Dynamic Distant Objects LOD - DynDOLOD for Skyrim and Enderal 2.98

[sheson]

1 hour ago, XenolithicYardZone said:

Ok, will do. I thought you were managing the mod now so posted here.

Anyway, before I do, these are two affected tree ids in different SSE logs.

TREE:00051126

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2.85 log:

TreePineForest05 [TREE:00051126] meshes\landscape\trees\sfotreepineforest05.nif
Billboard found, 3D LOD found 
LOD4: meshes\dyndolod\lod\trees\sfotreepineforest05_7905eb79passthru_lod.nif

2.93 log:

TreePineForest05 [TREE:00051126] meshes\landscape\trees\sfotreepineforest05.nif
Billboard found, new tree, 3D LOD not found <sfotreepineforest05_564424AA> fallback Billboard
LOD4: textures\terrain\lodgen\skyrim.esm\treepineforest05_00051126.dds using internal

TREE:0004FBB0

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2.85 log:

TreePineForest04 [TREE:0004FBB0] meshes\landscape\trees\sfotreepineforest04.nif
Billboard found, 3D LOD found 
LOD4: meshes\dyndolod\lod\trees\sfotreepineforest04_092032b8passthru_lodold.nif

2.93 log:

TreePineForest04 [TREE:0004FBB0] meshes\landscape\trees\sfotreepineforest04.nif
Billboard found, new tree, 3D LOD not found <sfotreepineforest04_868B9674> fallback Billboard
LOD4: textures\terrain\lodgen\skyrim.esm\treepineforest04_0004fbb0.dds using internal

And here's the 2.93 LE logs for these two trees:

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TreePineForest05 [TREE:00051126] meshes\landscape\trees\sfotreepineforest05.nif
Billboard found, new tree, 3D LOD not found <sfotreepineforest05_DA7F1B12> fallback Billboard
LOD4: textures\terrain\lodgen\skyrim.esm\treepineforest05_00051126.dds using internal

TreePineForest04 [TREE:0004FBB0] meshes\landscape\trees\sfotreepineforest04.nif
Billboard found, new tree, 3D LOD not found <sfotreepineforest04_B0D61604> fallback Billboard
LOD4: textures\terrain\lodgen\skyrim.esm\treepineforest04_0004fbb0.dds using internal

Those two passthru nifs are still present in the SSE Myrkvior folder. 

Don't know if this info's any use, just thought you should know.

If the full model NIF changes, its CRC32 changes. Are yous saying that the full models are the same between the two generations and that one version of DynDOLOD is calculating a wrong CRC32?

[XenolithicYardZone]

1 hour ago, sheson said:

If the full model NIF changes, its CRC32 changes. Are yous saying that the full models are the same between the two generations and that one version of DynDOLOD is calculating a wrong CRC32?

@sheson

Please ignore everything I said. I might not have touched my Myrkvior installations, but I completely forgot that I had that Morekvior mod installed which is recommended on Myrkvior's page. It only clicked after you mentioned full model NIF changes. Since that mod doesn't have any LOD files as such, I never realized it could affect LOD generation. And now I see something about potential issues with DynDOLOD mentioned at the very bottom of that mod's page. I should read mod pages more carefully. 

Apologies.

Edited February 27, 2021 by XenolithicYardZone

[Marina]

On 1/31/2021 at 8:48 AM, sheson said:

There is no requirement or use to delete the cache folder since several years.

 

I am not sure what the issue is? 

 

Read ..\DynDOLOD\Docs\trees.ultra\DynDOLOD-Trees.html how to generate ultra tree LOD.

 

If you want 3D tree LOD you need to have 3D tree LOD models installed, change the INI setting and change LOD4 to Static LOD4 if it isn't by default (high rules only)

I‘m sorry for my late reply, I wasn’t doing well these past few weeks.

I have 3D models installed, I changed the INI and I also changed LOD4 to Static LOD4, because it didn’t change automatically.

I‘ve done this so many times - running DynDOLOD I mean. And I have no clue what I‘m doing wrong all of a sudden. Right now I‘m using an old Resource back-up, but that can‘t be the answer to the riddle since eventually I need to run DynDOLOD again. 😞

[sheson]

7 hours ago, Marina said:

I‘m sorry for my late reply, I wasn’t doing well these past few weeks.

I have 3D models installed, I changed the INI and I also changed LOD4 to Static LOD4, because it didn’t change automatically.

I‘ve done this so many times - running DynDOLOD I mean. And I have no clue what I‘m doing wrong all of a sudden. Right now I‘m using an old Resource back-up, but that can‘t be the answer to the riddle since eventually I need to run DynDOLOD again. 😞

As the ultra tree LOD manual explains, each tree for which you want 3D tree LOD requires a 3D tree LOD model, otherwise it will use a billboard as fallback. As the manual explains, the log prints a list of each tree and which LOD assets were found.

