SkyrimLE:ENBSeries INI Reference/Effect

Enbseries.INI - Effect

Explanation of the Effect header

by: The Step Team and community  | Forum Topic

ENBSeries INI Reference

[EFFECT]

The [EFFECT] section is where users can enable or disable ENBSeries features such as depth of field and SSAO. Disabling some of these features will provide better performance. Many authors provide different performance versions, which have various features enabled or disabled, as well as, their individual settings adjusted.

NOTE:

The headings below are not in the order they appear in the enbseries.ini file. They have been rearranged to be grouped by feature and then alphabetically.

UseOriginalPostProcessing

UseOriginalPostProcessing=(false, true)

This parameter will enable Bethesda's vanilla game post-processing algorithm by bypassing the custom post processing in the enbeffect.fx file. This will render the game with the vanilla color palette, which is useful for users who like the vanilla look of Skyrim, but would like to use some of the ENBSeries features and fixes.
Enabling this parameter may not work with all presets. Some preset authors have created their own files with the code necessary for this parameter to work either removed or altered in a way that negates its purpose.

UseOriginalPostProcessing=false

UseOriginalPostProcessing=true

UseOriginalObjectsProcessing

UseOriginalObjectsProcessing=(false, true)

Enabling this parameter will revert certain object related shader effects back to vanilla, which ENBSeries would normally alter.

UseOriginalObjectsProcessing=false

UseOriginalObjectsProcessing=true

EnableBloom

 EnableBloom=(false, true)

Enabling this parameter will enable the ENBSeries specific Bloom code contained within the enbbloom.fx file. Normally this feature has no performance cost. Only very heavy use of bloom would cost performance.

When enabled within a preset, many authors will include quality options within the enbbloom.fx, itself. Therefore, users are encouraged to try any available options before disabling this features, since bloom can be an important part of the overall visuals. Disabling this feature will not always remove all bloom, as some preset will fall back to using vanilla bloom.

EnableBloom=true

EnableBloom=false

EnableLens

 EnableLens=(false, true)

This parameter will enable or disable the enblens.fx file and the corresponding lens parameters in enbseries.ini. It only makes sense to enable this if both an enblens.fx file that does something as well as the textures it require to function in .tga format are present. Performance will depend on the enblens.fx file and the few that do exist also have their own quality controls; however, performance is usually extremely minor.

EnableLens=true

EnableLens=false

EnableAdaptation

 EnableAdaptation=(false, true)

This enables or disables the ENB's method of eye adaptation to the screen brightness. This effect mimics the duration it takes for the eyes to adjust to bright lights. Vanilla Skyrim has this feature; however, it happens unnaturally quick. Many ENB presets modify this duration; making it longer to provide a more natural feel. It's recommended to not adjust this from its Preset default since the look of the Preset can depend on this setting (sometimes heavily).

EnableAdaptation=true

EnableAdaptation=false

EnableDepthOfField

 EnableDepthOfField=(false, true)

Enabling this parameter will enable the enbeffectprepass.fx file. This file mainly contains the code related to Depth of Field (DoF) effects. The performance cost of this effect varies greatly from 1 FPS to "you wont be able to even start the game", depending on the type of DoF used. In general, the more smooth blurring that is given the more of a performance hit will result. Most files come with performance settings which can be tweaked. Note that this will not disable the default vanilla DoF or blur effects.

EnableDepthOfField=true

EnableDepthOfField=false

EnableAmbientOcclusion

 EnableAmbientOcclusion=(false, true)

This parameter enables or disables the screen space ambient occlusion (SSAO) and indirect lighting (SSIL) effects. Disabling this provides a performance increase. It is; however, configurable to different levels which can be found below within the SSAO section. Each level provides a different quality/performance ratio. This setting can have up to 25% FPS impact.

EnableAmbientOcclusion=true

EnableAmbientOcclusion=false

EnableDetailedShadow

 EnableDetailedShadow=(false, true)

As the name suggests, this feature adjusts the games shadow rendering; making them more detailed and slightly blurrier than Vanilla. This also fixes the shadow striping issue of the vanilla game. Disabling this provides a small performance increase. This parameter only has an average of a 2-5% FPS impact. It is recommended to enable it.

EnableDetailedShadow=true

EnableDetailedShadow=false

EnableSunRays

 EnableSunRays=(false, true)

Sun rays are the bright rays of light you see when looking towards the sun through trees and clouds; also referred to as Godrays. Sunrays only have an average of a 2-5% FPS impact.

