Template:TOCRight Template:Notice Important: This page will be used to document my personal mods over and above my Custom Installation of STEP for Skyrim v1.7.
Prerequisites
- Skyrim v1.7
- My Custom STEP Install or similar.
Tools Used
Skyrim.ini Tweaks
No Bethesda Intro Video
This removes the annoying Bethesda intro video when loading the game.
Add the following under [General]:
sIntroSequence=
Large Interior Crash Fix Tweak
This prevents crashes that occur when too many objects are loaded in an interior cell. Usually this is caused by large mods.
Add the following under [General]:
iLargeIntRefCount=999999
Sun Shadow Update Time
This tweak allows the shadows of objects to update instantaneously.
Add the following under [General]:
fSunUpdateThreshold=0.0000
fSunShadowUpdateTime=0.0000
Arrow Targeting Tweak
This tweak improves the aim of arrows when using the default crosshair.
Add the following under [Combat]:
f1PArrowTiltUpAngle=0.7
f3PArrowTiltUpAngle=0.7
SkyrimPrefs.ini Tweaks
Trees Receive Shadows
This tweak allows shadows to be drawn on trees.
Change the following under [Display]:
bTreesReceiveShadows=1
Land Shadows
This tweak allows shadows from land masses to be drawn. Some people report this increases the amount of shadow striping, but I haven't noticed.
Change the following under [Display]:
bDrawLandShadows=1
Water Reflection
This tweak improves water reflections.
Change the following under [Display]:
iWaterReflectHeight=1024
iWaterReflectWidth=1024
Float Point Render Target (For ENB)
This tweak allows ENB to work properly. I suggest leaving this value at 0 unless you are using ENB.
Change the following under [Display]:
bFloatPointRenderTarget=1
Current Lighting Mod
Enhanced Vanilla ENB v1.31
The non-choice choice. Simply gives SSAO, GodRays, Shadows, Parallax, etc without changing the Vanilla lighting. Using this during my mod testing phase until I can decide which ENB to use for a full playthrough.
Mod Installation
As with my custom STEP install, I install in category groups when possible rather than a set order with the following priority:
Bug Fixes -> World Meshes/Textures -> Effects -> Sound -> UI -> Actor Meshes/Textures -> Animations -> Equipment Meshes/Textures -> Gameplay Changes -> Content
Obviously, these categories are not always exclusive (textures included with meshes, etc). All mods are in LOOSE file format rather than BSA where available.
Bug Fixes
fxDustDropRandomSCRIPT Fix
Anyone who's had a look in their Papyrus logs has probably found that fxDustDropRandomSCRIPT.psc is spamming the log with errors every 30 seconds or so. This is due to the script having a timed loop, with the possibility of the cell unloading while the script is still waiting for the timer to finish. The reference that generates these errors is located in cell "KilKreathRuins2".
The fix adds some extra safety checks to test if the 3D is still loaded before the loop tries to run.
dunBluePalaceArenaSCRIPT Fix
A bugfix for the "dunBluePalaceArenaSCRIPT.pex" script that spams the Papyrus log with many many errors once the "Mind of Madness" quest has been completed. The fix adds some code to kill the update loop once the player has left the cell and the cell unloads/detaches.
World Meshes / Textures
Project Parallax - Roads and Bridges v1.0
Category: World Meshes, World Textures
Description: Adds Parallax Mapping To Skyrim.
Notes: Use SMIM Compatible Version. Requires ENB v0.112 or later with FixParallaxBugs=true set in enbseries.ini.
Argument For: Brings textures to life.
Argument Against: You don't use ENB or are blind.
Project Parallax - Markath v1.0
Category: World Meshes, World Textures
Description: Adds Parallax Mapping To Skyrim.
Notes: Use SRO Compatible Version. Requires ENB v0.112 or later with FixParallaxBugs=true set in enbseries.ini.
Argument For: Brings textures to life.
Argument Against: You don't use ENB or are blind.
Project Parallax - Solitude v1.0
Category: World Meshes, World Textures
Description: Adds Parallax Mapping To Skyrim.
Notes: Use SRO Compatible Version. Requires ENB v0.112 or later with FixParallaxBugs=true set in enbseries.ini.
Argument For: Brings textures to life.
Argument Against: You don't use ENB or are blind.
Project Parallax - Whiterun v3.0
Category: World Meshes, World Textures
Description: Adds Parallax Mapping To Skyrim.
Notes: Use SRO Compatible Version. Requires ENB v0.112 or later with FixParallaxBugs=true set in enbseries.ini.
