ENBoost, Parallax & Performance

[Nearox]

I recently got back to using ENBoost, mainly for the parallax effects. However, no matter what I try there is always a 5-12FPS loss (with STEP:Core install). Some effects are still enabled. I read a post by Boris in response to the author of project parllax remastered, and he indeed confirmed that is not possible to single out FixParallaxBugs. Some kind of shaders will still run. 

 

https://enbseries.enbdev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2215 

 

Does anyone happen to be using a different version than the latest 0.233 that does not have such a huge performance hit? Or some tips? See my specs at the signature.

 

I have literally put every single setting in enbseries.ini to FALSE (except for Useeffect=true, which must be enabled for Parallax to work), deferredrendering is off, vram settings etc. were done following that online tool, aliasing is off from both videocard and enb settings etc....everything is off except FixParallaxBugs...

[Kuldebar]

I find that using lower res texture packs (like 2k) but parallaxed is a good combination for good looks and reasonable performance dings.

 

At present I am using primarily HD DLC Textures with their PPR counterpart. My VRAM usage and strain on my 1GB GPU is much alleviated. Instead of popping into the high 900's, I generally stay around 700 or so. Breathing room is nice. SMIM eats some of my performance gains up, but the trade off is worth it, imo.

 

And, to be honest (for me) it's better that the outside textures load quickly will little to no "popping" than it is to have them super high resolution. The parallax effect adds so much to humble textures and a good ENB preset brings it all to life..

 

I go crazy with textures for dungeon and caves though, performance and VRAM issues just don't crop up for inside interiors.

[Kuldebar]

Here are my exact "performance friendly" shadow settings, for reference:

 

 

In skyrim.ini:

 

[Display]

iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=512

 

In skyrimprefs.ini:

 

[Display]

bShadowMaskZPrepass=0

bDrawShadows=1

bDeferredShadows=1

; (Note: the following 4 settings can be disabled for performance gains)

bShadowsOnGrass=1

bDrawLandShadows=1

bTreesReceiveShadows=1

bEquippedTorchesCastShadows=1

 

iShadowMapResolution=512

iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=512

iShadowMapResolutionSecondary=512

iShadowMode=3

iShadowFilter=3

iShadowSplitCount=2

iShadowMaskQuarter=4

fShadowBiasScale=0.4000

iBlurDeferredShadowMask=4

fShadowDistance=7000.0000

fInteriorShadowDistance=8000.0000

fShadowLODStartFade=200.0000

Curiously, Keith,  my FPS went into the teens (from my average mid-twenties inside Whiterun) with those settings, weird, eh?

I notice that your shadow distance is a lot higher but shadow resolution quality is far less than my 2048...so I guess I am making a different trade off than you are in my custom ini settings for shadows.

Skyim.ini

 

[General]

sLanguage=ENGLISH

fDefault1stPersonFOV=81

fDefaultWorldFOV=81

fdefaultfov=81

uExterior Cell Buffer=36

fFlickeringLightDistance=8192

bBorderRegionsEnabled=0

 

[Display]

fShadowLODMaxStartFade=1000.0

fSpecularLODMaxStartFade=2000.0

fLightLODMaxStartFade=3500.0

iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=2048

fSunShadowUpdateTime=0.01

fSunUpdateThreshold=2.0

fDecalLifetime=256.000

bAllowScreenshot=0

 

[Audio]

fMusicDuckingSeconds=6.0

fMusicUnDuckingSeconds=8.0

fMenuModeFadeOutTime=3.0

fMenuModeFadeInTime=1.0

 

[Grass]

iGrassCellRadius=2.5

iMinGrassSize=46

iMaxGrassTypesPerTexure=3

bAllowLoadGrass=0

bAllowCreateGrass=1

bDrawShaderGrass=1

 

[GeneralWarnings]

SGeneralMasterMismatchWarning=One or more plugins could not find the correct versions of the master files they depend on. Errors may occur during load or game play. Check the "Warnings.txt" file for more information.

