Harpalus

The author is requesting feedback here. I haven't had much time to actually play Skyrim either, so unfortunately I'm of no help.

Thank you for bringing this up! I was already aware of Gamwich's rain texture, but I wasn't using it and completely missed out on this update. I'm looking forward to seeing how it looks in-game.

Some more rambling thoughts ahead. I'm close to releasing a stable version of this pack based on the vanilla female body. I'm currently waiting on some permission messages to get back to me. As I mentioned earlier, however, I'm unable to fix the muscle slider issue without a modified body. Nevertheless, seeing the work ahead of me for my modified meshes, I knew I needed to release a "vanilla body" version or else this project might languish. To be fair, the vanilla body meshes aren't quite as bad as I've made them out to be, on further reflection: it is true, however, that the most noticeable impact of the weight slider is on breast size. I haven't abandoned the muscle slider goal: I'm still hoping for feedback on my sliders, and I'll be slowly trying to fix the issues with it. The issues are many, when it comes to clipping, and I'll never be able to support all armor and clothing. I'm not even going to be able to support all vanilla armor and clothing. Upon further reflection, I'm also going to drop the "Character Overhaul" portion of the mod to maximize compatibility and minimize patches. The first stable release will not include Pumping Iron either, as the weight slider/breast size slider hasn't been addressed. While the muscle slider goal has been temporarily put on hold (pending work and feedback), the release will still make use of Practical Female Armors and a custom version of Genderless Helmets (pending permission) to minimize armor variations between men and women. I'm also still waiting for permission on my modified Argonian male textures. Again, I haven't abandoned my primary goal for this mod: I'm just releasing a stable version of what I can to see how people like it. I'm not certain everybody will even want to use the modified body after I release it anyways, given its lack of compatibility with most armor and clothing.

For what its worth, I prefer the Gamwich box textures included with this mod, and I like the current STEP textures least out of the available options. This mod comes with two texture options for the box and I'm a little confused as to whether people are voting for Gamwich or fadingsignal when they say "the textures from this mod".

Is this stable? It's not really a mod so much as two ini tweaks. The esp file for the basic version is empty. This post claims that bFlyingMountFastTravelCruiseEnabled=1 causes three shouts to stop functioning. Have you experienced this, geoffreyvanvugt? I'm curious, as this does sound interesting. Doubly curious, as I don't even need a mod, just two INI tweaks. (bFlyingMountFastTravelCruiseEnabled=1 in [General], bAllowDragonFlightLocationDiscovery=1 in [Gameplay]). I'm finding surprisingly little information on these INI tweaks (outside of this mod).

New patch is out on the Nexus. At a glance in TES5Edit, it seems to do just what it says on the tin: incorporate the WAF changes to SIC loot. https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/64062/?. EDIT: Sorry, I suppose this should have gone in the Skyrim Gameplay Rebalance thread.

Is there somewhere that you've collected your thoughts on what mods you've removed, and why? I quite liked your "Stepping Out" guide for your thoughts on the subject, and I was hoping for something similar in Ambitious Skyrim. As someone who enjoys maximizing gameplay while minimizing my ESP load order and script load, I quite like your guides. It drew attention to some problems/thematic conflicts/bugs (Improved Closefaced Helmets) in my load order that I hadn't noticed. Thank you! Is there a section in the Ambitious Skyrim "Complete Guide" that I missed?

No worries. There's no need to take a look. TTRSO tries to handle it by setting armor types to one that's already covered. I prefer WAF's approach here, which is adding the missing armor types to the perks. I believe the latter approach is more compatible with the improved smithing menus from CCOR. It doesn't matter either way for me right now: partly as a result of this compatibility issue and partly out of curiousity, I've (temporarily?) dropped TTRSO and Ultimate Combat from my load order in order to give Perkus Maximus a try.

One thing that's been bothering me about TTRSO: any advice for deconflicting WAF and TTRSO? There are quite a few missing item and armor sets added to the perks that TTRSO undoes, and a few instances where I don't know how to deconflict things properly. DLC1DawnguardItemPerk, for example: TTRSO doesn't change the description, but deletes the matching set effect. (Presumably the Dawnguard armor no longer provides a matching set bonus, and neither do any of the armour sets fixed by WAF).

I've quite enjoyed PermaZONES from what I've seen of it, and I've had no technical issues with it. I don't have all that much time lately to actually play Skyrim unfortunately, and a mod like yours is one that needs better balance testing than I've been able to provide. I'll definitely provide feedback once I've had sufficient time to spend with Skyrim (and by extension, PermaZONES) that I can provide any useful insight. Thanks for the mod, and for the vote of confidence.

Of course! Do what you like with it. Add it to the guide, modify it accordingly.

