Guide:Skyrim Configuration Settings

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Suggest first reading: Skyrim Installation Guide, Skyrim Launcher Guide

INI Tweaks

The Skyrim INI files are located in %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Skyrim\, and this guide assumes that the user has either followed the current STEP Guide or has jumped over to this guide whilst following the main guide. Note that this guide is comprehensive, and includes all INI tweaks recommended by STEP, including those in the STEP Guide.

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The Skyrim INI files are located in %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Skyrim\ ... for anyone not using Mod Organizer (MO).

Some of the tweaks are only relevant to the STEP "Recommended System". For tweaks that affect game performance the potential performance impact is indicated. Create the following at the end of each of the indicated INI sections. Sections are marked by names within square brackets '[ ]', and some of these sections may already exist, but for those that do not, create the section. Carefully check that ...

1. no duplicate entries are created,
2. that all entries are placed into the correct section, and
3. that all sections are properly defined:

Some Informative External Resources

• HardOCP shadow tweaks (and performance impact)
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Tweak Guide

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Skyrim INI

Each of the following entries can be pasted directly into the INI (if editing manually). The entry descriptions are commented, so they will not be interpreted by the game at startup. Alternatively, these descriptions can be omitted.

[General]
sIntroSequence=    ;Disables the intro sequence for a faster startup
fFlickeringLightDistance=8192    ;Helps prevent lighting “pop-in”

[Display]
;Improves shadow changes as the sun moves through the sky
fSunShadowUpdateTime=0 
fSunUpdateThreshold=0.1 

[Combat]
;Shift the point of aim to the center of the aiming reticule for arrows and crossbows.
f1PArrowTiltUpAngle=0.7 
f3PArrowTiltUpAngle=0.7 
f1PBoltTiltUpAngle=0.7 
f3PBoltTiltUpAngle=0.7      ;this tweak is not present in the default INI and needs to be entered manually

[Actor]
fVisibleNavmeshMoveDist=12288.0000       ;Increases the distance arrows fly.  (From "Arrows and Bolts Tweaks").

[Camera]
;Place the camera just above the character's head in third-person view, and correct the camera angle in third-person view while on horseback (from "Third Person Horse Camera")
fOverShoulderAddY=0.0
fOverShoulderPosZ=18.0
fOverShoulderPosX=0.0
fOverShoulderCombatAddY=0.0
fOverShoulderCombatPosZ=24.0
fOverShoulderCombatPosX=0.0
fOverShoulderHorseAddY=-72.0
fOverShoulderHorsePosZ=50.0
fOverShoulderHorsePosX=35.0
fActorFadeOutLimit=-100
fMouseWheelZoomSpeed=60.0
;instant camera-angle switching when switching view types or when mounting/dismounting horse  (from "Instant Camera POV Switching")
f1st3rdSwitchDelay=0.95
iHorseTransitionMillis=001

[Interface]
fBookOpenTime=200.0    ;speeds up the book-opening animation
;move the HUD elements closer to the borders of the screen
fSafeZoneX=10
fSafeZoneY=10 
fSafeZoneXWide=10 
fSafeZoneYWide=10

[Grass]
iMaxGrassTypesPerTexure=7    ;increase grass diversity with a small cost to performance (yes, 'texture' and not 'texture')

[VATS] 
;Increase ranged killcam frequency (or disable killcams)
fVATSCastingAfterKillDelay=1.2000
uVATSRangedPercentSneak=100
uVATSRangedPercentGlobal=100
bVATSMultipleCombatants=1
bVATSForceRanged=1
bVATSDisable=1       ;enable(0) or disable (1) killcams

SkyrimPrefs INI

YOU CAN HELP!

[Display]
bTreesReceiveShadows=1          ;Enables shadows rendering on trees (insignificant performance impact)
bDrawLandShadows=1          ;Enables shadows rendering on land (insignificant performance impact)
fShadowLODStartFade=400.0000       ;push back the distance for shadows to fade (insignificant performance hit)
bShadowsOnGrass=1         ;Enables shadows rendering on grass (significant performance impact)
bFloatPointRenderTarget=1    ;ENB users ONLY!

[Decals]
bDecalsOnSkinnedGeometry=1    ;Enable higher-res blood on NPCs (insignificant performance impact)
iMaxDecalsPerFrame=256    ;increases the number of blood decals per scene (from “Enhanced Blood Textures”)

[Controls]
bMouseAcceleration=0    ;Disables mouse acceleration

[Grass]
fGrassStartFadeDistance=18000    ;push back the distance for grasses to fade (minor performance hit)

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