 

[Archive]

sResourceArchiveList=Skyrim - Invalidation.bsa, Skyrim - Misc.bsa, Skyrim - Shaders.bsa, Skyrim - Textures.bsa, Skyrim - Interface.bsa, Skyrim - Animations.bsa, Skyrim - Meshes.bsa, Skyrim - Sounds.bsa

sResourceArchiveList2=Skyrim - Voices.bsa, Skyrim - VoicesExtra.bsa

bInvalidateOlderFiles=1

SInvalidationFile=

 

[Combat]

fMagnetismStrafeHeadingMult=0.0

fMagnetismLookingMult=0.0

f1PArrowTiltUpAngle=0.7

f3PArrowTiltUpAngle=0.7

f1PBoltTiltUpAngle=0.7

f3PBoltTiltUpAngle=0.7

 

[Actor]

fVisibleNavmeshMoveDist=12288.0000

 

[Camera]

fOverShoulderAddY=0.0

fOverShoulderPosZ=18.0

fOverShoulderPosX=0.0

fOverShoulderCombatAddY=0.0

fOverShoulderCombatPosZ=24.0

fOverShoulderCombatPosX=0.0

fOverShoulderHorseAddY=-72.0

fOverShoulderHorsePosZ=50.0

fOverShoulderHorsePosX=35.0

fActorFadeOutLimit=-100

fMouseWheelZoomSpeed=60.0

f1st3rdSwitchDelay=0.95

iHorseTransitionMillis=001

 

[Papyrus]

fPostLoadUpdateTimeMS=500.0

bEnableLogging=0

bEnableTrace=0

bLoadDebugInformation=0

 

[Water]

bReflectLODObjects=1

bReflectLODLand=1

bReflectSky=0

bReflectLODTrees=1

 

[interface]

bShowTutorials=0

 

[LightingShader]

fDecalLODFadeEnd=1.0000

fDecalLODFadeStart=1.0000

 

[Animation]

fAnimInterpFarDist=10500.0000

fAnimInterpNearDist=10000.0000

 

 

SkyrimPrefs.ini

 

 

[General]

fBrightLightColorB=1.0000

fBrightLightColorG=1.0000

fBrightLightColorR=1.0000

iStoryManagerLoggingEvent=-1

bEnableStoryManagerLogging=0

[imagespace]

bDoDepthOfField=1

iRadialBlurLevel=1

 

[Display]

iBlurDeferredShadowMask=5

fInteriorShadowDistance=3000.0000

fShadowDistance=2500.0000

iShadowMapResolutionSecondary=2048

iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=2048

iShadowSplitCount=2

iMaxAnisotropy=1

fLeafAnimDampenDistEnd=4600.0000

fLeafAnimDampenDistStart=3600.0000

fTreesMidLODSwitchDist=5000.0000

fGamma=1.0400

fDecalLOD2=1500.0000

fDecalLOD1=1000.0000

fSpecularLODStartFade=2000.0000

fShadowLODStartFade=200.0000

fLightLODStartFade=3005.0000

iTexMipMapMinimum=0

iTexMipMapSkip=0

iWaterMultiSamples=0

iMultiSample=0

iShadowMode=3

bTreesReceiveShadows=1

bDrawLandShadows=1

bDrawShadows=1

bShadowsOnGrass=1

bFull Screen=1

iSize H=1080

iSize W=1920

fMeshLODFadePercentDefault=1.2000

fMeshLODFadeBoundDefault=256.0000

fMeshLODLevel2FadeTreeDistance=2048.0000

fMeshLODLevel1FadeTreeDistance=2844.0000

fMeshLODLevel2FadeDist=10000000.0000

fMeshLODLevel1FadeDist=10000000.0000

iScreenShotIndex=2

bShadowMaskZPrepass=0

bMainZPrepass=0

iMaxSkinDecalsPerFrame=10

iMaxDecalsPerFrame=60

bFloatPointRenderTarget=1

sD3DDevice="AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series"

bFXAAEnabled=0

iShadowMapResolution=2048

fShadowBiasScale=0.5000

iShadowMaskQuarter=4

iAdapter=0

iPresentInterval=1

iShadowFilter=3

bTransparencyMultisampling=0

bDeferredShadows=1

[Grass]

b30GrassVS=0

bAllowLoadGrass=0

bAllowCreateGrass=1

bDrawShaderGrass=1

fGrassStartFadeDistance=14000.0000

fGrassMaxStartFadeDistance=14000.0000

fGrassMinStartFadeDistance=0.0000

[MAIN]

bGamepadEnable=1

bCrosshairEnabled=1

fHUDOpacity=1.0000

bSaveOnPause=1

bSaveOnTravel=0

bSaveOnWait=1

bSaveOnRest=1

fSkyCellRefFadeDistance=300000.0000

[GamePlay]

bShowFloatingQuestMarkers=1

bShowQuestMarkers=1

iDifficulty=1

[interface]

bDialogueSubtitles=1

bGeneralSubtitles=0

fMouseCursorSpeed=1.0000

bShowCompass=1

[Controls]

