SkyrimSE:1.0.0
WARNING
This guide is out of date and is NOT supported! It may contain information that is incorrect or not in line with the current state of the game.Go to the latest supported SkyrimSE Guide.
Step SkyrimSE Guide
This is the official v1.0 release of the Step SkyrimSE Guide. It'll now be considered our "active" gaming guide for Skyrim, meaning we will be releasing guide updates to Skyrim SE, exclusively. Our Step SkyrimLE Guide is considered retired, though we'll continue to perform any routine maintenance.
There have been many changes, so check out the Changelog for all the fine details.
- Visit the forums and provide feedback related to Step.
- Also follow Step Modifications on Facebook.
- To support hosting and maintenance of the Step Community Project, contributions are welcome.
About Step
Created by TheCompiler, Step is a collaborative project with input from the modding community, technical volunteers, and project administrators. The goal is to provide tested and validated methods for establishing and maintaining an enhanced modded Skyrim. Thus, the Guide provides detailed, well-tested build instructions for a solid modded Skyrim that achieves an enhanced, vanilla experience. It's meant to be installed in its entirety and not piecemeal.
The Step team collects information from the modding community through extensive mod testing, detailed reviews, feedback, and suggestions exchanged on the Step Community Forums. Posting rules apply, so be sure to read and follow them. Engage and enjoy a warm welcome and plenty of high-quality support from a large community of experienced members.
New to Modding?
We recommend that you ...
- read through this Guide at least once before attempting installation.
- follow all linked guides and read through them, as well.
There is a lot of information to absorb and learn in order to successfully build a modded game. We and the community, have brought together a lot of this information into guides as a free and hopefully convenient resource for all. New and experienced modders alike will find many answers within these guides and linked resources. This Guide is written in such a way that it expects users to know the basics of modding and related tools (e.g. mod managers, LOD optimizers, configuration utilities, etc.). However our support forums are always available for our users.
Nomenclature
The following nomenclature is used throughout this guide and should be understood before proceeding.
- 'tick' means 'check': Frequently, the word 'check' or 'checked' can mean 'ensure' in addition to "check mark", so 'check' is not used where it is synonymous with 'tick' to avoid any mistakes that can (and have) happened from this conflation.
- Baseline: An installation of a mod using the recommend file option listed within the Baseline column of the mod tables below.
- Step Patches: A "patch" is a plugin that allows two or more mods to work together without conflicting. The Step Patches are such plugins, but allow all of the mods in the Step Guide to work harmoniously together. Some users refer to this as a conflict resolution patch or "CR Patch".
Minimum System Requirements
We recommend the following hardware configuration for running a Step SkyrimSE installation at a resolution of 1920x1080. The minimum requirements will allow most users to install and run the Baseline options, which are Skyrim SE's recommended requirements. The recommended requirements for this Guide will allow most users to install and run a modded setup beyond that of the Baseline options (higher quality options). For those wishing to use high quality options at resolutions higher than 1920x1080, be advised that a more powerful system will likely be required.
Hardware | Minimum | Recommended |
---|---|---|
Windows OS | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 10 64-bit |
CPU | Intel Core i5-2400 or equivalent | Intel Core i5-4430 or equivalent |
System RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB or higher |
GPU | Nvidia GTX 780 3GB / AMD R9 290 4GB | Nvidia GTX 970 or equivalent or better / 4GB VRAM or higher |
Drive Space | ~50 GBs | ~60 GBs |
Monitor Resolution | 1920x1080 | 1920x1080 or higher |
Time Requirement
Users should be aware that it will usually take anywhere from several hours to a several days to complete this Guide from start to finish. Since this is a start to finish process, a recommend schedule for completing it is:
- Day 1 : Steps 1 - 3
- Day 2 : Step 4
- Step 4 is installing all the mods. Depending on download speeds and previous modding knowledge, this step could span 1-3 days.
- Final Day : Finish the remainder of the Guide.
The overall message here is that Step encourages users to always follow proper computer ergonomics when modding! Remember to take breaks and happy modding!
STEP 1
Game Installation and Modding Setup
Those who have not completed the System Setup Guide should stop and do so now! This is a perquisite for completing any of the Step Game Guides as it will walk users through setting up their systems for modding, including installing common tools that are used by nearly all of the Step Game Guides.
Users deviating from our instructions and recommendations will need to reinterpret other instructions and recommendations in this Guide accordingly. Make sure to note any such deviations for later reference.
Start Out Clean!
It is particularly important for new users begin with clean installations of both Steam and Skyrim in order to be successful with the setup of this Guide the first time through.
PLEASE READ EACH SECTION BELOW CAREFULLY, as no information included in this Guide is irrelevant!
MO2
This guide assumes that the reader is familiar with MO2, so if that is not the case, please see the Mod Organizer Guide.
STEP 2
Mod Organizer 2 - Configuration
Initialization
Step recommends using all applications as standalone programs, including Mod Organizer 2. The below instructions for added a Skyrim SE instance. If MO2 is ran as a Portable application, users will need to adjust the instructions as appropriate. If users already have an instance for Skyrim SE, users can skip this initialization:
- Launch MO2 by running its executable (e.g.
