Modding advice based on my spec for a stable and fun experience?

[Final_Fusion]

Hello everyone, I am a new member here at step.  I found this website via a friend of mine who told me to try following the core installation for something new.  As such, I followed the core installation, however I'm trying to tailor my game with a certain goal in mind.  I would like this thread to be more of an overall advice guide where people could come together to recommend how I should set my game up.  I apologize if this thread is located in the wrong area, but below is where I'll start my prerogative as to why I am making this thread.

 

I followed STEP's core installation, tweaks, and essential mods portion of STEP 2.2.9.2.  Things were great and i learnt a lot.  However, issues began to arise when I strayed off and downloaded some of my favorite mods.  At first, things seemed okay.  But I notice a lot of issues within my game.  I think a lot of these may be because of the ini edits, or possibly even mods conflicting.  But before I get into this, I wanted to list my computer's specs:

-Nvidia GTX 750 Ti (2gb vram)

-Intel® Core i5 CPU 750 @ 2.67 GHz

-12 GB of installed ram

-Windows 8.1 for the OS

-Mod Organizer for the mod manager

 

I want to repeat as I stated earlier that I followed STEP's core installation to a T.  Every single step.  I want to now list a number of issues I am having or small things I would like to resolve:

-Occasional CTDs (These seem to occur at a random rate.  Sometimes, one will occur after 20 minutes of gameplay, sometimes I've gone for about 2 hours.  I've never had a CTD when entering or leaving an interior, and almost all have happened while I was outside in a forest, namely around Morthal, Whiterun, and Rorikstead)

-Micro/Macro stutters (They occur when LOD is popping in.  This in of itself is amazingly distracting, but I'm pretty sure this is an issue with possibly my graphics being too high of due to incorrectly editing my inis)

-LOD (LOD has been popping in only when I'm fairly close to it.  By LOD, I mean LODS of almost all kind.  This ranges from Trees, to grass, to foliage, roads, houses, bridges, NPCs, enemies, and shadows)

Shadows (Some shadows seem to be really high quality, and others look patchy almost like there's a screen door infront of where the light is coming from.  What I mean by this is there's little dots or blatant lines going through the shadow. 

-Lighting (This was namely an issue while inside of a Jarl's longhouse.  Whenever I looked at a wall, light would be displayed.  If I moved my camera ever so slightly, the light would disappear then return once I aimed my camera at it.

 

That's the bulk of the issues I'm having.  In a moment I will list my current LO, I am running a pretty bulky LO so I'm pretty sure this would be the issue why.  What I'm hoping to gain out of this is advice in terms of how I could better set up my inis, mods to possibly remove (or add in some cases) and other potential fixes.  I want to make sure I have everything here, so here's a little more misc. information:

-I am running the most current version of SKSE.

-I have properly installed and set up ENBoost

-I have made a proper bashed patch

-I have been sure to organize my LO using LOOT.

-I am running USLEEP

-I have properly cleaned my mods **EXCLUDING THE MASTER FILES** (I have been told that this is a BAD practice, correct me if my sources have been incorrect)

-I am using Mod Organizer

-My game has been set to the ULTRA preset, I edited the inis based off of this information

-As far as I'm humanly able to tell, I have installed all appropriate patches needed for my mods to work together (Hopefully someone can be the judge of this, as it's very likely I have made a mistake)

-I have ran FNIS.

-I have patched my games via the SKYproc patches for ASIS, DSR, and PaMa.

 

My load order:

https://pastebin.com/rdX17tdJ

 

If I can add anymore information at all, please let me know.  Furthermore, any advice that can be given would be amazing, and I thank you, the reader for your time and willingness to hear me gripe about trivial issues in a videogame we all love.  I could simply play without mods, but where's the fun in this?  I will be active and viewing this thread as much as I can for a while.

 

[DoubleYou]

The lighting issue makes me think it is a driver issue. Try following the instructions for updating or uninstalling/reinstalling your graphics driver.

 

Then, your INI files may hold some clues.

[Final_Fusion]

The lighting issue makes me think it is a driver issue. Try following the instructions for updating or uninstalling/reinstalling your graphics driver.

 

Then, your INI files may hold some clues.

My graphics card was up to date when the issues occurred and it still is up to date with the problems persisting.

[Final_Fusion]

I still need help, if this thread could get more attention.

[TechAngel85]

Posting your INIs and enblocal.ini would be helpful.

