DROPPED Distant Decal Fix (by SparrowPrince)

[Guest]

I'm confuzzled myself. What is broken? I don't keep up with the community enough lately so it's kind of hard.

[TechAngel85]

I have no idea. That's a question for Arthmoor. However, the reason we'll be dropping it is because the majority of the fixes have now been covered by USKP. "One mod to rule them all", so-to-say. Unless you can show us that a significant portion is still not fixed by USKP and figure out what Arthmoor is talking about when he says some of the meshes are "broken".

[Eliian]

Would have to agree on this being removed based on what Arthmoor has said. Not that my consensus was needed :P

[kryptopyr]

It would be nice if Arthmoor could've been a bit more specific. Such a vague statement makes it hard to double-check or independently verify his claim, and as much as I respect his opinion, he's been wrong before.

[Guest]

I have no idea. That's a question for Arthmoor. However' date=' the reason we'll be dropping it is because the majority of the fixes have now been covered by USKP. "One mod to rule them all", so-to-say. Unless you can show us that a significant portion is still not fixed by USKP and figure out what Arthmoor is talking about when he says some of the meshes are "broken".[/quote']

If the meshes are broken then they should be fixed by USKP right? Honestly, the hardest part of making this fix was going through the same files, making the same changes over and over. All the meshes looked pretty much the same to me and I encountered no errors (bar that little node that needed deleting for the LOD). I mean you can do as you please because I just created this mod for a stranger out of kindness, so it was rather random. :) I was not aware of that .INI setting and I still wonder why it wasn't shared until I released that mod. USKP should take priority, so there is my answer! :D Just wondering what Arthie was talking about really (you are as confused as me, so it seems!)

[z929669]

I'd like to see proof that this mod has any issues or makes any redundant changes. I am not a fan of just taking someone's word for it without evidence thereof.

[TechAngel85]

That will require our experts to dive into USKP vs this mod to see if the changes from this mod have been in fact incorporated into USKP. All I can do is compare the mesh files. I'll be right back....

[TechAngel85]

Distant Decal Fix has 149 meshes included. Out of these only 20 do not exist in the USKP:

• Meshes/architecture/whiterun/wrcitywalls/wrstairswater01
• Meshes/architecture/whiterun/wrcitywalls/wrwallcap01nohighcol
• Meshes/architecture/whiterun/wrcitywalls/wrwallmaingate01
• Meshes/architecture/whiterun/wrcitywalls/wrwallmaingatehouse01
• Meshes/architecture/whiterun/wrcitywalls/wrwallstr01nohighcoll
• Meshes/architecture/whiterun/wrcitywalls/wrwallstrup128shift128nohighcol
• Meshes/architecture/whiterun/wrcitywalls/wrwalltowerrubbled01
• Meshes/architecture/whiterun/wrcitywalls/wrwallwatergrate01
• Meshes/dungeons/imperial/exterior/impextdoorhole01
• Meshes/dungeons/imperial/exterior/impextlighthouse01
• Meshes/dungeons/imperial/exterior/impexttowershellfloor2nd01
• Meshes/dungeons/imperial/exterior/impexttowershort01
• Meshes/dungeons/imperial/exterior/impextwindow01
• Meshes/dungeons/imperial/exterior/impextwindow01dark
• Meshes/dungeons/imperial/exteriorice/impexticedoorhole01
• Meshes/dungeons/imperial/exteriorice/impexticefloorchunk01
• Meshes/dungeons/imperial/exteriorice/impexticefloorchunk02
• Meshes/dungeons/imperial/exteriorice/impexticelighthouse01
• Meshes/dungeons/imperial/exteriorice/impexticewindow01
• Meshes/dungeons/imperial/exteriorice/impexticewindow01dark

Now, knowing which of the remaining 129 meshes include the fixes from Distant Decal Fix is impossible for me to say. All I know how to do is provide a file comparison.

[EssArrBee]

Can you tell if there are any that are broken since that was the claim?

[TechAngel85]

Like I said, I can only do a file comparison using BSAopt. I can't actually open the files to look at them as I have no program that will open .NIF files.

 

EDIT:

I download NifSkope and had a look. To my untrained eye, the meshes I looked at from both appear to be identical. Also, the meshes not included in the USKP appear to be okay. But, this is the first time I've looked at meshes before so I could be wrong.

 

I would say I'm of the opinion that it's not worth keeping this mod for a mere 20 out of 149 meshes.

[z929669]

Actually, this is a good MT task. We need to see screens with/without this mod. If you look at the Nexus mod page, there are some screens showing what the mod does. If there is no change in analogous screens with/without this mod, then I think it is safe to assume that the USKP makes the same changes.

 

We should also report the 20 meshes to that project team, pointing them back to this thread.

[Kelmych]

In the meantime it would be easy to write a BCF that provides only those 20 meshes.

[TechAngel85]

I did a quick compare. These shots are from Distant Decal Fix uninstalled and not present in-game.

 

 

In both shots the fixes from Distant Decal Fix is present from the USKP. You can clearly see the moss on the walls from a good distance away as well as the corners of the walls. Of the meshes that weren't included in USKP, you can tell a difference (I only tested one):

 

Without DDF  >>  With DDF (look at the water grate straight ahead on the wall and the one to the left)

Kinda hard to see. Here are the source files:

https://i.imgur.com/QTffqvN.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Mv39DyZ.jpg

 

Why these, and the others aren't included in USKP is a mystery because they're clearly working for me and not "broken".

[z929669]

Yes, I see that DDF resolves the arch stonework, whereas USKP does not.

 

I would guess that this mod has some value still and that the USP team should do a more thorough analysis before debunking this entirely (or at least provide specific issues with this mod).

 

We could also add the BCF as Kelmych states, but it is tough to know if all of the USKP textures provide the decal fixes where they overlap with DDF.

[torminater]

Sparrow would have to take a look at them and check whether they're fixed or not.