GUIDE ENBSeries INI Guide

[Jafin16]

If I remember correctly, volumetric rays have something to do with light reflecting off the clouds and shadows created (uber-oversimplification). So yes, it's different types of godrays shooting from the clouds as well as the shadows in the clouds.

 

As an aside, if you use the ENB weather system, you can get very different looks for the sky using them effectively with higher and lower densities based on the amount and density of the clouds. I'm still struggling with getting them right in my almost done preset. However, as you said, they can definitely cause what I wouldn't call a quality drop but more of a "bleaching" of the entire sky.  Increase density obviously makes them scatter less and give you bluer skies (or whatever the color may be) as you've found. And of course you can just turn them off if you don't like the effect =P

 

-Jafin

[Jafin16]

Sorry to go a little off-topic, but just wanted to let you guys know I finally released my preset! I has excite =P It's here if you wanna take a look: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/59901/?

 

Now I finally have some time to help with the guide!

[TechAngel85]

Congrats and job well done. The pictures look awesome!

 

I'm sure you'll continue to work on your preset but I'm also glad you'll be putting some time in on this project as well. I've almost given up on it seeing that really nothing has been done to the Guide in while a while and some of the authors that committed to help have all but disappeared.

 

@All authors and contributing members,

I'll be removing anyone from the special credits and thank you section that I don't see any work from. I made that point early on and so far only 2 or 3 out of 8 have made any significant contribution to this project. I understand that everyone has other projects, mods, presets, and real life on the side. I'm one of those; however, even just a couple minutes every few days from everyone that committed would suffice to get this project rolling again! I have broken down to searching every page of the ENB release threads on the ENB Dev forums just to get something done and perhaps make it easier to review. I've added linked referenced where I find useful information. If this is how I have to finish this project, that is what I'll do. My resolve to having the most complete reference Guide for enbseries.ini has not wavered. If you feel you can no longer be a part of this project, please let me know.

 

EDIT:

Jafin, I've made you a Mod Author on the forums.

[phazer11]

Yes and don't forget you guys have that IRC channel I setup for you guys to collaborate more easily. Message Tech or myself for the details.

[TheConfidenceMan]

It's hard to know where to contribute. At least for me there's some self-doubt as to my technical knowledge of the various settings; when I think about making an addition I always feel like someone probably knows more about it than me and what I'm adding is probably wrong anyway. Maybe I'll focus more on practical descriptions of what things do and recommendations on how to use them. 

[phazer11]

Hey that's one of the thing the chat is for (if only we could get more people using it). Mull things over with other minds. Your input is still appreciated.

[TechAngel85]

The chat was mainly created for the purpose of getting everyone together to talk about the shaders and .fx file to get a standardization down. Most things should be recorded here in this forum. I doubt at this point it's going to be used.

 

@Confidence

Anything is helpful! If something isn't exactly right then it can be corrected later. Multiple authors can add to the same comment. I'll simply combine all input later into a cohesive description.

 

@All

I've been adding to the descriptions off and on all day long. They've been randomly added here and there as I've come across them on the forums. Accompanying each is the reference link to the info on the ENB Dev forums. Most of this info has came straight from Boris himself so I'm fairly confident that it's accurate, but if anyone sees something that needs to be added to the parameter, just add in the addition as you normally would.

[JawZ]

Add info to the guide in a way you can, while trying to make it simple enough for any beginner to understand.

Even if it's not technically correct by some, it's not what it's about. It's about relaying info for others to learn that this effect affects the game in this way and that way.

Then there are other authors contributing and if they see that something need corrections they can do that, any info is always valuable as this guide is still in development and nothing have really been "set in stone" yet.

[Matso]

FYI - I've just added some stuff regarding in-code parameters in the DoF section.

[Aiyen]

Okay since I felt I had to do something here I just went over a few things... Since I am still utterly noob when it comes to editing and doing wiki stuff then I hope someone else is going to just double check what I have added! 

