Dynamic Distant Objects LOD - DynDOLOD 2.18

[sheson]

DynDOLOD 2.18 condensed update post

 

What’s New?

 

This is a simple maintenance update to address a bug and add updates for a couple mods.

See Full update post for 2.xx update instructions

 

---

 

Some Assembly Required

 

Caranthir Tower Reborn - DynDOLOD Resources contains an optimized full model of the tower for a little bit more performance friendly Neverfade LOD. Mesh rules also add LOD for the stone dragon and the portal building.

Optional: to sync concealing/revealing the tower from far distances install and overwrite the two original scripts with the ones from DynDOLOD Patches.

 

Verified working out of the box - included rules

Trollstigen

 

Verified working out of the box - added/updated meshes and/or textures

Killian Castle

Lyngwi - A Nordic Village

 

Fixes include

Fixed sometimes not falling back to billboard when generating ultra trees by Monobloc

 

[spoiler=Changelog DynDOLOD 2.18]DynDOLOD.exe - fixed sometimes not falling back to billboard when generating ultra trees

DynDOLOD.exe - add the worldspace Master as activate parent for Never Fade LOD/Full LOD objects

DynDOLOD.exe - set VWD on original base records used for dynamic LOD only as well

TexGen.exe - sync updates with DynDOLOD.exe

TexGen.exe - fixed generation of dlc01castlefortlod.dds

TexGen.exe - generation for impwood01lod.dds

Papyrus Scripts - activate worldspace Master in case the activate all function is called

DynDOLOD_Manual.html - updated compatibility information for several mods

DynDOLOD Resources - updated/added meshes/textures for better compatibility with mods

DynDOLOD Patches - added script patches for Caranthir Tower Reborn

 

 

See Full update post for full changelog, fully detailed update instructions and updated compatibility information for Skryim mods.

 

DynDOLOD 2.17

[Estebanium]

Hi guys,

 

after some pause I came back to Skyrim, because I wanted to play Enderal. I played not much until I began with modding, so I tried to install DynDOLOD, but I am not sure about the load order.

For Enderal I switched to Mod Organiser, watched the 43 min Video and downloaded everything that is needed IMO.

I use some mods and one is also providing instructions to the installation with DynDOLOD, but they are totally different to the common procedure of installing DynDOLOD.

 

I attached my load order. So I created the Textures with TexGen and added the output (DynDOLOD Textures) with priority 10. Then I ran DynDOLOD and the output (DynDOLOD Output) was added with highest priority.

 

I am not sure if this is correct, moreover I don't know if the priority of the Enderal Billboards is correct.

The information of somerandomguy83 was not really helpful.

 

I am looking forward to your help.

[sheson]

Hi Sheson, you might remember me as the guy who was having z-fighting problems with the bridges around Whiterun with DynDOLOD 2.10 (truns out I was also having a couple of out-of-place floating window problems, but version 2.15 fixed all that and is working triple A+++!). Well, I'm also the one who posted about THAT issue (and initially HERE). Aside from it not occurring at the same memory address as with dunc, it does seem to be the same issue, and irony of ironies, the very first time I hit this CTD myself it was also as a result of turning on DynDOLOD. Mind you, it didn't take me long to figure out that the relationship between DynDOLOD and the CTD was purely circumstantial​: DynDOLOD just happen to be the mod that pushed my setup over the edge because it seems to contribute significantly to the "content" (FormIDs???) load that causes this CTD and ​it was the last thing I installed ​while "flirting with the edge." I had just come out of something like this with the String Count issue and the techniques I used to figure out that the String Count issue was non-mod specific also immediately showed this CTD was not directly related to DynDOLOD...which is why I never brought it to your attention.

 

However...this test dunc did is...well I'm not quite sure what to make of it, but it seems like it could be a really useful hint as to the root cause of the problem. I'm referring to this:

 

"Then started reducing by halfs, which took forever at 8 minutes a time to xEdit/save/load game/crash.  I finally got it down to what I thought was a range of 256, then 128, 64, 32, 16...and finally no crash.  So I added back in the last 8 records I'd removed to confirm the range of records containing the issue and it bloody loaded!  So I added a hundred or so more records back in and it still loaded!  Adding more back in I could induce the crash again but I now have no idea what's going on!"

 

These records dunc was removing, these are Activator, Moveable Static, Tree, Static, etc. records he was removing from the DynDOLOD.esp? Until he was finally able to start a game?

 

Right now, the only bell this rings is that bug that finally stopped the Skyrim MERP project dead in its tracks: the TESV engine couldn't deal with any activators, containers, etc. that were placed out further than 64 cells from the map origin. Not saying this is that bug of course, but maybe positioning isn't the only constraint on these FormIDs?

 

So, anyway, I guess I'm not making a very strong case for getting any assistance with this seeing as I'm corroborating that this is NOT a DynDOLOD issue...but hey, look what can I say? My GF makes some awesome apple pie! Or apple crumble! With or without cinnamon? Strawberry rhubarb, maybe?

