ACCEPTED Skyrim Realistic Overhaul (by Starac)

[keithinhanoi]

So, all in all, a possible black face every now and then (if that) is worth it for the results I am seeing in game. If I started crashing, I'd reconsider, of course. With Mod Organizer it's a simple matter of checking/unchecking some boxes.

Good to know, thanks.

[Octopuss]

Do not blindly give SRO priority over everything, because there are lots of files identical to vanilla (+hires pack) textures. For some reason they were just copied in the mod. I think Starac even mentioned this somewhere when he still actively visited the forum.

So be warned, you MIGHT be overwriting some new textures from other mods by vanilla stuff.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Octopuss

[EssArrBee]

If you get the torrent that is linked to on the guide then those files are removed. 

[Octopuss]

Hmm maybe I should download it and compare it with the 2048k version I got from the other one.

[TechAngel85]

There shouldn't be any visible difference. The one link on the Guide has the redundant files removed, is a mix of 1K and 2K textures and has been optimized with DDSOpt. It's highly preferred over the other files out there.

[Octopuss]

I can't tell for sure, but with some of the files in 2048k package being 4 or so times bigger, there surely has to be a difference?

Also, I blindly checked a few of the seemingly identical files to the vanilla hires textures, and noticed some slight colour differences. For example, HiRes optimized textures 2texturesarchitecturefalmer hutfalmerhut.dds - this one has weird green-yellow tint to it, but the same file in SRO (the 2048 version) looks fine.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Octopuss

[TechAngel85]

The optimized one that is linked has been DDSOpted from 2K to 1K so if you know how DDSOpt works...no, no visual differences between the 2K and 1K optimized textures. As for some of the "seeming identical" files, well I never examined them. I know who did the work on the optimized version of the mod and trust them and their work to be top notch.

[Octopuss]

I wish someone bothered with the 2k version as well, heh. Having high end PC makes you want to only have the best of best :D

[TechAngel85]

You're not getting it which tells me you're not entirely sure how DDSOpt works. Just take my word for it. The optimized version is just as good as the 2K version of the mod with less VRAM usage. Hence why it's called "optimized".

[Octopuss]

Yea but when one texture is 1024 and the other 2048, it still looks like a nobrainer...

[Redferne]

You can optimize a texture without reducing its size by just changing its compression format.

[Octopuss]

I decided to try to do something useful, so I grabbed the 2048k package and compared it to the optimized one linked in the wiki, and also vs hires textures.
I deleted all redundant textures I could find and repacked it back with Dawnguard textures included.
Download it here (roughly 3,3GB 7z archive).
 
I also found two interesting things, which were probably overlooked (or decided as not needed) by whoever created the optimized package:
1) there is an alternative texture (and its normal) for Whiterun city wall:  It looks exactly like vanilla, but it's 2048k in size and looks just as superb as the rest of SRO.
regular SRO on the left, alternative vanilla texture in SRO quality on the right:
-
 
2) There is a weird extra normal texture in roads folder: edited out, unimportant
 
Anyway, I hope someone will find this useful.

Edited March 24, 2014 by Octopuss

[kurumugicha]

Thank you for the 2k version. 1k optimized does not mean the same quality as 2k optimized. DId you run your version through ddsopt as well?

[Octopuss]

No, I only removed the redundant files. Nothing else.

I also remember Starac once said there was nothing to optimize about his textures because they were done in some way - I can't remember the details. Of course, this is obviously a matter of personal preferences and there's always something you can do with them.

Edited March 10, 2014 by Octopuss

[phazer11]

Anyone mind telling me which files are redundant? I'm making my own version to help curb some of my issues.