INI Tweaks - Sun

[z929669]

Experimenting with various tweaks to the sun INI settings:

• fSunBaseSize -default 425
• fSunGlareSize -default 600

Testing is done in clear (81a) weather at about 9:40 AM (day).

Relevant Step ENB (v0.3.2) settings that effect sun size and look:

[SKY]
GradientIntensityDay=1
GradientMiddleIntensityDay=1
GradientHorizonIntensityDay=1
SunIntensity*=1.1

[PROCEDURALSUN]
GlowIntensity*=0.75
GlowCurve*=3.5

Modified Step ENB settings (proposed)

[SKY]
GradientIntensityDay=0.6
GradientMiddleIntensityDay=1.05
GradientHorizonIntensityDay=1.2
SunIntensity*=1

[PROCEDURALSUN]
GlowIntensity*=0.4
GlowCurve*=0.5

SSE 2.0.0 Compares

No ENB  >  ENB (proposed settings used, because they are more like CW, which has crisper edges with minimal teal margin)

425/600 (default)  >  200/282  >  100/141  >  75/106

second image in this 1st set is Step 2.0.0 ... actually, this has the improved PROCEDURALSUN tweak so 2.0.0 is even bigger and more teal.

corrected ENB is last in this set:

 

[DoubleYou]

The ENB looks like it makes the sun worse in these compares. Perhaps lower the glare to compensate for the glow effect? As for size, 200/282 looks best to me.

[z929669]

53 minutes ago, DoubleYou said:

The ENB looks like it makes the sun worse in these compares. Perhaps lower the glare to compensate for the glow effect? As for size, 200/282 looks best to me.

Yes, I agree about the ENB. Its the gradients under [SKY]. I am fixing that now. When finished, it will look like CW again. Much better.

I like 100/141, but 200/282 is a close second for me. Will post revision in a sec.

 

---

Modified gradients slightly to fix ENB to be more like CW. Several iterations and this is the sweet spot. ENB references also updated.

[z929669]

I will be setting up the ENB to add more color to the sun when very low on the horizon ... also will make it bigger. This is why I like the 100/141 size. On the horizon, it will then be closer to the 200/282 size I think with the forthcoming ENB changes.

[TechAngel85]

Could you post what the images are directly above the images. I am having a hard time understanding what is what. Like you have 4 sizes but no images in with four in a row...?

[DoubleYou]

It is vertically oriented sizes descending. Second image is merely changing ENB settings.

[TechAngel85]

25 minutes ago, DoubleYou said:

It is vertically oriented sizes descending. Second image is merely changing ENB settings.

Thanks. Still doesn't explain the sizes listed and which corresponds to which.

That sun is just way too small, imo. The sun in the game is suppose to be somewhat bigger than real life. I mentioned this in the Discord. Looks like you're trying to reproduce our sun, rather than interpreting the game's sun. The set of three across, whatever that is, looks okay.

EDIT:
I get the sizing now...that's confusing. Need more explanation when posting outside the normal flow for our compares.

[z929669]

12 minutes ago, TechAngel85 said:

Thanks. Still doesn't explain the sizes listed and which corresponds to which.

That sun is just way too small, imo. The sun in the game is suppose to be somewhat bigger than real life. I mentioned this in the Discord. Looks like you're trying to reproduce our sun, rather than interpreting the game's sun.

I think it's obvious how the numbers correlate with the sizes. That's why I didn't bother.

The sun can only be "way too small" in the smaller sizes. The first is default, and far too big, IMO. Its rays bleed with the horizon even at like 9 AM. It washes out the whole E/W horizon at vanilla size values.

This is only showing what things look like with alternative sun sizes going down from default game size, which I think is far too big for the visual limitations of the sun in this game. I have settled on 120/170 as my personal preference, because I just think it looks better.

Nature in Skyrim mimics our world in almost every other aspect. This is how we and most people define 'realism' in this game. The vanilla game has a degree of the 'fantasy' factor, but not much. Mostly in terms of the moons and magic, IMO. Just about everything else about vanilla mimics our world. This is how we judge mountains, fog, NPCs, many creatures, clutter, trees, plants, grass, etc. The sky is no different, IMO.