..Modding\Bethesda Tools\Mod Organizer 2\ModOrganizer.exe
) - Upon load, click the Instance Manager button on the tool (first button).
- Click [Create new instance] button.
- Select Skyrim Special Edition and click [Next].
- If it didn't find the game, users can manually browse to the game's location.
- Leave the default name or create a custom one. Step recommends using the default name or appending a custom name to the end. Click [Next].
- Now user have the option of changing the location of data stored. Step recommends the default location, unless space restraints prevent this. Click [Next].
- A confirmation window will display with the installation information. Click [Finish].
- MO2 is now ready to use.
Profile Setup
Now users will take advantage of Mod Organizer's profile feature by creating/editing two profiles for use during this Guide:
- Launch MO2, choosing the Skyrim SE Instance.
- On the Default profile, arrange the mods in the left pane in the following order:
- DLC: Dawnguard
- DLC: HearthFires
- DLC: Dragonborn
- Click the Configure Profiles button on the menu bar.
- Select the Default profile.
- Ensure the Use profile-specific Game INI Files box is ticked and click [Copy].
- Name the new profile
Step SkyrimSE
, or anything similar. - Ensure the Use profile-specific Game INI Files box is ticked.
- Close the window by clicking [Close].
- Select the Step SkyrimSE profile from the profile selection down-drop.
- If users receive a notice saying some INI files were missing and will be copied. This is normal.
- If an error is displayed about missing "modlist.txt" files, restart MO (or do a system reboot if one hasn't been done yet).
Tool Setup
All tools installed in the System Setup Guide should be added to MO2. Some tools will have been auto-detected and added already; however, ensure the settings below are set correctly for all tools. xEdit is used for this example:
- Click the button at the top of the main Mod Organizer window.
- Over the left pane of the executables config, click the [+] to add a new executable, and then [Add from file...].
- Navigate to the SSEEdit.exe file (e.g.
..Modding/Tools/xEdit/SSEEdit.exe
).- This should auto-fill most of the fields.
- Change the title to xEdit.
- The following arguments can be helpful. Input them in the Arguments field separated by a single space:
- e.g.
-IKnowWhatImDoing -SSE -AllowMasterFilesEdit
- "-IKnowWhatImDoing": This turns off a warning presented when users make edits.
- "-AllowMasterFilesEdit": By default xEdit will not allow master file editing. This allows users to edit these files.
- e.g.
- Click [Apply].
- Repeat these steps to add the remaining executables as indicated in the table below:
Tool Setup Table
Executable | Title | Argument(s) |
---|---|---|
SSEEdit.exe | xEdit | -IKnowWhatImDoing -SSE -AllowMasterFilesEdit
|
SSEEditQuickAutoClean.exe | xEditQuickAutoClean | -SSE
|
DynDOLOD64.exe | DynDOLOD | -SSE
|
LOOT.exe | LOOT | --game="Skyrim Special Edition"
|
TexGen64.exe (installed with DynDOLOD) | TexGen | -SSE
|
xLODGen64.exe | xLODGen | -lodgen -sse -o:"C:\Modding\Tools\xLODGen\xLODGen_Output\"
|
Users can arrange their tools in any order they wish using the up and down buttons above the list. This will dictate the order they are listed in the MO "Run" dropdown menu. When complete, close the window by clicking the [OK] button.
BethINI Setup
BethINI needs to be run for the current MO2 profile to establish the INIs before beginning the mod installations. To do this:
- Close MO2 and run BethINI (e.g.
..Modding/Tools/BethINI/BethINI.exe
). - Select "Skyrim Special Edition" from the game selection box.
- Allow BethINI to handle custom INIs, if prompted.
- Go to the Setup tab
- Ensure the Game path is correct (e.g.
../Modding/Steam/steamapps/common/Skyrim Special Edition
). - Ensure the Mod Organizer path is correct (e.g.
../Modding/Tools/Mod Organizer 2
). - For the INI Path, select Mod Organizer - STEP Skyrim SE from the drop-down menu. NOTE: This depends on the MO2 Profile Setup
- If BethINI does not automatically find the profiles, browse to MO2's
/Profile
folder. - For 'instance' users, the profile will be stored in the user's
/AppData
folder (e.g.%LOCALAPPDATA%/ModOrganizer/STEP Skyrim SE/profiles/
)
- If BethINI does not automatically find the profiles, browse to MO2's
- BethINI should restart whenever the INI path changes in order to associate the MO2 profile information.
- Ensure the Game path is correct (e.g.
- Return to the Setup tab.
- The “Automatically Check for Updates”, “Auto-detect Invalid Settings”, and “Modify Custom INIs” boxes should be ticked.
- If BethINI will be used for multiple games from a single installation, the “Always Select Game” box should be ticked.
- Select the Basic tab.
- Ensure the Window Resolution matches the system resolution.
