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)

[SSL]

"--Instructions for fixing the HRDLC before DDSopt-ing" this post linked from 1st post is no longer valid' date=' is it?[/quote']

I'm not sure which post you are referencing. We changed the instructions when the UHRP was released' date=' so the instructions prior to that are not consistent with what we now recommend.[/quote']

That's what I meant to ask: On the first page, in the first post, there is a link: -Instructions for fixing the HRDLC before DDSopt-ing, and I'd like to know whether these instructions are still right( ie. after HDDLC 3 and UHRP releases)?

[Kelmych]

"--Instructions for fixing the HRDLC before DDSopt-ing" this post linked from 1st post is no longer valid' date=' is it?[/quote']

I'm not sure which post you are referencing. We changed the instructions when the UHRP was released' date=' so the instructions prior to that are not consistent with what we now recommend.[/quote']

That's what I meant to ask: On the first page, in the first post, there is a link: -Instructions for fixing the HRDLC before DDSopt-ing, and I'd like to know whether these instructions are still right( ie. after HDDLC 3 and UHRP releases)?

That post was correct as of early last week when it was incorporated into the DDSopt guide. Then within less than a week span Dragonborn came out, the new HRDLC was released, and the long-rumored UHRP became a reality. We quickly changed the guide to what you see now. The post you reference is indeed no longer relevant, as you suggest. The batch file that it referenced has been edited and now provides only the removal of duplicates; the new version is available on the guide. At this point the only reliable source on processing the HRDLC is the DDSopt guide along with posts on the forum in the last few days.

[enhasa]

Nope I dont have any previous isntalled.

I just have the loose files and the ini is the programs directory.

 

@Z

 

Yeah UAC off here too, tho I have Win8 x64

If AV would block it so would it have done with any other program so far.

BOSS, WB, MO and all the other tools work perfectly and have no problems saving their settings.

Just DDSopt doesnt save it somehow.

DDSOpt stores the settings under the Bethesda Softworks key in the registry, so that key probably doesn't exist. It should show up after running Skyrim for the first time.

 

You can double check by launching "regedit" and looking for the following key (for x64 systems):

 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bethesda Softworks

 

You can also try launching Skyrim via the launcher (not via SKSE or ATTK) to see if the key gets created.

 

Those settings really should be stored under HKCU to avoid write problems.

I think DDSopt can also create that key because my settings save on a PC that has never ran Skyrim.

[Cy4n1d3]

I checked the textures replaced by the UHRP 1.1.0 and made sure that these textures were not deleted by the batch file' date=' in case the UHRP was applied before the batch file. You will see annotations in the batch file that mention this; there are some deletions in the old version of the batch file that now have REM at the beginning of the line for this reason.[/quote']

 

I can confirm that the following file is not deleted by your batch file:

 

Data\textures\dungeons\cavescavebaseroots01.dds

 

This file is contained in the vanilla bsa and the hrdlc2 bsa - and also in the UHRP.

In my case this texture exists as a loose file and is different from the one in the UHRP.

 

Just to make this clear (for myself), loose files are handled with higher priority then esp/bsa files when loaded by the game executable?

If this is correct, wouldn't the 'fixed' file from the UHRP be overwritten by the loose one from the hrdlc2 files?

The above file is just an example, it's the next best file I could find to demonstrate my concern :)

 

I hope you understand what I'm asking, not a native speaker here...

 

Regards

 

€dit: btw, I can confirm that DDSopt started without admin rights does not save its settings, this being on Win8 x64. Starting with admin rights did fix this for me though.

[Kelmych]

I checked the textures replaced by the UHRP 1.1.0 and made sure that these textures were not deleted by the batch file' date=' in case the UHRP was applied before the batch file. You will see annotations in the batch file that mention this; there are some deletions in the old version of the batch file that now have REM at the beginning of the line for this reason.[/quote']

 

I can confirm that the following file is not deleted by your batch file:

 

Data\textures\dungeons\cavescavebaseroots01.dds

 

This file is contained in the vanilla bsa and the hrdlc2 bsa - and also in the UHRP.

In my case this texture exists as a loose file and is different from the one in the UHRP.

 

Just to make this clear (for myself)' date=' loose files are handled with higher priority then esp/bsa files when loaded by the game executable?

If this is correct, wouldn't the 'fixed' file from the UHRP be overwritten by the loose one from the hrdlc2 files?

The above file is just an example, it's the next best file I could find to demonstrate my concern :)

 

I hope you understand what I'm asking, not a native speaker here...

 

Regards

 

€dit: btw, I can confirm that DDSopt started without admin rights does not save its settings, this being on Win8 x64. Starting with admin rights did fix this for me though.[/quote']

The batch file removes only those files that are duplicates between the HRDLC and Skyrim - Textures, or duplicates across the 3 HRDLC files. If one of these duplicates is also included in UHRP I removed the deletion from the batch file. The texture cavebaseroots01.dds in HRDLC2 is a different file with higher resolution than the one in Skyrim - Textures, and is thus not deleted by the batch file.

 

If you use the UHRP as a BSA and the HRDLC as loose files then yes, the UHRP file will not be used.

 

In the STEP Mod Texture Properties tab that provides comments about installation, etc. for STEP mods there is a note: "However, one note about these is needed. If you use the Unofficial High Resolution Patch (UHRP), and you use the optimized HRDLC with archived loose files as recommended, you also need to use the UHRP as an archived set of loose files (vs. using it as a BSA)."  I've added a similar note to the steps on optimizing the HRDLC in the "DDSopt Optimization" tab also so it won't be missed.

[z929669]

A Quick-Start tab for the DDSopt page could work nicely. Compartmentalizing by tabs is the best way to go IMO.