fGamepadHeadingSensitivity=1.0000

fMouseHeadingSensitivity=0.0420

bAlwaysRunByDefault=1

bInvertYValues=0

bGamePadRumble=1

bMouseAcceleration=0

bUseKinect=0

[Particles]

iMaxDesired=625

[saveGame]

fAutosaveEveryXMins=15.0000

[AudioMenu]

fAudioMasterVolume=1.0000

fVal7=1.0000

uID7=0

fVal6=1.0000

uID6=0

fVal5=1.0000

uID5=0

fVal4=1.0000

uID4=0

fVal3=0.4000

uID3=94881

fVal2=0.1500

uID2=466532

fVal1=1.0000

uID1=554685

fVal0=0.8000

uID0=1007612

[Clouds]

fCloudLevel2Distance=262144.0000

fCloudLevel1Distance=32768.0000

fCloudLevel0Distance=16384.0000

fCloudNearFadeDistance=9000.0000

[TerrainManager]

fTreeLoadDistance=40000.0000

fBlockMaximumDistance=150000.0000

fBlockLevel1Distance=40000.0000

fBlockLevel0Distance=25000.0000

fSplitDistanceMult=1.1000

bShowLODInEditor=0

[NavMesh]

fObstacleAlpha=0.5000

fCoverSideHighAlpha=0.8000

fCoverSideLowAlpha=0.6500

fEdgeFullAlpha=1.0000

fEdgeHighAlpha=0.7500

fEdgeLowAlpha=0.5000

fTriangleFullAlpha=0.7000

fTriangleHighAlpha=0.3500

fTriangleLowAlpha=0.2000

fLedgeBoxHalfHeight=25.0000

fEdgeDistFromVert=10.0000

fEdgeThickness=10.0000

fPointSize=2.5000

[Trees]

bRenderSkinnedTrees=1

uiMaxSkinnedTreesToRender=20

[Decals]

uMaxDecals=250

bDecals=1

bSkinnedDecals=1

uMaxSkinDecals=50

uMaxSkinDecalsPerActor=40

[LOD]

fLODFadeOutMultObjects=15.0000

fLODFadeOutMultItems=15.0000

fLODFadeOutMultActors=15.0000

fLODFadeOutMultSkyCell=1.0000

[Launcher]

bEnableFileSelection=1

bShowAllResolutions=0

uLastAspectRatio=3

[blurShaderHDR]

bDoHighDynamicRange=1

[blurShader]

bUseBlurShader=0

[Water]

iWaterReflectHeight=512

iWaterReflectWidth=512

bUseWaterDisplacements=1

bUseWaterRefractions=1

bUseWaterReflections=1

bUseWaterDepth=1

 

 

[keithinhanoi]

Curiously, Keith,  my FPS went into the teens (from my average mid-twenties inside Whiterun) with those settings, weird, eh?

I notice that your shadow distance is a lot higher but shadow resolution quality is far less than my 2048...so I guess I am making a different trade off than you are in my custom ini settings for shadows.

Yes, all of your shadow settings are the same except iBlurDeferredShadowMask and fShadowDistance / fInteriorShadowDistance.

 

Of all the settings, shadow map resolution and shadow distance definitely have the most impact on performance / FPS, but another factor here might be related to what ENB preset you're using and which specific effects that you have enabled.

 

I settled on my shadow settings out of testing without any ENB graphics, and have only tried lowering the shadow map resolution values since I've started doing testing with different performance ENB sets. After reading what you've described, I'm going to have to try some test with the (exterior) shadow distance reduced to see how much of a difference it makes.

 

Also, I thought I might mention some slightly OT notes about my really high fInteriorShadowDistance setting:

 

 

My really high interior shadow distance setting (8000) is to prevent interior lights from "popping" on at a distance, and I decided to do this after reading a very interesting and informative explanation of all shadow settings by a Nexus user of the name Valorien, in the comments thread of a mod called Shadow Striping Fix Indoor and Outdoor.

 

I highly recommend reading everything he wrote, but here's what he says about fInteriorShadowDistance:

 

fInteriorShadowDistance=8000.0000 (This value determines the distance to player that lights are displayed to DRAW shadows, if this value is below 8000, then players will see lights flashing on & off in dungeons and other interiors. Changing this value to smaller numbers does NOT improve shadow-quality, this is strictly a light-draw-distance factor.)

 

 

Anyhow, I will do some more testing with the shadow distance setting when I have the chance, and report back here on my findings.

Edited March 28, 2014 by keithinhanoi