DynDOLOD Beta for Skyrim Special Edition, Skyrim VR and Enderal SE 2.98

[Shadriss]

I wouldn't say conflicting so much as out of date - as mentioned, in the 1.X versions, it didn't matter, and though it's never been recommended here on STEP, there wasn't anything inherently wrong with AFAIK. That's changed with MO2, and now it does matter... most folks just assume that what was good in the original must be good for the follow up is all.

[JonnyWang33]

Sheson, I was just working with some of my low triangle meshes for grass. I realized you can end up with many more triangles by intersecting them with each other. In other words, I can create a tree lod model with only 3 panes, but make it look like it has a dozen. Still need two tree lod atlases though or the butterflying will be...

 

 

Actually, this might solve the butterflying too. Will let you know. 

[sheson]

Sheson, I was just working with some of my low triangle meshes for grass. I realized you can end up with many more triangles by intersecting them with each other. In other words, I can create a tree lod model with only 3 panes, but make it look like it has a dozen. Still need two tree lod atlases though or the butterflying will be...

 

 

Actually, this might solve the butterflying too. Will let you know. 

We already can feed LODGen.exe with different versions of billboard meshes (your own NIF template) were it then sets the billboard texture. I "just" need to add multiple textures replacement and their atlas creation and a proper way to define all the resources so they are picked up automatically. No ETA, though. Can be still a while out.

 

Adding normalmaps to billboards can improve them a lot (more) than just adding additional sides.

 

Have a look at Simplygon. It can create multiple billboards for a tree but also impostors (new triangles with new textures faking small pieces of flora/leafs/branches - like a truer 3D LOD tree), which can be a solution to high-res trees. I am trying to establish how to create an automatic workflow since Simplygon does not know NIF so right now there is importing/exporting via 3DS Max or Blender involved.

 

Simplygon is free for non commercial use and now can be installed as a local application (only Windows 10 though... but that is what we have virtual machines for). 

 

BTW, textures for the same object/tree should always be on the same atlas, otherwise you can not utilize batching. If there are more textures for other object they go on the next atlas.

Edited August 15, 2018 by sheson

[Zanderat]

I was doing some experimenting and tried instead of using billboards to let DynDOLOD generate its own LOD for the trees.  I double clicked on the trees entry and changed the values for LOD 8 and LOD 16 from "billboard" into LOD 8 - "LOD 8" and LOD 16 - "LOD 16".  Seemed to work and look excellent.  So, the question is:  what is going on here?  I thought billboards were needed?  Or is DynoLODGEN generating its own billboards and if so, why bother with custom ones?  Thanks!

[sheson]

I was doing some experimenting and tried instead of using billboards to let DynDOLOD generate its own LOD for the trees.  I double clicked on the trees entry and changed the values for LOD 8 and LOD 16 from "billboard" into LOD 8 - "LOD 8" and LOD 16 - "LOD 16".  Seemed to work and look excellent.  So, the question is:  what is going on here?  I thought billboards were needed?  Or is DynoLODGEN generating its own billboards and if so, why bother with custom ones?  Thanks!

DynDOLOD does not generate LOD models. It uses the models it finds in the load order based on the rule settings for the LOD Levels.

DynDOLOD may on occasion re-uv (typically full models) on the fly in case of tiled UV and the texture being available on the atlas. In that case it may slightly simplify the model (combines adjacent triangles that have the same normal - e.g. planes) - but there is no true decimation.

 

If you wonder what tree uses which LOD asset for a LOD level, check the DynDOLOD log for the Static tree LOD used meshes and billboards report.

You will notice in this case that the same 3D tree LOD model is used for all LOD levels.

 

If you wonder how the LOD Level settings work, have a look at DynDOLOD_Mod_Authors.html

 

The important piece of the puzzle is that 3D tree LOD models typically do not have a LOD level identifier _0/_1/_2 in their filename. Without that a LOD model applies to all LOD levels.

 

So your rule is basically the same as setting Static LOD 4 for all LOD levels.

I can only wonder at the size of LOD and how long it took to compute, the amount of data the game has to load and deal with. Does the map load with all those 3D LOD trees?

Edited August 15, 2018 by sheson

[Zanderat]

I am actually having no issues.  That's why I was asking.  Hence the question of why even use billboards.  Thought maybe I should be struggling!  LOL!

 

Haven't tested the whole map.  But the wooded areas around Riverwood are fine.  FPS is 40-50ish with no hitching.  My rig is somewhat current (Nvidia GTX 1070 (8 gig vram), AMD 8350, 24 gig DDR3, SSD).

 

It took roughly 25 minutes to complete DynDOLOD generation.

Edited August 15, 2018 by Zanderat

[soupdragon]

The Katariah LOD model is not unloading. I noticed it when adding animations to the full model the lod model "pops through" the deck of the full model when its yawing.

[sheson]

The Katariah LOD model is not unloading. I noticed it when adding animations to the full model the lod model "pops through" the deck of the full model when its yawing.