[Rebel47]

I see you run ELFX, I started running it again just recently what with the new update and I have to say when I wasn't using it I never had this problem but the second I start using it again I get this lighting issue, it seems to be related to having way too many light sources in a single area as per how ELFX runs, and I haven't been able to find a way to fix it short of editing the plugin to remove some of the lights

[TechAngel85]

I just found out how ELFX is set up and it is improperly, though I haven't verified it myself...just read it. I'm surprised they haven't gotten more complaints about lights flickering on and off. If it's true, probably never use that mod.
 
Basically to increase the intensity of the lights they just stack the lights on top of one another, rather than adjusting the light bulb settings. This is bad because only a certain amount of lights can be placed before you get lights "turning on and off". This is the reason Relighting Skyrim disables some of the "light source objects", like candlehorns; because you can't provide realistic lighting in a farmhouse with 14 light sources in it! :O_o: From my working with the RSR team:
 

For example, the farmhouse interior I'm working on now has 14...yes, 14!...different light sources in one little farmhouse interior! WTF, Bethesda! I think they're using some of these candlehorns just for clutter.

Would be nice if they fixed this with FO4's engine.

[Hackfield]

Here are a few things I've noticed in your load order:

 

Why have EFF and AFT? I think they conflict each other, also, AFT is pretty script heavy.

 

I'd switch Convenient Horses for Immersive Horses, it does the same (lack a few features but adds a bunch too) and it's less script heavy than CH

 

CCO is pretty old by now, you could consider Disparity, does more or less the same and it's up to date.

 

Personally I prefer AllGearedUp instead of Equipping Overhaul + DSR, I find it light and less complicated (you can change the slot in game via MCM, and if you set them correctly, you'll use only two slots just like DSR, no need for Skyproc and 2 less esp)

 

 

I just found out how ELFX is set up and it is improperly, though I haven't verified it myself...just read it. I'm surprised they haven't gotten more complaints about lights flickering on and off. If it's true, probably never use that mod.
 
Basically to increase the intensity of the lights they just stack the lights on top of one another, rather than adjusting the light bulb settings. This is bad because only a certain amount of lights can be placed before you get lights "turning on and off". This is the reason Relighting Skyrim disables some of the "light source objects", like candlehorns; because you can't provide realistic lighting in a farmhouse with 14 light sources in it! :O_o: From my working with the RSR team:
 

Would be nice if they fixed this with FO4's engine.

I'd really like to move to Relighting Skyrim, unfortunately, because of the limit of lights over 1 mesh and the lack of partitioned meshes, lights tend to flicker a lot more than with ELFX (e.g. light a torch inside dragonsreach, you'll get flickering on stairs, flickering on columns, etc.), sometimes, even without a torch you get flickering on columns in some places.

 

I wish you could fix that so I can finally move to ELE+RS.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Hackfield

[TechAngel85]

 

I'd really like to move to Relighting Skyrim, unfortunately, because of the limit of lights over 1 mesh and the lack of partitioned meshes, lights tend to flicker a lot more than with ELFX (e.g. light a torch inside dragonsreach, you'll get flickering on stairs, flickering on columns, etc.), sometimes, even without a torch you get flickering on columns in some places.

 

I wish you could fix that so I can finally move to ELE+RS.

 

Why are you using a torch inside Dragonsreach? At any rate, while we're working on Relighting Skyrim - Remastered, this is something that we're specifically checking for. Once that is released (a long way off), then that problem will be gone.

[Hackfield]

Why are you using a torch inside Dragonsreach?

Because you can? Honestly, I was using the torch outside, then entered Dragonsreach and it was there that I've noticed the flickering. Then, for testing purposes, I've started to use the torch in several interiors, noticing even more flickers

 

At any rate, while we're working on Relighting Skyrim - Remastered, this is something that we're specifically checking for. Once that is released (a long way off), then that problem will be gone.

 

Glad to hear you are working on this! I'm holding a long playthrough (mainly because I've never done the dragonborn DLC, but I also wanted to try new things like Disparity, Trade and Barter and Bodygen (which is a pain in the butt to make it non-skimpy >.>)) 

Anyway, should I wait until RS - remaster is done or it will take several months? 

 

[TechAngel85]

It will take several more months until just the base lights are replaced in all locations. This doesn't account for the effect lighting, lighting templates, etc. There still lots of work to do there and it's been a lil while since everyone has worked on it full-steam due to life and other personal modding projects.

[Kelmych]

It isn't related to the problem you are discussing, but since you use CCOR you don't actually need any plugins from Cloaks of Skyrim or Winter is Coming. You need these mods installed, but only for the textures and meshes. The plugins can be moved to optional ESPs in the left pane of MO for the two mods.