I agree there should be a flare of the fantastical though, just in slightly more practical terms with respect to the sun.

[TechAngel85]

15 minutes ago, z929669 said:

Nature in Skyrim mimics our world in almost every other aspect. This is how we and most people define 'realism' in this game. The vanilla game has a degree of the 'fantasy' factor, but not much. Mostly in terms of the moons and magic, IMO. Just about everything else about vanilla mimics our world. This is how we judge mountains, fog, NPCs, many creatures, clutter, trees, plants, grass, etc. The sky is no different, IMO.

I agree there should be a flare of the fantastical though, just in slightly more practical terms with respect to the sun.

The stars are not stars and the sun is not as star in Skyrim, though.

Quote

The sun is actually a hole torn through Oblivion into Aetherius made by Magnus (the being) when he fled the creation of Mundus. The stars are also holes but they were created by his followers, the Magna Ge, when they followed him out.

 

[z929669]

12 minutes ago, TechAngel85 said:

The stars are not stars and the sun is not as star in Skyrim, though.

 

Fair point. Do you see my point about the sun being too big though and washing out everything during sunrise in particular? I think it could be a bit smaller and still fulfil this lore

 

Maybe you would prefer something between the default and the next step down? Perhaps you prefer the default ... I suspect some might agree, but I do think most would agree that it could be tamped down slightly

[DoubleYou]

I think @z929669's enb tweaks will be all that is really needed to make it look fine with default size. The ENB fully makes the sun 2x size with current settings. This is why I opted for saying the next size down looked best.

Putting this side by side from the compares above to show what I mean:

Default with current enb --> Default no enb --> Next size down w/enb

  

 

[TechAngel85]

16 minutes ago, z929669 said:

Fair point. Do you see my point about the sun being too big though and washing out everything during sunrise in particular? I think it could be a bit smaller and still fulfil this lore

 

Maybe you would prefer something between the default and the next step down? Perhaps you prefer the default ... I suspect some might agree, but I do think most would agree that it could be tamped down slightly

I do, but again it's mainly only an issue due to the new sunrises/sunsets in CW. It's not actually an issue in vanilla, but is partly the point I'm trying to drive home. Pushing things away from vanilla simply because we don't like it is not the Step way and not in the Mandate. This is Step, not our personal setup. For Step, we can correct it a bit, especially if it's interfering with CW sunrises/sunset, but it the minimal correction to avoid issues.

[z929669]

12 minutes ago, DoubleYou said:

I think @z929669's enb tweaks will be all that is really needed to make it look fine with default size. The ENB fully makes the sun 2x size with current settings. This is why I opted for saying the next size down looked best.

Putting this side by side from the compares above to show what I mean:

Default with current enb --> Default no enb --> Next size down w/enb

  

True, and don't forget, My steps are fairly extreme. Something like 300/425 or 250/355 may be most lore friendly.

I am using the vanilla ratio of size/glare, BTW

[z929669]

13 minutes ago, TechAngel85 said:

I do, but again it's mainly only an issue due to the new sunrises/sunsets in CW. It's not actually an issue in vanilla, but is partly the point I'm trying to drive home. Pushing things away from vanilla simply because we don't like it is not the Step way and not in the Mandate. This is Step, not our personal setup. For Step, we can correct it a bit, especially if it's interfering with CW sunrises/sunset, but it the minimal correction to avoid issues.

Note that I did not post this with the caveat that I think we should adopt my preference for Step. I am simply showing how these INI values translate to the game with/without ENB. I prefer departure from vanilla personally. For Step, I agree that a slight reduction is best, given our specific setup. We must consider changes from our mod lineup and th at corrections like this may be applicable at times.

[DoubleYou]

I agree that's @z929669's preference above is overly small. But I think the tweaks to ENB accomplished in the modified third - third shot may even make default size/glare look fine.