Almost perfect game, except for a few issues.

[zone22]

I just wanted to thank the Step Community for creating such a wonderful project. It used to take days to create a stable mod base to build off of.  The step community has shortened that process to 30 minutes. Thank you!

 

Currently I'm running over 170 ESPs 60 frames and so far stable. I've modded nearly every aspect of the game that I would like to accept there's a few issues that I need to conquer. Then I can start live streaming. My setup is perfect, except for snow seams (1 2 3 4-ice surrounding Berg too blue), Indoor lighting issues (Video) Fixed, and Bland Road textures at mid and far distances and 3 road seams(1 2 3 road seams). I'm using ENB, but its not shown in the screenshot or video due to a incompatibility with my streaming software. I'm running full Step setup. Other mods include: Realistic Lighting Overhaul 4-0-6, Enhanced Lights and FX 0-1-6, Climates Of Tamrie Final, and many others that are not relevant to this topic.

 

As a side note, I do get a massive frame rate drop between cell transitions. I suspect that's due to having six-year-old hard drives that are near death. I will soon be upgrading to a terabyte hard drive but if I had a SSD and uncompressed all the BSA's would that help?

 

System specifications

 

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OS: Windows 8 64-bit

CPU: Intel 2500K @ 3.2-3.7

GPU: Nvidia 670

RAM: 8 GB @ 1600

Motherboard: Not relevant

Hard drives: 320 GB 2X Raid zero

Resolution: 1920 x 1080

 

 

 

Active Mod Files:

 

