GUIDE [WIP] DDSopt & Texture Overhauls

[z929669]

Discussion thread:
DDSopt Guide by STEP
Wiki Link

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GET DDSopt:
Github Pre-release versions
Official Nexus versions (select pre-release update 4)

[stoppingby4now]

Skyrim is LAA aware, and has been for awhile as Mad pointed out. But it won't use a full 4GB, and it has no need to.

[venkman781]

Are the USKP texture fixes still needed?

 

I am running a DDSopt on my Vanilla textures.bsa and the two HRDLC .bsa files using DDSopt pre3. If following the SIG correctly, I should just use the loose files version of the HD DLC Textures fix with the BAINs I create after running DDSopt, right?

[stoppingby4now]

Are the USKP texture fixes still needed?

 

I am running a DDSopt on my Vanilla textures.bsa and the two HRDLC .bsa files using DDSopt pre3. If following the SIG correctly, I should just use the loose files version of the HD DLC Textures fix with the BAINs I create after running DDSopt, right?

Yup, just make sure to remove the HRDLC ESM's (or BSA's from the archive list) from loading.

[venkman781]

Great, thanks s4n.

 

One other question: previously, there were a few additional steps involving fixes to the HRDLC in the SIG.  They involved merging the HD Textures DLC Fix and Eiwyn's HighRes TexturePack DLC Tweaks via a batch script before processing with DDSopt.  Is that process still recommended for the diehards among us?

 

As of this moment, I have been following the DDSopt wiki and omitting those steps because they've been removed from the SIG wiki.  I wasn't sure the rationale for omitting those steps and the bat file is no longer available on the Wiki.

[frihyland]

For texture files hardcore version you want to use the unpacked hrdlc first than overwrite in order with USKP, dlc fix, dlc tweaks, and finally the optimized dlc if you are using that or run it through ddsopt if not.

[venkman781]

For texture files hardcore version you want to use the unpacked hrdlc first than overwrite in order with USKP, dlc fix, dlc tweaks, and finally the optimized dlc if you are using that or run it through ddsopt if not.

 

So if I understand you correctly, I can unpack the hrdlc using DDSopt, then overwrite with the files from the USKP, DLC fix and DLC tweaks and run the whole thing through DDSopt and create a BAIN? I wasn't planning to use the Optimized DLC because I'm running 2GB of VRAM.

 

Thanks Fri!

[z929669]

Venk,

 

You can extract the HRDLCs into dub directories and run these bats on them according to the following instructions... Eiwyn has had plenty of time to update his mod, so I have no problem at all sharing this in the meantime. 

 

Go to HighResTexturePack DLC Tweaks by Eiwyn

• Download DLC tweaks 3.2. Extract to its own folder (e.g., "HRDLC_Tweaks"_3.2) in the working directory.
• Download DLC tweaks 3.1 beta. Extract to the folder in step 1 above, OVERWRITING 3.2 with 3.1b Extract to its own folder (e.g., HRDLC_Tweaks_3.1b) in the working directory. 

Go to HD Textures DLC Fix by Hionimi and krist2

• Download the HRDLC Fix. Extract to its own folder (e.g., HD_Texture_DLC_Fix) in the working directory.
• Extract HighResTexturePack01.bsa to its own folder in the working directory (e.g., HRDLC1).
• Extract HighResTexturePack02.bsa to its own folder in the working directory (e.g., HRDLC2).

... there should now be 4 directories total in the working directory...

• Extract the attached BAT files into the working directory (i.e., not into a sub-folder though).
• Run the START BAT and examine the logs as well as the resuting HRDLC1-2 folders.

Then runn DDSopt Pre3 on the final result according to the settings I posted previously on this thread. On Ultra settings, comparing vanilla to DDSopt-ed vanilla (using these methods), I saw a substantial boost in FPS in various areas.

[gwoody79]

this thread is one of many reasons i come here more often than nexus or steam forums, ya'll know what your talkin about and how to do things right. Thanks for sharing your big brains with those with smaller brains :D

[venkman781]

Venk,

 

You can extract the HRDLCs into dub directories and run these bats on them according to the following instructions... Eiwyn has had plenty of time to update his mod, so I have no problem at all sharing this in the meantime.