 

Windowlight: Have added the info that only meshes with the glow shader are actually affected by those values. 

 

Fire: The current start mentions that this also affects waterfoam.... well it only does that if you do not use the particle patch, which is kinda a prerequisite I would say. Specifically then Fire only affects things that have the fire shader attached to it... which should only be a few eyes and fire effects most of the time. Everything else should be affected by the particle settings only. 

 

 

Subsurface scattering: The entry here is kinda plain wrong the way I see it. It says to not touch the values if they are set by a preset.. but that is kinda wrong. Since the SSS effect is entirely dependent upon the texture choice used, then the end user will most likely need to actually tweak these values if they find that their characters are too red etc. I have just made a note of it, since I thought we should have a little chat about it in here. 

 

The same applies to the water section, it also depends on the textures you use... what looks good for vanilla textures, will most likely not be the most optimal solution if you use RW2 or pure waters etc. 

 

That should be it for now. 

 

Edit: I really need to double read my posts >_> 

[TechAngel85]

Thanks for the additions guys!

 

@Aiyen,

The only thing you need to do different from what you're doing is to add 4 tildes to the end of your edits ( ~~~~ ) instead of "by Aiyen". The tildes add in a system generated signature and time stamp like you see at the end of JawZ's edits.

 

@All,

If you need to add a link you can do so by using the following:

Code:
[URLhere LinkTextHere]

Example:
[http://wiki.step-project.com/Guide:ENBseries_INI#tab=Depth_of_Field DoF Section]

Result:

DoF Section

Subsurface scattering: The entry here is kinda plain wrong the way I see it. It says to not touch the values if they are set by a preset.. but that is kinda wrong. Since the SSS effect is entirely dependent upon the texture choice you use then the end user most often will need to actually tweak these values themselves if they find that their characters are too red etc. I have just made a note of it, since I thought we should have a little chat about it in here.

Anytime you see this, just ignore it. I've been removing it as I find it. That text is left over from cutting and pasting from what we'd done on the ENB Guide (most of it was hidden on the ENB Guide so only editors would have known it was even there).

[Jafin16]

Ok, I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels that maybe my technical knowledge is wrong and someone could say it better. I'll look at some things again since you've been doing some significant changes, but I hope a little today and more this weekend, based on looking at the guide last night, to hit Water and Procedural Sun as I think I have a pretty good handle on and recent experience working with those.

 

Anyway, I guess the point is to start working on the guide, get the information there, sort through it, curate it and finish it. Some of us have better technical knowledge (here's lookin' at you JawZ!  ), others have practical application information. So we just do it then... got it. 

 

-Jafin

 

EDIT: As an after-thought, to avoid overlapping too much at this early stage, it might be a good idea to state, as I did, any particular areas you would like to work on and, when you've added what you can, say so as well. This way I think we could get more covered and some of us might feel a little less overwhelmed by the entirety of the .ini file. Once we're done, others can go in and clarify and fact check until we have it right.  Thoughts?

Edited November 13, 2014 by Jafin16

[Matso]

Refering to Jafin's statement I think I will do some research over the up coming weekend, and try to find out as much as possible about the volumetric rays, sky and sun (to set it up properly). Maybe even do some updates on my files, dunno :)

 

MK

[Jafin16]

Matso, if you want good examples of volumetric rays done right, I'd recommend taking a look at Confidence Man's NLA or prod's Serenity (Serenity at least used to have really good rays... haven't tried the latest version). Done right, they're excellent.

[TechAngel85]

Yeah, you guys just take it a section at a time. Don't think about doing the whole Guide at once! I have it sectioned off right now with the header tabs for that reason. It's easier to work with the header tabs to focus in on a specific section and then later I'll covert it to a TOC Guide since that is how the Admin would like it done. That is nothing you guys need to think or worry about. The Guide will be complete for that is done.