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Discussion topic: Majestic Mountains - Cathedral Concept by T4gtr34um3r Wiki Link z929669 - Vote for moving to MM default Compares from z929669 Conditions: clear weather, all mod conditions used LODGen applicable to vanilla mountains, MM, MM Darkside, and MM Lightside (so LOD is specific to each of the four sets of screenshots) TOD: noon Coordinates (cow tamriel): Whiterun lookout tower WSW > 35 -16 > -33 -7 > -10 0 Mod build: Step 2.0.0 (dev) Step (vanilla mountains) > MM > MM Darkside > MM Lightside Load up imgbox gallery and cycle through all images to load them. Then use the arrow buttons to toggle back and forth. Images aren't a perfect overlay, due to slight variations in COW positioning but close enough. They can also be examined directly in the spoiler.

Discussion topic: Skyrim SE particle patch for ENB by mindflux Wiki Link

Discussion topic: Inferno - Fire Effects Redux by iRetrospect Wiki Link

Discussion topic: Consistent Older People by Winterlove Wiki Link

The following was preliminary testing. Jump to the most current testing results in this thread. I am testing various xLODGen settings for "Terrain". I compare the same two areas (snow/no snow). So this is not comprehensive, but gives people some ideas of settings results (on my system) with STEP 0.3.0b. It is a relative compare of different terrain LOD results, all else remaining equal. skyrimprefs.ini LOD settings: [LOD] fLODFadeOutMultActors=15.0 fLODFadeOutMultItems=10.0 fLODFadeOutMultObjects=30.0 fLODFadeOutMultSkyCell=1.0000 [TerrainManager] bShowLODInEditor=1 fBlockLevel0Distance=50000 fBlockLevel1Distance=72500 fBlockMaximumDistance=94000 fSplitDistanceMult=4.000 fTreeLoadDistance=72500 Settings Rationale Based on my review of sheson's xLODGen thread and documentation, it looks like we should be using best quality and largest textures at LOD4, baking normals for best result (only if normals size ≥ 512 at a given level). Why? Because, in RL, resolution of our environment increases as it gets closer. Also, sheson recommends not tweaking brightness/contrast/gamma without good reason: he suggests lightening/darkening the noise map instead. I have confirmed that changing gamma between 0.97 and 1.10 has no apparent impact in game (data not shown). Lastly, raise steepness should be a good add for LOD8/16/32, since it increases bump effects for mips (probably not necessary at LOD4, due to higher quality textures, and closeness of these textures). I did compare using/not using raise steepness, and I didn't find any really noticeable difference (Lo setting does not include at LOD32, but all others do), so I am including it simply because it sounds rignt "just in case". Compression type does have a significant impact on quality, even for diffuse. BC7 is observably superior to DXT1, particularly with respect to shore-line jaggies around water. Compare order: Optimal settings (my system, my opinion) > lo settings > hi settings > ultra settings. Links to the settings are also below. My system is agnostic of these settings. I take no detectable performance hit either way, but I expect that typical PCs will see some difference of more/less significance (system specs in sig). Optimal Settings - LOD data ~ 5 GB, gen time ~ 45 min Lo Settings - LOD data ~ 2.5 GB, gen time ~ 25 min Hi Settings - LOD data ~ 9.5 GB, gen time ~ 45 min Ultra Settings - LOD data ~ 33.5 GB, gen time ~ 45 min It would be great if someone with a PC closer to that recommend for STEP and also running STEP would test xLODGen and let us know about performance impact and time to generate. UPDATE: After getting some feedback from sheson: Added Solitude (looking South from near the main gate) Increased quality on Lo settings to '10' for LOD16 and LOD32 Examined VRAM usage in all scenarios and include a compare of with/wo mipmaps in the 'optimal' settings (apparently, it's not clear if mipmaps are used at all by LOD. sheson confirms that diffuse does not use them, but normals might) Updated Lo Settings (else they are same as linked previously) Compare order: Lo > Hi > Ultra > Optimal > Optimal (without mips) Optimal Setings (no mips) Findings: FPS stats are largely unaffected by terrain LOD quality on my PC. VRAM usage was consistently lower for Lo settings relative to all others and no-mip-Optimal settings (versus Optimnal WITH mips). Not a huge diff, but lower well beyond the +/- 200 MB variation in reported VRAM usage. Optimal (no mips) was comparable to Lo in terms of performance but noticeably better in terms of quality. VRAM usage stats are not entirely reliable, because they varied by +/- 200 GB on my PC on any given save-game load once stabilized. This is consistent with how VRAM (and RAM) behave. Algorithms are being employed at any given time in any given system that govern use of RAM. It depends on what the GPU is 'thinking' at the time a save game is loaded: are you loading from a fresh game boot via MO? Did you recently reboot your PC? Are you loading one save game after another? .. it is inconsistent, but not wildly so. My findings are that VRAM usage is a bit less with Lo settings and by NOT enabling mipmaps/raise steepness. Based on the screen compares and VRAM usage, there is no reason to enable mipmaps or "Raise Steepness" on my system. Simple Summary (for my PC) Use Optimal Settings (no mips) or some proportionate deviation from that: LOD data ~ 4.2 GB, gen time ~ 36 min This takes a bit less time to generate LOD, probably decreases VRAM usage to a marginal extent, and results in quality that is all but indistinguishable from Ultra settings. DXT1 compression does not appear to save much besides disk space and costs in quality, so use it on diffuse maps ONLY if disk space is a major issue.