Go to HighResTexturePack DLC Tweaks by Eiwyn

• Download DLC tweaks 3.2. Extract to its own folder (e.g., "HRDLC_Tweaks"_3.2) in the working directory.
• Download DLC tweaks 3.1 beta. Extract to the folder in step 1 above, OVERWRITING 3.2 with 3.1b Extract to its own folder (e.g., HRDLC_Tweaks_3.1b) in the working directory. 

Go to HD Textures DLC Fix by Hionimi and krist2

• Download the HRDLC Fix. Extract to its own folder (e.g., HD_Texture_DLC_Fix) in the working directory.
• Extract HighResTexturePack01.bsa to its own folder in the working directory (e.g., HRDLC1).
• Extract HighResTexturePack02.bsa to its own folder in the working directory (e.g., HRDLC2).

... there should now be 4 directories total in the working directory...

• Extract the attached BAT files into the working directory (i.e., not into a sub-folder though).
• Run the START BAT and examine the logs as well as the resuting HRDLC1-2 folders.

Then runn DDSopt Pre3 on the final result according to the settings I posted previously on this thread. On Ultra settings, comparing vanilla to DDSopt-ed vanilla (using these methods), I saw a substantial boost in FPS in various areas.

Awesome, z. Thanks for the detailed direction. I will try this in the morning and report back if I run into issues.

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Edit:  Assembled all files/directories as above. I had to combine the textures folders from the DLC Tweaks mods in step 2 and 3 above into a single DLC_Tweaks folder due to the way the HRDLC_Fix-START.bat file sets paths. Only one file (armor/daedric/daedricshield_n.dds) was overwritten in combining the 3.1b and 3.2 Tweaks.

 

Ran the START bat. Error log came back empty (a good sign), and I verified a few sample files had been moved/deleted according to HRDLC_Fix.log and HRDLC1-2 folders (step 7 above).

 

Ran DDSOpt on HRDLC1, HRDLC2 and Vanilla textures folders, then replaced the two textures from the USKP thread after I confirmed they were not fixed by DDSOpt in the log.

 

Created a complex BAIN with both Vanilla and HRDLC included. Now I will remove the .bsa files for the HRDLC from the .ini files and I should be good to go.

[z929669]

@Venk

I updated my original post (and your quote of that) to reflect a slight tweak of the procedure (I had pasted an early version of the procedure from an admin forum thread).

 

This should now be correct.

 

NOTE: you would not want to combine files from steps 2-3, but rather combine files from steps 1-2 overwriting 3.2 with 3.1b.

[venkman781]

@Venk

I updated my original post (and your quote of that) to reflect a slight tweak of the procedure (I had pasted an early version of the procedure from an admin forum thread).

 

This should now be correct.

 

NOTE: you would not want to combine files from steps 2-3, but rather combine files from steps 1-2 overwriting 3.2 with 3.1b.

 

Thanks, z. I got my step numbers incorrect in my edit above. I merged the 3.2 and 3.1b files together. The only overwrite was for the one file I noted above.

[Iriodus]

1) Is there any reason not to use v0.8.0 preview III over v0.7.3?

 

2) I find that Oblivion needs a performance boost, DDSopt is perfect for that, but I have noticed some issues with vanilla textures disappearing (Which is disappointing, as there is a noticeable performance difference with the DDSopt'ed textures). Where should I report issues with DDSopt and Oblivion textures (And with Nifopt'ed meshes)? Is there a list of files to skip for Oblivion that I am missing? I have looked, but haven't found anything. Edit: Sorry for going off topic, but info on using DDSopt with Oblivion seems to be limited.

[frihyland]

There is just as much info on ddsopt for oblivion as for skyrim, pretty much nill except in forums like this. You will likely have to do all the testing yourself and create an exclusion list just as we have for skyrim, contact ethatron after you have something that is well tested and verified by multiple people and thus ready for inclusion in the default exclusion file.

[Iriodus]

There is just as much info on ddsopt for oblivion as for skyrim' date=' pretty much nill except in forums like this. You will likely have to do all the testing yourself and create an exclusion list just as we have for skyrim, contact ethatron after you have something that is well tested and verified by multiple people and thus ready for inclusion in the default exclusion file.[/quote']

Thanks for the swift reply.

 

I guess I was just using the wrong search keywords? I've seen info linked by Ethatron on the nexus page, and the STEP guide for Skyrim, but that is it. I'm relatively new to DDSopt, so is there anything I need to keep in mind while testing? Any recommended tools?

[Iriodus]

Whoops, press quote instead of edit, anyway: Should I report issues with Oblivion textures to Ethatron in this thread or by PM?