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Dynamic Distant Objects LOD - pre 2.xx

sheson

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sheson Akatosh

sheson

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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

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

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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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sheson
sheson

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

sheson
sheson

fBlockLevel0Distance - the distance when LOD8 starts, so everything before that is LOD4 fBlockLevel1Distance - the distance when LOD16 starts everything before that is LOD8 fBlockMaximumDistance - the

MontyMM
MontyMM

Yes, I think you probably did.   I just wanted to say thanks for the great work on the memory patch, and this mod also looks like another major improvment.   I shall make a blood sacrifice of a troll

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sheson Akatosh

sheson

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Posted (edited)
  On 3/30/2016 at 7:07 PM, Kesta said:

Skyblivion ?

 

Apparently, tree LODs are one of the rare case in Skyrim modding where you don't encounter ArrayOutOfBound Exceptions  ::P: Do you have a rough estimation of how much of them are in this worldspace ? oO

Zilav made me. I counted 86k LOD trees.

 

  On 3/30/2016 at 7:15 PM, alt3rn1ty said:

Sheson / Zilav

 

Are you two aware of a recent bug with saves that has been found https://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/3924850-corrupt-saves-strcount-0xffff-ctd-on-load/

 

See the Technical Issue Description ( its a 16 bit integer limitation ) - I wondered if DynDOLOD helps to contribute to the amount of stored strings and gives people those unloadable saves

You are like 1 month too late on the issue.

 

You will find more posts from me in the LL thread.

Edited by sheson
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zilav Knight

zilav

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  On 3/30/2016 at 7:15 PM, alt3rn1ty said:

not just for newbies and is actually the preferred version by some of us long in the tooth users these days.

I judge "newbie" stuff very simple - when you need less efforts compared to something else. Python version does require Python itself along with few other components, so it is more involved than just running an exe, hence newbie category. No offense, just a fact :innocent:

 

@Sheson Beautiful screenshot :;):

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alt3rn1ty General

alt3rn1ty

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:) No offense taken, and I understand your perspective, I just thought that people could have interpreted your advanced knowledge of just about every aspect of the game and what you said there as meaning standalone was in some way less capable.

 

Anyway, ending my off topic, thanks to you both for the excellent research and monumental effort that has gone into this project, I am just about to update to the latest of everything and start a new serious game with everything I want installed from the outset, I think I can finally have an extensive playthrough of this game with the knowledge that the community has just about squashed every bug that can be squashed, and an immersive and beautiful experience can be had without some little annoyance distracting the experience ..

 

.. Probably be about 8-10 years before we can say the same for Fallout 4 - No thanks to bugthesda

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sheson Akatosh

sheson

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Posted (edited)
  On 3/30/2016 at 8:13 PM, alt3rn1ty said:

start a new serious game with everything I want installed from the outset

working on that since 3 years

 

3155782-1459364495.jpg3155782-1459371498.jpg3155782-1459385433.jpg

Edited by sheson
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alt3rn1ty General

alt3rn1ty

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Posted (edited)

Sheson just a note which is probably confusing for some ..

 

Requirements

 

.. So if we grab the current FO4Edit 3.1.3 - be500bb TES5LODGen itself is no longer included in the zip ..

 

And your notes / requirements no longer point out a need for it, so it can be assumed that TES5LODGen itself is not needed for anyone who has not used this before - And for those that do, where do they grab the latest required version ?, is it a beta which you rename from the FO4Edit.exe ( which is actually TES5Edit.exe when you download it ), or just the old TES5LODGen.exe itself from the nexus site which is derived from 3.1.2 code ( I think .. Not sure myself here :) )

 

 

Edit : Disregard - LODGen.exe is included, its inside Edit Scripts\ folder  :facepalm:

 

I think I get mixed up with this because from older LOD Gen for Oblivion, we used to edit the name of TES4Edit.exe to TES4LODGen.exe and use that .. Whereas now LODGen.exe has become a separate entity inside edit scripts and not in the root of the game folder ( noteably the Skyrim Nexus mod page for this tool is called "TES5LODGen", not LODGen, which makes us think along the same lines as TES4LODGen for those of us who used it )

