Skyrim LE Shadow Optimization

[DoubleYou]

fInteriorShadowDistance

fInteriorShadowDistance sets the distance that shadows are cast from the player while indoors. Wherever no shadows are cast, the place is put in a perpetual shadow, effectively decreasing the light cast indoors. See fShadowDistance for the outdoor shadow distance.

• fInteriorShadowDistance=0
• fInteriorShadowDistance=500
• fInteriorShadowDistance=3500

Default is 3000.

fInteriorShadowDistance=(0,0.0001,...)

[DoubleYou]

iBlurDeferredShadowMask

iBlurDeferredShadowMask sets the amount of blurring applied to shadows. It is NOT dependent upon bDeferredShadows being enabled. Lower values make sharper shadows. Higher values make softer shadows. Negative values produces the maximum blur level. Lowering this value may help reduce the aura or glow around the player. This should be set to at least 1 if using ENB shadows.

• iBlurDeferredShadowMask = 0
• iBlurDeferredShadowMask = 1
• iBlurDeferredShadowMask = 3
• iBlurDeferredShadowMask = 5
• iBlurDeferredShadowMask = -1

Default is 5. Low is 0. Medium is 1. High and Ultra presets are 3.

iBlurDeferredShadowMask=(-1,0,1,...)

[TechAngel85]

 

iBlurDeferredShadowMask

iBlurDeferredShadowMask sets the amount of blurring applied to shadows. It is NOT dependent upon bDeferredShadows being enabled. Lower values make sharper shadows. Higher values make softer shadows. Negative values produces the maximum blur level. Lowering this value may help reduce the aura or glow around the player. This should be set to at least 1 if using ENB shadows.

• iBlurDeferredShadowMask = 0
• iBlurDeferredShadowMask = 1
• iBlurDeferredShadowMask = 3
• iBlurDeferredShadowMask = 5
• iBlurDeferredShadowMask = -1

Default is 5. Low is 0. Medium is 1. High and Ultra presets are 3.

iBlurDeferredShadowMask=(-1,0,1,...)

Boris says to keep this on 3 for ENBSeries.

[DoubleYou]

Boris says to keep this on 3 for ENBSeries.

I have looked at Boris's statements in the threads mentioned, and it is clear that he just copied and pasted the iBlurDeferredShadowMask value he had in his INI along with the ZPrepass INI settings since "he wasn't sure which settings affected ZPrepass in Skyrim" (rough quote). I think it likely that he linked iBlurDeferredShadowMask with bShadowMaskZPrepass, and therefore mistakenly included that value. Nevertheless, iBlurDeferredShadowMask has nothing to do with ZPrepass, so to say that it must be set to 3 for ENB ZPrepass to work must be incorrect, although recommending it to be 3 will not cause any harm. bShadowMaskZPrepass probably applies Skyrim's buggy ZPrepass implementation (observe what happens when bMainZPrepass is set to 1 to see how buggy it is) to the Shadow Mask, which iBlurDeferredShadowMask simply applies blur to.

 

I note that iBlurDeferredShadowMask must be set to at least 1 if using ENB shadows as it causes buggy shadow edges if set to 0 (effectively off). I intend to eventually illustrate this once I apply the INI settings to ENB shadows.

[DoubleYou]

fShadowBiasScale

fShadowBiasScale sets the size of the shadows applied to surfaces. Low values produces larger shadows, but cause more shadow striping. Slightly higher values cause slightly smaller shadows, but cause far less shadow striping. Extremely high values eventually remove shadows completely, although at little to no performance gain. Negative values apply shadows progressively more and more until everything around the player is covered in shadow, effectively removing the lighting around the player. fShadowBiasScale is recommended to be set to 1.

 

fShadowBiasScale = -1

fShadowBiasScale = 0

fShadowBiasScale = 0.15

fShadowBiasScale = 0.25

fShadowBiasScale = 0.5

fShadowBiasScale = 1

fShadowBiasScale = 1.5

fShadowBiasScale = 2

fShadowBiasScale = 8

 

Default is 1. Low is 0.5. Medium is 0.3. High is 0.25. Ultra is 0.15.

fShadowBiasScale=(...,-0.0001,0,0.0001,...)

