Strange DynDoLOD and ftreeloaddistance behavior...

[Kanori24]

So... I'm working on a new LE build (please don't ask why I'm not running SSE), and I got to the point where I could go ahead and run DynDoLOD. Just using Skyrim's Ultra graphics setting, and DynDoLod's high setting for Tamriel, I was blown away by just how many trees and how far out they were drawn with The Great Forest of Whiterun Hold. While walking down the path from the Ritual Stone towards the city, I could see trees out to the edge of the mountains. And here's the best part: NO STUTTERING! 

So, a few days later, I decide I want to use Vert's snow pine models. So I get the billboards for those setup and run DynDoLOD, same Skyrimprefs.ini settings as before, same DynDoLOD settings... and now... walking down the same path... the trees aren't even drawn past Whiterun

I double check everything and run DynDoLOD again... same results... very poor tree LOD distance. I go and check my Skyrimprefs.ini... ftreeloaddistance is still set to 75000 as it was the first time I ran DynDoLOD. So I push that value up to 100000... tree LODs still aren't drawn out as far as they were the first time... and now it's stuttering.

In order to get the trees drawn out as far as the first time I ran DynDoLOD, I had to set ftreeloaddistance to 250000!! And the game was unplayable. :\

Darnit, what gives?! Is it DynDoLOD or the game? The only thing, and I mean the ONLY thing that I changed was adding Vurt's snow pine trees, and their associated billboards. I didn't change any INI settings, or DynDoLOD setting in between LOD generation...

This is how it looked, and performed astonishingly well with no stuttering, using Beth's vanilla Ultra graphics settings and DynDoLOD's high mesh rules.

[TerrainManager]
fTreeLoadDistance=75000
fBlockMaximumDistance=250000
fBlockLevel1Distance=70000
fBlockLevel0Distance=35000
fSplitDistanceMult=1.5

 

And now after adding Vurt's snow pines and the associated billboards... Rhe mountain isn't missing in this pic, it's just covered by fog. Use the roof of Joorvaskr for refence to tree draw distance.

[TerrainManager]
fTreeLoadDistance=75000
fBlockMaximumDistance=250000
fBlockLevel1Distance=70000
fBlockLevel0Distance=35000
fSplitDistanceMult=1.5

Some machine specs, if it helps...

Win10 Home 64 bit, AMD Ryzen 5 3600, nVidia RTX 2060 Super 8GB, 16GB RAM, Skyrim intalled on Samsung 1TB SSD 1500MB/s read

 

[z929669]

The answer is that those SFO LE mods probably don't have 3D trees. You are seeing the billboards starting at LOD8 but nothing at LOD4. If you are happy using billboards, just set billboard for LOD4 as well in the mesh rule.

But you should be running DynDOLOD 3. Then TexGen will create HD billboards for you and you can set billboard2 at each level.

Otherwise, you or someone else would need to make 3D hybrid trees for SFO LE. This problem doesn't exist for SFO SE, because I created 3D hybrids for that one (not sure about SFO LE though, but I assume no 3D trees for that).

Vanilla trees should work fine though, because sheson has created 3D hybrids for all vanilla trees in SE and LE I think. These come packaged with the DynDOLOD application via tree rules in the DynDOLOD install location.

[Kanori24]

Thanks! So... I halfway figured it out. It seems that somehow, the first time I ran DynDoLod, it used 'ultra trees' which is something new to me. I read up on how to make it generate ultra trees and that solved the distance problems, AND got rid of the stuttering while crossing cell borders. I'm currently working on getting it to use vurt's snowpines back in the game. 

Right now I'm just trying to get the 'ultra' trees to more closely match the model which they stand for. As of right now, they are way too tall and dark.

[z929669]

8 hours ago, Kanori24 said:

Thanks! So... I halfway figured it out. It seems that somehow, the first time I ran DynDoLod, it used 'ultra trees' which is something new to me. I read up on how to make it generate ultra trees and that solved the distance problems, AND got rid of the stuttering while crossing cell borders. I'm currently working on getting it to use vurt's snowpines back in the game. 

Right now I'm just trying to get the 'ultra' trees to more closely match the model which they stand for. As of right now, they are way too tall and dark.

Using DynDOLOD 3, now? Then you can increase/decrease billboard lighting in TexGen and brightness of the models in DynDOLOD app.

[Kanori24]

I 'think' I'm using DynDoLod 2.96... I've always noticed the brightness settings. Just trying to find that sweet spot. 

[z929669]

3 hours ago, Kanori24 said:

I 'think' I'm using DynDoLod 2.96... I've always noticed the brightness settings. Just trying to find that sweet spot. 

Recommend changing to DynDOLOD v3 Alpha 39+. It has much better user support via GUI and provides all LOD assets necessary. Mod billboards are deprecated as well. Install into a clean new folder and reset connections via mod manager.

Try TexGen default settings for your game resolution and use default DynDOLOD GUI settings to start. Recommend 'high'.

[Kanori24]

(I thought I posted this response like, two days ago)

Yeah v3 isn't working out with me.... I can set the brightness of the ultra trees, but I have to set it very dark to work with my enb/weathers. And when I darken them (-15) they are way too saturated. And GIMP won't let me adjust the colors of the texture image without experiencing a terrible artifact around the edges of the trees, no matter how I save the image.

I think I'll just live with the darker, less saturated trees for now. Unless anyone knows how to save the image without the artifact.

[z929669]

1 hour ago, Kanori24 said:

(I thought I posted this response like, two days ago)

Yeah v3 isn't working out with me.... I can set the brightness of the ultra trees, but I have to set it very dark to work with my enb/weathers. And when I darken them (-15) they are way too saturated. And GIMP won't let me adjust the colors of the texture image without experiencing a terrible artifact around the edges of the trees, no matter how I save the image.

I think I'll just live with the darker, less saturated trees for now. Unless anyone knows how to save the image without the artifact.

Use TexGen 3 (part of DynDOLOD 3) to adjust ambient/direct lighting of tree trunks, crowns, and grass billboards in LOD (you can use the preview button to examine any model selected). There are also settings in DynDOLOD 3 that allow this selectively via both INI and GUI. If you are generating ultra trees, then 3D static trees will look exactly the same in the distance as the full model trees close up.

If your 'full' trees (i.e., not LOD trees) are too bright, then your LOD will also be too bright (and darketing via TexGen or DynDOLOD will make them look different than the full models).

It also sounds like you need to make adjustments to your ENB settings. This brightness can also be imacted in those settings.

You can also use a tree mod that has ENB options for darker trunks and branches (e.g., Enhanced Vanilla Trees)