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]

+1 to Bealdwine. Ran through the updated guide and had much better results! Thanks for all the hard work on this zMan.

[z929669]

Thanks guys, glad to be of use and provide something useful ;)

[Vond]

Furthermore, these files will be copied to the destination unaltered, because [ignore] > [Copy unprocessed and ignored files (passthrough)] option is ticked by default.

 

Just redid my vanilla optimizations (had made it all into 2 BSAs before where files from HRDLC's overwrote the default textures etc, and wanted to keep it it out of BSA this time) and just wanted to comment on this. Skyrim - Textures.bsa has 18,670 files. After running DDSOPT and unchecking the files that should not be processed etc, it seems those files were not copied unaltered, and the optimized folder from those textures has 18,568 files. So that's 102 files missing. I assume the easiest solution is to then Copy&Paste the default textures on top of the optimized textures and just choosing NO when it asks you to overwrite, meaning only the file that didn't go through optimization will be copied over, but I didn't want to make this alteration to your wiki-page without confirmation and input.

[z929669]

Yep, you are correct on that EDIT: tormVond. I meant to change it but never got around to it.

 

EDIT: Furthermore, just remembered that it should be OK if these textures are missing, as Skyrim - Textures.bsa should fill in the gaps ;)

[frihyland]

Better to copy those 102 files before you run the optimization. Then you don't have to manually uncheck them, they will be skipped automatically by default.

 

Passthrough only works for file types, not individual filenames.

[z929669]

Very good point. Will update EDIT: actually, copying is more of a PITA, as you have to hunt each one down. The filter should be quicker (and see my edit to prev post)

[Vond]

Yep' date=' you are correct on that EDIT: [s']torm[/s]Vond. I meant to change it but never got around to it.EDIT: Furthermore, just remembered that it should be OK if these textures are missing, as Skyrim - Textures.bsa should fill in the gaps ;)

 

 

 

 

That's the point though, I don't want to keep Skyrim - Textures.bsa at all and I think it's the same for many others ;) Previously I did it like this:

 

 

• Run the fixes for the DLC textures.
• Optimize HRDLCs and the Skyrim - Textures files.
• Copy HRDLC2 files on top of HRDLC1 files.
• Copy the resulting files on top of Skyrim - Textures files.
• Cut&Paste the Actors, Architecture and Armor folders into a seperate folder (might've been another aswell, but look to get approx half the total filesize in GB moved away).
• Make two BSA files, one with the files you just Cut&Pasted and one with the files remaining. With a Compression value of 9 both should be approx 1.4-1.5GB.
• Name them whatever you like, then go into Skyrim.ini and replace Skyrim - Textures.bsa + add the other file to the list of BSAs.
• Profit.

Now, instead of doing it that way I went with the loose files option this time for faster loadtimes and even more control over everything in Wrye Bash. With the 102 files missing, you'd need to keep Skyrim - Textures.bsa. If you get all the files however, you can simply remove Skyrim - Textures.bsa from Skyrim.ini and thus gain some extra speed on your loadtimes, since it won't need to read through a 99.9% useless .BSA files with nearly 19000 files in it. Anyway, that's my opinion and perhaps most people don't feel there's a need to "get rid of" Skyrim - Textures.bsa. :) (Infact it's even more than though, as you get rid of the BSAs for HRDLC's aswell).

[z929669]

Only problem is that now we must rely on Skyrim Unplugged to stop automatic updates, which will break they system, no? Or does Skyrim.ini remain untouched?

Either way, this adds a layer of complexity and represents "user preference". Given the potential level of maintenance and vigilance, I am inclined to let modders figure that out for themselves. Once a modder begins thinking like this, they have graduated past the point of the guide maybe :P

 

***However, I welcome any +1 to EDIT: torm's Vond's ideas here.***

[frihyland]

Use ddsopt to copy those 102 files for you, not explorer. BTW how are you selecting these files is it a list of known files with ddsopt problems?

[Vond]

Why are you calling me torm twice in this thread now? ;)

 

Anyway, Skyrim.ini does remain unchanged. I don't use Skyrim Unplugged and have had no problems whatsoever with making such changes. But yes, it does add a bit of extra complexity, which is why I wasn't sure if it should be added to the guide, atleast not as a "standard".

 

Use ddsopt to copy those 102 files for you, not explorer. BTW how are you selecting these files is it a list of known files with ddsopt problems?

Don't see why you'd need to do that though, copy&pasting the files in explorer from your Vanilla Extracted to your Vanilla Optimized works just aswell (did for me atleast) and you won't be overwriting anything. As for which files, it's the .png's inside ...\interface\books as DDSOPT would convert them into .dds from .png, which you don't want - and the small planar textures that are in the root of the textures folder, because DDSOPT would convert them in such a way that they would not show up ingame. The final one is hotiron01.dds inside the clutter\common folder and was confirmed by Ethatron. Trial and error to find out the others, but yes there is a list on the wiki now.

[z929669]

Ahh yes, you mean by ticking "dont process any of the known file types" good point.

 

The 102 are a combo of *.png, that I know DDSopt will process into DDS... not sure if this is a problem or not, but these are all book images, and I think that they should be left along, as mips probably do not apply. Two of the others (hotiron, and gray) are confirmed, and the others were found by Vond I think, so he can address that.

 

EDIT:

Why are you calling me torm twice in this thread now?

Sorry, getting you two mixed up!, will correct!

[frihyland]

Oh I see, I had assumed that the 102 files were scattered all over the directory structure, if its just 2 directories should be simple enough to copy with explorer and add those directions to the wiki.

On the ini edits, it certainly makes sense, but I doubt that it actually results in a performance increase. If it does please do let us know.

[Vond]

On the ini edits, it certainly makes sense, but I doubt that it actually results in a performance increase. If it does please do let us know.

 

 

 

I doubt it will have much impact if any. In theory it should improve loadtimes a little bit as the files do not need to be uncompressed, but well.. Should be very minor. It's just nitpicking on my part most likely. :)

[Bealdwine]

I've now had a chance to go through the latest update to this guide - very impressive stuff, can't wait for a summary/explanation/recommendation based on the test results. I'm certainly going to have to redo this process before installing the next STEP :)

 

It occured to me that this (at least the vanilla/HDDLC and possibly the Vano Opt stages) would be a wonderful automation project. Is anyone else looking at this?

If not, I might look into it once I shake off this damn 'flu :P

 

By automation I mean creating appropriate folders, unpacking BSAs, correcting, combining, DDSopt'ing, replacing non-optimized files (if necessary), and tidying up (or deleting) files and folders afterwards.

To a large extent I suspect this will depend on the 'accessibility' of DDSopt to external control. There is a version on Git Hub but whether this is uptodate I'm not sure. If it comes to it I would contact Ethatron for permission and an idea of what methods might be hooked into to set preferences, file locations and 'process'.

 

Anyway just chucking about a vague idea atm.

[frihyland]

Here's a simple sort of automation, batch file. You could probably make something a bit more complex if ddsopt supports command line switches.

 

Skyrim Installation