 

Haven't head a peep from Meh either (can't say I blame the guy). But as I said in my r post, with Crash Fixes making heavily modded games actually very playable and tools for merging mods becoming more widespread this isn't the last we're going to see of this issue.

 

I knew it would come to this one day. I knew! And no one believed me. (O.k., sorry!)

Well, we know activators do not work outside certain cells dimensions. But I have never seen them cause trouble if they are placed outside that dimension. Currently I think the limit may be more general to any type of records. Maybe just to reference using any type of base records.

With xEdit and some pascal scripts you could fill an esp with lots of records of a certain type quickly for tests.

 

Personally, I am holding off spending any more time on the old engine and look forward to the problems of the new one - with the slight hope that such (memory) limits are just gone... I can dream right.

Edited September 29, 2016 by sheson

[sheson]

Hi guys,

 

after some pause I came back to Skyrim, because I wanted to play Enderal. I played not much until I began with modding, so I tried to install DynDOLOD, but I am not sure about the load order.

For Enderal I switched to Mod Organiser, watched the 43 min Video and downloaded everything that is needed IMO.

I use some mods and one is also providing instructions to the installation with DynDOLOD, but they are totally different to the common procedure of installing DynDOLOD.

 

I attached my load order. So I created the Textures with TexGen and added the output (DynDOLOD Textures) with priority 10. Then I ran DynDOLOD and the output (DynDOLOD Output) was added with highest priority.

 

I am not sure if this is correct, moreover I don't know if the priority of the Enderal Billboards is correct.

The information of somerandomguy83 was not really helpful.

 

I am looking forward to your help.

If you use Enhanced Vanilla Trees, its LOD billboards need to be after the Vanilla Skyrim LOD Billboards (which seem to be missing) and the Enderal LOD Billboards. The TexGen output needs to be after DynDOLOD Resources (it has no billboards and DynDOLOD output needs to after everything else.

Edited September 29, 2016 by sheson

[Sundder]

Personally, I am holding off spending any more time on the old engine and look forward to the problems of the new one - with the slight hope that such (memory) limits are just gone... I can dream right.

I can certainly see the logic in that, but it's also good you're limiting your expectations :) It's going to be a long time before Skyrim Special Edition reaches the heights of Skyrim Classic as far as community added content, and if Bethesda's statements and FO4 are any indication there's a good chance a lot of the hard coded, non-memory limitations are still going to be there. The String Limit, for example is still apparently in the FO4 save file format since the format is virtually identical to Skyrim's. But, in the end, you're right that it's wait and see; it will be a whole new bug slugfest.

 

And I certainly hope we'll be seeing DynDOLOD on the other side, because mods are still going to need some high quality way of putting LODs into the special edition world.

[Sundder]

Oh, and just one last thing, the testing I and DemongelRex have done around this bug leads me to believe that it has to be a particular type of record since I found (as did DemongleRex) that even large worldspace mods such as TESV LotR don't push you over the threshold as long as they don't have scripts (DynDOLOD does, which explains why it can tip  the balance). You can otherwise put yourself right on the edge, add DynDOLOD for example (or even a small house mod with just a simple quest to get the house) and go over, or add TESV LoTR and not do so.

Edited September 29, 2016 by Sundder

[Estebanium]

If you use Enhanced Vanilla Trees, its LOD billboards need to be after the Vanilla Skyrim LOD Billboards (which seem to be missing) and the Enderal LOD Billboards. The TexGen output needs to be after DynDOLOD Resources (it has no billboards and DynDOLOD output needs to after everything else.

Thank you for your quick reply. As far as I can see it, I do not need the Skyrim LOD Billboards, but I put them into Mod Organizer as well.

I don't really understand where the Billboards of "Enhanced Vanilla Trees" must be placed and where the mod itself. I attached my current load order.

So if you say, that I have to place the Billboards of Enhanced Vanilla Trees after Skyrim and Enderal LOD, the EVT-Billboards would have priority 2 and would come right before DynDOLOD Resources and much more right before "Enhanced Vanilla Trees". The TextGen is currently at priority 11, it comes after DynDOLOD Patches. DynDOLOD Output is the last position, so this is the only file of what I know that their position is correct..

Edited September 29, 2016 by Estebanium

[sheson]

Thank you for your quick reply. As far as I can see it, I do not need the Skyrim LOD Billboards, but I put them into Mod Organizer as well.

I don't really understand where the Billboards of "Enhanced Vanilla Trees" must be placed and where the mod itself. I attached my current load order.

So if you say, that I have to place the Billboards of Enhanced Vanilla Trees after Skyrim and Enderal LOD, the EVT-Billboards would have priority 2 and would come right before DynDOLOD Resources and much more right before "Enhanced Vanilla Trees". The TextGen is currently at priority 11, it comes after DynDOLOD Patches. DynDOLOD Output is the last position, so this is the only file of what I know that their position is correct..

Vanilla Skyrim LOD Billboards are always needed for every setup. Enderal also uses vanilla trees and it is not guaranteed that tree mods like Enhanced Vanilla Trees replace all vanilla trees or supply all billboards for them.

