SKYRIMLE Bigger and Boulder - Mountain and Wet Rock Customization (by SparrowPrince)

[z929669]

For those interested, the OP has been updated with a comprehensive compare of mountain retextures and other modifiers (snow, meshes).

 

For now, I think that it is clear that Vanilla HD wins out as the STEP:Core replacer, as the detail is truly a vanilla HD retex, and I think it looks great. The mod also provides uncompressed textures, so the 2k normals can be reduced to 1k without compression for a very nice performance-quality compromise.

 

For STEP:Extended, it is another matter, and we are open to input. However, I think that the serious contenders are Ewis v1/v4, AOF, and Bigger & Boulder. If we for some reason want to include the mesh fixes, then Rocking Stones becomes a serious contender (I personally don't like the UV remapping of the 'fixed' mountain meshes and think that some of the mountain meshes and rocks need SMIM'd proper and better UV mapping to reduce wrinkling whilst adding detail).

[TechAngel85]

So to clarify, NS and SMIM are not present in these compares?

 

Sent from Samsung Galaxy II using Tapatalk 4.

[TechAngel85]

I agree with Vanilla HD being the Core choice.

 

For Extended the Alternative Mountains, Ewis V1 and Bigger & Boulder would be my top contenders.

[z929669]

  Quote

So to clarify, NS and SMIM are not present in these compares?

 

Sent from Samsung Galaxy II using Tapatalk 4.

 

SMIM is present, as it only affects a small portion of the mountain meshes, and as I suspected, the SMIM'd UV maps aren't all screwy in an attempt to squish the entire texture onto the models. These exclude No Stretching and the more moderate Better Rocks & Mountains.

 

I also really like Alternative Mountains; however, some of the texture mapping looks really bad. You can notice it mostly in some of the background rocks, but the effect is to turn an otherwise nice rock into a sort of ringed popsicle. When I noticed this happening to some of my favorite rocks, it killed this mod for me.

 

[TechAngel85]

That's true. I think it'll take running around in-game for a bit with each of these top contenders before I'll be able to decide my favorite. I'll try to be objective because I've used Ewis V1 for a good while and really like it (mainly because it gets away from the boring vanilla grey without going too far into left field...it is still a bit "vanilla-ish")

[TechAngel85]

Could you include Rocking Stones into the mix without the fixes. We've been comparing it this whole time and now it's suddenly missing from that set of compares.

[z929669]

  Quote

Could you include Rocking Stones into the mix without the fixes. We've been comparing it this whole time and now it's suddenly missing from that set of compares.

Without mesh replacements, it is essentially AOF, but I'll include it if I still have that example.

[TechAngel85]

  Quote

  Quote

Could you include Rocking Stones into the mix without the fixes. We've been comparing it this whole time and now it's suddenly missing from that set of compares.

Without mesh replacements, it is essentially AOF, but I'll include it if I still have that example.

I'm talking about just the mod in it's entirety...even it comes coupled with the mesh improvements in it's install package. Did you just include the texture in the "without fixes" or did you also include any meshes the mods came with?

[z929669]

  Quote

  Quote

 

  Quote

Could you include Rocking Stones into the mix without the fixes. We've been comparing it this whole time and now it's suddenly missing from that set of compares.

Without mesh replacements, it is essentially AOF, but I'll include it if I still have that example.

I'm talking about just the mod in it's entirety...even it comes coupled with the mesh improvements in it's install package. Did you just include the texture in the "without fixes" or did you also include any meshes the mods came with?

"Without fixes" looks at only texture replacements and includes no meshes derived from NS or BR&M.

 

I included Rocking Stones textures in the compare right after AOF (4th or 5th image in each set I think). It is basically a slightly enhanced AOF.

[TechAngel85]

I see that now. Rocking Stones would be a better choice than AOF for those that use ENBs. I'll be trying the others out in-game for a while before making any decisions.

[Neovalen]

Rocking Stones without meshes doesn't use Parallax at all. which is kinda the cornerstone of the mod... (the game still uses parallax even without ENB - hence why he has a non-ENB version).

[z929669]

  Quote

Rocking Stones without meshes doesn't use Parallax at all. which is kinda the cornerstone of the mod... (the game still uses parallax even without ENB - hence why he has a non-ENB version).

Agree, but I think that the mesh 'fixes' are much worse than the blown-up models in that the wrinkly-mountain look is much more prevalent than the stretched-rock look. Brumbek needs to go in and fix the meshes himself I think (or someone that will do more than UV remapping). I'd like to see Hein create a version of his mod using the vanilla base meshes ... modified to his purposes of course.

---

  Quote

I see that now. Rocking Stones would be a better choice than AOF for those that use ENBs. I'll be trying the others out in-game for a while before making any decisions.

Even with ENB, I would steer clear of those NS and BR&M meshes. The mountains don't really pop so much anyway. The parallax mostly affects the smaller objects (as Hein implies in his parallax modder's guide)

[Hein84]

I edited the UV-maps in the first place to make parallax work proper.

Though I could add an update with adapted more original-like UV-maps

Have to say I like their contrasty vertical/horizontal orientation, it looks some more craggy imo

[TechAngel85]

I've played around with several of the textures in-game today and to be honest, the best textures that "fit" into the game are Rocking Stones and Alternative Mountains. I was using the 1K of all textures when testing. I also tested with Moss Rocks since that mod affect rocks and, imo, the only textures that look good with that mod are the two I just mentioned. The other textures are too dark and/or look bad with Moss Rocks.

[z929669]

  Quote

I edited the UV-maps in the first place to make parallax work proper.

Though I could add an update with adapted more original-like UV-maps

Have to say I like their contrasty vertical/horizontal orientation, it looks some more craggy imo

I would love you forever (ahem) if you produced a version of your textures and your parallax with the original meshes (and any fixes you deem important enough to implement to any low-poly rocks/mountains). I have also appealed to Brumbek to apply his expertise to those mountain meshes. (see beolow)

  Quote

I've played around with several of the textures in-game today and to be honest, the best textures that "fit" into the game are Rocking Stones and Alternative Mountains. I was using the 1K of all textures when testing. I also tested with Moss Rocks since that mod affect rocks and, imo, the only textures that look good with that mod are the two I just mentioned. The other textures are too dark and/or look bad with Moss Rocks.

 

I agree. RS&M is an improvement even of the AOF masterpiece (but for the meshes whose ancestors I personally have come to dislike). I also really like Alternative Mountains, but for the silly popsicles.