- The recommended Antialiasing is "TAA".
- The other recommended options to tick are:
- Windowed Mode
- Borderless
- Vsync
- Lock Frame Rate (optional) This reduces 'tearing' effects and is optional, depending on whether or not the graphics software is used to limit frame rate.
- The [Medium] Preset is recommended as a baseline to avoid problems before initial testing when guide setup is complete (this can be changed at any time later).
- Tick the box for Recommended Tweaks.
- Select the Detail tab.
- Untick Reflect Sky (water reflections are not accurate with respect to the LOD of most custom builds)
- Select the Visuals tab.
- Ensure Projected UV Diffuse Normals is ticked.
- Untick Improved Shader (introduces visual glitches and inconsistencies on snow)
- Return the the Basic tab, and click [Save and Exit].
Users now have a minimal setup for the game INIs for testing and running the game during the mod installations. Once all mods have been installed, BethINI will be run again to complete the INI setup.
Users should now relaunch Mod Organizer and ensure the STEP Skyrim SE profile is selected to continue with the Guide.
STEP 3
LOOT
At any time during the mod installation process, LOOT should be used to sort plugin load order before running the game. This is necessary to ensure proper plugin priority (load order), which can have a dramatic impact on the game. Users not running the game during the mod installation step of the Guide can wait to sort after this step is complete. To sort with LOOT:
- Launch LOOT via Mod Organizer 2 from the executables drop-down menu at the top of the right pane.NOTE:If LOOT fails to start, try adding the following argument as described in Tools Setup:
--single-process
If LOOT cannot find the game directory, add the path to./Skyrim Special Edition
folder to Installed Path under LOOT settings. - Click the [Sort Plugins] icon at the top of the LOOT window.
- Several plugins will show warnings. The next section describes how to clean them up.
- Click [Apply] button, which has replaced the Sort button at the top.
- Close LOOT.
NOTE
When running LOOT before completing the STEP Guide, additional warnings may be indicated. These will all be fixed by the end of this guide.Up to this point, users should only have the following plugins, in the order listed:
- Skyrim.esm
- Update.esm
- Dawnguard.esm
- HearthFires.esm
- Dragonborn.esm
If the plugins are not in the order listed, run LOOT now.
Cleaning Vanilla Master Files
To resolve potential issues later, the vanilla plugin masters should be cleaned with xEdit.
Standard Cleaning Procedures
- Run xEditQuickAutoClean from the drop-down executable list in MO2.
- On the plugin selection window, double-click on the mod being cleaned (e.g. Update.esm).
- Once xEdit is finished, click [X] at upper right to close. A backup of the original plugin will automatically be saved into (e.g.,
../xEdit Output/SSEEdit Backups
) inside of Overwrite at the bottom of the MO mod list (left) pane.
Clean the Masters
Vanilla masters should be cleaned in the following order:
- Update.esm
- Dawnguard.esm
- Hearthfires.esm
- Dragonborn.esm
- Follow the standard cleaning procedures to clean Update.esm.
- Once Update.esm is cleaned, next clean Dawnguard.esm using the standard cleaning procedures.
- Next, complete the manual cleaning below for Dawnguard.esm...
- Run xEdit from MO.
- At the prompt, double-click on Dawnguard.esm.
- Once loaded, type in
00016BCF
in the FormID field (above the mod list) and hit [Enter/Return]. - In the right pane, find the "XEZN - Encounter Zone" record.
- In the Dawnguard.esm column, right-click on the "RiftenRatwayZone [ECZN:0009FBB9]" entry and select [Remove].
- If a prompt appears select Yes for each of these removals.
- In the FormID field again, type in
0001FA4C
and hit [Enter/Return]. - On the Dawnguard.esm column, right-lick on the "Dawnguard.esm" header and select [Remove].
- In the FormID field again, type in
0006C3B6
and hit [Enter/Return]. - On the Dawnguard.esm column, right-lick on the "Dawnguard.esm" header and select [Remove].
- Now close xEdit.
- Ensure Dawnguard.esm is ticked in the pane, Backup plugins is ticked at the bottom of the prompted window and click [OK].
Once Dawnguard's manual cleaning is complete, follow the standard cleaning procedures to clean Hearthfires.esm, and then finally, Dragonborn.esm.
Moving the Cleaned Files
After the vanilla master files are cleaned, they should be moved into the "Cleaned Vanilla Masters" mod in MO, and the original files should be restored into the 'real' "Data" directory in the game folder. This makes Steam happy when "validating" files so that it remains unaware of changes. To move the new files and restore the original files, complete the following:
Cleaned Masters
- On the MO window, click the [Open list options...] button at the top of the left pane, next to the profile selection drop-down.
- Choose Create empty mod, name it
Cleaned Vanilla Masters
, and click [OK]. - Move this mod up the MO mod list to just after "DLC: Dragonborn".
- Enable the new mod listing.
- In MO, hold Ctrl and double-click on the now-empty Cleaned Vanilla Masters mod to open it in Windows Explorer.
