Dilon Vul (by kojak747)

[z929669]

Discussion topic:

Dilon Vul by kojak747

Formal name (too long!): Enhanced Landscapes - Oaks Standalone SSE - Marsh Pines - Dilon Vul

Wiki Link

---

I have been meaning to suggest this mod for the marsh/bog below Solitude. It's vanilla friendly and adds much more realistic trees for a marsh (rather than the same dead pines and reach trees normally placed there). Also see the DynDOLOD 3 hybrids add-on I created for this ... the mod had proper LOD models already, but they were all 'full' trunks, so the add-on eeks out a bit of performance, and the LOD models look a bit better, due to the new templates for use with DynDOLOD 3+.

[DoubleYou]

The reason for the long name is probably to make it more search engine optimized.

[TechAngel85]

I assume you mean lore-friendly and not vanilla-friendly? A mod that is removing content and swapping out models for new ones is not "vanilla friendly". Vanilla implies original game content is intact.

[z929669]

56 minutes ago, TechAngel85 said:

I assume you mean lore-friendly and not vanilla-friendly? A mod that is removing content and swapping out models for new ones is not "vanilla friendly". Vanilla implies original game content is intact.

Yes, lore friendly ... but I also don't define "vanilla friendly" that strictly. By that definition, any texture replacer that makes any change at all to appearance would not be vanilla 'friendly' (so only upscaled/downscaled textures would be vanilla friendly). Personally, vanilla friendly = compatible with the vanilla aesthetic, because it is consistent with game lore and style.

I think we use many mods (including historically 'core' mods) that don't fit that strict definition but we still refer to them as vanilla friendly (at least I do).

If tree placement is different, I see your point though, so "lore friendly" is probably more accurate for this one.

[TechAngel85]

34 minutes ago, z929669 said:

Yes, lore friendly ... but I also don't define "vanilla friendly" that strictly. By that definition, any texture replacer that makes any change at all to appearance would not be vanilla 'friendly' (so only upscaled/downscaled textures would be vanilla friendly). Personally, vanilla friendly = compatible with the vanilla aesthetic, because it is consistent with game lore and style.

I think we use many mods (including historically 'core' mods) that don't fit that strict definition but we still refer to them as vanilla friendly (at least I do).

If tree placement is different, I see your point though, so "lore friendly" is probably more accurate for this one.

Yes, I meant more along those lines. Vanilla friendly = consistent within the original design/style of the original game. This is more of an aesthetic change (less trees and different models), imo, though it still sticks with the "dead" vanilla theme of the marsh. I'd have to install to get a feel for it.

[z929669]

I can post some screens when I get my Step install up to date. Lots of mods I need to update yet.

[z929669]

Actually, you can find my screens under Step install on the DynDOLOD add-in page I posted on Nexus (linked from this mod's description).

I vote this in for 2.0.0 so would need someone to agree to this before we can accept.

[TechAngel85]

On 10/6/2021 at 12:58 PM, z929669 said:

Actually, you can find my screens under Step install on the DynDOLOD add-in page I posted on Nexus (linked from this mod's description).

I vote this in for 2.0.0 so would need someone to agree to this before we can accept.

Since there aren't any compares of this, I have some questions.

• Are you advocating for the whole mod or just the Marsh? It seems to also add new oak trees around Solitude from the shots on the Nexus Page.
• Does this replace the vanilla tree paths via the plugin like EVT? If so and accepted, it would have to be loaded after EVT's plugin to work.
• How's the bark look up next to EVT Pines? They are different bark textures, so I'm curious how well they blend together.
• What is with the one very dark tree with the light color trees in the Marsh? It looks odd...almost like a mistake. I don't care for it in the shot on Nexus...are the added "dead juniper"? 

[z929669]

34 minutes ago, TechAngel85 said:

Since there aren't any compares of this, I have some questions.

