Skyrim in Windows 8 vs Windows 7

[TechAngel85]

Since I've started my game over after moving back to Windows 7, there are a few things I've noticed during my time playing the game. Note that nothing has changed in my setup besides switching OSes. This is possible because MO is install separately from the OS, so when I switched back to and re-installed Windows 7, my MO setup remained the same. I only had to reinstall two mods and setup the executables again...that's it. Profiles are the same and INIs are the same. Here are a few of the differences I've noticed:

 

Better performance in Windows 8.
In Windows 8, I got anywhere from 5 to 10FPS more than I get in Windows 7, on average. It's true and it's measurable through FRAPS. Linus Tech Tips did a few videos (and here) on this very thing and Windows 8 has better performance in most games with lower FPS minimums simply because it has a lower use on the system and due to better core optimization. I've been playing Skyrim with ENB enabled and FRAPS running to grab random compare shots as I play. Because of this I've noticed I'm getting on average around 40FPS; whereas, in Windows 8 I was getting on average closer to 50FPS. So there you have it. Take what you will from that.

 

Some things weren't working properly in Windows 8...from what I can tell...

Grass
Whether is was the INI settings or SFO itself, the fact is my grasses weren't working properly in Windows 8. I only noticed this because of the switch back to Windows 7. In Windows 8, all the SFO textures were working and I had my iMinGrassSize set to 20 because I thought my system could handle it and it did without issue...until I loaded up the game in Windows 7. I immediately noticed a ton of extra grasses, the SFO grass-flowers (you know the yellow, blue and white ones that fake you out because they look harvest-able but aren't), lupins, a ton more of the tundra grasses, etc...all of this wasn't present in Windows 8...
At first, this really threw me for a loop. I thought I had somehow installed the wrong version of SFO. So I re-downloaded SFO and re-installed the basic version. Same result. I finally just determined it must not have been working properly in Windows 8 since Vurt hasn't updated the file any either. As a result, my iMinGrassSize is now set to 30 to gain back a bit of performance.

Getting far more loot from animals, bandits, creatures and chests...
As the header says, I'm receiving a lot more loot from creatures/NPCs and chests. At least, more than I was in Windows 8. This is most likely a result from one of the mods in STEP and wouldn't be a surprise to most, but the amount and variety of loot has surprised me. NPCs are carrying potions and more of them as well as food items and items from Wet&Cold. Chests also have a better variety as before I'd never have found enchanted weapons in chests; however, I've found a couple since starting the game over again. This all leads me to be believe, just like the grasses, something else wasn't working as it should under Windows 8.

 

These are the things I've noticed so far and there could be more. Again, the only thing that changed was the OS. I didn't have to re-install MO, I haven't rebuilt my Bash Patch, I haven't touched my INIs besides turning down the iMinGrassSize value (up is down in this case) and I only re-installed three mods. I haven't even updated any mods since switching back to Windows 7. Skyrim was installed in the exact some manner through Steam, and yes I had verified my files in Windows 8 before so everything was there and working properly. I found this all to be rather interesting.

Thoughts?

[Aiyen]

Of the top of my head then I HIGHLY doubt that an OS change would affect the amount of grass or loot you get... that simply makes no sense what so ever! :D 

 

I got to admit that in this latest version of MO I have also experienced a few weird things... like I got a CoC marker that for some reason is not always in the same spot... 

(coc whiterunexterior01) sometimes I spawn inside the horse stables.. sometimes I spawn out on the road! I am still no where near figuring this one out but I am sure loot is to blame for some of this. 

 

Also I still have my issue with other profiles failing to load all game assets... no progress on that one either. It simply just refuse to load. So in general I am of the impression that something funky is going on with all these recent changes.... almost up to the point where I considering just reverting back to good old MO instead. I do not mind weird bugs and a few issues.. but stuff like this that change every other start of the game etc.. it is just a bit too weird. 

 

As for the performance then this is ofc. entire plausible and would make sense. 

[Nearox]

With regards to grass, did you have the parameter iMaxGrassTypesPerTexture=7 in your .ini under Windows 8? The lack of that would explain the missing SFO flora.

[TechAngel85]

I did. As I said, the INI haven't changed between the OSes. I'm almost inclined to install Windows 8 and dual boot just to do more testing, but I know there are users here that run Windows 8 so I thought I'd post some of these findings first to compare and see if anyone on Windows 8 has some of the same issues.

 

Aiyen reminded me of a few weird glitches that I've also come across. Actually, one of them is the same glitch that's happened twice. NPCs have "fallen" through the landscape and disappeared only to return shortly after. The first time it happen was during the first dragon fight with Delphine. The dragon landed near the edge of the cliff and "fell" into the landscape. He was completely gone for about 3-5 minutes. I finally ran back to the town and returned to find Delphine fighting it on solid ground (pun intended). The second time this happened was while running through the tundra at night I ran across a couple NPCs fighting a vampire. The vampire ran away towards a creek and "vanished" into the the landscape. The NPCs where still standing around on guard waiting to be able to attack it again. After a few minutes I continued on so I don't know if that one ever came back or not.

 

The second issue is Delphine herself. When running from Riverwood to the hill where to the first dragon encounter is, she runs rather erratically. She'll often run off in the completely wrong direction for a bit and then stop, turn around and continue down the road correctly. She did this at least 4-5 times. I don't know how NPC's paths are laid out in the game, but her's is clearly off or far too wide as she runs off the road quite a bit.

[DoubleYou]

Incorrect Archive Invalidation could be the cause of the grass thing. Grass has a heavy effect on performance (at least for me) so this would also explain better performance on Windows 8.

 

Things with characters dropping more loot is probably due to you having an incorrect Bashed Patch for a while and not getting used to it.

 

Of course, there is no real way of knowing.

[phazer11]

Well. Personally I've always noticed a bit of a performance boost when playing on Windows 8 vs. Windows 7 (all other things being equal including the SSDs in question) usually 5-8 FPS or so outdoors. Say what you will about it (Windows 8), but I do think Microsoft were going in the right direction when they did their optimizations for tablets if for the wrong reasons. They just forgot about us desktop users.

[TechAngel85]

Rumor is, Windows 9 will be a step back towards more desktop compatibility. The problem with Windows 8 and the moves Microsoft made on that ground are they forgot about the corporations which I would think is at least 25% of their clientele. A LOT of companies are just now updating to Windows 7 from Windows XP due to XP hitting the end of its lifecycle. I know the company I work for is just doing this. The main reason the companies aren't skipping Windows 7 as they've done with Vista is because Windows 8 is too far of a departure from what users have gotten accustomed to in the past 10 years. That and Windows 8 provides more unique programming hurdles for company's propitiatory software due to changes in the OS so Windows 7 was the easier switch. I'm expecting to see the same things happen when Windows 7 hits the end of its lifecycle...companies will most likely be skipping over Windows 8 entirely.

 

That was a bit off topic...okay, completely off topic.

[Teabag86]

I've only played on Windows 8 so can't make a comparison for you. I haven't noticed NPC's disappearing but I do get the occasional mammoth drop from the skies and dead horse flung across the map. I'd never get Windows 8 for work. Can't stand the OS - after 4 months of use it still drives me nuts. I keep switching to the tablet display which is next to useless unless you like scrolling (right to left with a mouse!) across a hundred icons to find what you are looking for, and no Start Menu. Aaaaaaaaaarghhhhh!

 

All that aside a gamer friend who works with high end IT and is very knowledgable with tech and PC builds told me that Windows 8 is much better for gaming.