahriks accoutrement 6/10 fair ok hard decent dungeon with some neat features. lore friendly
# aesir armor 6/10 small mediocre hard decent dungeon with hard riddle puzzles. minor light flicker and roombound bugs
volundr 6/10 fair mediocre medium good dungeon. slightly OP custom spells and loot. minor music bug (LE only)
temple of kruziik 6/10 small good medium nice draugr dungeon, like heimfeigr (but shorter), cool boss fight
sea of ghosts 6/10 fair ok medium+ (steam workshop) ship travel and island exploration. mediocre voicing. OP loot
thief in the (k)night 6/10 small mediocre - relaxing treasure hunt with well written notes. but items can glitch out (LE only)
the dead bee scrolls 6/10 small good medium poorly voiced, but otherwise a good quality small dungeon quest (LE only)
# salem 6/10 Large mediocre very hard basic island with nice silly lighthearted adventures. not lore friendly. lvl 60+ (LE)
the mcmiller chronicles 6/10 small good medium+ some amusing parts, but also a bit tedious - slow pacing, and slow voice acting
moonshimmer mine 6/10 fair ok medium decent dungeon. well balanced. but has 1 "broken active script" (LE only)
temple of phynaster 6/10 small ok medium+ nice snow-elf themed dungeon (SSE only)
ogmund's tomb 6/10 fair good medium decent conventional draugr dungeon. no bugs. follower friendly
cairnstone tower 6/10 fair poor very hard+ hardcore soul cairn dungeon with custom bosses. glitchy. no followers (LE only)
the tower of nchunak 6/10 small mediocre hard fairly decent voiced dungeon quest with a good maze (LE only)
tramp's rest 6/10 tiny ok hard classic D&D themed dungeon. custom assets and enemies. not follower friendly
curse of the hound amlt. 6/10 tiny poor medium well voiced short dungeon quest. but the dungeon is very basic
# green sleeves 6/10 fair good easy decent follow-the-notes quest. many lore friendly books. neat custom follower
frozen in time 6/10 fair mediocre easy neat necromancer waifu quest. but mediocre voicing, minor quest design flaws
stendarr's beacon ruhm. 6/10 tiny ok easy great visuals. but dungeon quest part is very short. semi lore friendly (SSE only)
white flower 6/10 tiny ok - relaxing beautiful environments. no quest or enemies (SSE only)
# iomaungandr rising 6/10 small ok medium decent dragon shout puzzles. but annoying rumbling noise
middle earth redone 6/10 Large poor easy good and bad LOTR levels. has some enemies, but no quests. low fps, CTDs
# vominheim 5/10 Large ok very hard decent dungeon crawl island. follower friendly. no quests or voicing. lvl 50+
hammet's dungeon packs 5/10 HUGE ok hard decent big dungeon pack. follower friendly. slightly OP loot. unleveled. lvl 40+
# glamoril 5/10 fair poor hard good boss fights. but quest fails to start on some saves. not follower friendly
# the tools of kagrenac 5/10 fair mediocre hard tedious puzzles. voices too loud. not follower friendly. nice slightly OP loot
# dwemertech 5/10 fair poor very hard hi-tech themed quest. OP weapons/spells. not so lore friendly
dwemer colosseum 5/10 fair mediocre hard arena with crowd effects, but has some rough edges. not lore friendly
the candle makers 5/10 fair mediocre medium+ simple quests in a nice mountain fortress. mixed voicing. feels unfinished (LE only)
# qothmaar 5/10 small mediocre medium puzzle dungeon with good scripted boss fight. minor "active effects" bug (LE only)
# insanity clause 5/10 fair bad *mixed* funny xmas themed mod, great voicing, but has very glitchy quest mechanics
# tinvaak 5/10 small bad easy well written books. lore friendly. but tedious. some CTDs and other serious bugs
a mortal ailment 5/10 tiny mediocre medium well voiced short "talk to and then kill" dragon quest. average writing (SSE only)
dwarven pride 5/10 small bad medium+ well voiced. good dungeon. but some backtracking. CTDs if boss gets near you
the haven 5/10* fair bad - beautiful island (no quests), but low fps, and dirty edits that mess up your game
# ambriel 5/10 fair bad medium+ story taken from star wars. poor writing, not so lore friendly, very buggy quests
# mirai 5/10 fair poor hard teen "waifu" follower. mix of good and annoying voicing. flawed story. CTDs
heimfeigr 5/10 fair mediocre medium decent draugr dungeon. custom music, puzzle, and scripted boss. some bugs
akaviri ruins of savirien 5/10 small mediocre medium decent open air akaviri themed dungeon (SSE only)
# fight the thalmor 1 5/10 small bad hard nice environment and dungeon. but bad writing, and fatal bug if you have followers
into the depths 5/10 small ok medium basic but nice short haunted dungeon, some jump scares, no followers (LE only)
