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Dynamic Distant Objects LOD - DynDOLOD

 

Finally I can see my house from here

 

You know the price for my mods: blood, sweat and tears. Oh, and your first born.

If you want to help other authors of quality mods then donate to them directly.


For latest information and instructions see the DynDOLOD 2.18 UPDATE POST


What is this?

DynDOLOD is a set of tools based on TES5Edit and TES5LODGen to automatically create a Skyrim mod based on the load order which adds distant LOD for objects to Skyrim. By combining DynDOLOD with TES5LODGen users can create drastically enhanced traditional static LOD plus tree LOD and the new, optional dynamic distant object LOD in a few 'simple' steps.

DynDOLOD is meant for enthusiast modders who are familiar with using TES5Edit. Enthusiast modders have a general knowledge of computers, folders and files, especially Skyrims 'Data' folders and how to install mods safely with a manager or manually.

To fully expand the visual experience and use the additional features offered by TES5LODGen the DynDOLOD package comes with over 1000 new or updated LOD models for objects that were badly missing from the original game like the Skyhaven Temple or landscape features like roads, smaller rocks and dirt cliffs that simply make the distant landscape look much more natural and alive.


What does it do?

It makes Skyrim look like this

59721-1-1427159829.jpg59721-2-1427159829.jpg59721-1-1427289504.jpg59721-4-1427159830.jpg

59721-1-1427419467.jpg59721-2-1427419467.jpg59721-3-1427419468.jpg59721-4-1427419468.jpg

59721-1-1427465578.jpg59721-2-1427465579.jpg59721-3-1427465579.jpg59721-4-1427465579.jpg

59721-1-1427470182.jpg59721-2-1427470183.jpg59721-3-1427470183.jpg59721-4-1427470183.jpg

59721-1-1427470235.jpg59721-2-1427470235.jpg59721-3-1427470235.jpg59721-4-1427470236.jpg

 


Requirements

SKSE

PapyrusUtil 2.8 or higher

DynDOLOD Resources - Make sure to use DynDOLOD Resources version only with matching or higher DynDOLOD Standalone versions but never with older versions.

Vanilla Skyrim LOD Billboards from TES5LODGen or Indistinguishable Vanilla Tree Billboards. If using tree mods that do not include billboards, check TES5LODGen for ready-to-use tree LOD billboards for some tree mods. For STEP users all billboards are included in STEP Texture Compilation.


Download

Download standalone and resources from Nexus or use Mega links from the update post

There are quickstart instruction in the main folder. Also check the folder called 'docs' for additional information. See the update post for latest installation information and guides.

CC BY-NC-SA

=======================================================================

Updating DynDOLOD

=======================================================================

Read the update posts for each new version for version specific information and update instructions.

Also read the manual how to update an existing save game, watch the video or check DynDOLOD SkyUI MCM.

[spoiler=DynDOLOD-Changelog.txt]

=======================================================================

DynDOLOD - Dynamic Distant Objects LOD - Sheson

=======================================================================

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

Credits

 

TES5Edit Team in general

 

Ehamloptiran and Zilav for TES5LODGen and LODGen for trees

 

Bethesda for the game, models and textures

 

NifTools

 

DynDOLOD includes LOD assets based on models and/or textures from:


 

Holy Cow I fixed Skyrim - Sheson

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Recommended Posts

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Posted
  On 7/9/2015 at 3:39 PM, sheson said:

Are you using the latest TES5Edit?

What language/region settings is your windows?

Thanks sheson for trying to help:

 

- Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 with all patches, region germany, language german

- Skyrim Legendary Edition 1.9.32.0, language english

- Mod Organizer 1.3.8

- TES5Edit from the link in the DynDOLOD documentation (3.1.1 with exe timestamp 19.05.2015)

- Wrye Bash 305.0 (for creating bashed patches only)

- SKSE 1.7.3

- ENBoost 0.277

- LOOT 0.7.1 sorted

- mostly based on STEP core/extended/revisited guides with my own customization (289 mods, 163 esm/esp in load order)

- DynDOLOD 1.31 (using the smaller DynDOLOD_TexGen_noalpha.txt to avoid TexGen errors)

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Posted (edited)
  On 7/9/2015 at 7:10 PM, Griwildor said:

This post took me ages, cause I didn't find words to express my gratitude :teehee:

Thank you so much Sheson!!!