- Click the [Show Open Folders menu...] button above the MO mod list (left) pane, and select Open Game Folder to open the game folder in Windows Explorer (e.g.
../Modding/Steam/steamapps/common/Skyrim Special Edition/
, and open../Data
. - Move the four cleaned master files from
../Data
into../Cleaned Vanilla Masters
.
Original Masters
- In MO, scroll to the end of the mod list (left) pane, and hold Ctrl + double click on Overwrite to open in Explorer.
- Inside the "SSEEdit Backups" folder, rename the files to "MasterName.esm" (i.e. "Update.esm").
- If there are multiple copies of any of the files, use the one with the earliest timestamp (the original).
- Click the [Show Open Folders menu...] button above the MO mod list (left) pane, and select Open Game Folder to open the game folder in Windows Explorer (e.g.
../Modding/Steam/steamapps/common/Skyrim Special Edition/
- Move or copy the renamed files into the 'real' game "Data" directory (
../Data
), choosing to overwrite/replace, if asked. - All Explorer windows can be closed now.
- Right click on Overwrite, select [Clear Overwrite], and click [OK].
MO2
Any time Bethesda updates these master files, they will likely need to be cleaned again and replaced in MO2. Any previously cleaned versions of these same files that exist in the MO mod list must be either disabled or deleted first, because xEdit will see only the cleaned versions otherwise.At this point, the Bethesda masters should be cleaned and the mod list order should reflect:
- DLC: Dawnguard
- DLC: HearthFires
- DLC: Dragonborn
- Cleaned Vanilla Masters
Understanding the STEP Patches
A “conflict resolution” patch, or CR Patch, is a plugin that resolves conflicts between various active plugins. They allow users to use various mods together without any major issues, while still achieving the desired outcome from the mods. Thus, the STEP Patches are one part patch and one part mod.
The STEP Patches are built specifically for the STEP mod list. They are required to run the this Guide and are dependent on specific mods within the mod list (those tagged at left with a green vertical bar). They will not resolve conflicts with any applicable mods that are not within the Guide's mod list, though.
STEP Patches
- STEP Skyrim SE - Conflict Resolution Patch (STEP CR Patch)
- For those that would opt for their own custom lighting and weather mods
- Patches all applicable mods except for Lighting & Weather mods
- Required for all users!
- STEP Skyrim SE - Lighting & Weather Patch (STEP LW Patch)
- For those that are using Guide's lighting and weather mod from the Lighting & Weather mod group.
- Patches only the applicable Lighting & Weather mods; the CR Patch is still required!
STEP 4
At this point users should have their systems fully set up and ready to install mods . Users who are unaware of how to complete mod installations using MO2 should return to that Guide and refresh their knowledge. When installing mods, keep the following in mind:
- To maintain compatibility with downstream Patch instructions, it is important to install Patch-related mods as described in their respective Notes.
- After installing a mod, enable the mod in MO.
- If no Notes or STEP recommendations are provided for a particular mod, STEP encourages user customization.
- Mods should be arranged in MO in the order that they are listed to ensure other mods further down the list overwrite/override those occurring before them. This is necessary to ensure the desired outcome.
- Mods are listed in alphabetical order within each Mod Group and any deviations from this are purposeful to achieve the desired outcome.
- Always install plugins (ESLs/ESMs/ESPs), unless otherwise noted. When there is a choice between ESL and ESP, always choose ESL unless otherwise noted.
- Always follow LOOT's advice in regards to mod cleaning and sorting unless otherwise noted.
- STEP does not recommend extracting BSAs as a general principle, since it adds to the potential for user error and unnecessary support issues. Experienced and self-supporting users may derive benefit from doing so, however.
MO2
MO Separators: Mod Organizer features the ability to create separators within the mod list to group mods for easier visual reference. STEP recommends using these separators for each Mod Group following. To create a separator:
- Click the Open list options button on the top of the mod list pane.
- Select [Create Separator] and give the separator a name. STEP recommends using the Mod Group names (i.e. Extensions, Resources, Audiovisual - Lighting & Weather, etc.).
- Create a new separator for each new Mod Group while working through the Guide.
- Separator colors can be customized by right-clicking on any separator and selecting Select Color.
Mod Table Reference
Below is the legend and reference for the mod tables used in this Guide. Users should refer back to it when confused about a mod listing.
Mod Name | Baseline | Instructions | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Mod (patches not required) | Baseline | Notes | ||
Mod (requires patches) | Baseline | Notes |
Mod Table Legend
02-Extenders
- Mods that expand on the inherent functionality of a game or another mod without themselves affecting content
Mod Name | Baseline | Instructions
Template:ModTable/RowTemplate:ModTable/RowTemplate:ModTable/RowTemplate:ModTable/RowTemplate:ModTable/RowTemplate:ModTable/RowTemplate:ModTable/RowTemplate:ModTable/Row |
---|
03-Resources
- Mods solely providing assets intended specifically for use by other mods without themselves affecting content
Mod Name | Baseline | Instructions |
---|
04-Foundation
- Baseline mods that should be overridden by other mods AND/OR that make widely-accepted programmatic changes expected by other mods
No mods defined.