 

Since you only have one tree mod it is really simple: It overwrites the base game (in this case Enderal which requires Vanilla Skyrim LOD Billboards and Enderal LOD Billboards). Any mod that replaces trees of the base game needs to have its billboards loaded after the billboards for the base game, since that is what the full model trees do to the full models of the base game. If the billboards for a plugin are always placed right after the mod itself, the load order is automatically correct.

 

In MO mods with higher priority load after mods with lower priority. So your screenshot looks correct.

Edited September 29, 2016 by sheson

[sheson]

Oh, and just one last thing, the testing I and DemongelRex have done around this bug leads me to believe that it has to be a particular type of record since I found (as did DemongleRex) that even large worldspace mods such as TESV LotR don't push you over the threshold as long as they don't have scripts (DynDOLOD does, which explains why it can tip  the balance). You can otherwise put yourself right on the edge, add DynDOLOD for example (or even a small house mod with just a simple quest to get the house) and go over, or add TESV LoTR and not do so.

 

Maybe there is a limit of 65535 ACTIs per worldspace? Count them with a simple script like below. Just right click a worldspace and apply this

unit userscript;

const
  sig = 'ACTI';

function Process(e: IInterface): integer;
var
  l: TList;
begin
  Result := 0;
  if Signature(e) = 'WRLD' then begin
    l := TList.Create;
    wbFindREFRsByBase(MasterOrSelf(e), sig, 0, l);
    AddMessage('Total number of ' + sig + ' = ' + IntToStr(l.Count) + ' in ' + EditorID(e));
  end;
end;

end.

Edit: updated script so it counts a worldspace across all loaded plugins Edited September 29, 2016 by sheson

[Sundder]

Whoa! O.k., how exactly do i do this now? (Sorry, look, I work with devs and sometimes they'll say something to me like you just did, and then they see the kind of blank look on my face...they've gotten use to it.)

 

So, ah, you want me to do this in the DynDOLOD generator? I dump these script lines into a plain text file, right-click the Tamriel worldspace in the DynDOLOD Generator and select ​Apply Script then I select the script text file in the open dialogue? Should I back up my output first? (BTW, I'll try to get this done this evening, but the in-laws are in town until the weekend and, eh, they require a lot of attention.)

[sheson]

Whoa! O.k., how exactly do i do this now? (Sorry, look, I work with devs and sometimes they'll say something to me like you just did, and then they see the kind of blank look on my face...they've gotten use to it.)

 

So, ah, you want me to do this in the DynDOLOD generator? I dump these script lines into a plain text file, right-click the Tamriel worldspace in the DynDOLOD Generator and select ​Apply Script then I select the script text file in the open dialogue? Should I back up my output first? (BTW, I'll try to get this done this evening, but the in-laws are in town until the weekend and, eh, they require a lot of attention.)

The script is for xEdit. Load complete load order into xEdit. Right click on Skyrim.esm (or even unfold Skyrim and right click on worldspaces) in the left window, select 'apply script', then select 'new script'. Copy and paste the script, replace everything from the default, give it nice filename and let it run.

 

Do it whenever, no rush. It it is just that you can use it to verify how many references for a certain type of base record are there to test your theory. Change the sig 'ACTI' to any other signature of valid base records, like STAT or TREE etc.

Edited September 29, 2016 by sheson

[dunc001]

The script is for xEdit. Load complete load order into xEdit. Right click on Skyrim.esm (or even unfold Skyrim and right click on worldspaces) in the left window, select 'apply script', then select 'new script'. Copy and paste the script, replace everything from the default, give it nice filename and let it run.

 

Do it whenever, no rush. It it is just that you can use it to verify how many references for a certain type of base record are there to test your theory. Change the sig 'ACTI' to any other signature of valid base records, like STAT or TREE etc.

OK, so running the script on Tamriel on my full load order (excluding DynDOLOD as I still have it to regen) there are:

 

7314 ACTI records

141511 STAT

115865 TREE

3774 CONT

Edited September 29, 2016 by dunc001

[Sundder]

O.k., tried to run this late this evening. Got an error though. "Error in 'userscript' on line 4 : Identifier expected but ' ' found." This is with TES5Edit 3.1.3

 

ACTI is clearly there between the single quotes on line 4 in the script window. Weird!

Edited September 30, 2016 by Sundder

[zilav]

I believe there is a limit for amount of persistent references per worldspace, not individual record types.

[dunc001]

That would certainly explain it.  I'll try tonight running the count on everything in Tamriel>Persistent and see what that returns (assuming I can run it on REFR that is?).

Edited September 30, 2016 by dunc001

[sheson]

That would certainly explain it.  I'll try tonight running the count on everything in Tamriel>Persistent and see what that returns (assuming I can run it on REFR that is?).

It is a tiny bit more complicated than that. Here is a script to count all references in persistent cells. If you are just interested in Tamriel, in the left pane click [+] to unfold Skyrim.esm / Worldspaces / 0000003C Tamriel then right click the 00000D74 persistent Cell and apply this script. Otherwise run it on Skyrm.esm / Worldspace

 

It will count for each plugin and then have a total at the bottom.

Edited September 30, 2016 by sheson