I can't speak for dreadflopp, but I have some standard tests. It all depends on what you're testing. In all of the below tests, I always hit the asterisk (*) key on the number pad to display my FPS. Anything below 25 or so is problematic. (My load order gives me 55-60 FPS without an ENB preset, 25-50 with one). When testing anything, try to do it on a new game to minimize the chances of old mods interfering. As detailed below, Alternate Start and some console commands are a godsend for testing things. If you're testing script load (particularly in combat), I prefer starting a new game (to ensure no leftover scripts) with Alternate Start and starting off at the Solitude Inn. I then head out into the streets, turn on god mode (with tgm), and spawn three (or more) dragons. They'll run amok in one of the busiest cells in Skyrim. On my load order everything works fine: my framerate is stable, the dragons behave as expected. With some script-heavy mods, however, things start going wrong: with Burn Freeze Shock Effects, for example, I start seeing walls and floors disappear. To test script load of scripts that attach themselves to every NPC (Wet and Cold, Footprints), just spawn 100 of any human NPC inside of a city. Ideally use bandits, as then you can test your framerate in large fights (turn on god mode). With my load order I have a playable framerate for both of these tests. If you're testing how well combat works in your game, then I start a new game (again, with Alternate Start so as not to drive me crazy -- I only use Alternate Start when testing). I then use the console to advance my combat skills suitably (player.advskill block 3000, for example), and get myself to a reasonable level and select a few perks. I also spawn a set of elven armor or wolf armor or something, just so I'm reasonably well equipped. Then I just charge off to the nearest bandit camp and see how everything feels. At a reasonable level (say, level 20) with a standard difficulty setting (Adept, for example) you should be able to handle most bandit camps in Skyrim. If you can't handle a bandit camp without dying several dozen times, then your load order is probably more "hardcore" than "fun", and you'll want to trim your load order of a few difficult combat mods. Note: mods such as Requiem or PermaZones, or Erkeil's deleveled mod can make you underleveled for a particular area: if you're running something like this, make sure you're of the appropriate level for the bandit camp you're testing. Be sure to advance your level past 15 or so even without these mods, as you can actually be underleveled for areas in vanilla Skyrim. If you're testing texture mods for FPS, just start a new game with Alternate Start and run around any random location. Be sure to test both indoors and outdoors. This last one might not apply to you, but when adjusting saturation levels (ie, adjusting an ENB or SweetFX preset, or perhaps Imaginator), I use three locations: the Riverwood Inn (excessive saturation can cause the large inn fires to make the room look too reddish), the Riverwood exterior (it's usually sunny there, and too much saturation makes sunny weather look almost neon), and Bloated Man's Grotto during the quest Ill Met By Moonlight (just start the quest with setstage DA05 50, then use coc BloatedMansGrottoExterior01 to teleport to the cave entrance). Bloated Man's Grotto (during this quest) is ideal for this because it's easily one of the most saturated, colourful areas in the vanilla game. Be sure to also test out nights to see how dark they get. I recommend doing these quick color tests when selecting an ENB or SweetFX preset: if it looks fine in all of the above situations then you'll probably be fine throughout an entire playthrough.

Thank you kindly for your work. Hopefully, things will be easier to manage and maintain now that they're split up into separate packs. The description for Ultimate Combat is that of Immersive Potions for the moment.

https://wiki.step-project.com/Pack:Skyrim_Gameplay_Rebalance

I don't have an objection. I uninstalled it from my own load order because it conflicts with DUYF Outfit Manager (it undoes the outfit changes), but that's not terribly relevant for STEP.

I dislike Combat Evolved because it does precisely what it says on the tin: it increases damage across the board, and TTRSO already covers the improvements to sneaking that it makes. It has some other features (improved AI, some enemy abilities), but short of some TES5Edit cutting these aren't offered separately. I was dying far too easily in combat, and uninstalling Combat Evolved noticeably reduced the difficulty for me. Ultimate Combat does a "little too much" at times, but I personally consider it to be the best of the available options. Its surprisingly compatible and works well thematically with my load order. I'd welcome suggestions for a minimal, well-made combat mod that improves things, but until I find one I'll be using Ultimate Combat. If you prefer a different combat mod, however, then I'd still stand by my suggestion: I think that combat mods don't stack easily without a dramatic difficulty spike. So perhaps only Deadly Combat? Test things out yourself to make sure, though. I'm considering switching Ultimate Combat for Action Combat. It doesn't seem to affect enemy AI though, which is what I dislike most about vanilla combat. As for Better Leveling, I actually prefer the vanilla system of only gaining carry weight with stamina, to force me to make my characters well-rounded. I'm not really suggesting dropping Uncapper or Better Leveling, however, I just wondered if anybody had some suggestions. See this thread for some thoughts and comments on various combat mods.