 

The billboards you've created are awesome! Much much better, than the old ones!

They are darker than the original ones - which fits my setup very well! I just raised the brightness by "+1"; for the original ones I had to use "-5", because of the ENB I'm using (T.A.Z. ENB).

 

 

There are only 2 issues I noticed:

1) the small grass patches around the tree trunks of the pine lods are gone (don't worry about that - don't think that alot of people would notice it without direct comparison)

2) while the lods are darker in general, they fit the color of the close-up trees of SFO 1.87 perfectly. I just noticed, that at certain weather effects they turn really dark, like when it's raining or when the sky is completely clouded (I guess this is probabely related to my own ENB, ELFX stuff - not sure if it has something to do with the lods themselves... just noticed it for the first time with your billboards - probabely was there with other billboards as well, but unnoticed)

It's cool, when there is fog:

But looks off when it's raining without fog:

And looks too dark as well when sky is completely clouded:

 

But as I said, I'm guessing, that's something to do with my ENB and ELFX esps... with non rainy/cloudy wheather they look just perfect.

 

Anyway - absolutely awesome Sheson! Thank you so much for generating these billboards and thanks to Zilav for creating the Tree LOD billboard creator for xLODGen  :thumbsup:

 

Is there any way to send you a small donation for your efforts? I couldn't find a donate button on the nexus page of this mod!

 

Edit: Just another screenshot, because it looks so funtastic >.

Thanks again :)

Glad it helps. I think the default LOD is always! off. They just manage to always be off to a degree that it isn't so noticeable I guess.

 

I have been playing around with the default trees for a bit too. It is hair pulling and frustrating. The 2D billboards plane does not react nicely to lighting.

 

If you are playful, see if any ENB settings helps... but I would also try messing around with the trees in PhotoShop/Gimp. Maybe limit the color range and tone and stuff.

 

My currency is firstborns only.

 

  On 7/9/2015 at 7:19 PM, Silverpanther34 said:

Actually I do not think so. This was on a brand new game and what I did was delete the contents of the Cache folder, removed DynDOLOD from MO, Reinstalled DynDOLOD, rebuilt texgen, rebuilt world pass.  Pretty standard procedure for me now. 

 

So what I did after I posted this was to repeat the steps I just mentioned. Without Hearthfire Extended in the line up.  (I now have a saved copy of DynDoLod without Hearthfire Extended in a folder.) 

When I made another new character I went to the same spot and the road was just fine.

Somehow Hearthfire Extended is messing up things.  At least this is my assumption at this point.  Am going to test this out more.  EDIT: It might be possible I forgot to remove the old .esp the first time, I know I removed it the second however.  So more testing.

 

EDIT 2: No that would be impossible...It was a completely different version so it replaced the old DynDOLOD install with the new install so the .esp should have been new as well.

A simple test is to use coc whiterun from the mainmenu and see if it is gone.

Edited by sheson
  • 0
Posted

Thanks Sheson for your reply. I verified that my billboards and the generated billboards were in the correct order. Upon further inspection of the world after I realized that more trees are not matching up correctly.

 

I understand the concept of billboards and needing to make sure that you have the correct ones for generation. I acquired the form id... and then upon searching for the corresponding files failed to match them to any of the files in the Lodgen folder. Those numbers simply weren't there.

 

Given that Tamriel Reloaded HD adds unique trees to the world would it also require atlas splitting or any special procedure for it to function properly? I find myself at a loss with this particular problem. 

 

Again I appreciate the time and effort put forth by this mod and am in no way or shape blaming it, I'm sure whatever this problem may be is simply over my head in terms of identifying it. And, I don't take solace in the fact the other guy who had a similar problem with this mod gave up = /. I do like the concept of adding new trees and this texture set to the game but, it very well may end up being unlikely for me to get both that and your mod behaving together given my average level ( although I feel below average when having these kind of issues) of modding experience.

 

PS. I'd love a response from anyone who has that mod and this one working properly even if not the author. I feel like I'm missing something right infront of me and have yet to have that Ah-ha! moment. 