(See full size images here)

[oqhansoloqo]

That was the main way I got rid of "most" of my shadow striping issues (fShadowBiasScale = 1).

[GrantSP]

@DoubleYou you are to be commended for your diligence in this endeavour, unwrapping the complexities of the ini file is not something the faint at heart should contemplate. 

[DoubleYou]

@DoubleYou you are to be commended for your diligence in this endeavour, unwrapping the complexities of the ini file is not something the faint at heart should contemplate. 

Which is why I eat oatmeal

[DoubleYou]

I am recommending the following settings for shadows after my testing:

[Display]
bDeferredShadows=1
bShadowMaskZPrepass=0
fInteriorShadowDistance=4000.0000
fShadowBiasScale=1
fShadowDistance=2800.0000
iBlurDeferredShadowMask=4
iShadowFilter=3
iShadowMapResolution=1366
;set iShadowMapResolution to your screen width

[TechAngel85]

Quick question: Who are you recommending these for? All users? All screen resolutions?

 

The reason I'm asking is because I have mine set to the below without too much issue:

bShadowMaskZPrepass =0
bDeferredShadows =1
bDrawLandShadows =1
bDrawShadows =1
bShadowsOnGrass =1
bTreesReceiveShadows =1
iBlurDeferredShadowMask =3
iShadowMode =3
iShadowFilter =3
iShadowMapResolution =2048
iShadowMaskQuarter =4
fInteriorShadowDistance =3000.0000
fShadowBiasScale =1
fShadowDistance =5000.0000
fShadowLODStartFade =200.0000

You're also missing some in there that deal with shadows which some people will end up asking about:

• bDrawLandShadows =1
• bShadowsOnGrass =1
• bTreesReceiveShadows =1
• fShadowLODStartFade =200.0000

[DoubleYou]

Higher resolution screens should alter iShadowMapResolution to their screen width, as I have already indicated.

 

Also, remember these settings are for vanilla, non-ENB users.

 

fShadowDistance, which you have very high, seems to be very buggy, unfortunately, at high settings. It causes flickering on shadows that are too far away in my testing, and may increase shadow pop-in. Unfortunately, it is also buggy at low levels, causing a distinct line of change. Default is 2500 and Ultra setting is 3000. I found 2800 to be the better compromise. ENB users should be able to increase this with no problem.

 

bDrawLandShadows is already in the Skyrim Configuration settings guide and can be toggled on/off at will for better/worse performance. I haven't tested it if is buggy or not.

bShadowsOnGrass is already in the Skyrim Configuration settings guide and can be toggled on/off at will for better/worse performance.

bTreesReceiveShadows is already in the Skyrim Configuration settings guide and can be toggled on/off at will for better/worse performance.

fShadowLODStartFade -- I simply haven't been able to figure out if this setting does anything at all. Currently I think it does nothing.

[TirigonX]

Ultra setting of fShadowDistance is 8000, not 3000

[DoubleYou]

Sorry, my mistake. Been staring at INI settings too long. Don't know where 3000 came from.

[TechAngel85]

Thanks! I try out these new settings. Mine where probably tweaked for ENB but I haven't been using one since the last release due to doing a lot of testing and working on my own mod.

[DoubleYou]

I'd say that ENB users probably (It would need testing as I don't use one because my system is too weak) would be best off with the following:

[Display]
bDeferredShadows=1
bShadowMaskZPrepass=0
fInteriorShadowDistance=4000
fShadowBiasScale=0.4
;Somewhere between 0.1 and 0.6 probably is best for fShadowBiasScale
fShadowDistance=4000
;May increase fShadowDistance to higher values
iBlurDeferredShadowMask=1
;Setting iBlurDeferredShadowMask to 0 will cause buggy ENB shadows. This may be increased at user discretion.
iShadowFilter=3
iShadowMapResolution=1920
;set iShadowMapResolution to your screen width

Edit: Removed superfluous INI settings from the recommendations that do not do anything.