Graphics mods appear not to be working in STEP:Extended build

[laharre]

Hello all, new here to the forum.  I recently did an installation of STEP:Extended, leaving out only the skeletons mod.  I then installed Requiem 1.9.1 and NRM Dragonborn, but have tried removing them to see if it they were the problem, and they weren't. I'm using MO, used clean .inii, and didn't make any ini tweaks not called for in the guide.  My problem is that it seems like some of the graphics mods aren't working.  I used higher resolution options when available (extreme build), and it still looks pretty vanilla to me.  I know some visual mods are working, because the windows and enhanced blood definitely are.  The most striking part that isn't working is characters, they're pretty obviously vanilla, as I've had XCE before and knew that they should have been better.  I feel like landscape/flora are the same, but not knowing what they should look like makes it hard to confirm.  Below is the link to my system specs and load order (Looted).
 
 
https://wiki.step-project.com/User:Laharre/SystemSpecs
 

Skyrim.esm
Update.esm
Unofficial Skyrim Patch.esp
Dawnguard.esm
Unofficial Dawnguard Patch.esp
HearthFires.esm
Unofficial Hearthfire Patch.esp
Dragonborn.esm
Unofficial Dragonborn Patch.esp
Skyrim Project Optimization - Full Version.esm
Lanterns Of Skyrim - All In One - Main.esm
HighResTexturePack01.esp
HighResTexturePack02.esp
HighResTexturePack03.esp
Unofficial High Resolution Patch.esp
Cutting Room Floor.esp
Appropriately Attired Jarls Redux.esp
Guard Dialogue Overhaul.esp
Weapons & Armor Fixes_Remade.esp
Weapons & Armor_TrueOrcish&DaedricWeapons.esp
Clothing & Clutter Fixes.esp
SPTConsistentOlderPeople.esp
Dead Body Collision.esp
Weapons & Armor_TrueWeaponsLvlLists.esp
dD - Realistic Ragdoll Force - Realistic.esp
iHUD.esp
Chesko_LoreBasedLoadingScreens.esp
RaceMenu.esp
RaceMenuPlugin.esp
ViewableFactionRanksBothDLC.esp
SkyUI.esp
TradeBarter.esp
SMIM-FurnitureChestSnowFix.esp
Footprints.esp
Moss Rocks.esp
Moss Rocks_DB.esp
83Willows_101BUGS_V4_HighRes.esp
Beards.esp
CollegeOfWinterholdImmersive.esp
SkyrimCoinReplacerRedux.esp
SkyFalls + SkyMills + DG + DB.esp
SFO - Expanded Diversity.esp
Oblivion Gates v3 without Markers - Skyrim + Dawnguard DLC.esp
BirdsHFclean.esp
Brows.esp
ORM-Arvak.esp
ExplosiveBoltsVisualized.esp
GQJ_DG_vampireamuletfix.esp
DawnguardRuneWeaponsFXSReplacer.esp
mintylightningmod.esp
Rainbows.esp
ShootingStars.esp
Radiant and Unique Potions Poisons and Booze.esp
DragonShoutVoice.esp
ADS.esp
WetandCold.esp
BetterQuestObjectives.esp
TheChoiceIsYours.esp
Point The Way.esp
Book Covers Skyrim.esp
RealisticWaterTwo.esp
AOS.esp
Invisibility Eyes Fix.esp
aMidianBorn_ContentAddon.esp
Complete Crafting Overhaul_Remade.esp
imp_helm_legend.esp
Complete Crafting_TrueWeaponsLvlLists.esp
RealisticWaterTwo - Legendary.esp
Animated Weapon Enchants.esp
Paralyze.esp
DeadlySpellImpacts.esp
dD - Enhanced Blood Main.esp
dD-Dragonborn-Dawnguard-EBT Patch.esp
Run For Your Lives.esp
Bring Out Your Dead.esp
SkyrimImprovedPuddles-DG-HF-DB.esp
HearthfireChimneys.esp
Skyrim Flora Overhaul.esp
PilgrimsDelight.esp
The Paarthurnax Dilemma.esp
BlockSparkles.esp
Gildergreen Regrown.esp
TheChoiceIsYours_Dawnguard.esp
Chesko_Step418_SN.esp
IHSS.esp
Auto Unequip Ammo.esp
Better Stealth AI for Followers.esp
ClamsDropPearls.esp
Nausicaa's Tweaker.esp
Convenient Horses.esp
Dual Wield Parrying_SKSE.esp
Lock Overhaul.esp
NonEssentialChildren.esp
SMDropLitTorch.esp
Thieves Guild Requirements.esp
Traps Make Noise.esp
WetandCold - Ashes.esp
When Vampires Attack.esp
WM Trap Fixes.esp
BetterQuestObjectives-CRFPatch.esp
BetterQuestObjectives-NECPatch.esp
BetterQuestObjectives-PaarDilemmaPatch.esp
CWIDawnDragonPatch.esp
RelightingSkyrim_Legendary.esp
ELE_Legendary_Lite.esp
STEP Extended Patch.esp
Requiem.esp
Soul Gems Differ - Requiem - NW.esp
NRM Dragonborn - Requiem Patch.esp
Requiem for the Indifferent.esp

 

Edited August 26, 2015 by Greg
Included load order in a spoiler tag

[Fiewiel]

You did the obvious, a screen compare, to be sure they dont work?

[laharre]

Just did one between my MO build and the skyrim launcher build (legendary + high res textures).  Here's the steam screenshots folder from the comparison.  The top set is with MO, the bottom set without.  Looking at them side by side, they do look better in MO than without, but not as much as a lot of screenshots I've seen of step:extended builds...  Am I expecting too much without using ENBoost?  Does this look about right to you?  I'm still pretty noobish to modding, I've dabbled with it (using mods, that is), but this was by far my biggest venture into it yet. 

 

https://steamcommunity.com/id/laharre/screenshots/

[TechAngel85]

No have some issues. Your AF looks like it's turned off. You've installed SFO 2.0+. STEP uses the Basic version and because of this, your LOD trees are messed up. You'll have to either use the Basic version or grab the correct tree billboards for the version you're using. Granted, I can only account for the STEP:Extended part of your install so I won't comment on anything else, but those two things I've seen.

[laharre]

Thanks! What is AF?

[TechAngel85]

anisotropic filtering

 

EDIT:

[laharre]

Thanks!  I made those changes and things seem to be running a little better.