# world of rudra 5/10* Large bad very hard+ beautiful oriental lands. but tedious buggy unvoiced quests, bad engrish. CTDs
# song of parkin-san 5/10 fair mediocre easy good story, but also annoying and tedious. lovely ending. ties in daedric quests
underhanded slavery 5/10 small bad hard well voiced short quest. but serious bugs and CTDs
teldryn serious 5/10 fair mediocre hard some neat features, but badly written messy plot. not follower friendly
shadows of the past 5/10 fair ok hard moderately decent fetch/kill quests in varied locations, some poor voice acting
path of the revenant 5/10 small ok hard necromancy themed small dungeon and player home. good unique loot
# anfangrum's cleft 5/10 fair ok medium+ average dungeon with a dragon fight, books, and "find the lever" puzzles (LE only)
agent of righteous might 5/10 Large poor hard great story, but many bugs, some very tedious and glitchy quests, mixed writing
lost colony of akavir SE 5/10 Large poor hard impressive environment design. has enemies but no quests. limited navmesh
m.h.a.r.p.h.i.n 5/10 fair poor very hard sometimes funny and wonderful. also weird, buggy, and tedious. not lore friendly
jurgholm 5/10 fair good very hard large dremora dungeon with some neat features. for lvl 60+ players
sins of the past 5/10 small ok - five well written short stories, found during a simple quest. relaxing (LE only)
# molag bal's inferno 5/10 fair bad EXTREME good visuals and voicing. but tedious and broken parts, loud dante, CTDs
fable - shadow of past 5/10 fair poor medium beautiful island. nice music. custom assets. but few enemies, no LOD (LE only)
# shadow of the dragon 5/10 fair BROKEN very hard great story, good challenging combat. but unfinished and broken quests (LE only)
# the last refuge 5/10 Large BROKEN very hard a well voiced adventure with some nice locations, but mostly ruined by bugs
# valley of outcasts 4/10 fair bad very hard well voiced. but many bugs, some tedious and confusing parts, crude level design
a cure for the nightmare 4/10 small bad easy decent voiced short nightmare themed quest, but quite glitchy (LE only)
cycle of the silencer 4/10 fair BROKEN hard decent story, some neat cutscenes. but glitchy broken quests (LE only)
skyrim underground 4/10 Large mediocre hard mostly dull corridors. custom enemies. one of the quest givers was well voiced
lord balmer's playground 4/10 small bad medium short jump scare dungeon with multiple endings. tedious and rough parts (LE only)
gothic orpheus project 4/10 Large bad very hard new land with nice environments but low fps. bad fetch quests with bad engrish
# the volgon isles 4/10 Large bad medium nice looking new land. but no quests, few enemies, limited navmesh (LE only)
orvar's tomb remastered 4/10 tiny mediocre moderate half decent small dungeon with a boss fight (LE only)
skjolga's basin 4/10 small ok easy half decent dungeon with a story told through journals
wild goose chase quest 4/10 tiny good easy joke mod that parodies bethesda's dumb quest design (LE only)
arweden 4/10 fair poor very hard badly written. dull start, but dungeon part is ok. bring 3+ followers into dungeon
ayleid ruins of arashai 4/10 fair poor hard a few nice areas, but mostly dull corridors. not follower friendly (LE only)
the realms of daedra 4/10 small good medium (steam workshop) short, not voiced
the warrior of rivercrest 4/10 tiny good medium small village and basic arena dungeon. ties in the TES:Blades story (SSE only)
fugitive of the natural ord 4/10 fair mediocre hard some simple half decent quests. but lots of fast travel, follower repeats lines a lot
#anna npcs 4/10 fair mediocre - like "interesting NPCs", but lower quality and less lore friendly. a few good bits
pit fighter 4/10 fair good medium+ ok but repetitive, no difficulty scaling, lacks some excitement
# fight the thalmor 2-4 4/10 fair bad hard weak story, many enemies in tight spaces, not lore friendly, not follower friendly
sword of sigdan 4/10 fair mediocre EXTREME large dungeon with very hard boss fights for lvl 70+ players. not follower friendly
solemn keep 4/10 small DANGER hard nice looking bandit dungeon, but may cause severe script lag* (tested on Oldrim)
it beats for her 4/10 tiny good - subtle storytelling, but very basic, not voiced
# the abandoned temple 4/10 fair poor hard badly placed entrance, dull corridors and repetitive puzzles. not follower friendly
immersive dungeons 4/10 Large bad very hard huge dungeons with many enemies and too many traps. no followers. some CTDs
# nereva 4/10 Large mediocre medium+ (steam workshop) fairly pretty but basic new land. unvoiced fetch quests. OP loot
temple of black rock 4/10 small poor very hard+ half decent draugr dungeon with backtracking. get shouted at a lot. OP final boss
