Vypir

If you've done any repacking of your BSA files (like applying fixes to the HD texture pack) Steam will sometimes try to replace those. Just put the originals (from backup) back, let Steam do its thing, and then replace the originals with the backup of your optimized BSAs again.

I've only used one character yet, but I would assume that the replay value is pretty good. The two primary vanilla quests offer two different paths, and so does the main Dawnguard quest. (Haven't tried Dragonborn yet.) So do many of the smaller quests. Therefore, it seems that a second playthrough, at least, would be fairly entertaining.

Whoa! This is actually kind of surprising to me. I've always heard people say that ENB SSAO looks better than NVIDIA SSAO. However, maybe they were only comparing Vanilla+Nvidia to a full ENB experience with improved shadows, color, etc. Going to do some comparisons of my own tonight if I can.

I still use an old version of TCG (Tradeable Companion Gear). It's what the author of UFO made before he totally overhauled it. It's much simpler, and it provides all I need. Haven't tried the others mentioned here, though.

Thanks, frihyland. I was mostly just wondering if there are problems with Dawnguard's new companions and outdated companion mods. I use an old version of TCG because I simply like it the best. Haven't noticed any issues yet, but I just started the quest line and haven't "fully" acquired a new companion from the DLC.

Where did you find this? Just curious about getting more info on this. Thanks.

Good advice in this thread. Agreed on turning shadows off completely. That should be huge. Make sure Vsync is off and turn down pre-rendered frames in Nvidia Control Panel as low as it will go.

Yes, AA uses a lot of VRAM. MSAA, for example. However, post-process AA like SMAA and FXAA do not use nearly as much VRAM. If you can tolerate the texture "shimmering," one of those can help reduce the stuttering associated with low VRAM.

In order to disable Aero we modify TesV.exe, not SKSE. Seems the same concept would apply to LAA.

Honestly, I just got to the point where I didn't care anymore and stopped reading. Â Figured if there was a problem it just wasn't meant to be. Â STEP says to make sure you actually play the game. Â I been modding too much...:facepalm:

I went ahead and updated to 1.7 last night. Didn't do a WHOLE lot, but seemed to work fine so far with the USKP version that was released for 1.6.

I was the OP in the other thread. Yes, the pre-rendered frames thing seems to introduce mouse lag. I found the tearing to be more tolerable than the lag. I'm almost wondering if the HDR effects in RCRN are worth it. If I turn them off, I can be free of both tearing and mouse lag. For some reason RCRN's HDR prevents Nvidia's VSYNC and Adaptive VSYNC from working as advertised.

Might it be more stable if you save in an interior before modifying the exterior .ini settings?

What is your "Maximum Pre-Rendered Frames" set to? If it's 0 or 1, try bumping it up one more to see if that smooths things out. This worked for me when I got unreasonable stuttering from Vsync.

The stutter is definitely not due to something as simple as a straight-up FPS drop due to more demanding graphics. I've ruled that out. FPS is almost exactly the same between items #1, #2, and #3 listed in my last post. By the way, using 2 pre-rendered frames gives me small but noticeable input lag, so I've simply opted out of vsync. I find this to be the least annoying of all three options - tearing seems to be rather uncommon at my current settings. The DirectX substitute for "triple buffering" is to use just 1 pre-rendered frame. The default of 3 is overkill, though it is still best for SLI (for very different reasons). I still suspect that post-process injection does something to muck with frame buffers - perhaps requiring a third buffer over the standard two (making 1 pre-rendered frame an absolute requirement while 2 is the NEW replacement for "triple buffering" - not just 1 as was previously the case). You may want to read these two articles: Triple Buffering: Why We Love It Exploring Input Lag Inside and Out

I have most of my specs listed in the spoiler of this post. I have not installed all of STEP, as much of it just doesn't appeal to me. However, I do use several other graphical improvement mods such as RCRN, SMIM, and some high-res texture stuff that affects nordic ruins, dungeons, armors, and NPC quality. I don't think I have any terrain mods. Tried one a while back and got stuttering. Haven't tried vegetation mods either; I don't mind the vanilla plants. Overall, I've probably followed the 80/20 rule. 20% of the mods resulting in 80% of the "STEP experience." I have a family with kids, so my free time is precious and I want to actually play the game instead of modding it all the time. Right now, the only AA that I use is Nvidia FXAA. I'll be switching to SMAA whenever RCRN supports it. I believe the lack of other forms of AA really helps to keep the VRAM usage down. Some of them are memory hogs.

Thought I'd post an update. After some more testing, I determined that the problem is specific to the HDR feature of RCRN. The problem is there even if I just use single pass HDR. Disable HDR completely, and it goes away. So, if I want my game to run perfectly smooth, I need to do one of the following: 1) Yes Vsync, Yes HDR, 2 Pre-rendered frames. 2) No Vsync, Yes HDR, 1 Pre-rendered frame. 3) Yes Vsync, No HDR, 1 pre-rendered frame. Just thought I'd throw this out there for other RCRN users.

When I first installed the official Hi-Res DLC, I started to get stuttering after varying amounts of gameplay, so that was definitely a contributor. When I switched to DLC Optimized, it went back to being smooth. I use Hi-Res DLC Optimized - Hybrid + Vanilla normal maps. I'm using a GTX 460 768, so I need to be careful about VRAM usage.

Know of any place that has screenshot comparisons of the two?

I have noticed that my followers will sometimes teleport when they get stuck without "Followers Keep Up." However, they don't teleport if they've simply fallen behind. I use an older version of the precursor to UFO (TCG) but I'd also like to know if this is compatible.

I ran the launcher again last night and it didn't delete anything. I wonder if it only makes one attempt when a new patch has become available. Now I'm curious to see if Steam will automatically update once I decide to allow it to give me 1.6.

In my case, I do have UAC disabled. So yes, I see how it's just operator error on my part. I'll just make sure to keep backups handy.

Skyrim Unplugged CANNOT protect you if you run SkyrimLauncher.exe with administrator rights. I did this and it deleted TESV.exe as well as several other vital files, even though Steam was still prevented from updating them to their 1.6 versions.

Question: if you own a legitimate copy of the game, is it technically legal for you to download the patch files from a non-official source? (Despite the fact that it's probably illegal for that source to distribute the files.)

I wonder if the high VRAM usage by the Guardian Stones has to do with the possibility that Bethesda "decorated" that area more than most. It's one of the first things you're expected to see, and it was in their demo videos. Narutally, they'd want it to look as amazing as possible. There may be more trees, plants, varying types of scenery, etc in that area. Just a guess.