Nearox

I'm just waiting for the day that is implemented so that we no longer have to drag a new mod over 100s of mods to get it to the top of install order :P

I got one more question. BOSS sorts Unique Region Names.esp to the very last of the load order, right above bashed patch. UNR- Dragonborn.esp & UNR - Dragonborn CoT Patch.esp are both much higher in the load order. Is it really intended that the main file goes below the additional files? I saw in BUM that Unique Region Names. esp puts itself below Open Cities. However I don't thave that mod. Could that be the reason UNR.esp is so low in the load order?

Misleading title to bring this to your attention ftw :) (it's not actually gopher's list but it is based on video(s) by gopher) This was posted 1 day ago on reddit. I shamelessly copy it here. The list is more applicable to SR users than to STEP so therefore I post it in this sub-forum. https://www.reddit.com/r/skyrimmods/comments/1kyz5r/mods_that_go_well_with_skyre/ I recently found a lets-play by GophersVids where he was using a number of mods including SkyRe. Here is a list copied from one of the later videos: A Quality World Map - With Roads v8.0 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/4929 Achieve That v1.1.2 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/30212/ aMidianBorn Book of Silence v1.8.5 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/24909 Archery - Spinning Arrows v4 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/29086 Auto Unequip Ammo v5 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/10753 Balbor and Steelsouls SkyRe ReProccer Project v3.7 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/27092 Better fitting Glass Helmet : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/4085 Better MessageBox Controls v1.2 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/27371 Bethesda Hi-Res DLC Optimized : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/9080 Book Covers Skyrim v1.5 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/35399 Cerwiden -SMART Healer- AI Configurable Companion v1.7.1 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/20787 Cloaks of Skyrim v1.2 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/12092 Convenient Horses v4.6 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/14950 Deadly Dragons v6.3.5 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/3829 Detailed Terrain and Tree LoD v2.0 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/17984 Dovahkiin Relaxes Too v1.6 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/13931 DYNAVISION - Dynamic Depth of Field v2.3 BETA : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/12525 Even Better Quest Objectives v1.3.2 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/32695/ Follower Trap Safety : 1.1 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/11609 Footprints v0.99 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/22745 Frostfall - Hypothermia Camping Survival v2.4a : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/11163 Guess the Distance - Perceptive Scouting v1.1.3b : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/30816 Harvest Overhaul v2.6 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/16553 HD Misc v1.0 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/3595 Immersive Armors v6b2 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/19733 Immersive HUD - iHUD v2.3 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/3222 Immersive Weapons v1.5 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/27644/ Insanitys Ebony Sword Replacer : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/37645 Insanitys Red Eagles Bane : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/32930 Lockpicking Overhaul v4.11 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/22950 Lockpick graduation by Lilyu v1.0 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/6594 Lore-Based Loading Screens v1.0 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/21265 Move it Dammit for NPC Companions and Followers v1.0.1 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/4020 Moonlight Tales - Werewolf and Werebear Overhaul v2.05 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/35470 No Sneak Attack Sound v1.0 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/11085 Predator Vision - Vampire and Werewolf v1.3 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/22274 Project Reality - Climates Of Tamriel - Weather - Lighting - Audio v3.1 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/17802 Pumping Iron - Dynamic Muscle Growth v1.0.1 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/29476 Pure Waters v4.4 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/1111 Realistic Lighting Overhaul v 4.07 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/30450/ Realistic Needs and Diseases v1.9.2 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/26228 ReProccer - Automated SkyRe patch generator v2.2 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/28467 Skyrim -Community- Uncapper 1.15.1.0 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/1175 Skyrim Distant Detail v1.0 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/12866 Skyrim Immersive Creatures v6RC : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/24913 Skill Interface Retexture v6.0 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/7308 Static Mesh Improvement Mod - SMIM v1.43 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/8655 SkyRe Helmless Warrior v0.2 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads... Skyrim HD - 2K Textures v1.6 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/607 SkyUI v4.0 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/3863 Soultrap Sound Edit - Calm Wind v1.0 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/4729 T3nd0s Skyrim Redone v1.3 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/9286 The Dance of Death - A Killmove Mod v4.0 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/10906 TTYM - Think To Yourself Messages v1.3 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/32060 Unofficial Dawnguard Patch v1.2.3 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/23491 Unofficial Dragonborn Patch v1.0.4 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/31083 Unofficial Hearthfire Patch v1.1.1 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/25127 Unofficial High Resolution Patch v1.2 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/31255 Unofficial Skyrim Patch v1.3.2c : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/19 Wet and Cold 1.2.1 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/27563 Winter Is Coming - Cloaks v2.2 : https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/13486 Note: I have not tried these as I was just looking into trying SkyRe myself when I found thisÂ