• Are you advocating for the whole mod or just the Marsh? It seems to also add new oak trees around Solitude from the shots on the Nexus Page.
• Does this replace the vanilla tree paths via the plugin like EVT? If so and accepted, it would have to be loaded after EVT's plugin to work.
• How's the bark look up next to EVT Pines? They are different bark textures, so I'm curious how well they blend together.
• What is with the one very dark tree with the light color trees in the Marsh? It looks odd...almost like a mistake. I don't care for it in the shot on Nexus...are the added "dead juniper"? 

Only the marsh. Dilon Vul is it's own Main File (hence why I don't like the name of the mod on Nexus ... it should be at least two separate mods, IMO).

I forgot about screens against EVT and how it plays with EVT. I am almost positive that I had both installed and looking good at one point, but I have messed with so many tree mods against Step in the past few months, that I no longer know what the heck I know. I will do all that work tomorrow and post screens to the OP.

 

[z929669]

@TechAngel85 Just checked how this behaves with EVT, and there are no plugin conflicts. Also, Dilon Vul looks good with EVT. I think I know the one dark dead (oak?) tree you refer to. It doesn't bother me, but it arguably seems a bit out of place. Ignoring that, what do you think?

I think it's a big improvement to the marsh. Perhaps we can hide that tree via the CR patch or just accept that tree. It seems OK to me though.

EDIT: No screens taken though, as I would need to regen DynDOLOD, and I am not there yet.

[TechAngel85]

21 minutes ago, z929669 said:

@TechAngel85 Just checked how this behaves with EVT, and there are no plugin conflicts. Also, Dilon Vul looks good with EVT. I think I know the one dark dead (oak?) tree you refer to. It doesn't bother me, but it arguably seems a bit out of place. Ignoring that, what do you think?

I think it's a big improvement to the marsh. Perhaps we can hide that tree via the CR patch or just accept that tree. It seems OK to me though.

EDIT: No screens taken though, as I would need to regen DynDOLOD, and I am not there yet.

I'm adding this in for me next regen, which I hope to get started soon.

[TechAngel85]

I see that it's just disabling the pines and hand placing it's own. It would simple to disable those trees, but they seem to be referenced as the "alt" trees. They are so dark because of the texture, which by the name ("ash") would indicate they were meant for Solstheim. It all makes sense now. I will look at them in-game.

[TechAngel85]

This mod seems to lack some polish. A quick run around and I found several issues...

First up is the bark textures lack consistency in their quality. Some are on pare with EVT; however, where it really should count, it falls short. For example, on the left is EVT for comparison sake on quality, on the right is one of this mod's trees. These are huge trees, which need a HQ texture to compensate for their size. Else, you end up with have we have here, which is just a blurred texture from being stretched too much. There are also noticeable mapping/skinning issues.

Second up for textures are those "ash" trees. I feel the lighting is too dark on the texture, mesh, or both. They should be more lit than they are.

Third up are the floaters...they are everywhere! Granted part of this might be mod compatibility (haven't checked), but some of those are a bit high off the ground to be just compatibility.

Besides the issues above, I don't mind the direction/style the author has chosen and presented. Of the issues above, the floaters would need to be address before I could vote a 'yes' for this mod's inclusion. Most of these look like simple mistakes from using the "F" key to "floor" objects in the CK. They likely hit the object bounds of another nearby object and didn't quite make it to the ground. Hitting the key once or twice more would solve all of these. Personally, I would manually drag them down to ensure enough of the bottom is in the ground to account for possible changes to the landscape by mods.

[z929669]

@TechAngel85

Great review. I had never looked as closely at the trees as you did and passed judgement by installing, generating LOD and flying around far and near the marsh. i will ping Kojak747 and give him an opportunity to respond. Maybe he has some info of some update files in waiting. As of now, I agree with your more granular assessment.

One thing I did notice that you didn't point out is that there is a dead oak or other deciduous tree and maybe one other that could use some mesh tweaks. Some jaggies and pointy branches that are probably artifacts of having been  derived from trees with crowns where these details wouldn't matter. When the crowns are removed though, some mesh work is needed to smooth the jaggies and add some polygons to the branch tips (especially the big ones).

I love this mod from the 10,000 ft perspective though.

[TechAngel85]

I think this one can be dropped from testing.