06-Models and Textures
- Mods that replace existing models or textures
No mods defined.
07-Sounds and Music
- Mods that affect sounds or music
No mods defined.
08-Character Appearance
- Mods that affect the appearance of the player character or NPCs
09-Fixes
- Mods have a programmatic component that fixes various bugs and/or inconsistencies
10-Gameplay-General
- Mods that affect general or multiple gameplay mechanics
Mod Name | Baseline | Instructions
Template:ModTable/RowTemplate:ModTable/RowTemplate:ModTable/RowTemplate:ModTable/Row |
---|
11-Gameplay-AI and Combat
- Mods that affect AI, stats, or combat mechanics of NPCs
No mods defined.
12-Gameplay-Economy
- Mods that affect currency, rewards, values, rates, or any other economy-related mechanics
Mod Name | Baseline | Instructions |
---|
13-Gameplay-Immersion
- Mods that help to improve game immersion and role-playing scenarios
14-Gameplay-Quests
- Mods that alter aspects of quests and/or related lore
15-Gameplay-Skills and Perks
- Mods that affect the player character's or NPC skills and perks or related leveling
No mods defined.
16-Interface
- Mods that affect any aspect of the user interface
17-Locations
- Mods that programmatically add new or alter vanilla locations
18-Lighting and Weather
We wish to be clear that the mods included within this section are completely optional. They are still within the Mandate, however, we've made this section optional for users who wish to customize their own lighting and weather for their games. As such, we've included an additional patch solely for this mod group.
- Mods that affect lighting and/or weather systems **installation is optional**
No mods defined.
19-Utilities
- Mods that generate derived mod output from load-order-specific assets
Mod Name | Baseline | Instructions |
---|
Generating Animation Files
Once FNIS SE is installed, the animation files need to be generated for the skeleton changes.
- Sort the load order with LOOT, ignoring any plugin errors or warnings at this time.
- Run FNIS SE via Mod Organizer 2.
- In the Available Patches at the bottom of the window, tick the box adjacent to "SKELETON Arm Fix".
- Click the [Update FNIS Behavior] button and wait for a message to appear in the window stating "X animations for Y mods successfully included".
- Click [Exit].
After closing FNIS SE, there will be files in Overwrite (essentially a fake mod located at the bottom of the left pane if sorted by priority ascending):
- Right-click Overwrite and select Create Mod
- Name it STEP FNIS SE Output and click OK.
- This will create a new mod listing in the left pane for the FNIS SE generated files.
- Tick the new mod entry to enable it.
20-Patches
- Mods that programmatically resolve load-order conflicts
Mod Name | Baseline | Instructions
Template:ModTable/RowTemplate:ModTable/RowTemplate:ModTable/RowTemplate:ModTable/Row |
---|
Sorting and cleaning the new load order
Before moving on, users should run LOOT, sort, and accept the default load order provided. Users should also take note of any plugins that LOOT reports as needing to be cleaned and perform the standard cleaning procedures on these mods. Keep in mind that LOOT tends to lag behind on the report information, therefore, it will not always be accurate. Users should ignore any reported missing compatibility patches. The STEP Patches take care of all the patching, thus eliminating the need for those additional plugins.
Users should be aware the new STEP Patches are designed to work with a default, LOOT-sorted order. This eliminates the need to set rules on the load order, thus, reducing user tasks and streamlines the Guide's installation. From this point on, users should:
- Sort their load order using LOOT when adding, removing, updating mods that adds, removes, or replaces a plugin (ESL, ESM, ESP) from their load order.
- Update LOOT (the program) any time it notifies their is an update available.
- For good measure, ALWAYS sort your load order by running LOOT before running the game.
NOTE
At this point, it's a good idea to launch a NEW GAME to verify that Skyrim SE loads without CTD (after sorting with LOOT). The game should successfully load into the Alternate Start character generation interface. If so, just Alt + Tab to close Skyrim. If the game crashes, there is a problem with load order, enabled mods, or any number of things missed in the above instructions. Please review mods installed and enabled as compared to this guide and ensure LOOT is run and plugins sorted.
STEP 5
Users should now have all the mods and patches installed and sorted. The next step is to generate custom LOD data for the modded setup. Thankfully, xLODGen and DynDOLOD makes generating the data fairly simple. Before moving on, create three empty mods to use for the output files in this section:
- Right-click on Overwrite in the mod list in MO and hover over All Mods (this can also be done from the menu at the top of the left pane in MO as described earlier).
- Select, Create empty mod.
- Name it
(TEMP) - SSE Terrain - Tamriel - xLODGen
(recall that this will only be used as a resource for xLODGen).- This places a new, empty mod at the bottom of the mod list. However if it's not, place it last in the mod list.
- Repeat these steps to create three other new mods named:
STEP SSE - xLODGen Output
,STEP SSE - TexGen Output
, andSTEP SSE - DynDOLOD Output
; or anything unique and descriptive to their source/function. - Place these other new mods directly after (TEMP) - SSE Terrain - Tamriel - xLODGen.
