1) I feel weird about playing a game with a mouse. does anyone recommend a good controller or joystick that is fun for this game?I like the mouse, but there have been threads on this in the past. If you do a search you can probably find something.
a) what is a good mod that enables you to do extensive character customization?From what I have seen there are various mods that add a few characters, but they tend not to be compatible together because they alter the same files. To build up a lot of customization would require merging them together (which isn't too hard).
To see how you can edit an existing mod and add it to the customization menu, you can check out my tutorials. (
http://warpedproductions.echonetwork.net/tutorials.html)
b) what is the simplest way to install a mod?Usually you can just stick it in your base directory. Or you can create a new directory in the GameData folder and load it through the mods menu.