Update: June 19, 2026 at 21:41 UTC
OpenMW 0.51.0 is out, bringing two headline additions: modders can now create custom magic effect records through the Lua scripting API, and the OpenMW-CS content editor gains terrain vertex painting. The release also cleans up a batch of Lua-related crashes and corrects gamepad menu navigation regressions introduced in 0.50.0.
The Lua scripting layer receives the most attention this cycle. A new load context lets scripts inject mutable records immediately after content files are loaded, covering custom magic effects, ingredients, spells, enchantments, containers, creatures, doors, probes, and statics. Numerous new bindings land as well, including werewolf transformation, time advancement, actor reputation, barter gold, and dialogue filter conditions.
Key changes in 0.51.0:
- Custom magic effects creatable via Lua scripting API (load context)
- Terrain vertex painting added to OpenMW-CS
- BC6H and BC7 DDS compression now supported
- Sunlight direction exposed to post-processing; camera projection offset configurable via Lua
- Fixed moon shadow colour and moon phase transparency rendering
- Diseased actors can now infect actors other than the player
- Instant spell effects no longer applied twice; Weakness to Magicka now correctly amplifies itself
- Exclusive fixed-function pipeline and legacy lighting method removed
- Controller trigger press thresholds lowered by default for Steam Deck compatibility
- OpenMW-CS: selected objects rotate around a shared centre
- Wizard gains Steam and GOG Galaxy installation auto-detection
- Launcher adds a config directory list under Settings, Miscellaneous
- Bulgarian translation added to the Launcher and Wizard
- Multiple crash fixes across Lua UI widgets, item movement, and teleportation
OpenMW 0.50.0 is now available, marking a significant milestone for the open-source Morrowind engine reimplementation. The headline additions are a fully overhauled controller menu navigation system with an alternative UI selectable from the launcher, and the long-requested quick item transfer: Alt-clicking in container menus now moves items immediately.
The release also takes foundational steps toward dehardcoding combat, exposing on-hit mechanics such as armour condition damage, difficulty-based damage adjustment, and blood spawning to the Lua scripting API. The Lua API gains several new interfaces including weather control, region records, journal access, terrain height queries, and a full Combat interface. A Doppler effect has been added to 3D audio, and the Beyond Morrowind effort picks up terrain texturing and initial distant object rendering.
Key changes at a glance:
- Alt-click quick item transfer in container menus
- Revamped gamepad and controller UI navigation
- On-hit combat mechanics dehardcoded and exposed to Lua
- New Lua APIs:
core.weather,core.regions,core.land,core.mwscripts,types.Player.journal,Combatinterface - Doppler effect enabled for 3D positional audio
- Settings files now save when closing the settings window, not only on game exit
- Moon phase cycle corrected to match Morrowind
- Numerous gameplay accuracy fixes: Silence no longer affects powers, base diseases bypass disease resistance, jail skill gains count as level progress, and more
- Quick keys menu overhauled to closer match Morrowind
- OpenMW-CS gains bulk script indentation and revamped instance selection markers
- Qt 5 support removed
- Beyond Morrowind: terrain texturing and initial distant object rendering added