The last few mods in the mod list should now reflect the following (numbering is approximate):
- DLC: Hearthfires
- ...
- (TEMP) - SSE Terrain - Tamriel - xLODGen
- STEP SSE - xLODGen Output
- STEP SSE - TexGen Output
- STEP SSE - DynDOLOD Output
xLODGen
xLODGen is run first to generate updated LOD terrain textures and meshes so that landscape LOD is updated with mod changes:
Preparation
- Visit the STEP Forum and download SSE-Terrain-Tamriel.esm.
- Place the file in the (TEMP) - SSE Terrain - Tamriel - xLODGen folder in MO and enable (tick) the mod.
- If the Overwrite folder isn't empty, it should be. Remove or delete all files/folders.
- Ensure the new plugin is active in the plugin list (ticked).
- Ensure the (TEMP) - Cathedral Landscapes - LODGen mod from the Foundation mod group is enabled, as it will be used by xLODGen to regenerate corrected landscape LOD and disabled after LODGen.
- Sort with LOOT.
Generation
- Run xLODGen from the MO2 executable drop-down list.
- Select all worldspaces.
- Ensure that ONLY the Terrain LOD box is ticked in the right pane.
- Use the following settings, which have been verified in extensive testing:
- Click [Generate] to run the process, which will require upwards of 30 minutes, depending on the PC.
- Once the "LOD generation complete" message has appeared, close xLODGen.
Wrap Up
- Navigate to the xLODGen output folder (e.g.
..Modding/Tools/xLODGen/xLODGen_Output
). - Back on MO, open the STEP SSE - xLODGen Output mod in an Explorer window (Ctrl+double click).
- Cut and paste the files from the LOD generation to the Step Skyrim SE - xLODGen Output folder. Close both folders.
- Enable STEP SSE - xLODGen Output mod.
- Disable (TEMP) - Cathedral Landscapes - xLODGen mods (only needed as a xLODGen resources).
DynDOLOD
Users will now create object LODs using Dynamic Distant Objects LOD (DynDOLOD). DynDOLOD is one part mod and one part tool. Users should already have both parts installed from earlier in the Guide.
Run TexGen
TexGen, shipped with DynDOLOD, is a program that will generate custom object LOD textures based on enabled mods. This means distance object textures will better match their fully rendered counterparts. To run TexGen:
- Run TexGen from the MO2 executable drop-down list.
- Keep the default Output location. STEP Recommends:
- GPU with VRAM ≤ 4 GB:
- LOD Texture Size = 512
- Diffuse Alpha = BC3
- Normal Specular = BC7 Max
- Diffuse = BC1
- Normal = BC7 Max
- GPU with VRAM > 4 GB:
- LOD Texture Size = 1024
- Diffuse Alpha = BC7 Max
- Normal Specular = BC7 Quick
- Diffuse = BC7 Max
- Normal = BC7 Quick
- GPU with VRAM ≤ 4 GB:
- Once the option has been chosen, click [Start].
- Once the completed message has appeared (5-30 minutes, depending on the PC), click [Exit].
- Navigate to the DynDOLOD TexGen_Output folder location (e.g.
../Modding/Tools/DynDOLOD/TexGen_Output
). - Copy or cut the files from the TexGen_Output folder.
- In MO2, hold down the Ctrl key and double-click on the STEP Skyrim SE - TexGen Output mod created previously. This opens the mod's folder in an Explorer window.
- Paste the files into the mod's folder, and close the window.
- Enable the STEP Skyrim SE - TexGen Output mod in MO.
Run DynDOLOD
DynDOLOD will now be run to generate the remainder of the LODs for the game. Users have the options of generating higher quality 3D Trees or generating the standard tree LOD. Following one of the two sets of instructions below, depending on the option desired.
Standard (2D) Tree LOD
- Run DynDOLOD from the MO2 executable drop-down list.
- Click [Advanced] once the main tool window is displayed.
- Select all worldspaces.
- Ensure the following are ticked:
- Candles
- FXGlow
- Generate static LOD
- Generate tree LOD
- Create texture atlas
- Generate DynDOLOD
- Windows
- High
- Set Max tile size equal to the texture size used for TexGen previously.
- Keep the default Output Path and click [Medium]. NOTE: Users with systems able to handle High settings, may do so.
- Click [OK], and get a cup of coffee. This takes ~20-30 minutes on SSDs.
- Once the completed message has appeared, click [Save & Exit].
3D Tree LOD
This Guide will result in Hybrid 3D Trees. Full 3D trees are possible, but are not recommend for gameplay; thus, not covered here. Hybrid 3D Trees are a performance friendly option for high quality tree LODs. It generates 3D branches with 2D trunks.
- Open the
./DynDOLOD SE
folder (e.g.../Modding/Tools/DynDOLOD/
). - Open the DynDOLOD_SSE.ini file (e.g.