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00  Skyrim.esm
01  Update.esm
02  Dawnguard.esm
03  Skyrim Project Optimization - Dawnguard.esm
04  Skyrim Project Optimization.esm
05  ClimatesOfTamriel.esm
06  CMNewCompanions.esm
07  HorseBranding.esm
08  Lanterns Of Skyrim - All In One - Main.esm
09  SPIKE.esm
0A  manny Lantern Caretakers.esp
0B  HighResTexturePack01.esp
0C  HighResTexturePack02.esp
0D  HighResTexturePack03.esp
0E  fFastTravelSpeedMult_4.esp  [Version 1.0]
0F  Unofficial Skyrim Patch.esp  [Version 1.3.0]
10  Unofficial Dawnguard Patch.esp  [Version 1.2.0]
11  Unofficial High Resolution Patch.esp  [Version 1.1.1]
12  Chesko_Frostfall.esp
13  ExpandedSnowSystems-CoT.esp
14  Better Dynamic Snow.esp
15  PNENB.esp  [Version 1.40b]
16  Rainbows.esp
17  BWS.esp
18  Clanking Armor.esp
19  Improved Combat Sounds v2.2.esp
1A  randomthunder.esp
1B  Rooster At Dawn v1.0.esp
1C  Thundering Shouts.esp
1D  Warmer Magic Lights v2.esp
1E  MintyLightningMod_COT_Patch.esp
1F  StaticMeshImprovementMod.esp
20  Economics of Skyrim.esp
21  Economics of Skyrim - Dawnguard.esp
22  83Willows_101BUGS_V4_HighRes.esp
23  Ars Metallica.esp  [Version 1.2.0]
24  Ars Metallica - Dawnguard.esp  [Version 1.2.0]
25  Auto Unequip Helmet.esp
26  Auto Unequip Shield.esp
27  Better Skill and Quest Books Names.esp
28  Birdsclean.esp
29  Birdsofskyrim.esp
2A  BLESSINGS - Altar Descriptions.esp
2B  Bring Out Your Dead.esp  [Version 1.1.5]
2C  Chesko_WearableLantern_Guards.esp
2D  Chesko_WearableLantern_Candle_DG.esp
2E  Chesko_WearableLantern_Caravaner.esp
2F  ClamsDropPearls.esp
30  dbmisc.esp
31  Dead Body Collision.esp
32  Death Cam Duration Options.esp
33  DungeonQuestAwareness.esp
34  Lanterns Of Skyrim - All In One - RLO.esp
35  People Have Lanterns.esp
36  PilgrimsDelight.esp
37  Piratelords Loot Adjustments.esp
38  RabbitsPlus.esp
39  Radiant and Unique Potions Poisons and Booze.esp
3A  ShootingStars.esp
3B  Skyrim Immersive Creatures.esp  [Version v5.1.1]
3C  Skyrim Flora Overhaul.esp
3D  SMDropLitTorch.esp
3E  VariedGuards.esp
3F  YngolBarrowButtonFix.esp
40  Convenient Horses.esp
41  Destructible_bottles.esp
42  Auto Unequip Ammo.esp
43  KaceAutoloot.esp
44  Chesko_LoreBasedLoadingScreens.esp
45  Footprints.esp
46  SkyUI.esp
47  iHUD.esp
48  Cloaks.esp
49  Cloaks - Dawnguard.esp
4A  1nivWICCloaks.esp  [Version 2.2]
4B  1nivWICSkyCloaksPatch.esp  [Version 2.2]
4C  daedric_phelm.esp
4D  Elemental Staves.esp
4E  ExplosiveBoltsVisualized.esp
4F  hothtrooper44_ArmorCompilation.esp
50  imp_helm.esp
51  Lock Overhaul.esp
52  DeadlyDragons.esp
53  MIDFollowMeCloser.esp
54  Convenient Horse Herding.esp
55  Gildergreen Regrown.esp  [Version 1.2.4]
56  PumpingIron.esp
57  Run For Your Lives.esp  [Version 1.2]
58  When Vampires Attack.esp  [Version 1.0.1]
59  SkyrimChimneys.esp
5A  SkyrimChimneysRW.esp
5B  Skyrim School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.esp
5C  The Paarthurnax Dilemma.esp  [Version 1.2.3]
5D  SkyrimCoinReplacer.esp
5E  Appropriately Attired Jarls Redux.esp
5F  BlockSparkles.esp
60  dynamic fires.esp
61  Guard Dialogue Overhaul.esp
62  HB BasicRidingAI.esp
63  Headtracking.esp
64  Immersive Weapons.esp
65  NonEssentialChildren.esp
66  masser Size x0.5.esp
67  More Salt Please.esp
68  dD-No Twitching Dragon Death Animation.esp
69  secunda Size x0.5.esp
6A  SkyTEST-RealisticAnimals&Predators.esp
6B  dD - Enhanced Blood Main.esp
6C  dD-Dawnguard-EBT Patch.esp
6D  TheChoiceIsYours.esp
6E  TheChoiceIsYours_Dawnguard.esp
6F  Thieves Guild Requirements.esp
70  Waterbreathing Breathless Emerge.esp
71  WieldableLantern.esp
72  AIMP - Antz in my Pantz.esp
73  Chesko_Step418_SN.esp
74  EnhancedLightsandFX.esp
75  Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Dungeons.esp
76  Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Minor Cities & Town Interiors.esp
77  Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Major City Interiors.esp
78  RLO_Torches_Flicker.esp
79  ClimatesOfTamriel-VanillaNights-Lvl-1.esp
7A  ClimatesOfTamriel-Dawnguard-Patch.esp
7B  dD - Realistic Ragdoll Force - Medium.esp
7C  Better Vampires.esp
7D  Predator Vision.esp
7E  Apocalypse - The Spell Package.esp
7F  MidasSkyrim.esp
80  ColettesRevenge.esp
81  BFSEffects.esp
82  DeadlySpellImpacts.esp
83  ForgottenMagic.esp
84  ReneersCrimeOverhaul.esp
85  SkyRe_Main.esp
86  SkyRe_Combat.esp
87  SkyRe_CraftingFix.esp
88  SkyRe_EncounterZones.esp
89  SkyRe_EnemyScaling.esp
8A  SkyRe_Survivalism.esp
8B  Acquisitive Soul Gems.esp
8C  Enhanced Soul Trap.esp
8D  Soul Gems Differ - E.esp
8E  dD-No Spinning Death Animation.esp
8F  Beards.esp
90  Brows.esp
91  3DNPC.esp
92  HothFollower.esp
93  Reduced Distance NPC Greetings.esp
94  CMNewCompanions.esp
95  Follower Trap Safety.esp
96  CerwidenCompanion.esp
97  EMCompViljaSkyrim.esp
98  AmazingFollowerTweaks.esp
99  Alternate Start - Live Another Life.esp  [Version 2.2.1]
9A  SkyRe_Races.esp
9B  SPTConsistentOlderPeople.esp  [Version 1.4]
9C  ethereal_elven_overhaul.esp
9D  Animated Weapon Enchants.esp
9E  getSnowy.esp
9F  WATER.esp
A0  WATER Plants.esp
A1  Blacksmithforge water fix Vanilla.esp
A2  Blacksmithforge water fix DG.esp
A3  Compatibility Patch - PHL, CoS, WIC IA.esp
A4  RaceMenu.esp
A5  RaceMenuPlugin.esp
A6  SKSE Hotkeys.esp
A7  WetandCold.esp
A8  manny_Status.esp
A9  MVABasic.esp
AA  Bashed Patch, 0.esp
AB  ASIS-Dependency.esp
AC  ASIS.esp
AD  SkyRe_EnemyAI.esp
AE  ReProccer.esp
AF  ReProccerNONPLAYERfix.esp
B0  WTF.esp