You mentioned dying often in a different thread, dreadflopp. I have a balance suggestion: drop every combat mod in favour of Ultimate Combat. By "combat mod" I mean Revenge of the Enemies, Deadly Combat (which, in my opinion, conflicts thematically with TTRSO), and definitely Duel (which is poorly made at best, even the newest version). I also use Backup Movement Speed Reduction to prevent "backpedaling", and I overwrite Ultimate Combat's records with the Backup Movement Speed Reduction records. For some reason I thought you were using Combat Evolved in the pack, but it seems you aren't: Combat Evolved is recommended just about everywhere (or its twin, by Erkeil), but I find it just makes me die too easily. I find I don't need anything aside from Ultimate Combat. (I do use Skyrim Immersive Creatures and High Level Enemies, but I don't consider them "combat mods"). Enemies are much smarter, combat is fun, yet I don't get one-shotted anywhere near as often. I don't have a problem with Deadly Combat, but as I noted the changes it makes to armor and stamina seem at odds with TTRSO's design. (Late edit: I'm currently using Deadly Combat, and I was wrong about this. Deadly Combat is fine with TTRSO). Having only Ultimate Combat also reduces both the number of conflicts I have in my load order and also reduces the number of scripts running in combat. If you're already pruning the guide by removing some mods, then I would nominate Dodge mod (unnecessary), ASIS (old, have read scattered reports about unresolved problems) and Endgame NPC Overhaul (conflicts, unnecessary). Separately, for a "deleveled" Skyrim, I've been loving PermaZones. It's better supported than some of the other options (Erkeil, ASIS) and works well with the existing mod pack. This certainly will make you die much more, but it'll be because you tried to enter an area you were too weak for. You can then simply ignore that area for a while. I dislike dying frequently in areas that I should be an appropriate level for. Of course, it's up to you: I take a peculiar joy in trimming my load order of superfluousness, is all. Quite separately, does anybody know of something like Better Leveling, but with the vanilla skill caps in place? I think I agree with the TTRSO author here: the game wasn't designed to have skills go beyond 100 and TTRSO (and many mods) are balanced around a level cap of 81. However, I do feel that I level too quickly by default, especially with the various quest mods I have installed. I would also love to get rid of Skyrim's new "Legendary perk reset" feature (at least from the skill menu), and I think that the Uncapper allows me to remove this. I could take the "Better Leveling" mod and replace the skill caps with vanilla skill caps, but then the intended progression in Better Leveling would be unbalanced. I'm also uncertain about the changes Better Leveling makes to stats on level-up.

I meant to reply after some testing, but in transitioning from SweetFX to ENB I seem to have completely ruined my Skyrim installation (somehow), and Steam will take a long time to unscrew it for me. If setting bFirstPersonDeath=0 fixes this issue then I agree that this should be STEP Core (with that setting recommended). I do like this mod, I just found that particular bug very annoying.

I think this mod is best suited for Extended, rather than for Core. I don't really understand the comments minimizing the "flying on death" bug: I find it to be quite noticeable and not particularly immersive.. I don't understand the logic that a bug is unimportant just because it occurs after character death, and dying in Skyrim can be quite common even with a simple change to the difficulty slider. It's certainly fairly common with some of the STEP Packs installed. There are many mods that have been dropped from testing due to less noticeable/less common bugs than this one, and several mods (including recent ones) that fix issues that occur less commonly than character death. I vote against the mod being included at all, but I'm outvoted. To me, the benefit of seeing my feet is just not worth the silly death effect.

I admit that it's far too colorful for me. Most of the screenshots look almost neon with the level of saturation (although yours isn't quite as bad). I don't understand why it recommends Imaginator? Saturation is already easy to adjust with SweetFX. I do quite like SweetFX, however, and I don't use an ENB preset either. Personally I use ZeroENB, which is also quite saturated: I posted some advice in the comments section there on desaturating it. Despite the name, it's a SweetFX preset, not an ENB. Very different look than I Can't Believe It's Not ENB, but definitely an alternative for people to consider. It slightly resembles "Grim & Sombre ENB".

Sounds great. I can't claim to be following the pack as I dropped Morrowloot: too much conflicted with it thematically (SIC dropping loot that Morrowloot would have disallowed, fan-made expansions giving great loot), but my load order does take a lot of cues and pointers from MMO. Cleaning up the pack sounds great to me. As a partial alternative to Morrowloot, I like toggling the "armor and weapons break" in Loot & Degradation. It forces me to find new gear in the early game and, perhaps, forces me to reforge that enchanted Daedric helmet I made and then lost in a fight. Probably too painful to enable it with Morrowloot around.

Using it, liked the brief test I did of it. I prefer it to current STEP, and of course there's not even an ESP file. I vote yes.

So I did more texture work for this pack. That happened. This one took me a while, too. I fixed up the default better male Khajiit texture to almost eliminate the texture seam, which was very noticeable. Then, because the normal map was still bad looking, I fixed up the Muscular Khajiit normal map to match it. NSFW: Khajiit Male preview The focus has been (and will continue to be) on women because they're the ones with the unfortunate weight slider and sexualized armor. Men require comparatively less work, but the male beast race textures were a bit of a sore point. That has now been remedied. I didn't draw anything from scratch, I merely cobbled together from other sources. Hopefully they check their inbox sometime, because otherwise I just fixed up textures for relatively little reason.

From what I understand, yes. It's a relatively easy fix. I just uninstalled it, personally.

At a glance, the new Disparity version only partially solves the problem, as Breton's still have an active Absorb Spell ability in combat, and this mod will definitely still apply its spells in combat. The problem isn't Disparity's anyways: despite my usual preference for minimalism, my load order remains fairly impressive and the only mod that forgot to check off "Unabsorbable" is Yield.