The log tells you everything that DynDOLOD does. Look at the log and check what it tells you. Also pay attention to warning or error messages.

[Marina]

Yes, but I‘m using the same mods as before, there ARE 3D models. Anyway, I will do as you suggested and I already apologize if I need to come back. Thank you for your quick replies - I know it‘s annoying and I really do appreciate the help!

Edit: I just read the sticky post at the EVT forum, which is a little bit confusing. I‘m using an older version now, so everything works like a charm. Thank you again!

Edited March 6, 2021 by Marina

[sheson]

7 hours ago, Marina said:

Yes, but I‘m using the same mods as before, there ARE 3D models. Anyway, I will do as you suggested and I already apologize if I need to come back. Thank you for your quick replies - I know it‘s annoying and I really do appreciate the help!

Edit: I just read the sticky post at the EVT forum, which is a little bit confusing. I‘m using an older version now, so everything works like a charm. Thank you again!

I suggest to ignore all third party instructions. The sticky says to set TreeFullFallBack=0 without any explanation or warning. Do not do this unless you understand what the setting does.

Read and follow the included manual instead.

You are using an older version of what?

The log prints a line for each tree which LOD assets were found and which are used. If a tree does not have a 3D LOD model, make sure the mod and its LOD assets are installed correctly. If the mod is missing require LOD assets I suggest to notify the author.

[Hypernova1912]

What is the in-game effect of "never ignore neverfades in child worlds for upgrading to static or dynamic LOD" in DynDOLOD 2.94? Also, on a related note, why are there no rules for Solitude Expansion in DynDOLOD SSE? Are they just unnecessary due to changes in the SSE version of the mod or the game itself?

Also, is there a way to configure DynDOLOD to keep a LOD object loaded even when close enough for the full model to load, or alternatively load the full model of an object that a mod places in the Tamriel worldspace in a child world?

Edited March 7, 2021 by Hypernova1912
Adding an additional question.

[sheson]

1 hour ago, Hypernova1912 said:

What is the in-game effect of "never ignore neverfades in child worlds for upgrading to static or dynamic LOD" in DynDOLOD 2.94? Also, on a related note, why are there no rules for Solitude Expansion in DynDOLOD SSE? Are they just unnecessary due to changes in the SSE version of the mod or the game itself?

Also, is there a way to configure DynDOLOD to keep a LOD object loaded even when close enough for the full model to load, or alternatively load the full model of an object that a mod places in the Tamriel worldspace in a child world?

There are config settings that purposefully result in ignoring references placed in child worlds so they are not copied to the parent and not have LOD. However, this also resulted in references with IsFullLOD to not being converted to static or dynamic LOD.

Unless somebody reports issues with a mod (or I happen to notice them myself on occasion) there is no reason for it to have rules.

Check the different options for the Reference setting to change behavior of the dynamic LOD model. They are explained on the edit mesh rule option window. You are looking for "Keep" or maybe "Replace", DynDOLOD 3 has even more specific options.

If the child world to parent world copy should be the using the full model, add the source reference to ..\DynDOLOD\Edit Scripts\DynDOLOD\DynDOLOD_[TES5|SSE]_childworldfull.txt
If you believe it makes sense for such an update to be included in standalone archive by default just let me know the mod and reference(s).

You'll probably benefit from reading DynDOLOD_Reference.html included in the DynDOLOD 3 archive.

[Benna96]

Hello. I use the mod Immersive Roads, which adds in some extra road statics to replace some vanilla road statics, for variety. Currently, the LOD for all these extra roads is rendered as just the default road though. For example, by default, the default road has green sides, while the road around Whiterun has orange sides. The LOD is green while the actual road is orange, the difference is quite jarring.

I've managed to make TexGen generate LOD textures for the new roads, no problem there. But I can't figure out how to make DynDOLOD acknowledge them. It's not adding the new textures to the atlas, nor is it using them in the .bto files.

[Benna96]

I realise now that I posted on the wrong thread. I'm using SE.

[sheson]

8 hours ago, Benna96 said:

Hello. I use the mod Immersive Roads, which adds in some extra road statics to replace some vanilla road statics, for variety. Currently, the LOD for all these extra roads is rendered as just the default road though. For example, by default, the default road has green sides, while the road around Whiterun has orange sides. The LOD is green while the actual road is orange, the difference is quite jarring.

I've managed to make TexGen generate LOD textures for the new roads, no problem there. But I can't figure out how to make DynDOLOD acknowledge them. It's not adding the new textures to the atlas, nor is it using them in the .bto files.

The LOD models included in DynDOLOD Resources for roads have no sides, they just have the cobble stone. TexGen should update the cobble stone to match.

