DynDOLOD 3.00 Alpha 196

[strwbs]

Hi sheson, thank you for all the excellent tools you continue to make, support, and document! I noticed a possible issue that I'm not sure was present in the 2.x versions. When launching the game with `-tes5vr` to start the tools in Skyrim VR mode, the config file `DynDOLOD_SSE.ini` does not seem to be loaded the way the documentation suggests (`/GameMode.html`). Snippet below pulled from Alpha 27

 

If DynDOLOD or TexGen are started in the TES5VR game mode for Skyrim VR, the tools will use the configuration and rule files from SSE for simplicity sakes.

 

I tried setting `Wizard=0` to test. and it was not honored using only the flag. I was successful explicitly renaming the file to match the mode/environment though, to `DynDOLOD_TES5VR.ini`, as the docs also suggest. Otherwise no issues for me so far using 3.x in VR with the most recent versions.

[sheson]

Hi sheson, thank you for all the excellent tools you continue to make, support, and document! I noticed a possible issue that I'm not sure was present in the 2.x versions. When launching the game with `-tes5vr` to start the tools in Skyrim VR mode, the config file `DynDOLOD_SSE.ini` does not seem to be loaded the way the documentation suggests (`/GameMode.html`). Snippet below pulled from Alpha 27

 

I tried setting `Wizard=0` to test. and it was not honored using only the flag. I was successful explicitly renaming the file to match the mode/environment though, to `DynDOLOD_TES5VR.ini`, as the docs also suggest. Otherwise no issues for me so far using 3.x in VR with the most recent versions.

Thanks. Will be fixed next version.

[ashtonmachine96]

Hi! First of all thank you so much Sheson for your incredible work!
I was wondering if I could have some help with this issue. I'm getting a massive amount of draw calls as I look over to Whiterun. Is this normal?

Cheers

Edited February 1, 2021 by ashtonmachine96

[sheson]

Hi! First of all thank you so much Sheson for your incredible work!

I was wondering if I could have some help with this issue. I'm getting a massive amount of draw calls as I look over to Whiterun. Is this normal?

Cheers

Probably not, but what does that have to do with LOD or with DynDOLOD 3.0 Alpha specifically?

[ashtonmachine96]

I thought that Dyndolod might have been a factor in the increased amount of draw calls in my game. I started noticing the fps decrease after having dyndolod create my dynamic and grass lods....

[sheson]

I thought that Dyndolod might have been a factor in the increased amount of draw calls in my game. I started noticing the fps decrease after having dyndolod create my dynamic and grass lods....

Please, if you posts questions provide information. For example the fact that grass LOD was generated. Grass, game settings etc. See second post about performance.

 

Test the impact of static object, tree and terrain LOD by turning it off with tll in console.

 

Test impact of dynamic LOD by disabling it in DynDOLOD SKyUI MCM.

Edited February 1, 2021 by sheson

[audawarduz]

I was wondering if you have any suggestion for how to determine good settings for the TexGen grass billboard lighting parameters, especially Direct and Ambient?  At the moment I am changing the numbers a bit, re-running TexGen + DynDOLOD, and then loading the game to eyeball the effect under controlled weather conditions.  But as you imagine, this adjustment loop takes some time.

 

Is there anything I could measure from a screenshot (say, using the eyedropper tool in GIMP) that would give a better idea of how much I should change these values?  And since they both affect brightness under different lighting conditions, are there particular weather settings I should use?  For example, maybe one needs two screenshots under two different weathers, in order to (hopefully) isolate the two variables.  But I don't know how the variables relate to the eventual colors I see on screen.

[sheson]

I was wondering if you have any suggestion for how to determine good settings for the TexGen grass billboard lighting parameters, especially Direct and Ambient?  At the moment I am changing the numbers a bit, re-running TexGen + DynDOLOD, and then loading the game to eyeball the effect under controlled weather conditions.  But as you imagine, this adjustment loop takes some time.

 

Is there anything I could measure from a screenshot (say, using the eyedropper tool in GIMP) that would give a better idea of how much I should change these values?  And since they both affect brightness under different lighting conditions, are there particular weather settings I should use?  For example, maybe one needs two screenshots under two different weathers, in order to (hopefully) isolate the two variables.  But I don't know how the variables relate to the eventual colors I see on screen.

