Here is a list of some common things used when making mods. They won't be grouped but I will put a small description of them. I am sure there are more these are just a few I have found among the different Morrowind mod sites.

Gmax
-A 3d rendering program. Useful for making new objects for the game world, though it is difficult to get for beginners. Someone with 3d Max will have to turn you model into a NIF for you since Gmax cannot do it alone.
7-Zip
-For heavily compressing mods. Has a built in function to create self-extracting archives as well.
TES Tool v1.3
-A must for compiling leveled lists and cleaning plugins.
ZipGenius
-Handy tool for unzipping mods.
TESPCD
-use this to detect conflicts between mods and remove GMSTs.
WinRAR
-Another tool for unzipping mods.
NIF Texture v1.3
-Great for changing textures on NIFs without needing to buy 3D Max.
Book Gen v1.2
-Don't know HTML? Need to write a book for a mod? Here is the tool for you. Easy and quick to use.
Irfanview
-Easy to recolor or resize texture for use in Morrowind. It even opens DDS.
DXTBMP
-Easy to use program that can set alpha channels on item icons.
GIMP
-Another image editing program.
BSA Browser v0.5
-This utility allows you to browse, pack, unpack, and register Bethesda Softworks Archive (bsa) files with a user friendly interface.
TESAME
-Used to remove GMSTs from mods.
Scripting for Dummies v8.0
-Word document that teaches about scripting and its functions.
WinZip ,WinRAR, WinACE
-For your file compressing needs.

This post has been edited by DarkOneVenzar: Sep 17 2004, 08:34 AM

Cool list. If none of these have been added to a pinned thread, then they should be. A few points;

1. Why isn't Winace listed?

When Size Does Matter

2. Another great tool is Argent's BookGen. This allows you to import text into HTML format. Bing, bang, boom. If I find a link, I'll post it.

1- Didn't add it since Zip Genius takes care of .ACE files fine. Though I think I will add the 3 Win... programs (and before anyone gets scared thinking I mean Windows, I mean WinZIP, WinRAR, and WinACE).

2- It is up there. I have the 1.2 version listed.

This post has been edited by DarkOneVenzar: Sep 17 2004, 08:32 AM

Nice list, but you missed my favourite tool, Enchanted Editor

Also, latest version of BSA Browser is 1.0; adds search function and displays files in proper folder tree view.

Could I just add:
Wings 3d -This is a very powerfull, intuitive, and easy to use free 3d modeling and texturing program. I think it's much easier to use than Gmax, and as a modeling program it's much faster as well. I think beginners especially would benefit from it because it doesn't have a bunch of unnecessary stuff cluttering it up like Gmax does. Although I recomend it for beginners, many people, myself included, and many pros use this to model a lot of things rather than one of the expensive pro packages because it's so much faster, so I'd also recomend people with 3ds Max take a look. Like Gmax, you'll still need to have someone with a copy of 3ds Max convert your models to .nif's.

Incidently, I used wings 3d for pretty much everything I modeled for my (unfinished ) N'Dib's Twilight mod.

While we're talking about 3D apps, I would include:

Milkshape - inexpensive 3D Editor
and
NIF Plugin For Milkshape

...since that's about the only cheap legal way of creating your 3D models without having to pester somebody else who has Max to do the final conversion into NIF format.

... Gmax is free.

But as Klinn wrote, you can't export .nifs like you can with Milkshape, and like I wrote, Wings 3d is a far superior modeling program. The only reason people use Gmax is because it's "The free version of 3ds Max!!" or whatever.

I wish there was something that worked with cararra Studio. I have it, own it, and have used it for years.

I'm going to do a stand-alone converter based on my exporter, probably from 3ds as it's so common. I'll be sure to post here when it's done.

( If you're wondering over the username, I kept getting an error when resetting the password, so I had to make a new account )

Ah yes, my favorite is still Ray Dream Designer, which evolved into Cararra. It had what is still one of the more elegant (IMHO) methods of manipulating objects in 3D space via a 2D device (mouse), but installed with it turned off by default!

A useful list.

... not to forget Gilles_k's helpful Landscape Creator (US version)

Now all you have to do is provide tutorials.

P.S.
before you start yelling at me that was a joke

I am surprised to see there is no packaging utility in there....

No an automated one since there wasn't any when I made the list and forgot about it until now. Here are the manula ones:

I meant like Overunity or whatever it is that people use?

I think TESFiles is the most popular currently.