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Posted (edited)
  On 7/9/2015 at 8:01 PM, belinda said:

Thanks sheson for trying to help:

 

- Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 with all patches, region germany, language german

- Skyrim Legendary Edition 1.9.32.0, language english

- Mod Organizer 1.3.8

- TES5Edit from the link in the DynDOLOD documentation (3.1.1 with exe timestamp 19.05.2015)

- Wrye Bash 305.0 (for creating bashed patches only)

- SKSE 1.7.3

- ENBoost 0.277

- LOOT 0.7.1 sorted

- mostly based on STEP core/extended/revisited guides with my own customization (289 mods, 163 esm/esp in load order)

- DynDOLOD 1.31 (using the smaller DynDOLOD_TexGen_noalpha.txt to avoid TexGen errors)

Vielen Dank! Ich weiss jetzt was das Problem ist.

 

I think the fix will require an update version of TES5Edit. Will post again when I know more.

 

  On 7/9/2015 at 8:33 PM, etibe said:

Thanks Sheson for your reply. I verified that my billboards and the generated billboards were in the correct order. Upon further inspection of the world after I realized that more trees are not matching up correctly.

 

I understand the concept of billboards and needing to make sure that you have the correct ones for generation. I acquired the form id... and then upon searching for the corresponding files failed to match them to any of the files in the Lodgen folder. Those numbers simply weren't there.

 

Given that Tamriel Reloaded HD adds unique trees to the world would it also require atlas splitting or any special procedure for it to function properly? I find myself at a loss with this particular problem. 

 

Again I appreciate the time and effort put forth by this mod and am in no way or shape blaming it, I'm sure whatever this problem may be is simply over my head in terms of identifying it. And, I don't take solace in the fact the other guy who had a similar problem with this mod gave up = /. I do like the concept of adding new trees and this texture set to the game but, it very well may end up being unlikely for me to get both that and your mod behaving together given my average level ( although I feel below average when having these kind of issues) of modding experience.

 

PS. I'd love a response from anyone who has that mod and this one working properly even if not the author. I feel like I'm missing something right infront of me and have yet to have that Ah-ha! moment.

No need to split. Just download Tamriel Reloaded HD LOD Billboards and place after Tamriel Reloaded HD

 

Generate (tree) LOD

 

Make sure the contents of the output folder containing meshes, skse and texture folder and every file within them are last in the load order and not a single file is overwritten by another mod.

Edited by sheson
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Posted

Hi,

 

  On 7/8/2015 at 8:26 PM, sheson said:

Awesome stuff!
 
Yes all 32 bit form ids should be FormID and $00FFFFFF, so that the mod load order number is zeroed.
 
I find it curious that this works for the form ids of the dynamic LOD objects in DynDOLOD_Tamriel_Objects.json (lib\create.pas line 685) but not for the form ids of the activators in DynDOLOD_Tamriel.json (lib\create.pas line 765)
 
Both are references in the same worldspace and not really different how they come to be and are processed. Anyhow, if you could try this blind stab in the dark updated TES5Edit\Edit Scripts\DynDOLOD\lib\create.pas where I changed all lines in question to AND $0000000000FFFFFF. No clue if it works but you are the one that needs to test.
 
Here is another version of TES5Edit\Edit Scripts\DynDOLOD\lib\create.pas to test as well. Please test both and let me know how they do.
 
If it doesn't then maybe you can look around yourself at those lines #685, #765 and below
Maybe print formids to logoutput with 
MyMessage(IntToStr(FormID));
or
MyMessage(IntToHex(FormID, 8));
and see if they are already off before they are ANDed.

well, that did not work.

 

I wanted to avoid getting my hands dirty, but it happened. Problem is the use of the addObject method of TwbFastStringList (which seems to derive from TStringList). This "Object" is meant to store pointers; storing Integers apparently classifies as misuse, and https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7237695/using-tstringlists-addobject-with-integers recommends an explicit cast to Integer if used in that way. And wine obviously handles pointers different from Windows.