../DynDOLOD/Edit Scripts/DynDOLOD/DynDOLOD_SSE.ini
) - Set TreeLOD=0
- Run DynDOLOD from the MO2 executable drop-down list.
- Select all worldspaces.
- Ensure the following are ticked:
- Candles
- FXGlow
- Generate static LOD
- NOTE: "Generate tree LOD" will be greyed out as 'N/A' if
TreeLOD=0
was set in DynDOLOD.ini as described above. - Create texture atlas
- Generate DynDOLOD
- Windows
- High
- Set Max tile size equal to the texture size used for TexGen previously.
- Keep the default Output Path and click [High]. NOTE: The High preset is the only preset that will generate 3D Trees! NOTE: If High is too performance heavy, users can select another preset and manually edit the tree line in the mesh rules to match how it reads from the High preset.
- Click [OK], and get a cup of coffee.
- Once the completed message has appeared, click [Save & Exit].
Wrap Up
- Navigate to the
./DynDOLOD
folder location (e.g.../Modding/Tools/DynDOLOD
). - Copy or cut the files from the
./DynDOLOD_Output
folder. - In MO2, hold down the Ctrl key and double-click on the STEP SSE - DynDOLOD Output mod created above.
- Paste the files into the mod's folder and close the window.
- In MO2, enable the mod.
- Ensure that (TEMP) - Cathedral Landscapes - xLODGen is disabled, as it will cause landscape texture artifacts if left enabled.
- Ensure the DynDOLOD esm and esp files are ticked in the right pane.
- Sort with LOOT.
- Ensure DynDOLOD.esp is the last plugin in the load order and enabled. If not, sort with LOOT.
Occlusion
Users will now use xLODGen to update the occlusion data for the new mod list. During so will prevent holes in the distance landscape that is notoriously bad over water cells. To do this:
- Run xLODGen from the MO2 executable drop-down list.
- Select only the Tamriel and DLC2SolstheimWorld worldspaces.
- Ensure only the Occlusion box is ticked.
- Use the following settings:
- Quality: 3
- Height: 100
- Radius: 100
- Mode: -Flat +Borders
- Click [Generate] to run the process.
- Once the completed message has appeared, click the red X to close xLODGen.
- Occlusion.esp is saved automatically and will be placed in the Overwrite folder in MO.
- Right-click on the Overwrite mod listing and select, [Create new mod].
- Name it
STEP SSE - Occlusion
or anything unique. - Ensure the new mod is active (ticked).
- Ensure the Occlusion.esp is the last plugin in the load order just after DyDOLOD.esp and that it is enabled, else run LOOT and sort plugins.
When do users need to rebuild LODs?
Users should rebuild their LODs any time mods are installed or removed that include added, removed, or relocated exterior objects such as buildings, roads, trees, etc.
STEP 6
Users should now be ready to load the game for the final steps, configuring mods in the MCM. The MCM is a feature of SkyUI that allows mod authors to provide custom settings for their mods, which users can set within the game. Below users will find recommendations for all the mods installed within this Guide.
First Launch
To run the game, select the SKSE Skyrim Launcher executable from the drop-down list and click the Run button. Users should keep the following in mind when first launching from a fresh Guide installation:
- A new game is required! ... In other words, don't load from a save when first launching after a fresh Guide installation unless you know what can happen (which is beyond scope to support). NOTE: Users upgrading from a previous installation of the Guide should review the changelog of the update to determine whether or not a new game is recommended.
- When launching the game for the first time after a Guide install, the load could take significantly longer than normal. This will only be a one-time wait as all the installed mods are being initialized. Subsequent load times should be shorter.
- Finally, users may find INI files in their Overwrite folder after closing the game (e.g.
../SKSE/Plugins/SkyrimUncapper.ini
). NOTE: These files should be moved to their respective mod folders, respecting their folder structure in the move.
Alternate Start
Users starting a new game will see Alternate Start - Live Another Life in action. Lets face it, Skyrim is old and the vanilla start quest is the last thing many want to play through. Alternate Start provides a variety of ways to start the game for these users. Once a new game is started, players are loaded into a locked cell. Simply talk to the statue in the room, choose a preference for starting the game (the vanilla start is provided as an option), and then sleep in the bed to start your new life. Users choosing an alternate start location can start the main quest line by simply visiting Helgen.
Mod Configuration Menu Settings
Cathedral Weathers
Users who have installed the optional Lighting & Weathers mod group should set Interior Vision to "Darker" in order for Luminosity to have the correct interior brightness.
Complete Crafting
The following screenshots display the recommended settings for the mod's MCM:
Farmhouse Chimneys SE
Vanilla villages should all be ticked on the first page. The following screenshot displays the recommended settings for the Mod Support page:
Lock Overhaul
This mod must be activated to work. Once enabled, the settings are user preference.
Storm Lightning
The Minimal preset in the MCM is recommended.