Check the form id of that model and see if it belongs to DynDOLOD or if another plugin adds its.

[Juanmiguez89]

Hi Sheson! Thank you for all the support to the inconvenients... I Â´ve installed skyrim 3d trees and its billboards, landscape overhaul everything and then run dyndolod. it looks great, but i´m getting this odd angled trees everywhere (picture). Any suggestions? Thank you in advance

 

https://imgur.com/GwHmUqc

[sheson]

Hi Sheson! Thank you for all the support to the inconvenients... I´ve installed skyrim 3d trees and its billboards, landscape overhaul everything and then run dyndolod. it looks great, but i´m getting this odd angled trees everywhere (picture). Any suggestions? Thank you in advance

 

https://imgur.com/GwHmUqc

Can you go close to one of those trees and gets its form id (open console, click tree, that number). Take note of the first to digits, as they are the hex load order of the plugin adding the tree. Typically it would be 00 for Skyrim.esm for most trees, but in case it is not, compare that with the hex load order of the plugin list.

 

Then load entire load order in xEdit. Enter form id top left into the form id field and press Enter to show the reference data in the right pane. It is possible that the load order of plugins is different. In that case you need to adjust the first two digits.

 

In the right pane find the NAME - Base row and CTRL+left click onto onto the cell in the plugin column to switch the view to the base record.

 

Find the row FormID and take note of the form ID [TREE:xxxxxxxx].

 

Then let me know both form ids you found, and in case a plugin overwrites either the reference or base record, the name of the plugin.

 

Post/Upload to a service the last generation from ..DynDOLOD\Logs\DynDOLOD_SSE_log.txt, the export file ..DynDOLOD\Edit Scripts\Export\LODGen_SSE_Tamriel.txt.

[Juanmiguez89]

Thank you!! When I get close to the full rendered trees and click on them I get in each one a different form ID. I tried what you said with one of them and got this (image). In console the form ID was 000a04b4, and the row 000b8f53.  It says Tree tundra drift wood tree. Sorry i´m inexperienced so I don´t know what would be the next move. When I click on the left pane on the red ones affected i get skyrim is windy is there. should I uninstall that plugin? thank you sheson!!

 

https://i.imgur.com/QIePmNP.png

Edited August 16, 2018 by Juanmiguez89

[sheson]

Thank you!! When I get close to the full rendered trees and click on them I get in each one a different form ID. I tried what you said with one of them and got this (image). In console the form ID was 000a04b4, and the row 000b8f53.  It says Tree tundra drift wood tree. Sorry i´m inexperienced so I don´t know what would be the next move. When I click on the left pane on the red ones affected i get skyrim is windy is there. should I uninstall that plugin? thank you sheson!!

 

https://i.imgur.com/QIePmNP.png

That is already good information. I will test with that mod myself and see if I can replicate the problem.

[Juanmiguez89]

Thank you! Yes, I should assign the correct billboard for this 000b8f53. That´s what i have no clue how to do.

 

On the billboards folder i found the .dds and .txt for this tree, and in the txt it says

[LOD]

Width=745

Height=2514

ShiftZ=-200

Model=Landscape\Trees\TundraDriftWoodTree01.nif

 

This is the only .txt that has ShiftZ=-200..... idk if that has something to do with it but it s odd

Edited August 16, 2018 by Juanmiguez89

[sheson]

Thank you! Yes, I should assign the correct billboard for this 000b8f53. That´s what i have no clue how to do.

 

On the billboards folder i found the .dds and .txt for this tree, and in the txt it says

[LOD]

Width=745

Height=2514

ShiftZ=-200

Model=Landscape\Trees\TundraDriftWoodTree01.nif

 

This is the only .txt that has ShiftZ=-200..... idk if that has something to do with it but it s odd

You do not need to be doing anything right now while I try find out what the problem might be. The billboards dds/txt are fine. I will post again once I had a chance to generate with the Windy plugin to see if I can replicate the problem.

Edited August 16, 2018 by sheson

[sheson]

Thank you!! When I get close to the full rendered trees and click on them I get in each one a different form ID. I tried what you said with one of them and got this (image). In console the form ID was 000a04b4, and the row 000b8f53.  It says Tree tundra drift wood tree. Sorry i´m inexperienced so I don´t know what would be the next move. When I click on the left pane on the red ones affected i get skyrim is windy is there. should I uninstall that plugin? thank you sheson!!

 

https://i.imgur.com/QIePmNP.png

 

OK Windy alone does not seem to do anything that would cause trees to be tilted.

 

If you go back to check the reference 000a04b4 for such a tree, are there any other plugins listed in the right window other than Skyrim.esm?

 

Please upload to a file service the last generation log from ..DynDOLOD\Logs\DynDOLOD_SSE_log.txt, the export file ..DynDOLOD\Edit Scripts\Export\LODGen_SSE_Tamriel.txt so I can try troubleshoot this better.

Edited August 16, 2018 by sheson