EnableSunRays=true

EnableSunRays=false

EnableSunGlare

 EnableSunGlare=(false, true)

This parameter will enable or disable the enbsunsprite.fx shader. This is recommended to be left set to whatever value the ENB Preset's author uses unless having trouble with sun sprites.

EnableSunGlare=true

EnableSunGlare=false

EnableSkyLighting

 EnableSkyLighting=(false, true)

This will enable or disable the sky lighting. This feature mimics the real world shadowing fade; making shadows darker in the middle and gradually lightening them while moving out towards the edge. This setting can have up to a 15% FPS impact. Other effects may also rely on this to be enabled.

*The ENB used is not set up properly for SkyLighting and is the reason for the overly bright sky. A better compare will be coming.

EnableSkyLighting=true

EnableSkyLighting=false

EnableImageBasedLighting

 EnableImageBasedLighting=(false, true)

This setting enables an effect that enhances SkyLighting by adding a simulated real world indirect lighting created by the atmosphere to most exterior surfaces.

EnableImageBasedLighting=true

EnableImageBasedLighting=false

EnableReflection

 EnableReflection=(false, true)

This will enable or disable the dynamic reflections effects that are added to surfaces. The reflection effect is not for object reflections, but rather reflection of the environmental lighting. Examples of environmental lighting are spells, torches, magelight, light from windows, etc. The effect is dynamic and will change with changes in environmental lights.

EnableReflection=true

EnableReflection=false

EnableSoftParticles

 EnableSoftParticles=(false, true)

This will enable or disable softening or smoothing of particle effects, like fires and fire sprites.

EnableSoftParticles=true

EnableSoftParticles=false

EnableParticleLights

 EnableParticleLights=(false, true)

This will enable or disable glow effects that can be found around light sources such as candles, lanterns, and fireplaces. This also enables light sprites to cast light. This does not affect performance.

EnableParticleLights=true

EnableParticleLights=false

EnableSubSurfaceScattering

 EnableSubSurfaceScattering=(false, true)

Subsurface scattering (SSS) is an effect to give objects, like skin, candle wax and some vegetation a more transparent look. Light can pass through objects to light the back side or return to the surface to help give off a glow or make them look more natural and realistic.

EnableSubSurfaceScattering=true

EnableSubSurfaceScattering=false

EnableWater

 EnableWater=(false, true)

This will enable or disable the water effects of ENB which include light dispersion, caustics (light reflection), parallax, shadows, displacement and other lighting effects that are seen on the surface of the water.

EnableWater=true

EnableWater=false

EnableUnderwater

 EnableUnderwater=(false, true)

This will enable or disable underwater effects including dispersion, parallax, silhouettes, blurring, and shadows among other effects which are seen while under the water.

Vanilla

EnableWater=false

EnableWater=true

EnableCloudShadows

 EnableCloudShadows=(false, true)

Cloud shadows are shadows seen on the ground caused by clouds in the sky. This effect brings a great deal of realism into Skyrim and is highly recommended! It is enabled by default. This parameter can not be changed in-game. This effect is excellent but should usually be left to the preset author to decide. Some presets are not designed to use it and can produce unusual outdoor lighting if enabled.

EnableCloudShadows=true

EnableCloudShadows=false

EnableVolumetricRays

 EnableVolumetricRays=(false, true)

Volumetric rays are used to create "god rays". The effective use of this effect depends highly on which cloud textures are used. These "rays" differ from the RAYS effect in that they are generated in the sky from sunlight (RAYS simulate the effect of sunlight on a lens). In addition, these rays are far more subtle.

EnableVolumetricRays=true

EnableVolumetricRays=false

EnableProceduralSun

 EnableProceduralSun=(false, true)

Procedural Sun was added to ENBSeries to allow for other effects to be more accurately displayed and to offer more customization than what a single texture allows. If this is used, any sun texture will no longer be applied. The glare texture will still be used, however.

EnableProceduralSun=true

EnableProceduralSun=false

EnableMist

 EnableMist=(false, true)

Mist is a combination of the fog and haze effects and was previously called Haze in older ENBSeries versions. In Skyrim this basically boils down to effects on the fog. Authors also have the ability to place fog in the worldspce via anchors with this effect. It is enabled by default.

EnableMist=true

EnableMist=false