[Kelmych]

A Quick-Start tab for the DDSopt page could work nicely. Compartmentalizing by tabs is the best way to go IMO.

The tabs typically cover a page or so. In doing a quickstart tab I'd like to be able to reference portions of what is in another tab vs. the entire tab. Can headings be referenced below the level of a tab; e.g., can I directly reference the "Repair the HRDLC Textures" subsection?

[stoppingby4now]

A Quick-Start tab for the DDSopt page could work nicely. Compartmentalizing by tabs is the best way to go IMO.

The tabs typically cover a page or so. In doing a quickstart tab I'd like to be able to reference portions of what is in another tab vs. the entire tab. Can headings be referenced below the level of a tab; e.g., can I directly reference the "Repair the HRDLC Textures" subsection?

Unfortunately, Header Tabs doesn't support that, you can only link to the tab itself. If a tab's contents gets too big though, you can add links at the top of the tab to the headers.

 

Example:

[[#Repair the HRDLC Textures]]

[Cy4n1d3]

The batch file removes only those files that are duplicates between the HRDLC and Skyrim - Textures' date=' or duplicates across the 3 HRDLC files. If one of [i']these[/i] duplicates is also included in UHRP I removed the deletion from the batch file. The texture cavebaseroots01.dds in HRDLC2 is a different file with higher resolution than the one in Skyrim - Textures, and is thus not deleted by the batch file.

 

If you use the UHRP as a BSA and the HRDLC as loose files then yes, the UHRP file will not be used.

 

In the STEP Mod Texture Properties tab that provides comments about installation, etc. for STEP mods there is a note: "However, one note about these is needed. If you use the Unofficial High Resolution Patch (UHRP), and you use the optimized HRDLC with archived loose files as recommended, you also need to use the UHRP as an archived set of loose files (vs. using it as a BSA)."  I've added a similar note to the steps on optimizing the HRDLC in the "DDSopt Optimization" tab also so it won't be missed.

 

Alright, that solves the riddle for me :)

I searched the STEP installation notes but kinda oversaw that one!

Thanks for your patience, I'll set up the UHRP as loose files then.

 

Regards

[Kelmych]

The batch file removes only those files that are duplicates between the HRDLC and Skyrim - Textures' date=' or duplicates across the 3 HRDLC files. If one of [i']these[/i] duplicates is also included in UHRP I removed the deletion from the batch file. The texture cavebaseroots01.dds in HRDLC2 is a different file with higher resolution than the one in Skyrim - Textures, and is thus not deleted by the batch file.

 

If you use the UHRP as a BSA and the HRDLC as loose files then yes, the UHRP file will not be used.

 

In the STEP Mod Texture Properties tab that provides comments about installation, etc. for STEP mods there is a note: "However, one note about these is needed. If you use the Unofficial High Resolution Patch (UHRP), and you use the optimized HRDLC with archived loose files as recommended, you also need to use the UHRP as an archived set of loose files (vs. using it as a BSA)."  I've added a similar note to the steps on optimizing the HRDLC in the "DDSopt Optimization" tab also so it won't be missed.

Alright, that solves the riddle for me :)

I searched the STEP installation notes but kinda oversaw that one!

Thanks for your patience, I'll set up the UHRP as loose files then.

 

Regards

Previously it was hard to find; hopefully it will be easier to find now that I added it elsewhere.

[Kelmych]

Looking at the updated version of the questions and answers on the first post of this thread,I think it would be useful to add these to the DDSopt guide in a new FAQ tab at the end.

[z929669]

Looking at the updated version of the questions and answers on the first post of this thread' date='I think it would be useful to add these to the DDSopt guide in a new FAQ tab at the end.[/quote']

Agree. Also note the new link I added towards the top where Ethatron provies specifics on several mods. This hints at some good info to track for DDSopt use.

[Toldman]

I need help updating GUI settings on fresh DDSopt Install.

 

Reading DDSopt Guide - Using DDSopt tab - DDSopt Configuration - Main Menu Settings - Clicking Behave and highlighting Textures produces a list (image 1 of 6) that is totally different from the list I get...(bells and whistles)

 

My list has as follows:

 

(unchecked) Don't touch HDR's

(checked) Produce partial derivative tangent-space normal-maps

(checked) Raise normal-map steepness each mip-level

(checked) Gamma correct mip-map filtering color-maps

Ignore borders on optimizing (highlighting brings up choices)

(unchecked) Compress all kown texture-formats

(unchecked) Re-compress and re-mip all textures

 

I extracted DDSopt 7.3 from Nexus), replaced the .ini file (via link), installed the 64bit runtime, then opened DDSopt 64 bit executable (as administrator).

[z929669]

I need help updating GUI settings on fresh DDSopt Install.

 

Reading DDSopt Guide - Using DDSopt tab - DDSopt Configuration - Main Menu Settings - Clicking Behave and highlighting Textures produces a list (image 1 of 6) that is totally different from the list I get...(bells and whistles)

 

My list has as follows:

 

(unchecked) Don't touch HDR's

(checked) Produce partial derivative tangent-space normal-maps

(checked) Raise normal-map steepness each mip-level

(checked) Gamma correct mip-map filtering color-maps

Ignore borders on optimizing (highlighting brings up choices)

(unchecked) Compress all kown texture-formats

(unchecked) Re-compress and re-mip all textures

 

I extracted DDSopt 7.3 from Nexus), replaced the .ini file (via link), installed the 64bit runtime, then opened DDSopt 64 bit executable (as administrator).

You should be using DDSopt v8.0 - update 4 from the Nexus.

[Toldman]

Thank you very much.