Parallax texture mods that are mostly compatible with STEP guide?

[aktillum]

I really don't feel like re-running texgen / dyndolod so I've been on the hunt for parallax textures that can safely overwrite a full STEP guide setup.

I found Cathedral Landscapes - Complex Parallax Addon which you can safely just plunk down at the bottom of a STEP list, since it just adds parallax to the existing Cathedral Textures.

Anyone know similar parallax versions of stuff already in the STEP guide worth using?

Edited March 14, 2023 by DoubleYou
fixed link

[ButchDiavolo]

When dealing with complex parallax, the first thing to download is Parallax Occlusion Mapping. Download and extract one of the ini's into the actual Steam game folder. I use the balanced one. Next download and install Auto Parallax and place it under Resources in MO2. And of course you will need the latest ENB files (currently v0.488)

Next you have to adjust the settings in enbseries.ini so it looks like this:

EnableTerrainBlending=true
EnableComplexParallax=true
EnableComplexParallaxShadows=true
EnableComplexTerrainParallax=true
EnableComplexTerrainParallaxShadows=true

Now we come to the way I have set parallax mods up, which works best for me. As yet, there is no one-is-all mod, which has all the parallax meshes/ textures, so below is the list that I discovered and use, in order of installation. Tastes vary of course, so you can/ should move the installation around for different looks. Skyrim 202x and Skurkbro's mods are the largest files, so changing them around will significantly change the look in game.

To keep things tidy, I created a new category in MO2 called "Parallax" and put all the parallax mods under there. Also, don't merge the parallax versions of Embers XD, Enhanced Vanilla Trees and Assorted Mesh Collection into the respective main mods! I placed the category under "Post-Processing", so parallax will overwrite the normal mods. Below the list will be some more information.

EDIT: for people reading this later. This list is probably outdated.

• Parallax Mesh Patch Collection (Enhanced Vanilla Trees)
• Parallax Mesh Patch - Enhanced Vanilla Trees Fix (fixes the errors in TexGen)
• Assorted Mesh Collection - Parallax
• Better Dirt Cliffs and Alphas
• Shaders of Solstheim Ash and Moss - Parallax
• Castle Volkihar Parallax Mesh Resources
• CC's Fort Dawnguard Reborn Parallax
• Voeille's Soul Cairn HD Expansion Parallax
• Rally's Solstheim AIO Parallax
• Rally's Solstheim Landscapes Complex Parallax
• Skyrim 202x Fomod 2K
• Skurkbro's Retexture Project - Winterhold
• Skurkbro's Retexture Project AIO (2K for all options and fixes)
• Skurkbro's Retexture Project - Markarth and Dwemer Ruins
• Skurkbro's Retexture Project - Landscapes (2K, Hotfix and Additional)
• Simplicity of Snow Parallax
• Riften of Reverie - 2K + parallax meshes
• ProjectedDiffuse Patch Hub (for snow shaders, pick which you prefer; I use SRP Landscapes 2k)
• The Omnibus - Terrain Complex Parallax 2K
• Parallax Caves
• Nordic Mountains Parallax option
• Illustrious Whiterun Wood addition first, then Normal 2k (parallax comes later)
• Vivid Landscapes - Gildergreen
• Illustrious Whiterun - Parallax meshes

As far as Parallax Mesh Patch goes, you can use the main mod as well, but you will need to remove quite a few files that will cause guaranteed CTDs. If you want to use the main mod, please use this guide by Brentw89 to find the files that need to be deleted. It is written for VR, but the same applies for SE/AE. Another kind soul on Nexus made a list of the offending files, so they are also under this spoiler:

Spoiler

\meshes\clutter\signage\whiterun\signwrbanneredmare01.nif
\meshes\dbm resources\architecture\newmuseum\dbmgallerycentralfloor.nif
\meshes\dlc01\architecture\snowelfruins\dlc01sebf_blastroofremain.nif
\meshes\dlc01\dungeons\castle\animated\cascoffinpuzzle\cascoffinpuzzle01.nif
\meshes\dlc01\effects\dlc1columnhavokexplosion.nif
\meshes\dlc01\effects\dlc1snowelfflathavokexplosion.nif
\meshes\dlc02\dungeons\apocrypha\animated\forbiddenbook\apoforbiddenbook01.nif
\meshes\dlc02\dungeons\nordic\dlc2norenchanteddias02\dlc2norenchanteddias02.nif
\meshes\dungeons\imperial\customfx\cg01destroyedbridge.nif
\meshes\dungeons\imperial\customfx\impforthallcollapsefx01.nif
\meshes\dungeons\nordic\secretpass\animated\rmsmdoor02\norsecrmsmdoorsm02.nif
\meshes\effects\dragoncrash\fxdragoncrashfurrow01.nif
\meshes\effects\mgmagicfirepillarmidden01.nif
\meshes\magic\fxtimerift.nif
\meshes\traps\dwefirepillar\trapdwefirepillar01.nif
\meshes\traps\swingingblade\trapbladeswinging01dustfx.nif

Personally, I don't use the main Parallax Mesh Patch mod and have experienced no issues.

Again personally, I use Simplicity of Snow instead of Better Dynamic Snow (v2). You can use BDS instead. If you want to use SoS, you will have to remove the references to BDS from the STEP Conflict Resolution patches.

After installing these mods, it is wise to re-run TexGen and DynDOLOD. I also re-ran LODGEN, but I am not sure if that is necessary.

So, Wall of Text. But I hope it will help you. If you have any questions, just ask. I might even be able to answer them

 

Edited December 10, 2023 by ButchDiavolo
added warning

[ButchDiavolo]

First some general info: there is a difference between the "old" parallax mods and the new complex parallax mods. The difference is mainly in how the parallax effect is achieved. The "old" parallax adds _p.dds files, the new ones work with "height settings" in the normals (_n.dds) files, as far as I understand it. And of course need the latest ENB versions, which add the complex parallax parameters, for it to work.

More and more complex parallax mods are coming out now, but, apart from the Cathedral Landscapes one you mention, none are based on the STEP list so far. So unfortunately as of yet, you can't just plunk mods in to get more complex parallax and stay true to STEP.

If you want to go beyond STEP and created a, what I call, STEP+ setup, I can provide a list of mods you could use to get a general setup with complex parallax. This will how ever completely change the look of the normal STEP setup, which is mainly based on SMIM. It also involves a bit of editing, changing out STEP mods, etc.

And... you will have to rerun texgen and DynDOLOD...

[aktillum]

1 hour ago, ButchDiavolo said:

If you want to go beyond STEP and created a, what I call, STEP+ setup, I can provide a list of mods you could use to get a general setup with complex parallax. This will how ever completely change the look of the normal STEP setup, which is mainly based on SMIM. It also involves a bit of editing, changing out STEP mods, etc.

And... you will have to rerun texgen and DynDOLOD...

That'd be a cool list to have, I've been thinking about having a second Skyrim instance for experimenting with stuff outside StEP.