 

This is a patch against the original create.pas shipped with version 1.31:

--- create.pas.orig     2015-07-06 01:31:00.000000000 +0200
+++ create.pas  2015-07-09 23:39:33.546816464 +0200
@@ -811,7 +811,7 @@
       MyMessage('    ' + IntToStr(i + 1) + ' of ' + IntToStr(slFirstbornsFormList.Count) + ' lists done');
 
     // the id of the neighbours formlist
-    ID := IntToStr(slFirstbornsFormList.Objects[i]);
+    ID := IntToStr(Integer(slFirstbornsFormList.Objects[i]));
 
     // neighbours formlist
     s := Lowercase('"f' + ID + '":[');
@@ -853,7 +853,7 @@
       MyMessage('    ' + IntToStr(i + 1) + ' of ' + IntToStr(slMinionsFormList.Count) + ' lists done');
 
     // the id of the neighbours formlist
-    ID := IntToStr(slMinionsFormList.Objects[i]);
+    ID := IntToStr(Integer(slMinionsFormList.Objects[i]));
 
     // neighbours formlist
     s := Lowercase('"m' + ID + '":[');

With that, my problems are gone.

 

By the way, many thanks for that great mod; as a heavy user of the "Flying Mod" I am finally able to navigate to Lakeview Manor by sight...

  • 0
Posted (edited)
  On 7/9/2015 at 7:10 PM, Griwildor said:

But as I said, I'm guessing, that's something to do with my ENB and ELFX esps... with non rainy/cloudy wheather they look just perfect.

This actually means that the weather mod you are using has wrong settings for "Effect Color" for certain weathers and times. It is a common mistake for unexperienced modders who try to tweak weathers, they modify one value without updating others to reflect those changes.

But don't worry, you can fix it yourself. Install Status mod which allows you to see the current weather FormID. Save when trees look wrong and write down the current weather FormID.

Then open TES5Edit and find that weather using FormID field in the upper left corner. If FormID starts with 00 this means it is a vanilla weather modified by weather mod, in this case you can load only this mod into TES5Edit to speed things up. In you case it should be TAZ obviously unless you use something else that affects weathers.

 

So you'll see this

 

image.png

 

Right click on TAZ header in the right pane and select Jump To, it will select that weather record in TAZ mod. Now press Ctrl+W to call Weather Editor script and switch to colors page

 

image.png

 

You need to modify Effect Lighting color for appropriate time span when it looks wrong (make it brighter or darker). Click Apply Changes, close weather editor, exit TES5Edit and save plugin. Check in game, tweak again until it looks fine. Might be slow when you do this for the first time, but this is not a rocket science :lol:

 

  On 7/9/2015 at 9:58 PM, jd42 said:

- ID := IntToStr(slMinionsFormList.Objects);

+ ID := IntToStr(Integer(slMinionsFormList.Objects));

With that, my problems are gone.

You are right, this requires explicit typecast in "real" pascal. Unfortunately pascal interpreter in TES5Edit tolerates such types usage and it becomes hard to notice and spot possible issues.

Edited by zilav
  • +1 1
  • 0
Posted (edited)

So after trouble getting the latest xEdit 3.1.1 to work; I finally got it running with no errors (had to install it as a mod in the mod folder for some reason) So I have DynDOLOD generated and appears to have worked but 2 problems exist: 1) Distant trees in the Whiterun region possibly generated by Great Forest of Whiterun  are yellow and white from a distance; 2) In the MCM Menu DynDOLOD shows as inactive even though it seems to be working. This was installed on a mid-game save

Any ideas?
 

Edited by Descivii
  • 0
Posted (edited)
  On 7/9/2015 at 1:08 PM, sheson said:

Make sure to clean all TAVE esps including WhiterunInEnhanced.esp. and RiverwoodEnhancedPlugin.esp before generating LOD. That should take care of the tree LOD sticking through in Riverwood.

 

In case of RiverwoodEnhancedPlugin.esp, remove the whole Block 0,0 tree in Worldspace\Tamriel\

I actually don't use the old TAVE Riverwood. The newer one is actually from the Lanterns of Skyrim and TAVE Riverwood patch (Los and TaVE Riverwood patch). "Los and RE patch.esp". It's been cleaned and debugged supposedly and there isn't a floating tree in the 0,0 cell anymore. Still, that's the mod with the issue since the dumplings don't show up in Riverwood if I build without it.  I looked around and couldn't see anything wrong and it's in the Tamriel worldspace without a child world. I can probably ignore the problems since they only show up at the entrance of Riverwood as far as I can tell. Applestormy recreated a new version of Whiterun Enhanced and it doesn't seem to have the issue.