[Final_Fusion]

 

Here are a few things I've noticed in your load order:

 

Why have EFF and AFT? I think they conflict each other, also, AFT is pretty script heavy.

 

I'd switch Convenient Horses for Immersive Horses, it does the same (lack a few features but adds a bunch too) and it's less script heavy than CH

 

CCO is pretty old by now, you could consider Disparity, does more or less the same and it's up to date.

 

Personally I prefer AllGearedUp instead of Equipping Overhaul + DSR, I find it light and less complicated (you can change the slot in game via MCM, and if you set them correctly, you'll use only two slots just like DSR, no need for Skyproc and 2 less esp)

 

 

I'd really like to move to Relighting Skyrim, unfortunately, because of the limit of lights over 1 mesh and the lack of partitioned meshes, lights tend to flicker a lot more than with ELFX (e.g. light a torch inside dragonsreach, you'll get flickering on stairs, flickering on columns, etc.), sometimes, even without a torch you get flickering on columns in some places.

 

I wish you could fix that so I can finally move to ELE+RS.

 

Thanks, just switched to immersive horses and got rid of EFF.  I don't know if I want to download disparity because I'm like character creation overhaul, and it seems disparity does the same thing.  Not sure whether or not it is better.  Do you have an opinion either way personally?  Also, does AGU do the EXACT same thing as DSR?  I'm using DSR with XPMSE and I like it a lot due to being able to customize how my weapons are drawn/look on my back via the MCM.  If it does the same thing or if XPMSE can still be used to put swords on my back/daggers on my hip/hip quiver, then I'd probably switch to AGU.

It isn't related to the problem you are discussing, but since you use CCOR you don't actually need any plugins from Cloaks of Skyrim or Winter is Coming. You need these mods installed, but only for the textures and meshes. The plugins can be moved to optional ESPs in the left pane of MO for the two mods.

Do you mean to say I can uncheck the COS and WIC but keep them installed and still have them distributed in the game?  I still don't know if I should switch to the disparity mod, as Hackfield stated before that disparity is arguably better.

Edited April 6, 2016 by Final_Fusion

[Hackfield]

Thanks, just switched to immersive horses and got rid of EFF.  I don't know if I want to download disparity because I'm like character creation overhaul, and it seems disparity does the same thing.  Not sure whether or not it is better.  Do you have an opinion either way personally?  Also, does AGU do the EXACT same thing as DSR?  I'm using DSR with XPMSE and I like it a lot due to being able to customize how my weapons are drawn/look on my back via the MCM.  If it does the same thing or if XPMSE can still be used to put swords on my back/daggers on my hip/hip quiver, then I'd probably switch to AGU.

Do you mean to say I can uncheck the COS and WIC but keep them installed and still have them distributed in the game?  I still don't know if I should switch to the disparity mod, as Hackfield stated before that disparity is arguably better.

 

I've never stated that Disparity was better, I've only said that is similar but up to date, honestly, I've never tried CCO, because it was already old by the time I'd got my copy of Skyrim, but so far, I'm really liking Disparity, together with Trade and Barter kind of "enhances" the racism (which in the vanilla game it's pretty dull and soft, even in Windhelm, I dream with a Witcher-like racism in Skyrim)

 

as for AGU, it does Exactly what DSR and Equipping Overhaul does (well, minus the dropping the weapon and torch).

To give you a briefly idea, you can favorite up to 2 weapons of the same type (instead of 1 in EO) each favorited weapon will show on your body, like in EO, it will also show your currently equipped weapons, like DSR, so you can walk around showing 2 swords, 2 maces, 2 staffs, 2 axes, 2 daggers, 1 greatsword/battleaxe, a shield, quiver and bow, all at the same time. Each weapon position, rotation, style, etc. can be modified with XPMSE, and moved, rotated, scaled as you want with Racemenu.

 

Now, what's the catch? Well, the bAllGearedUp setting in the ini files is broken, this mod achieves the same without using that, but each favorited weapon will use a body slot (don't worry, each of them configurable in an MCM menu, so you can change them ingame and not via SkyProc like DSR does). So, you need 12 free slots to show everything (this is the default configuration), but noone uses 2 of everything, so you can reduce the number of slots to the number of weapons you actually use, or you can reduce it down to 2 (one slot for anything in the right hand, one slot for anything in the left hand, shield included), and with that configuration, you achieve the same that DSR does.

 

Honestly, I think AGU is amazing and really underrated, probably because is not as easy to set as DSR or EO, but it is surely more powerful than both.

 

Hope it helps you decide.

Edited April 6, 2016 by Hackfield