Edited by alt3rn1ty
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zilav Knight

zilav

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  On 3/31/2016 at 5:34 PM, alt3rn1ty said:

I think I get mixed up with this because from older LOD Gen for Oblivion, we used to edit the name of TES4Edit.exe to TES4LODGen.exe and use that .. Whereas now LODGen.exe has become a separate entity inside edit scripts and not in the root of the game folder ( noteably the Skyrim Nexus mod page for this tool is called "TES5LODGen", not LODGen, which makes us think along the same lines as TES4LODGen for those of us who used it )

There is no change. If you rename to TES5LODGen it will work similar to TES4LODGen, except for a brief options window to choose what to generate exactly since there are several LOD types now unlike in Oblivion.

LODGen.exe inside Edit Scripts folder is multipurpose utility helper from Ehamloptiran and Sheson which is run by both TES5LODGen and DynDoLOD.

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alt3rn1ty General

alt3rn1ty

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Aha :), so for DynDOLOD we just need multipurpose LODGen.exe helper

 

If we wish to use TES5LODGen.exe we just rename a copy of TES5Edit.exe as is traditional with xEdit, and TES5LODGen.exe would also use LODGen.exe in its processing of LOD .. But is not necessary for DynDOLOD

 

Thanks Zilav that clears up my confusion.

 

( And I guess for Oblivion users renaming TES5Edit.exe as TES4LODGEN.exe would work as it always has for that game ( without the need for LODGen.exe ) )

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alt3rn1ty General

alt3rn1ty

Posted
Posted (edited)
  On 3/31/2016 at 7:31 PM, sm0kem said:

I wasn't confused before, now i am...

xEdit is many tools all contained in the same exe, name it as one of the supported tools and it becomes that tool ... TES4LODGen, TES5LODGen, TES4Edit, TES5Edit, TES5View, TES5Trans, FO3Edit, FNVEdit, FO4Edit, TESDump .. plus a few others I forget just now - If you have the latest version, you have the latest version of all the others included ( though thats not to say all of them are being worked on still but the latest most bug free version will be included )

 

Right now https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/2737/? is the latest version of all of them.

Edited by alt3rn1ty
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zilav Knight

zilav

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  On 3/31/2016 at 8:11 PM, alt3rn1ty said:

If we wish to use TES5LODGen.exe we just rename a copy of TES5Edit.exe as is traditional with xEdit, and TES5LODGen.exe would also use LODGen.exe in its processing of LOD .. But is not necessary for DynDOLOD

DynDoLOD is a script for TES5Edit, you won't be able to execute it when running xEdit in TES5LODGen mode ::D: However the DynDoLOD script itself executes "Edit Scripts\LODGen.exe" when running.

To fully understand what is LODGen.exe and where did it come from, a bit of history is required.

 

Elminster originally created TES4LODGen as a part of TES4Edit. LOD files for Oblivion are just a binary data that stores FormIDs of STAT and TREE records to show, position in worldspace, rotation and scale. All that information is present in xEdit and requires only parsing of loaded plugins and BSA files which xEdit could read without any troubles.

 

Then came FO3Edit and FNVEdit, but there were no *LODGen modes for them. The reason is simple - LOD system has changed starting from Fallout 3, just plugins data was no longer enough to generate LOD as in Oblivion, you also need to read and write nif meshes (as you know objects LOD system is a set of huge nif meshes covering square cell areas built from LOD meshes of separare objects). xEdit didn't have any means of doing that, so there were no FO3LODGen and FNVLODGen.

Then Skyrim appeared, which was still using LOD system from Fallout 3 so again no luck for TES5LODGen. The obvious question is why not just add a nif library to xEdit in the first place? This requires some background in 3D, experience with modeling to understand principles, etc. And I didn't have any unfortunately and no free time to learn either.

 

Somewhere in 2013-2014 I had a pleasure to briefly work with Ehamloptiran on Skyblivion who had a very good knowledge of modeling and experience working with various 3D engines, and was an excellent programmer. I proposed a simple solution for LODs in Skyblivion - what if I handle the data collection part from plugins in TES5Edit: worldspace parameteres, LOD mesh names, their positions, rotations and scale, export this into some text file, can you write a tool to build combined LOD *.bto macromeshes using that information? He confirmed, and so LODGen.exe was borned. The combination of data export in TES5Edit and mesh processing of LODGen.exe was named TES5LODGen as a whole. Originally exporting code was implemented as xEdit script (which is still present under LODGen.pas name) so LODGen.exe ended up in "Edit Scripts" folder too.