 

I get why a child world would have the point-blank-dumpling-LODs show like that if the tamriel world had a tree in the wrong place but not where it comes from in an exterior cell.

 

I can build without it if I get more oddities showing up or just ignore them for now.

Edited by wysiwyg
  • 0
Posted
  On 7/10/2015 at 1:48 AM, wysiwyg said:

I get why a child world would have the point-blank-dumpling-LODs show like that if the tamriel world had a tree in the wrong place but not where it comes from in an exterior cell.

That's why there are no trees inside child worldspaced towns in vanilla game that you can see from afar (part of trees LOD) because game doesn't switch it off from parent worldspace. Bethesda gracefully "avoided" their own bug.

High walls around those towns, you think they made it on austhetic purpose? Nope, it is again to hide engine limitations in most cases, especially ugly parent worldspace LODs up close. Go inside Solitude for example in vanilla unmodded game, type tcl and fly above to see the real glory of ugly trees LOD just outside of city walls which you normally can't see.

  • 0
Posted (edited)
  On 7/9/2015 at 9:58 PM, jd42 said:

Hi,

 

well, that did not work.

 

I wanted to avoid getting my hands dirty, but it happened. Problem is the use of the addObject method of TwbFastStringList (which seems to derive from TStringList). This "Object" is meant to store pointers; storing Integers apparently classifies as misuse, and https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7237695/using-tstringlists-addobject-with-integers recommends an explicit cast to Integer if used in that way. And wine obviously handles pointers different from Windows.

 

This is a patch against the original create.pas shipped with version 1.31:





--- create.pas.orig     2015-07-06 01:31:00.000000000 +0200
+++ create.pas  2015-07-09 23:39:33.546816464 +0200
@@ -811,7 +811,7 @@
       MyMessage('    ' + IntToStr(i + 1) + ' of ' + IntToStr(slFirstbornsFormList.Count) + ' lists done');
 
     // the id of the neighbours formlist
-    ID := IntToStr(slFirstbornsFormList.Objects[i]);
+    ID := IntToStr(Integer(slFirstbornsFormList.Objects[i]));
 
     // neighbours formlist
     s := Lowercase('"f' + ID + '":[');
@@ -853,7 +853,7 @@
       MyMessage('    ' + IntToStr(i + 1) + ' of ' + IntToStr(slMinionsFormList.Count) + ' lists done');
 
     // the id of the neighbours formlist
-    ID := IntToStr(slMinionsFormList.Objects[i]);
+    ID := IntToStr(Integer(slMinionsFormList.Objects[i]));
 
     // neighbours formlist
     s := Lowercase('"m' + ID + '":[');
With that, my problems are gone.

 

By the way, many thanks for that great mod; as a heavy user of the "Flying Mod" I am finally able to navigate to Lakeview Manor by sight...

 

Thanks, I will add that fix everywhere.

 

 

  On 7/9/2015 at 11:30 PM, Descivii said:

So after trouble getting the latest xEdit 3.1.1 to work; I finally got it running with no errors (had to install it as a mod in the mod folder for some reason) So I have DynDOLOD generated and appears to have worked but 2 problems exist: 1) Distant trees in the Whiterun region possibly generated by Great Forest of Whiterun  are yellow and white from a distance; 2) In the MCM Menu DynDOLOD shows as inactive even though it seems to be working. This was installed on a mid-game save

 

Any ideas?

Copy/Move the contents of the output folder containing meshes, skse and texture folder and every file within to the games data folder or into a mod depending on what manager is used.

 

  On 7/10/2015 at 1:48 AM, wysiwyg said:

I actually don't use the old TAVE Riverwood. The newer one is actually from the Lanterns of Skyrim and TAVE Riverwood patch (Los and TaVE Riverwood patch). "Los and RE patch.esp". It's been cleaned and debugged supposedly and there isn't a floating tree in the 0,0 cell anymore. Still, that's the mod with the issue since the dumplings don't show up in Riverwood if I build without it.  I looked around and couldn't see anything wrong and it's in the Tamriel worldspace without a child world. I can probably ignore the problems since they only show up at the entrance of Riverwood as far as I can tell. Applestormy recreated a new version of Whiterun Enhanced and it doesn't seem to have the issue.