I originally tested with white and the 0.5 gray textures in the game to determine a specific color/brightness shift. Didn't really help me much. It is just inconsistent to everything, weather, time of day, distance, view angle, everything. There are just too many variables having an effect. Even the color of the transparent pixels of the grass texture play a role, since they can become part of the edges when a model is rendered because of mipmapping. (Have look at TexGen_SSE.INI to control even more aspects of the rendering).

 

Ambient/Direct for grass have more or less the same effect, since the grass shader in the game does not use normal maps, hence the direct light setting does not illuminate from a specific direction.

 

The RGB brightness settings in the INI / export file can be used to change the tint. I had their original values from generating grass LOD with the vanilla grass full textures. Then adjusted the TexGen brightness to match that (and what I know from billboard tree LOD). Then I fine tuned the RGB values again to what they are now.

 

Just make sure to use the short cuts by only updating the texture atlas directly or by just executing LODGen for a specific quad after changing the values in the export file.

 

But yeah, you will spend dozen of hours constantly starting the game cow tamriel x y etc.

[Wolfpack49]

HI Sheson, thanks for all the work on the new version and all your past work of course!

 

Question on the RGB brightness settings in the DynDOLOD_SSE.ini for grass (following up on your answer above): Are those settings used only during Dyndolod generation or are they used during Texgen processing as well?  I am wrestling a bit with the brightness of the distant grass as well (see below), though I am a bit torn as to whether it's just something I am getting used to, not seeing grass at that distance before:

 

 

 

If I wanted to darken those circled areas at distance, are the RGB grass settings the best way to go about doing so?  I was thinking of perhaps using the eydropper to pick a target color, and try regenerating, but wanted to check whether that would be the best approach.  Thanks again for everything you're doing! :)

Edited February 4, 2021 by Wolfpack49

[audawarduz]

HI Sheson, thanks for all the work on the new version and all your past work of course!

 

Question on the RGB brightness settings in the DynDOLOD_SSE.ini for grass (following up on your answer above): Are those settings used only during Dyndolod generation or are they used during Texgen processing as well?  I am wrestling a bit with the brightness of the distant grass as well (see below), though I am a bit torn as to whether it's just something I am getting used to, not seeing grass at that distance before:

 

 

 

If I wanted to darken those circled areas at distance, are the RGB grass settings the best way to go about doing so?  I was thinking of perhaps using the eydropper to pick a target color, and try regenerating, but wanted to check whether that would be the best approach.  Thanks again for everything you're doing! :)

For attempting to match the colors, I would suggest turning off the extended grass draw distance in GrassControl.config.txt, and choosing the setting in DynDOLOD_SSE.ini to draw grass LOD closer.  Then it will be easier for you to see your transition line between normal grass and grass LOD.

 

I suspect the direct/ambient settings in TexGen will produce "better" results for color matching, which is why I'm expending some effort on it.  I think the RGB multipliers in DynDOLOD_SSE.ini are intended for final adjustments after you've gotten the colors fairly close.

 

Once you do have the colors fairly close, you can then obtain good DynDOLOD_SSE.ini settings for the RGB multipliers by running DynDOLOD twice.  First you need to run it with whatever settings are in your file (if you've tweaked them a lot, then maybe pick something close to 0.400 to get a good starting point).  Then, go somewhere where you can see the grass/LOD transition, pick a time of day and a weather condition, and take a screenshot.

 

Open the screenshot in GIMP, and use the color picker to measure the color of both the normal grass and the LOD grass (use the color picker settings to take an average over some area of your screenshot large enough to contain several grass instances).  For each of the RGB values, take the ratio (real/LOD).  Then go into DynDOLOD_SSE.ini and change the RGB multipliers like this:

 

new_RGB_value = old_RGB_value * (measured_real_RGB / measured_LOD_RGB)

 

where the measured values come from your screenshot.  Provided your starting guesses (the old_RGB_value's) were close enough, this procedure will get you a pretty good match in color, after you run DynDOLOD again.  But, only at the time of day and weather that you chose for the screenshot.

[audawarduz]

Just make sure to use the short cuts by only updating the texture atlas directly or by just executing LODGen for a specific quad after changing the values in the export file.