Timing is Everything
Timing is Everything is set up in a way that integrates DLC content and balances the game's quests. Vampires and werewolves will show up early in the game because the are a part of the world. Dragonborn will not start until the news of your deeds have time to reach the island and you become something that must be dealt with. Attack chances are lowered from 100% so users will have less of a chance to predict an attack. Other things are active that make sense, such as not being able to do the Break of Dawn quest if you're a vampire, Thalmor won't attack until after they enter the questline, etc. The following screenshots display the recommended settings for the mod's MCM:
Remaining Mod Configurations
The remaining mod configurations are recommended to be left at their defaults for the most enhanced, vanilla experience. However, users may adjust the settings for these mods to their preference.
STEP 7
(optional) BethINI Customization
Users are now ready to play their enhanced Skyrim SE, however, please consider reading the remainder of the Guide before taking an arrow to the knee.
The final consideration is customizing BethINI once the game is confirmed to be stable. Users who have no issues with performance and aren't knowledgeable with the settings can simply follow along. Other users can feel to customize the settings to their personal preferences. Caution is advised against using the custom INI input feature. This feature will allow users to make custom INI edits, however, doing so without the knowledge of exactly what the customizations are doing can cause instability.
The following are provided as examples of the settings used for taking the screenshot's on Nexus (1920x1080 using a GTX 1060). The recommended settings are called out and/or shown in the screenshots below. Simply click on a section heading to expand it.
➕ [Click to show]➖ [Click to hide] Basic STEP Recommends:
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➕ [Click to show]➖ [Click to hide] General STEP Recommends:
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➕ [Click to show]➖ [Click to hide] Gameplay STEP Recommends:
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➕ [Click to show]➖ [Click to hide] Interface STEP Recommends:
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➕ [Click to show]➖ [Click to hide] Detail STEP Recommends:
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➕ [Click to show]➖ [Click to hide] View Distance STEP Recommends:
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➕ [Click to show]➖ [Click to hide] Visuals Grass:
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➕ [Click to show]➖ [Click to hide] Custom
Make the custom adjustment in the image to speed up the book opening animation by twice the speed of vanilla. Make the below additional adjustment to fix the line in the water from SSR: [Display] fWaterSSRIntensity=0.5 |
(optional) ENBSeries with the STEP SkyrimSE Guide
Because the effects of ENB are so variable, depending on 1) use of lighting/weather mods, 2) a great many other options for various mods, and 3) PC hardware and software environments, the Guide doesn't include an ENB preset. Instructions and recommendations would result in a massive flurry of support 'issues'. To provide a bit of direction, we've included a small list of ENB presets below which were made to work with Cathedral Weathers without breaking the horizon. We've included a variety of "looks", but users should search on Nexus to find the preset that works best for their preferences.
- A Cathedralist's ENB
- Blubbos ENB ReShade
- CELESTIAL CATHEDRAL ENB
- iiENB
- Ljoss
- Lucid ENB
- PRENB
- Ragnar's Vivid ENB for Cathedral Weathers 2
- Serio's ENB
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS
STEP can only get bigger and better with help from the community. It is very time consuming for the STEP team to ensure that the Guide is consistently maintained at the highest quality possible. We need people to help us identify mods that improve the vanilla game while adhering to our Mandate. We also need ongoing bug reports, reviews, and updates on mods that may cause problems or that stray from the Mandate.
In order to suggest a mod for inclusion, visit the Mods section of the Forums.
Call for Mod Testers
Community members interested in becoming Mod Testers, please contact TechAngel85 via PM on the forums. Once registered, Mod Testers will be given access to Staff forums that houses useful information. For more information about our mod testing process, read through the Mod Testing Guide to get a sense of what's involved.
Call for Forum Moderators
Regular community members interested in becoming moderators, please contact TechAngel85 via PM on the forums. Forum Moderators will be determined based upon level and quality of activity within our community.
Credits
The STEP administrators would sincerely like to thank (from the bottoms of our fuzzy little hearts):
- The authors of mods recommended within our Guides
- The authors of mods who granted permission for their mods to be incorporated into the STEP Patches
- The core Community for feedback, suggestions and input
- The Beta and Mod Testers for their good humor and rigorous analyses
- The Nexus community
- Bethesda Softworks for their games
- Tannin for the gift that is Mod Organizer
- All the developers that kept MO alive to create MO2
STEP Staff
Administrators
- TechAngel85
- Lead Release Coordinator, Patch Coordinator, Lead Forum Administrator, Mod Author
- z929669
- Project Founder, Lead Site Developer, Lead Site Administrator
SM Forum Moderators
Currently active STEP Forum Moderators:
- DoubleYou
- Greg
Honorary Staff
Retired Founders, Administrators, and Staff:
- Aiyen
- Bealdwine
- deathneko11
- EisDrache
- EssArrBee
- Farlo
- frihyland
- GSDfan (still active: MO Support)
- GrantSP
- hishutup
- Kelmych
- MontyMM
- Nebulous112
- oqhansoloqo
- phazer11
- rootsrat
- stoppingby4now
- TheCompiler
- torminater
- Uhuru
- WilliamImm
- wolverine2710