Maybe provide a screenshot.

[Benna96]

5 hours ago, sheson said:

The LOD models included in DynDOLOD Resources for roads have no sides, they just have the cobble stone. TexGen should update the cobble stone to match.

Maybe provide a screenshot.

The "sides" I'm talking about are included in the texture, no mesh changes, just textures. In vanilla, roads use road01.dds, road01fallforest01.dds, or road01reach01.dds. The mod adds in roads using road01ea.dds, road01sp.dds, and road01wh.dds, by attaching alternate textures in an esp file. TexGen deals fine with all the textures after I added a txt file to generate lod for the new textures as well. The problem is, any road using road01ealod.dds, road01sp.dds, or road01whlod.dds, DynDOLOD renders as using road01lod.dds.

Here's a screenshot. (And a higher quality version if needed). The lod, on the right, is using road01.dds, which has green in it. The actual road, on the left, is using road01wh.dds, which has... I guess it's more of a brown, in it. It seems to me like DynDOLOD is acting as if the road was never changed to another, all these roads were originally ones using road01.dds I think.

The coloured part being in the middle is because of the lod texture being the road texture tiled 4 times by default. Making it just the road texture once puts the colour to the side and makes the issue less noticeable, as the stone part of the textures are mostly the same (road01sp is a lighter colour though). So, I can live with it, but it would be nice to know how to make DynDOLOD acknowledge these road changes.

[sheson]

1 hour ago, Benna96 said:

The "sides" I'm talking about are included in the texture, no mesh changes, just textures. In vanilla, roads use road01.dds, road01fallforest01.dds, or road01reach01.dds. The mod adds in roads using road01ea.dds, road01sp.dds, and road01wh.dds, by attaching alternate textures in an esp file. TexGen deals fine with all the textures after I added a txt file to generate lod for the new textures as well. The problem is, any road using road01ealod.dds, road01sp.dds, or road01whlod.dds, DynDOLOD renders as using road01lod.dds.

Here's a screenshot. (And a higher quality version if needed). The lod, on the right, is using road01.dds, which has green in it. The actual road, on the left, is using road01wh.dds, which has... I guess it's more of a brown, in it. It seems to me like DynDOLOD is acting as if the road was never changed to another, all these roads were originally ones using road01.dds I think.

The coloured part being in the middle is because of the lod texture being the road texture tiled 4 times by default. Making it just the road texture once puts the colour to the side and makes the issue less noticeable, as the stone part of the textures are mostly the same (road01sp is a lighter colour though). So, I can live with it, but it would be nice to know how to make DynDOLOD acknowledge these road changes.

That mod would need customized or updated LOD models to use the custom LOD textures atm, because the way Skyrim engine works there is no automatic texture replacement for LOD textures as there is for full textures. LOD will simply use the LOD texture that is defined in the LOD model. There are some workarounds in DynDOLOD to address these things for vanilla texture replacements, but they required manually labor. This will be better addressed in future DynDOLOD versions where eventually this should be more automatic.

Use xLODGen to generate better terrain LOD meshes with protected cell borders.

[Benna96]

9 minutes ago, sheson said:

That mod would need customized or updated LOD models to use the custom LOD textures atm, because the way Skyrim engine works there is no automatic texture replacement for LOD textures as there is for full textures. LOD will simply use the LOD texture that is defined in the LOD model. There are some workarounds in DynDOLOD to address these things for vanilla texture replacements, but they required manually labor. This will be better addressed in future DynDOLOD versions where eventually this should be more automatic.

Use xLODGen to generate better terrain LOD meshes with protected cell borders.

So, the vanilla alternate textures work because they're hard-coded to, so to speak?

The way I'm reading this, I could make it work if I make them use their own models, and lod models, instead of the defaults, correct? I was thinking I might try that, but wanted to hear from you before I went ahead and tried.

Thank you.

[sheson]

13 minutes ago, Benna96 said:

So, the vanilla alternate textures work because they're hard-coded to, so to speak?

The way I'm reading this, I could make it work if I make them use their own models, and lod models, instead of the defaults, correct? I was thinking I might try that, but wanted to hear from you before I went ahead and tried.

Thank you.

Yes, vanilla textures are hardcoded via config files.

You can copy the existing LOD models to new unique file names. Then use a tool to mass update the textures on the BSShaderTextureSet to the new ones and then add the LOD models to the base records in xEdit or CK the old way.

In order for DynDOLOD to always use the defined LOD models from these base records (instead of the automatic filename matching which takes preference), add a file in Data\DynDOLOD\DynDOLOD_SSE_[pluginfilenameesp].INI (see DynDOLOD_Mod_Authors.html for the correct filename of the INI file) that contains
 [Skyrim Settings]
DefaultLOD=1