Awesome work! :) May I just suggest that somewhere it could be noted - if the information is available - how big of a VRAM reduction it leads to/could potentially lead to. This does not need to be a precise number but can be an indication. E.g. 3 levels: Minor (1-10mb average potential/reported VRAM savings in a Skyrim area where the mod in question is heavily present). E.g. Ingredients/small armor mods Moderate (11-25mb... ".....") . this could apply to e.g. mods like cloaks of skyrim, mods that alter creature textures etc. High (26 and up mb... ".....") this could apply to e.g. larger texture packs

Thank you Kelmych, I was getting worried whether to uninstall it or not, guess I'll continue using it for now :)

Do the TES5Edits changes of the SR guide fix all the issues you described here, including hearthfires?

z929669 and Kelmych: I'll try to add my findings to the wiki. I didn't know we could add them too (though I suppose that would be quite logical since it's a wiki... silly me :P).

Has anyone tried 0.215 (or up) with the new transparency AA feature?

Thunderclam (and others): Read this thread for shimmering with a HD6950 https://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/521462-shimmering-foilage-vegetation-when-moving/ I'm afraid there isn't a 100% working solution, apart from brute forcing it. With SSAA x4, as also mentioned in the link comments, shimmering should be like 70-80% gone. The trick is to get your VRAM usage and GPU load without SSAA as low as possible so that you have power left for 4x SSAA. See https://forum.step-project.com/showthread.php?tid=3319&pid=49491#pid49491 for Garfink and my own findings. Using Garfink's recommendation to DDSOpt (almost) all resolutions to 1k and .5k normals, my VRAM usage peaks at 1.5gb, after having installed all SR texture mods. My game also runs at 58-60fps in 90% of areas and at 52-55 fps in heave areas (with lots of foilage). This means when using a FPS limiter to e.g. 40fps, the GPU load will be greatly reduced leaving enough power left for 4xSSAA.

As far as I am aware, supersampling should techincally smoothen out all aliasing as it takes 100% of the 3d screen (i.e. the 'sample'). Have you tried SSAA higher than 2x? Make sure btransparencysomething=1(forgot the correct term) as well as imultisample=4. Use Skyrim Configurator to ensure you got the settings right.

Yeah the culprit was the mod directory. It should be MO/mods and not MO/installed mods. I believe that the patcher otherwise simply doesn't see the contents of the original data directory or something like that.

Wow, thank you for trying to epxlain it all to me. It is now pretty clear how to continue with DDSOpt! I actually followed Neo's instructions on DDSOpting the vanilla textures, which does not use the batch file. What is the different result to be expected from this approach? And yes, the table is too complicated. I can give you some tips from the point of view of a noob/regular user (aka me) maybe it can help you to better structure it: - As you mentioned yourself, the lack of recommendations means that the table has little guidance. After all, it is called a DDSOpt 'guide' :P - The column labels are rather incomprehensible for the average user that is looking for a few optimizations to reduce VRAM. What does it mean when it says no/yes in mip-maps? That the mod package is missing some mip-maps? Stuff like that could be explained at the beginning of the guide in a legend or in a seperate textbox. - Mip-maps, errors, compression and size could be combined in one column, or at least reduce the column width/labels to make space for new columns... read further below :) I think, but maybe I'm thinking too big, that it would be extremely helpful for the entire modding community if this became a reference table with information based on testing and/or reported user experiences: - A column labeled 'potential VRAM savings':The VRAM savings could be contributed by testing via the community. Perhaps open a new thread calling for people to test the difference between a DDSOpt and non-DDSOpt version of the mod. You could limit included results to 1680x1050 or 1080p resolutions. Attach a note saying that VRAM savings can vary greatly between systems.  - Another column labeled 'potential FPS savings'. Because not all users are interested in saving VRAM. Quite some people I know have issues with FPS instead of VRAM. For instance, DDSOpting Skyrim Flora Overhaul  (and I did not decrease resolution) reduced my VRAM use by only 20mb but it strangely enough also increased FPS in areas like the Rift by 4-6 with no noticeable quality loss. - Another column labeled 'potential and/or known graphical complications from DDSOpt' (or a shorter title) could indicate problems that may/have been found to arise from DDSOpting the specific mod. E.g. DDSopting normals to half-size can sometimes increase shimmering. An extensive lsit of notes at the end of the table can explain texture - Develop a benchmark standard. E.G.: 1) mod must be run in a vanilla environment with no other mods enabled 2) 'high' default settings must be used 3) ini must be default ini with no specific tweaks 4) the benchmark goes like: standing stones - riverwood - whiterun - fast travel to ivarstead - run to riften. Just some examples :)  - Develop a DDSopt standard (e.g. exteriors to 1k textures/.5k normal and interiors to 2k textures/.5k normals) or develop multiple ones (e.g. low, medium & high res) Of course, these columns will not be filled with data in a day. But this way, a database will gradually be built as users/step people contribute to it. Information can be extracted from the existing forum threads too, of course. The table should have a warning saying that the values are indications and/or estimates and therefor may vary widely per system. I already wrote down VRAM savings for every mod that I DDSOpted (about 10) so that could be a start, although I may have used less than optimal settings reading from your post of explanations. I realize that such a table can never be definite, or produce the same result for any user, but to have a roadsign is better than to be lost in the wilds :) I'm just spitting out some ideas, that's all :P I'm willing to assist should you decide to embark on such a project.