# the warpers 4/10 fair BROKEN hard+ decent story and dungeons. unvoiced. but glitchy broken quests (LE only)
mines of moria revised 3/10 Large bad very hard amazing scale, but many low quality or broken parts. not follower friendly (LE only)
tale of the dragon's bane 3/10 small ok - easy to follow treasure hunt with a story. bad placement of notes, many typos
sondenheim 3/10 small good moderate fairly basic small dungeon, but not bad
# spectraverse 3/10 Large bad EXTREME well voiced. some neat puzzles. but ruined by confusing overly-harsh mechanics
# wheels of lull 3/10 Large BROKEN hard great potential, but ruined by very tedious parts, and many CTDs
brhuce hammar 3/10 fair bad hard [strong language] funny. cool. but very tedious parts, painful loud sounds, CTDs
doubtsuspended quest pk 3/10 fair poor easy well voiced but otherwise dull quests. not ideal for paragon characters
forgotten dungeons 3/10 Large ok medium a mix of average and bad dungeons. slight copy-paste feel
skyrim sewers 3/10 fair mediocre medium dull level design. very under-scaled relative to overworld distances
gersonia 3/10 fair poor very hard huge dungeon. platforming, hard traps. bad navmesh. not lore friendly (LE only)
rescue bronwen 3/10 small poor hard short, fun. but silly, mixed voicing, and stupidly over-sized dogs (LE only)
isobel 3/10 small bad easy voiced basic quests using radiant system. last quest was broken. also form-43
umbra island 3/10 Large bad very hard some neat ideas, but flawed puzzles, glitchy enemies, cheap traps. no followers
the bigger they are 3/10 small good medium (steam workshop) short quest with a boss fight, not voiced
no mercy 3/10 small ok hard (steam workshop) basic level design, no voice acting. short, but lore friendly
skyrim murder mysteries 3/10 small mediocre easy basic follow-the-notes quests. basic writing. no puzzles or thinking
folkvangr 3/10 small mediocre medium small island with a town and a tedious dungeon. a few enemies, no quests
# frostmaarch 3/10 fair poor hard basic land with nice views. dragons. no quests/dungeons. bad navmesh (LE only)
# zelda tarm ruins 3/10 small bad medium nice music and level based on oracle of seasons. but also very basic and buggy
ashland mine 3/10 tiny poor hard tiny basic mine full of glitched large skeevers. map to find mine missing texture
lost wonders of mzark 3/10 fair poor very hard painfuly loud sound effects, tedious gameplay, low frame rates
volthar manor revisited 3/10 fair poor EXTREME tedious hard find-the-item puzzles. not so lore friendly. very OP loot. lvl 70+
wulftur's lodge 3/10 ? bad ? good voicing and visuals. but first quest seems to be broken, or cant figure it out
#gray cowl of nocturnal 3/10 Large good hard+ tedious puzzles, running, backtracking, bad level design, and bad writing. OP loot
ravengate 3/10 fair bad EXTREME had potential, but poorly balanced, trolls the player, backtracking, bad dialogue etc
the sinister seven 3/10 fair poor EXTREME nice concept, but poorly balanced and not lore friendly. OP oversized bosses etc
# blackland 3/10 Large poor hard mostly fetch quests, bad voicing, bad level design. lots of running. lvl 50+ (LE only)
# curse of akavir - phoe 3/10 HUGE BROKEN hard a few nice environments. but ruined by how broken and empty the rest is. a pity
the isles esroniet 3/10 Large bad hard nice looking town, but rest is bad. too much walking. bad dungeons. wild edits
# the index 2/10 small BROKEN EXTREME would be an epic boss battle, but too many bugs and constant CTDs (LE only)
the warden stone 2/10 tiny ok medium+ just a very basic and small dungeon (LE only)
great treasure hunt 2/10 small poor - not great. poorly placed clues. some could glitch out. badly written
captain sharphook 2/10 fair bad medium+ bad follow-the-clues treasure hunt. notes fell through the map. tedious (LE only)
windcaller pass 2/10 small poor medium+ large but dull caves with a copy-paste feel. over-powered loot
tomb of ahranas 2/10 tiny poor hard badly designed low effort dungeon from 2012 (LE only)
secret of dragonhead 2/10 fair ok hard low quality dungeon with lots of running. has not aged well since 2012
# the sky residence 2/10 small bad hard low quality new land. very loud bad voice recordings. not lore friendly (LE only)
the master's trial 2/10 fair poor medium bland fetch quests, bad writing, mixed voicing, some bugs. ~5 hours...wasted
mara's island 1/10 fair bad medium nonsensical plot, lazy level design, lazy NPC placement, CTDs (LE only)
the forgotten prince 1/10 fair bad mixed ok voicing. bad writing. awful copy-paste dungeons. serious bugs (LE only)
# vodahmin qoth 1/10 small bad very hard+ low quality tedious dungeon. pointless master locked doors. trolling wild edits
Also take a look at my Concise Skyrim Modding Guide