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sorry s4n, I am lost. Can you be more specific? What is DLC2? Only STD vanilla has textures\landscape\trees\treepineforestbranchcomp.dds (HRDLC does not, only the normals... I still have to test the normals BTW) Increase in detail of the DDSopt versions?

hands and many more. not sure if this phenomenon applies though. This could be a weird implementation by Beth... using the 1:1 for "filler" in some but not all or to varying degrees. Need to look into that. (look in you output logs for strings like "12 to 11 levels" or "10 to 9 levels", etc)

So is that missing mip accounting for the distant, but near trees as well? What's strange is that I'm seeing a very few select trees that look normal, but far too many regardless of distance (except those you are up against) have missing information. I don't know how to do any real comparison, but I believe you that what DDSopt has processed has good detail. Just have to figure out how to get the missing information back. Confirmed that the ONLY problem is that missing mip level. These are 2048x1024 textures, and this gives 11 mip levels down to equal aspect ratio of 2:1. However, this particular example includes a 1x1 mip level by default (the 12th level), and DDSopt gets rid of this since it is not instructed to allow this final mip level due to the diff in aspect ration. Turns out Skyrim graphics uses this last level as a sort of "edge filler" for mid-distant trees. I have not been able to get a hold of Ethatron to fix or comment on the prevalence of this problem on any texture with non 1:1 aspect ratio. For now, I will add the following to the skip list for DDSopt (and examine other 2:1 ratio textures ... could use help on this if anyone comes accross stripping of 12th mip level on 2048x1024 textures!): textures\landscape\trees\treepineforestbranchcomp.dds textures\terrain\deepwoodredoubtworld\trees\deepwoodredoubtworldtreelod.dds textures\terrain\skuldafnworld\trees\skuldafnworldtreelod.dds textures\terrain\sovngarde\trees\sovngardetreelod.dds textures\terrain\tamriel\trees\tamrieltreelod.dds

Please confirm that the settings used were identical to those in the DDSopt guide. Will add these textures to the list of known issues. Ultimately, these normal maps must include unexpected information based on their naming convention. We can either compile a list to skip or to properly handle. Please keep posting problem textures on this thread. Full path names please. Vond (and anyone else), if you wouldn't mind, please keep running list of mods and full texture paths for textures borked by DDSopt using default settings. Post list on this thread or on the wiki at: https://wiki.step-project.com/Guide_talk:DDSopt_%26_Texture_Overhauls

I vote that we recommend only one version and that it ultimately be the SVN; however, I also vote to hold off generating questions about this until we can do it in an orderly manner and syncing up all the doc. Further, I vote that mention of the SVN version in the SIG should be veiled until we can properly articulate with the WB guide. Right now there is disparity between the two, and it makes sense that WB installation instructions be in the WBG rather than the SIG. Most importantly, the Bashed Patch and mods-tab functionality is NOT REQUIRED for STEP, so it seems really unnecessary that we would be hell bent on rushing this out hastily. I think the priority should be to assist the less experienced with simply getting STEP installed and simpler to troubleshoot. That means BAIN functionality, BOSS, BUM and nothing more. The more advanced modders can struggle a bit and figure out the SVN in the meantime themselves. Just my opinions :D I will be offline until tomorrow evening, then I need to wrap up my DDSopt findings on those damn trees, so I can continue with my installation of STEP 2.1 ... THEN I can edit the WBG as I do this. After this, I will work on WB installation instructions in a deliberative manner and in detail with consideration to the SIG.

Hmmm. I have been anxiously awaiting a mesh optimizer. Secretly longing for a port of NIFopt by Ethatron et al. This is worth a look though, but I am skeptical.

You certainly can, but we ought to revise the installation method in the WBG or at least add Python version-SVN as optional and the current 295.5 standalone as standard. I will not be able to get to that for a day or two. However, 295.5 is perfectly fine for installation/maint. And installation and setup maintenance are infinitely more complex and difficult to manage in STEP right now than mod/load management. Especially given that lots of changes and testing are likely to be the norm right now. This gets to what Beald has been speaking about regarding version stability and keeping novice modders from updating and changing everything on an almost daily basis. ...so, if we revise the installation method, then much more needs to be added about mod management under the SVN as well (not to mention that I need to update all of the graphics to STEP 2.1). This will take a bit longer, and I would propose that we deliberate as to the best way to articulate these guides via incremental changes, or many will be confused EDIT: I do see that you have a fairly good start in the SIG on installing the SVN (does this install over the standard WB installation??). I think you need to install the Python version, no? Perhaps I will sync with what you have after all. let me see what I can get done in the next couple of days ....