 

 

Skyrim.ini

 

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[General]

sLanguage=ENGLISH

sIntroSequence=

iLargeIntRefCount=262144

fFlickeringLightDistance=8192

 

uExterior Cell Buffer=36

 

[Display]

fShadowLODMaxStartFade=1000.0

fSpecularLODMaxStartFade=2000.0

fLightLODMaxStartFade=3500.0

iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=2048

bAllowScreenshot=1

fDecalLifetime=512.0

fNearDistance=18.0000

 

[Audio]

fMusicDuckingSeconds=6.0

fMusicUnDuckingSeconds=8.0

fMenuModeFadeOutTime=3.0

fMenuModeFadeInTime=1.0

 

[Grass]

bAllowCreateGrass=1

bAllowLoadGrass=0

iMaxGrassTypesPerTexure=6

 

[GeneralWarnings]

SGeneralMasterMismatchWarning=One or more plugins could not find the correct versions of the master files they depend on. Errors may occur during load or game play. Check the "Warnings.txt" file for more information.

 

[Archive]

sResourceArchiveList=Skyrim - Misc.bsa, Skyrim - Shaders.bsa, Skyrim - Textures.bsa, Skyrim - Interface.bsa, Skyrim - Animations.bsa, Skyrim - Meshes.bsa, Skyrim - Sounds.bsa

sResourceArchiveList2=Skyrim - Voices.bsa, Skyrim - VoicesExtra.bsa

 

[Combat]

fMagnetismStrafeHeadingMult=0.0

fMagnetismLookingMult=0.0

 

 

[Papyrus]

fPostLoadUpdateTimeMS=500.0

bEnableLogging=0

bEnableTrace=0

bLoadDebugInformation=0

 

[Water]

bReflectLODObjects=1

bReflectLODLand=1

bReflectSky=1

bReflectLODTrees=1

 

[interface]

fBookOpenTime=200.0

 

fSafeZoneX=10

fSafeZoneY=10

fSafeZoneXWide=10

fSafeZoneYWide=10

 

[Camera]

fOverShoulderAddY=0.0

fOverShoulderPosZ=18.0

fOverShoulderPosX=0.0

fOverShoulderCombatAddY=0.0

fOverShoulderCombatPosZ=24.0

fOverShoulderCombatPosX=0.0

 

fOverShoulderHorseAddY=-72.0

fOverShoulderHorsePosZ=50.0

fOverShoulderHorsePosX=35.0

fActorFadeOutLimit=-100

 

fMouseWheelZoomSpeed=60.0

f1st3rdSwitchDelay=0.95

iHorseTransitionMillis=001

 

 

 

PrefSkyrim.ini

 