Well anything I can do back to the community here, you've all been so helpful!

I've been trying to combat shimmering textures for the past weeks. After having tried literally dozens of things (even downsampling etc.) I finally found a solution that reduced a substantial part of the texture shimmering, at least on roads, rocks, dirt, bidges and basically all types of ground textures. Here's the thing: The Texture LOD for Skyrim has a bit too much of a negative value. This is (I got this from sources on the internet) largely a result of bad programming by game makers. When the Texture LOD is too negative, they are sharper in the distance but it can result in a shimmering or even flickering effect. The negative effects also affect textures in close range, e.g. the road in frony of you. Conversely, when the texture LOD is too positive, textures in the distance look too blurred (though it is certainly not the same as the usual blur). Texture LOD is dependent on Anisotropic Filtering, and I found that when I turned AF off, the shimmering effect was gone! (on roads, rocks etc. not on bushes/trees: for that you need transaprencyAA / adaptive AA/SSAA). The shimmering used to be terrible during movement but not anymore. However we of course want to play with AF x16 on, as this increases texturew quality in the distance a lot. How to fix this? For AMD see below. For NVIDIA, I have no idea but I'm sure either your control panel or third party software can access this variable. - Install RadeonPro - Make profile for TESV.exe - Make sure AF is enabled and set to 16x in both Skyrim and in RadeonPro - In Tab Advanced --> check 'Texture LOD'. Move the slider to about 2.0 for testing purposes. - Login Skyrim to see if problem persists - Move the slider now to MINUS -2.0. - Login Skyrim to observe the difference - Now tweak the slider to your liking. I put mine at 0.8. At the optimal value there are no longer any shimmering ground type textures while moving. I personally could not notice a quality difference between the default (0.0) and (0.8). Not sure if I put this in the right forum. Should it be in Support/Troubleshooting? Can you move it if that is the case? Sorry.

Thank you again Kelmych. I believe I understand quite a bit more now. Actually used the preview option in DDSOpt to had a look myself. Now I finally understand something about what all the different settings mean, though still not much. Just to ask for a final clarification, if I may (really don't want to take up too much of your time, sorry about that). - Parallax-maps should be set to DXt permanently, regardless of using it on vanilla (even though it is moot) or mod textures? - Tint/tone-maps for vanilla should be set to DXt. For other mods, I will have to look at their original compression and should keep similar compression in tin/tone- maps. E.g. if a mod is in R8G8B8 then it should be compressed with R5G56B5. If a mod has any version of DXt compression then it should be compressed with DXtx settings. Is this correct? - I understand what you are saying here. However, in the DDSOpt guide, the setting for MSN is R5G56B5 but when I preview the MSNs from Skyrim - Textures.bsa (in DDSOpt) they are all in DXT1 format. Shouldn't they too be in the same format? I feel kinda stupid, I'm probably missing something (obvious) here... :(EDIT: Had a look. From what I can tell the MSNs from Skyrim - Texures.bsa are all in DXT1 format while the MSNs from HighResTexturePack03.bsa are all in R8G8B8 format. There are few MSN files in the other bsa's and it appears there are like less than 100 or so MSN files in total, mostly affecting body/face. I want to optimized most exteriors to 1k textures/.5k normals and most interiors to 2k textures/1k normals. The mods I am interested in optimizing are (using already the Lite versions of these mods): Skyrim HD 2K Serious HD Retexture Skyrim Skyrim Flora Overhaul Ultimate Lush Overhaul Hybrids HD Plants and Herbs Rextexture SMIM (not sure if this is a good idea, or even necessary) Re-defined dungeons Langelys workshop And a few other smaller texture mods. Possibly also face/body/armor but that will come as a last resort (aMidianborn etc.). I'm already using SRO as the basic texture pack. The plan is to build a very basic version of Skyrim Revisited, with no more than 50mods on the list.Â