 

Unfortunately Ehamloptiran left before he could finish with all the planned features and fix bugs, and the idea of TES5LODGen was put aside for some time until our beloved firstborns claimer Sheson appeared. He contacted with Ehamloptiran, got source code for LODGen.exe and the rest is history. Now we have FO3LODGen, FNVLODGen, TES5LODGen, FO4LODGen coming eventually this year (Fallout 4 uses the same objects lod system from Fallout 3 with some improvements), and of course LOD monster known as DynDoLOD to make unspeakable things with LODs in your game :lol:

 

Exporting code from LODGen.pas script was integrated directly into xEdit so you can run in xLODGen mode for any game by simply renaming the exe. But the underlying principle remaines the same: both xEdit and DynDoLOD collect and export data for LODGen.exe which in turn builds nif macromeshes. The difference is how they do it and myriads of extra options provided by DynDoLOD.

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sm0kem Knight

sm0kem

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Thanks for clarifying guys, even though i was able to blindly use the tool before, having an idea of how it works under the covers helps understanding potential issues. I was a big fan of FO 1 and 2 however was never able to really dig FO 3 and above so all this is new to me

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alt3rn1ty General

alt3rn1ty

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  On 3/26/2016 at 10:37 PM, sheson said:

Hi Ed, this sounds like there may be old left over tree LOD - or maybe a new mod that changes trees that you need to make sure to get the correct billboards for.

Tree LOD itself is done by TES5LODGen built into xEdit so check over there as well.

 

Double check that the files the game loads from ..\meshes\Terrain\Tamriel\Trees\*.btt and *.lst and the file meshes\textures\Terrain\Tamriel\Trees\*.dds are indeed from the last generation / copied from output folder and are not overwritten by anything. Check MO overwrite folder.

Hi Sheson

 

I am getting the same problem as Ed209 with DynDOLOD 1.47

Using the latest TES5Edit from its new Fallout 4 mod page

 

I have installed everything the same way I did with 1.46 ( Wrye Bash BAIN apart from the Edit Scripts which have to be manually installed )

 

I am using no tree mods

 

Starting with a fresh DynDOLOD.esp plugin before generation, and also installing all the output files with a freshly made BAIN each time I have regenerated all the files .. Which is installing last in my Install Order

 

Its as if I have the wrong sized LOD meshes for most trees, which are too large. They have the correct billboard dds aplied to them, but they are just about a third bigger than the actual models when you get closer, so when the models pop in the trees become shorter

 

I have also manually deleted Data \ meshes folder, and manually deleted Data \ Textures folder ( just for good measure ), to ensure no old files from anything are left behind, and a full refresh of mys installers has indeed got the correct files ( and only the correct files ) installed in the correct sequence of overwrites - DynDOLOD output files BAIN being last has all of its files win

 

Just using the Wizard, selecting all worlds, selecting medium ( not using advanced yet ) .. And away it goes producing 1595 output files

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

I have previously had Tamriel Reloaded Trees installed, but uninstalled ( and as mentioned above completely deleted Meshes and Textures folders to ensure all old files eradicated before using Wrye Bash to re-install current setup )

 

 

So I'm at a bit of a loss as to what is wrong here, also tried a new game start, but did not need to wait long, the pop in is even evident from the opening sequence cart and just looking ahead all the time for trees which suddenly reduce in size before you even get off the cart.

 

Been to all corners of the map and its the same I believe for just about all tree types - Its as if I should have one of those bigger trees mods installed to match up model sizes with LOD sizes, but I haven't

 

 

Any ideas where to look next ?

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zilav Knight

zilav

Posted
Posted
  On 4/1/2016 at 6:46 PM, alt3rn1ty said:

Any ideas where to look next ?

Size of trees in LOD is defined in txt files having the same names as billboard dds textures. Looks like they are mismatched - you have billboards from one source but txt files from the other.

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