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[General]

fBrightLightColorB=1.0000

fBrightLightColorG=1.0000

fBrightLightColorR=1.0000

iStoryManagerLoggingEvent=-1

bEnableStoryManagerLogging=0

[imagespace]

bDoDepthOfField=1

iRadialBlurLevel=2

 

[Display]

iBlurDeferredShadowMask=2

fInteriorShadowDistance=3000.0000

fShadowDistance=4000

iShadowMapResolutionSecondary=2048

iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=4096

iShadowSplitCount=2

iMaxAnisotropy=1

fLeafAnimDampenDistEnd=4600.0000

fLeafAnimDampenDistStart=3600.0000

fTreesMidLODSwitchDist=5000

fGamma=1.0000

fDecalLOD2=1500.0000

fDecalLOD1=1000.0000

fSpecularLODStartFade=2000

fShadowLODStartFade=200.0000

fLightLODStartFade=3500

iTexMipMapMinimum=0

iTexMipMapSkip=0

iWaterMultiSamples=0

iMultiSample=0

iShadowMode=3

bTreesReceiveShadows=1

bDrawLandShadows=1

bFull Screen=1

iSize H=1080

iSize W=1920

fMeshLODFadePercentDefault=1.2000

fMeshLODFadeBoundDefault=256.0000

fMeshLODLevel2FadeTreeDistance=2048.0000

fMeshLODLevel1FadeTreeDistance=2844.0000

fMeshLODLevel2FadeDist=1e+007

fMeshLODLevel1FadeDist=1e+007

iScreenShotIndex=2

bShadowMaskZPrepass=0

bMainZPrepass=0

iMaxSkinDecalsPerFrame=25

iMaxDecalsPerFrame=256

bFloatPointRenderTarget=1

sD3DDevice="NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670"

bFXAAEnabled=0

iShadowMapResolution=2048

fShadowBiasScale=0.25

iShadowMaskQuarter=4

iAdapter=0

iPresentInterval=1

 

[Grass]

b30GrassVS=1

fGrassStartFadeDistance=7000

fGrassMaxStartFadeDistance=7000.0000

fGrassMinStartFadeDistance=0.0000

 

[MAIN]

bGamepadEnable=1

bCrosshairEnabled=1

fHUDOpacity=1.000

bSaveOnPause=1

bSaveOnTravel=1

bSaveOnWait=1

bSaveOnRest=1

fSkyCellRefFadeDistance=500000.0000

 

[GamePlay]

bShowFloatingQuestMarkers=1

bShowQuestMarkers=1

iDifficulty=2

 

[interface]

bDialogueSubtitles=0

bGeneralSubtitles=0

 

[Controls]

fGamepadHeadingSensitivity=1.0000

fMouseHeadingSensitivity=0.0125

bAlwaysRunByDefault=1

bInvertYValues=0

bGamePadRumble=1

bMouseAcceleration=0

 

[Particles]

iMaxDesired=750

 

[saveGame]

fAutosaveEveryXMins=15.0000

 

[AudioMenu]

fAudioMasterVolume=1.0000

fVal7=1.0000

uID7=0

fVal6=1.0000

uID6=0

fVal5=1.0000

uID5=0

fVal4=1.0000

uID4=0

fVal3=1.0000

uID3=0

fVal2=0.4000

uID2=466532

fVal1=1.0000

uID1=554685

fVal0=0.8000

uID0=1007612

 

[Clouds]

fCloudLevel2Distance=262144.0000

fCloudLevel1Distance=32768.0000

fCloudLevel0Distance=16384.0000

fCloudNearFadeDistance=9000.0000

 

[TerrainManager]

fTreeLoadDistance=75000

fBlockMaximumDistance=500000

fBlockLevel1Distance=140000

fBlockLevel0Distance=75000

fSplitDistanceMult=4.0

bShowLODInEditor=0

 

