My step by step S.T.E.P. procedure - [SOLVED]

[eperdos]

So, I write in here to let others, more experienced, to assist me and maybe to let others, less experienced to see how things goes by... So:

 

Hi all,

 

after I practically killed my system by installing way to many mods and my Skyrim stuttered in an unacceptable way, I started over and discovered S.T.E.P. witch I believe should provide a better starting point.

 

My specs:

 

Skyrim v1.8.151.0.7 +Downguard and Hearthfire

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 @3.00Ghz

MSI geforce 560ti OC edition

4 Gb RAM (2x2)

500 GB HDD (7200rpm)

1600x1200 rezolution

!!!running with FPS Booster v1.1 and Razer Game Booster

 

Step 1

 

- clean install (as stated above) + official HD textures packs

- SKSE (v1.06.05)

- edited settings starting from ultra and changing:

-----AA 2x

-----AF off

-----shadows medium

-----grass distance maximized

-----everithing else at 50%

- nvidia inspector with these settings: https://wiki.step-project.com/images/b/b8/Nvidia_Inspector_Settings.png

- modified Skyrim.ini and SkyrimPrefs.ini according to STEP (so AF goes to 16x from here)

 

made 4 saves in 4 diferent locations. Testing is as follows:

- for every load I freshly execute the game again.

- I note the starting FPS as I spotted for 3 of the 4 location a most lower FPS spot.

- I note peak memory and peak page file memory (through Elys MemInfo)

- I benchmark with fraps a standardized running walk throughout that location.

- I go into game`s menu and note the new peak memory and peak page file memory

- I exit the game and check maximum video memory load (through GPU-Z)

- I note the min, max and med FPS from fraps` benchmark

 

Results on this clean install, v1.8.151.0.7 with officiall HD textures packs and changed settings and INI files, noting minimum, maximum and medium (rounded) FPS:

 

1. Riverwood: 45-77-68

2. Whiterun: 49-76-65

3. Markarth: 52-78-67

4. Riften: 42-77-63

 

So, that`s it! This is my first step into improving Skyrim by S.T.E.P. method. Even though they say a minimum of 50 FPS is needed in every location, I hope these result can be ok.

 

If anyone has any advise or remarks about these, please write them here, but in a constructive manner, please

[eperdos]

OK, I installed all mods in the first step, that is "fixes".

 

When I wanted to go further, I saw the note about ENB and I remembered it. I thought I`d give it a try but I saw a massive drop in performance. If medium FPS in all 4 locations was above 60 after instalig the recomended ENB, medium FPS was well under 50, even actually near 40. That a serious performance drop of more than 30% and I ask if this worth it? I still not installed any of the texture mods.

 

Should I let ENB for the end of S.T.E.P.? what settings in ENB or most performance killer?

 

thanks!

[TechAngel85]

OK, I installed all mods in the first step, that is "fixes".

 

When I wanted to go further, I saw the note about ENB and I remembered it. I thought I`d give it a try but I saw a massive drop in performance. If medium FPS in all 4 locations was above 60 after instalig the recomended ENB, medium FPS was well under 50, even actually near 40. That a serious performance drop of more than 30% and I ask if this worth it? I still not installed any of the texture mods.

 

Should I let ENB for the end of S.T.E.P.? what settings in ENB or most performance killer?

 

thanks!

 

ENB is going to be a performance loss no matter what, but you can minimize the loss by turning off some of the features. The most performance heavy are: SSAO, DOF, Detailed Shadows, and Bloom. These can be turned off in the enbseries.ini file under the [EFFECTS] section by changing the value from true to false.

 

Whether or not if it's worth it is up to you. I personally use SkyRealism with the Cinematic preset. I turn off SSAO and DOF. I change the bloom quality to 1 (found under the [bLOOM] section). I also only use the FXAA injector from RCRN for my AA options as the graphic card AA is too much of a hit for my system. I run on average 35 FPS. AF is forced through my card at 16x and I don't use any AO settings.

[TechAngel85]

Once the wiki is back up check out our ENB Guide. It should be back up later tonight or tomorrow.

[Spiffyman]

with a slight edit to the ENB that techangel suggested (turning off ssao/dof), I had a reduction of around 6 fps. You seem to have a better gpu than myself so I'd imagine you'd have that much or less reduction. If you're not sure how to do that, I'm guess that ENB guide will explain that. 

[TechAngel85]

I'm on a laptop with a nVidia Geforce GTX 460M. I play on a lower screen resolution that you too. I have done a lot of testing on my personal machine to find the right quality/performance balance for myself.

[eperdos]

first of thanks for replies. I decided to let ENB as the last stage. of course the world of skyrim is more rich and beautifull with cinematic effect, but even after I turned off all the settings you pointed (and I installed the ENB under step wiki) FPS drop is considerable. 

 

I keep track of thigs I should do especially for ENB for later readjusting the game. In the meanwhile, I do intall mod after mod in step guide. I just finished texture pack combiner. FPS drop is nearly non existant while textures are way better.

 

I`ll come to write more after I`ll install all texture in conflicting and non-conflicting steps.

 

thanks to all again!!!

[Besidilo]

with a slight edit to the ENB that techangel suggested (turning off ssao/dof) I had a reduction of around 6 fps. You seem to have a better gpu than myself so I'd imagine you'd have that much or less reduction. If you're not sure how to do that, I'm guess that ENB guide will explain that.