Argument For: Brings textures to life.
Argument Against: You don't use ENB or are blind.
Project Parallax - Windhelm v3.0
Category: World Meshes, World Textures
Description: Adds Parallax Mapping To Skyrim.
Notes: Use SRO Compatible Version. Requires ENB v0.112 or later with FixParallaxBugs=true set in enbseries.ini. If having CTD, use this fix.
Argument For: Brings textures to life.
Argument Against: You don't use ENB or are blind.
Parallax Rocks and Mountains v1.04
Category: World Meshes, World Textures
Description: Adds Parallax Mapping To Skyrim.
Notes: I do not use his rock texture version. Requires ENB v0.112 or later with FixParallaxBugs=true set in enbseries.ini.
Argument For: Brings textures to life.
Argument Against: You don't use ENB or are blind.
Birds of Skyrim v0.6
Category: World Meshes, World Textures
Description: Adds various new bird species to Skyrim. Bird species added are friendly to Skyrim-like environments in real life.
Notes: None.
Argument For: Immersion factor, the world isn't so dead.
Argument Against: Nothing that I can think of.
Pets of Skyrim v0.3.1
Category: World Meshes, World Textures
Description: Adds new dogs and cats to Skyrim.
Notes: None.
Argument For: Immersion factor, the world isn't so dead.
Argument Against: Nothing that I can think of.
Blacksmith Forge Water Fix v0.6
Category: World Meshes, World Textures
Description: Adds real water for all the blacksmith forges across Skyrim.
Notes: None.
Argument For: Immersion factor, water is water not a flat texture Bethesda!
Argument Against: Nothing that I can think of.
Transparent Watery Icicle v1.3 (Optional file of Real Ice and Snow)
Category: World Meshes, World Textures
Description: Adds a re-texture with transparency for the icicles of Skyrim.
Notes: None.
Argument For: Very nice re-texture not covered in default STEP.
Argument Against: Personal Taste - there are 4 other versions to choose from.
Ftoppka Realistic Smelter v0.3
Category: World Meshes, World Textures
Description: Adds a realistic smelter to the world of skyrim instead of the crappy vanilla one.
Notes: None.
Argument For: More realistic smelter, I believe the smelter in game is actually a bread oven... lol
Argument Against: Nothing that I can think of.
Better Shadowmarks v0.5
Category: World Textures
Description: Fixes the Shadowmarks around Skyrim to be carved rather than pasted on with glue... lol.
Notes: None.
Argument For: It makes sense.
Argument Against: Nothing that I can think of.
High Definition Hay v1.0b
Category: World Textures
Description: Makes hay actually look like hay.
Notes: Use the "Dirtier Hay" version.
Argument For: Another missing high definition texture.
Argument Against: Nothing that I can think of.
Bumpy Inn and Shop Signs v3.0
Category: World Textures
Description: Makes the signs of Skyrim look like they were actually carved from wood.
Notes: None.
Argument For: Makes the signs look actually carved.
Argument Against: Nothing that I can think of.
Effects
Better Dynamic Snow v2.12
Category: World Meshes, Effects
Description: A mod that changes the ugly, pure-white dynamic snow effect to actually use the default snow texture (landscape\snow01.dds). This minor change greatly improves the visual appearance of dynamic snow.
Notes: None.
Argument For: Snow looks like snow.
Argument Against: Nothing that I can think of.
Real Rain v5.0
Category: World Textures, Effects
Description: Redoes the rain textures so they are more random and natural looking while making the rain denser w/o any fps lag or bloated save files.
Notes: Optional files for brighter rain helps if using a darker ENB.
Argument For: Let it rain!
Argument Against: Nothing that I can think of.
Lightning during Thunder Storms v18.0
Category: Effects
Description: Mod name should be enough of a clue.
Notes: None.
Argument For: Zeus would be proud.
Argument Against: Nothing that I can think of.
Sound
None at present.
UI
None at present.
Actor Meshes / Textures
High Res Face Maps For Men v1.1
Category: Actor Textures
Description: Gives the faces the detail they deserve.
Notes: None.
Argument For: Skyrim is a rough place and men like these are NOT clean shaven.
Argument Against: You like sissy men.
High Res Warpaint and Dirtmaps For Men v1.0
Category: Actor Textures
Description: Gives the warpaint and dirtmaps the detail to match the new detailed faces.
Notes: None.
Argument For: Who doesn't like warpaint?
Argument Against: You like sissy men.
Animations
TBD
Equipment Meshes/Textures
TBD
Gameplay Changes
TBD
Content
TBD