[NavMesh]

fObstacleAlpha=0.5000

fCoverSideHighAlpha=0.8000

fCoverSideLowAlpha=0.6500

fEdgeFullAlpha=1.0000

fEdgeHighAlpha=0.7500

fEdgeLowAlpha=0.5000

fTriangleFullAlpha=0.7000

fTriangleHighAlpha=0.3500

fTriangleLowAlpha=0.2000

fLedgeBoxHalfHeight=25.0000

fEdgeDistFromVert=10.0000

fEdgeThickness=10.0000

fPointSize=2.5000

 

[Trees]

bRenderSkinnedTrees=1

uiMaxSkinnedTreesToRender=20

[Decals]

uMaxDecals=1000

bDecals=1

bSkinnedDecals=1

uMaxSkinDecals=100

uMaxSkinDecalsPerActor=60

bDecalsOnSkinnedGeometry=1

 

[LOD]

fLODFadeOutMultObjects=15

fLODFadeOutMultItems=15

fLODFadeOutMultActors=15

[Launcher]

bEnableFileSelection=1

bShowAllResolutions=1

uLastAspectRatio=3

[blurShaderHDR]

bDoHighDynamicRange=1

 

[blurShader]

bUseBlurShader=0

 

 

[torminater]

Keep the bsa as bsa. Ethatron who knows his way around texture optimization has tested that files in bsa archives are faster loaded than loose files.

Using an SSD will still bring you lots of benefits.

There's nothing wrong with your ice textures, it's just how the engine works. Every modder is bound to the limits of the CK and texture seems between cells are really hard to fix (afaik at least.) Same goes for your road screens.

As for your light popping, it might be an issue between RLO and ELFX. Are you sure you've installed both of them correctly?

[zone22]

  Quote

Keep the bsa as bsa. Ethatron who knows his way around texture optimization has tested that files in bsa archives are faster loaded than loose files.

Using an SSD will still bring you lots of benefits.

There's nothing wrong with your ice textures, it's just how the engine works. Every modder is bound to the limits of the CK and texture seems between cells are really hard to fix (afaik at least.) Same goes for your road screens.

As for your light popping, it might be an issue between RLO and ELFX. Are you sure you've installed both of them correctly?

I could be wrong but I don't think uncompressed BSA's are loose files.  You guys have any suggestions for blurry flat road textures as seen in the mid-far portions of the road screenshots?

 

BTW. It looks like there's two different snow textures.

[torminater]

So you mean your going to load the bsa in bsaopt and unpack them, then compress them with the lowest possible compression value? Dunno whether that'll do you any good.

And be aware, that there are some vanilla bsa not working when recompressed with bsaopt. Refer to our wiki guides for further details.

 

It's not 2 snow textures, it's two texture tiles lying right beside eachother which produces the texture seam.

[zone22]

  Quote

So you mean your going to load the bsa in bsaopt and unpack them, then compress them with the lowest possible compression value?

 

It's not 2 snow textures, it's two texture tiles lying right beside eachother which produces the texture seam.

 

Thanks for all your help. I appreciate it.

 

Yes, I'm talking about repacking the BSA's at the lowest compression setting possible. My theory is CPU time to uncompress substantially large BSA files contributes to cell transitions micro shuttering. Micro-shuttering does not contain frames per second drop. An SSD will most likely reduce FPS drop, but not micro shuddering during cell transitions. I will defer to the wiki to read more.

 

Take a look at this pic The textures look almost the same except for the light and dark contrast which isn't a shadow or lighting issue.

 

This picture highlights two rocks with snow on them, one on the right one on the left. The rock on the right fits the surrounding textures fabulously. On the left the snow texture on the rock looks low-resolution and washed out.

 

I point these things out, hoping to find a solution, but if there isn't, that's fine.

 

I'll probably repost this in the Bethesda forums to get more eyes on the things I pointed out. More people that see this, the more likely I'll find someone with a mod suggestion or something of like.

[torminater]

Hmm, you can try to find out, whether it helps or not. Report your findings here. I'm sure others would love to hear about them.

 

Those are vanilla issues, that cannot be fixed without going into the CK yourself. The color of the snow is the result of a different "light reflection" because the two snow tiles are in an angle to another. At least that's my hypotheses.