Kelmych, reading your explanation has got my head spinning, especially since it's late now! Gonna look at it tomorrow and will try to decypher what you are saying, lol :p

Hmmm I see, thank you for responding Neovalen. I just did a little test. When using the High Quality settings (2k textures & 1k normals) of the DDSOpt guide on 'Skyrim - textures.bsa', both DXtx and R5G6B5 result in the exact same filesize 2.00 GB. I guess there must be a difference in quality between the two, but it doesn't translate in a different filesize. Anyways, I am hoping that someone can provide me a definite answer whether to use R5G6B5 tint/tone-maps on Vanilla texures (and HRDLC etc.) or whether to use DXtx. Same question for textures that originate from installed mods. Also, all the settings of the DDSOpt wiki guide with regards to Mode-space normal-maps are the same, R5G6B5. Just out of curiosity, why is this setting in that format and not in DXtx?

Edit no longer possible. Wanted to say I don't mean 'error in neovalen's guide', I meant to ask what the intended setting is.

Enabling AAAA or SSAA (the latter in particular) should have a noticeable effect on fps. I asked becayse maybe it was not on. As I said before, you must have AA (and in fact also anistotropic) enabled in BOTH Skyriprefs.ini and CCC (use override to be sure), otherwise it won't work. Make sure transparency is enabled too in Skyrimprefs.ini.

I mean in MO -> settings -> general. Do your folders point to the default MO folders? I.e. / downloads and /mods.

Did enabling the settings drop your fps?

I had the same problem some time ago. I solved it by using all the default M.O. folders.

There's a discrepancy in the DDSOpt guide on the wiki. It concerns the default configuration of constraints as depicted on the images in your guide. - Under the 'Using DDSOpt' tab, the constraints picture says that tin/tone maps should be compressed using DXtx format - Under the 'DDSOpt optimization' tab, the constraints pictures all say (whether high quality or standard quality) that tint/tone maps should be compressed using R5G6B5 format. All other settings are equal to the ones under the 'Using DDSOpt' tab. There are 9 images total. They al hae the R5G6B5. One example is here: Which is the right one to use? Or does R5G6B5 only apply to the vanilla textures and DXtx to all other textures? If that is the case, does it mean there is an error in Neovalen's SR:LE guide with regards to optimizing the Bethesda textures?

I noticed that the amount of mods in SR:LE has been cut down by a lot recently. This change is something that I like and hope that the end result will be to keep the amount of mods/esps needed to a minimum. I have 2 questions regarding SR:LE 1. The current version of the guide has mods listed until section '4.6 Creatures of Skyrim'. The preceding sections all have some mods mentioned. To what extend do those sections (basically all of '4.5 World of Skyrim') reflect what you have in mind for the end result? For instance, in the original SR guide there is a whole texture section called 'the Mortar' as well as some texture mods from 'the Brick' which are not currently present in SR:LE. Would I be good to go if following the SR:LE install up to the creature section or do you think more mods will be added to the list? 2. Is there any way I can contribute to SR:LE by testing? Is there a certain procedure and/or are there requirements for this?

Ah sorry Transparency AA is called Adaptive AA in CCC. Use either enhanced or override option, it doesn't really matter. And you must set it in both skyrimprefs and in CCC for it to work (this is only necessary when using transaprency AA). You can use this tool by the way for easily changing settings in SKyrim. Run the exectuable through M.O. so that the INI's of your profile will be changed. https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/814/? Just some things to note about AA: - Regular AA (multisampling, or MSAA) doesn't do anything with regards to transparency textures that you can find on foilage/trees/plants/bushes/braziers/lanterns etc. - Adaptive Anti-Aliasing will do the same as MSAA + it will affect transaprency textures. Sometimes it can misread a texture (let's say a big tree) which will appear as beging something like 50% transparent. This only occurs to me on a very rare occasion. - SSAA is the superior AA which is also the most 'pure' as in that it applies AA to 100% of your screen. It is also more costly, however. Make sure transaprencyAA is turned on in Skyrim and that it is at 2x AA. Then try it twice. Once with AdaptiveAA and once with SSAA. This way you can test if using this type of AA will solve the issue you have :) In any case, using transaprency AA will make the game look much smoother and reduces a lot of the shimmering textures you see.