That's not how rendering works. I have a more powerful GPU than him and ENB still has an average of 15-20 fps impact, because my average framerate on vanilla Skyrim is much higher.

 

The higher your initial framerate, the higher the impact. Percentage values are much more accurate, although those will be skewed depending on a number of other factors too.

 

I hate when people say that this feature has 5 fps impact or something to that tune. It's meaningless to someone who runs at 120 fps or someone who can't get more than 25 fps already. In fact, it's meaningless to anyone who doesn't have a very similar system to yours.

[eperdos]

So then, Using default SkyRealism - ENB Evolved - Cinematic, the impact was around 35% FPS drop. This on official HD SKyrim with only STEP fixes. This translate for my system (see in firstpost) in aprox 20-25 fps loss, from aprox. 65 to aprox 42 average.

[TechAngel85]

 

 

So then Using default SkyRealism - ENB Evolved - Cinematic, the impact was around 35% FPS drop. This on official HD SKyrim with only STEP fixes. This translate for my system (see in firstpost) in aprox 20-25 fps loss, from aprox. 65 to aprox 42 average.

That sounds about like an average loss for an ENB.

[eperdos]

Intermediate STEP 2

 

While I only installed conflicting graphic mods, I do presume they are the most important ones and also the more performance hit ones. So, I must say that, after installing conflicting graphics following S.T.E.P. guiding, performance loss is minimal. I installed everything, core and extra (except better bedrolls) ussualy with lite or medium textures where aplies.

 

FPS are very much similar with Skyrim official HD, here and there a 1-2 frame loss, especially on minimum FPS, while average remains consistant. 

 

The only important diference is concerning memory, RAM and VRAM. RAM is now around 1.5 GB (beeing around 1 GB before) while VRAM mostly goes towards maximum (1018 MB was my max) that`s 100 MB more in Riverwood and Markarth (Whiterun and Riften were already next to maximum before).

 

Bottom line: things look pretty much promising and looks there will be room for ENB ;)

 

P.S. coming back for complete STEP 2!

[eperdos]

STEP 2

 

Finished instaling the whole second step in S.T.E.P. procedure. All graphicall mods were installed. Well, a few weren`t as I either had doubts about their corect work or I didn`t like them or mostly they were already flagged by STEP to be problematic. These are what I DIDN`T install:

 

- better bedrolls

- antz in my pants

- better freckles

- birds and flocks

- burn freeze & shock effects

- climates of tamriel

- distant detail (because of it`s potential dramatic FPS drop, I will test it though!)

- eye reflection extender

- improved foot wraps

- improved weapon impact

- new children

- rabbits plus

 

Like already stated, distant detail mod would be tested and eventualy installed!

 

Now, like I already said in previous post, performance is great!!! So here are the FPS, lowes, highest, average:

 

Riverwood - 44, 76, 62

Whiterun - 44, 76, 64

Markarth - 46, 78, 65

Riften - 38, 75, 61

 

All tests are a run inside the city, exactly same as first test.

 

RAM load is around 1500 MB while VRAM load is 1012 - 1018 MB.

 

Very negligeable stuttering in Riverwood, it`l like a fraction of a second.

 

Remember, I use FPS Booster and Razer Game Booster.

 

Now, other steps are comming but certainly, nothing as intense for perfomance like this step was. Most certain, I`ll install ENB at the end. We`ll see!

[eperdos]

STEP 2 update

 

I did 2 tests regarding Distand Detail mod (so not so extensive as previous mods). Outside Riverwood along the road and outside Whiterun, paralel with the road. Minimum, maximum and average FPS:

 

 

Riverwood without DD - 38 - 72 - 59

Riverwood with DD - 29 - 70 - 56

 

Whiterun without DD - 48 - 76 - 64

Whiterun with DD - 45 - 70 - 59

 

My conclusions aren`t very clear:

 

- I personaly didn`t see any significant change form it. I did expect a better imersion (that`s its purpose, isn`t it?) and it didn`t offer it. I still see the popping grass, trees, waterfalls and rocks. Mybe, just maybe, not as often as without it, but still, speaking about imersion, it`s NOT doing it`s supposed job! 

- perfomance is lower, as expected, but not as much as I thought will be. a medium loss of 3-4 frames and a minimum FPS difference of 10 frames (beeing with this mod, my minimum was 10 frames lower, while maximum and average was only 3-4 frames lower)

 

Bottom line, I see no point in using it! If someone has better reasons, please present them. If someone knows better ways to test it and to see the differences, please present them.

[TechAngel85]

I'll post some before and after screenshots, after I get some shut-eye, so you can see what the mod is doing. Look for them sometime tomorrow (later day).

[eperdos]

it`s not that I don`t know what is doing. But the win/loss balance isn`t right. Mostly it offers things you won`t notice at the cost of 5% performance. Anyway, I`ll wayt for your shots. Thank you!

[eperdos]

Question:

 

Can I use the UFO - Ultimate follower Overhaul instead of convenient horses? I ask this as I want to stick as much to S.T.E.P. guidings, but the ideea of easier controling your followers pleases me. So, despite subjective attitudes like "I like it" - "I don`t like it" what is the impact of UFO on the STEP?

 

thanks!