What do I need to do to only run DynDOLOD on the cells I'm interested in seeing?  And is there a nice way to find out those cell coordinates, names, or whatever, in game?

 

[sheson]

 

Question on the RGB brightness settings in the DynDOLOD_SSE.ini for grass (following up on your answer above): Are those settings used only during Dyndolod generation or are they used during Texgen processing as well? 

The RGB top and bottom brightness settings in the INI are added to the header part of export file for LODGen. They are applied when LODGen generates the BTO meshes. As explained in the second post, it is quickest to change the in the export file and generate a specific BTO using the expert mode. 

 

What do I need to do to only run DynDOLOD on the cells I'm interested in seeing?  And is there a nice way to find out those cell coordinates, names, or whatever, in game?

See second post or ..\DynDOLOD\docs\help\GrassLOD.html (same content, but with internal links to other help files) "Updating"

 

Start DynDOLOD in expert mode ..(\DynDOLOD\docs\help\Expert.html). Use Specific chunk option. Click Execute LODGen button.

Edited February 4, 2021 by sheson

[audawarduz]

See second post or ..\DynDOLOD\docs\help\GrassLOD.html (same content, but with internal links to other help files) "Updating"

 

Start DynDOLOD in expert mode ..(\DynDOLOD\docs\help\Expert.html). Use Specific chunk option. Click Execute LODGen button.

How do I get the coordinates of the cell to generate?  I tried opening the DynDOLOD MCM in-game, but which coordinates do I need in order to select the appropriate BTO?  The MCM does not use the words "west" or "south" anywhere, so I'm not sure how to relate it to the settings in DynDOLOD.

 

Also, after I click Execute LODGen and it indicates it is finished, do I then click OK, or Cancel?

 

[sheson]

How do I get the coordinates of the cell to generate?  I tried opening the DynDOLOD MCM in-game, but which coordinates do I need in order to select the appropriate BTO?  The MCM does not use the words "west" or "south" anywhere, so I'm not sure how to relate it to the settings in DynDOLOD.

 

Also, after I click Execute LODGen and it indicates it is finished, do I then click OK, or Cancel?

 

A BTO filename contains 3 numbers. The first is the LOD Level. The second is the X and the third is the Y coordinate. They are called West (X) and South (Y), because they are the coordinates of the left lower cell of the LOD quad.

Edited February 4, 2021 by sheson

[Wolfpack49]

For attempting to match the colors, I would suggest turning off the extended grass draw distance in GrassControl.config.txt, and choosing the setting in DynDOLOD_SSE.ini to draw grass LOD closer.  Then it will be easier for you to see your transition line between normal grass and grass LOD.

 

I suspect the direct/ambient settings in TexGen will produce "better" results for color matching, which is why I'm expending some effort on it.  I think the RGB multipliers in DynDOLOD_SSE.ini are intended for final adjustments after you've gotten the colors fairly close.

 

Once you do have the colors fairly close, you can then obtain good DynDOLOD_SSE.ini settings for the RGB multipliers by running DynDOLOD twice.  First you need to run it with whatever settings are in your file (if you've tweaked them a lot, then maybe pick something close to 0.400 to get a good starting point).  Then, go somewhere where you can see the grass/LOD transition, pick a time of day and a weather condition, and take a screenshot.

 

Open the screenshot in GIMP, and use the color picker to measure the color of both the normal grass and the LOD grass (use the color picker settings to take an average over some area of your screenshot large enough to contain several grass instances).  For each of the RGB values, take the ratio (real/LOD).  Then go into DynDOLOD_SSE.ini and change the RGB multipliers like this:

 

new_RGB_value = old_RGB_value * (measured_real_RGB / measured_LOD_RGB)

 

where the measured values come from your screenshot.  Provided your starting guesses (the old_RGB_value's) were close enough, this procedure will get you a pretty good match in color, after you run DynDOLOD again.  But, only at the time of day and weather that you chose for the screenshot.

Thanks audawarduz -- that's very helpful.  I'm new to the extended grass, so going to try it for a bit in game and in some different weathers to see how how I feel about it. My guess is it could appear differently in different light.  Plus regenerating the grass cache is a pretty big operation in itself (unless that is unncecessary when changing GrassControl.config.txt).  Will continue to test -- thanks!

Edited February 4, 2021 by Wolfpack49