So potentially setting the SR shadow system to low (or off if possible) and letting post-processing take care of it? That would be a huge thing for FPS & VRAM.

Looks like you may have installed the Python version. Are you sure you installed the standalone version? If not, uninstall WB (or remove the mopy directory), and reinstall the standalone version. EDIT: I also think that you may not have installed the game definitions. Once you remove the application, revisit the WB installation instructions and follow more carefully ;)

Be sure that you have the following directories: Steam\SteamApps\common\Skyrim Mods\Bash Installers Steam\SteamApps\common\skyrim If you do, then you don't even need your bash.ini, which should be here: Steam\SteamApps\common\skyrim\Mopy Suggest you rename your bash.ini or just delete it if you are using the default install location for WB and Skyrim (and you must be certain taht you installed WB for use with Skyrim).

Fine by me

ORIGINALLY POSTED BY ivactheseeker Does not follow exactly STEP's phylosophy, since it changes gameplay, but seems balanced (IMO :P ) . SkyRe https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=9286 It changes many little things that weren't addressed by other mods (standing stones, racial abilities ..) in addition to tree perks and more. I haven't played much the game 'cause i startedd modding, so i cannot fully test, but from what i tried it does what it says . So, what do you think? PS: i hope this is the right section and sorry if i made grammar mistakes, i'm not a native speaker.

Just DLC + Vano89 Hybrid 1024+2048 (DDSopt is optional for everyone and not necessary. Efects of DDSopt on STEP are till being tested & validated.)

A note on testing using GPU-z: Suggest that you pay attention to GPU Load as an indicator for when you are in the menus versus in game. Only report averages in game using these obvious indicators. It also helps to disable all of the useless junk from the logs (keep e.g., what I have in the DDSopt gude's tables). Also suggest that you shave off the "edges". In other words, spend 60 seconds running your character through the same routine in diff worldspaces, loading several saves per session, each for a 60s run in diff places. Then in the log, you will see the ebb and flow of the pattern. Omit the loading parts and shave off 10 s (10 lines) from each 60s endpoint, such that you get an avg of 40s per run. this will be pretty accurate and reproducible

You are seeing the LOD versions: skuldafnworldtreelod.dds sovngardetreelod.dds deepwoodredoubtworldtreelod.dds These will be more the same; however, I just did a direct compare of these (they are in the hi res packs), and while the DDSopt versions do not look thinner, there is a detail loss here on all mip levels beneath the first (no diff in first). I am going to play with these and get back with what I learn.

This is just the sort of thing I want in the game as well. Dynamic gameplay & the butterfly effect. I will run this once I have a stable setup. (still have not yet begun my STEP 2.1 install :>

That is the normal map (it would look weird in compressonator). The actual texture is "treepineforestbranchcomp.dds", and it also is missing the 12th mipmap, which is just a single pixel (so it makes sense that the normal is missing this as well). That could account for all of the missing 'filler'. There are definitely diffs in the lower mip levels as well (everything under the 1st). That is why close trees look identical, but they begin looking different farther away. The DDSopt versions actually DO have more detail (I measure detail by the steepness of the palette gradient, and DDSopt definitely has a steeper gradient :P ) How to recapture that lower mip is now my question. Will work on this later tonight.

what is the name of that texture? (also, try using DDSopt preview tab to see the textures. lots more info there, but no way to direct compare with diff)

PM that dude, he might share

I am lost... I thought we were talking about the ORIGINAL logo (look up top) :P

the STEP logo? hmmm never woulda thunk it... looks like 4 to me :P

That would be good. I'm sure you can refine your own psd anyway ;) You might consider a framed version as well for comparison.

Colors could use adjustment I think. lt gray for in place of white and maybe dk,dk gray in place of black?

Processing more than once, even forcing, will cause no change if the constraints and other parameters are identical to previous run(s). There is no point in doing this though. @anyone Do we have a tool like refscope available yet so that I can identify specific textures in-game? Given that fir foliage mipmaps are adversely affected to varying degrees, I'd like to identify the affected textures and see about either a different treatment or exclusin entirely.

Good points MW. I will move some of the offending posts over there now :P