Discussion topic: Skyrim SE Improved Puddles by PCG4m3r Wiki Link

Discussion topic: Realistic Water Two by isoku/SparrowPrince/TechAngel85 Wiki Link

I'm running an added to, full STEP build dated from last June approximately(unsure of the version number now that I think of it, I'll include a modlst) and I'm having a few issues with standing water textures. The water appears either solid black, solid white, or missing entirely. Like this: I think it might be a conflict with lighting and water, but I can't be sure, and since I haven't added or removed anything from the guide that affects either, there shouldn't be a problem... or I'd assume. I've added to it, but it was things like armors, followers, perks and houses. This doesn't seem to affect running water, but only standing water in the world. Blacksmith troughs are unaffected, for example.

Discussion topic: Northfire's Skidmarks SE 2K-4K by Northfire/sgtpetterzon Wiki Link

Discussion topic: Superior Chaurus - 4k Retexture by Shoyguer Wiki Link STEP SE Notes: Test Files: Test against current STEP SE (AMB, 2k - chaurus only; Skyrim Redesigned - eggs - diffuse + glow maps). This mod provides a retex of all chaurus-related textures (e.g., eggs, egg sacks, etc.), so everything 'chaurus' should be checked for improvement/consistency among these three mods. Vanilla > STEP > Superior Chaurus Superior, overall, returns the creatures to a more vanilla color palette while being about the same quality. Since these creatures are only found in dark interiors, I spawned them in daylight to be able to grab usable shots. These first two are from the brightest "natural" interior I could find for the nests. Superior is better; brighter and adds more detail. Here is have their cocoons. Superior actually is reintroducing vanilla artifacts into the texture, so not good. On the other hand, it is higher detail. Frozen Chaurus Hunter Fledgling Superior looks better here. Reaper Hunter Superior is better here too. Chaurus

I've made a retexture for the vanilla Whiterun windmill. Used a new entry, as these are separate placements. I didnt wanted to interfere with the original model. First try, using texture sets for the new colors: Second try, copied the mesh and put these textures inside the mesh, using Nifscope: Both times, I used the full model for the LOD, as seem below: If I used the standard LOD, I would not get the new textures, as it would load the LOD from the standard vanilla texture. In both times, I ran TexGen and Dyndolod. I've got the same result: Why this is happening? I ran TexGen, ran Dyndolod, ran xLodGen for the terrain (although the terrain dont have anything to do with these objects), but I'm still getting the vanilla LOD, for a object with a entire separate entry, using a different mesh, and assigned the full model for the LOD mesh in the CK. This is also happening with other vanilla objects, copied from the nordic ruins and retextured, and which passed through the same processes, also using full models for the LOD mesh in the CK. They all show the vanilla LOD when distant. This is not happening with custom meshes from other authors, though. These are running fine with retextures, even using the same meshes with texture sets. Only vanilla meshes are being affected. Is there a special rule I should put in Dyndolod for it? I tried this one below, but still got the same result:

Discussion topic: Better Dirt Cliffs and Alphas by cthunsthrall Wiki Link STEP SE Notes: Test Files: Depends on what is currently winning for STEP SE. The 2K version is likely the right candidate, however, if the current textures are 4K, then test against both 4K and 2K. STEP > Better Dirt Cliffs

Discussion topic: RUSTIC RELIEFS by Gamwich Wiki Link STEP SE Notes: Most of these compiled mods were in STEP LE. However, it should be tested against any current conflicts within the SE Guide. Nordic Murals is already included in the Guide so there is no need to compare that. Nordic Dungeons Vanilla > STEP (mix of SRO & RCI) > RUSTIC RELIEFS on top of STEP The rest... Vanilla > STEP (SRO or Dragon Glyphs HD - Fixed) > RUSTIC RELIEFS on top of STEP Kings Monuments Windhelm Tombstones 500 Wall Vanilla > STEP (with vanilla texture) > STEP (with SRO texture) > RUSTIC RELIEFS on top of STEP Word wall and alphabet Guardian Stones

Discussion topic: Quality CubeMaps - HD Cube Maps by Kartoffels Wiki Link STEP SE Notes: Recommended by Cleaned Skyrim SE Textures. Install as shown in that mod's OP.

Discussion topic: Lanterns Of Skyrim II by MannyGT/wizkid34 Mod Picker Link

Discussion topic: Hybrids HD Plants and Herbs Retexture by Gabriel Gullbergh/Mystikhybrid Wiki Link The STEP Guide install instructions say to hide Textures\Plants\HangingMoss01.dds However, I don't think that is really needed since we later install the "Rallys Hanging Moss" mod, which overwrites Textures\Plants\HangingMoss01.dds Textures\Plants\HangingMoss01_n.dds

Discussion topic: MM - REAL ELKS by MassiveMaster/zhoulia Mod Picker Link

Discussion topic: Armor and Clothing Extension by kryptopyr/Gamwich Wiki Link

Discussion topic: Rens HD Shrines by Rengel/megapatato Wiki Link

Discussion thread: RUSTIC NORDIC MURALS by Gamwich Mod Picker Link Accepted STEP:Core v2.10.0 RUSTIC NORDIC MURALS is a retexture of the carved stone murals found in Nordic ruins. It is much better than HRDLC in my opinion.

Discussion topic: Iconic's Real Hay by IconicDeath Mod Picker Link

Discussion topic: Dust Effects by HHaley/Darkjesusmn Wiki Link

Discussion topic: Book Covers Skyrim - Lost Library by DanielCoffey Wiki Link

Discussion topic: Smooth Sky mesh - SSE by JawZ Mod Picker Link

Discussion topic: High Quality Food and Ingredients SE by Eraitico/DarShonDo Mod Picker Link