 

I get why a child world would have the point-blank-dumpling-LODs show like that if the tamriel world had a tree in the wrong place but not where it comes from in an exterior cell.

 

I can build without it if I get more oddities showing up or just ignore them for now.

The cause of the stuck tree LOD in Riverwood is an uncleaned Towns and Villages Enhanced - Whiterun together with the Riverwood mod. Once I cleaned both, then generated tree LOD again, they went away.

 

Towns and Villages Enhanced - Pro - Whiterun needs cleaning as well. This one fixes the trees inside Whiterun issue. yes.

Edited by sheson
  • 0
Posted

Hi,

 

Just an easy and short question:

 

After generating Bashed Patch; DSR Patch; etc... and DynDOLOD and ... later adding more mod and run LOOT again and again, ... LOOT does put DynDOLOD.esp before Bashed Patch and DSR Patch in do load order. Should I move DynDOLOD to the very bottom of my load order, maybe the last one or can I leave it just before those patches. So, like this:

 

My load order end, after running LOOT:

 

STEP Extended Patch;

DynDOLOD;

Bashed Patch;

DSR Patch

 

Thanks, in advance!

  • 0
Posted
  On 7/10/2015 at 11:40 AM, kranazoli said:

Hi,

 

Just an easy and short question:

 

After generating Bashed Patch; DSR Patch; etc... and DynDOLOD and ... later adding more mod and run LOOT again and again, ... LOOT does put DynDOLOD.esp before Bashed Patch and DSR Patch in do load order. Should I move DynDOLOD to the very bottom of my load order, maybe the last one or can I leave it just before those patches. So, like this:

 

My load order end, after running LOOT:

 

STEP Extended Patch;

DynDOLOD;

Bashed Patch;

DSR Patch

 

Thanks, in advance!

 

Copied straight out of the manual: "Put DynDOLOD.esp last in the load order, or specifically it needs to load after the last mod that contains objects in the world for which LOD is going to be created. Once DynDOLOD.esp contains data from other mods LOOT sorts it properly based on its masters."

  • 0
Posted (edited)

DynDOLOD 1.32

 

 

This update is needed if using the most recent developer version xEdit 100715 to stay compatible with updates to certain functions.

DynDOLOD 1.32 still works with TES5Edit 3.1.1

 

Finally found and fixed the DynDOLOD TexGen.pas exception thanks to belinda and also reported by various other people. No more need to use the alternative texture list.

Anyone who had this bug and created and used the generated LOD textures should probably update the textures and the texture atlas. No need to generate LOD again, just follow the "Update Texture Atlas" procedure.

 

Fixed wrong form ids added to json files when running in wine, reported and fixed by jd42

 

 

Added LOD meshes and rules for Farmhouse Chimneys requested by EssArrBee. This works out of the box with the original mod and the "Optional Stacks" update, any install option.

 

Only users of Farmhouse Chimneys need to generate LOD from scratch if they want the new LOD, there is no reason for anyone else to generate LOD again.

 

[spoiler=Changelog]DynDOLOD Worlds.pas - made MNAM - Distant LOD set/get compatible with newer TES5Edit version

DynDOLOD Worlds.pas - use sleep from newer TES5Edit version when available

DynDOLOD Worlds.pas - write a helpful error message in case an overwrite record links to a non-existent form id

DynDOLOD Worlds.pas - missing vanilla tree billboards message now stops the process

DynDOLOD Worlds.pas - added an early check LODGen.exe exists

DynDOLOD Worlds.pas - fixed pointer to integer conversions causing wrong from ids in wine

DynDOLOD TexGen.pas - fixed string to float conversions causing exception with certain region settings

DynDOLOD_Manual.html - updated compatibility information for several mods

Meshes/Textures - updated LOD meshes/textures for better compatibility with mods

 

 

DynDOLOD 1.31

Edited by sheson
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