STEP:Mod Testing

Template:Warning Template:Notice Mod Testing for S.T.E.P. -- by the S.T.E.P. Team

Updated: 3:57:41 23 October 2013 (UTC)

GUIDE FORUM THREAD

Introduction

Mod Testing Prep

Mod Testing Setup & Profiles

External Testing Procedures

In Game Testing Procedures

Save Game Archive

In-Game Utilities

External Tools

Notes/ Ideas

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General Information

This guide will attempt to lay out best practices for testing mods marked for testing which could be potentially included in S.T.E.P. With a guide as complex as S.T.E.P., it is beneficial to reduce as much variation as possible in mod testing, since variation can breed a host of issues. This guide will outline standardized testing techniques for S.T.E.P. mod testing. The approach will be bottom-up, meaning recommendations will begin at the hardware level, progressing to software, and then to mods.

Mod Testing

What is mod testing? Mod testing can be many different things; however, for the purposes of S.T.E.P., mod testing is the testing of mods for inclusion/exclusion in S.T.E.P. This includes testing a mod's stability with other mods, checking it against Elder Scroll lore to make sure the mod is lore-friendly, testing the mod's function to make sure it's working as expected, comparing it to other mods of similar content to find the best solution, and much much more. Mod Testers are the team members whom job this falls to.

Mod Testers are not unlike foot soldiers for S.T.E.P. They are the front lines in mods getting added or dropped from S.T.E.P. and similar to real soldiers, their job is often the hardest and most unglamorous on the team. Mod testing can be long and tedious at times, but it can be fun and joyful too. This is to say, mod testing is only for those that have a real dedication to it. As such, the turn around rate on Mod Testers tends to be high as Testers can quickly become "wore out" when they don't realize what they're getting themselves into. Before considering becoming a Mod Tester, read through this guide. It should give you a fairly reasonable idea of what Mod Testers do.

Mod Tester Requirements

To be an official Mod Tester there are a few requirements that STEP will need the Testers to meet. If you can meet these requirements and are interested in becoming a Mod Tester for STEP, contact an administrator.

• Tester's computer must be able to play Skyrim with a fully installed STEP: Extended profile on medium to high settings.
• Testers are highly encouraged to use Mod Organizer to test. Mod Organizer is the official recommendation for STEP Testers. Wrye Bash can be used; however, it will not be covered by this guide.
• Testers must be able to set aside a small amount of time every week that will be used for mod testing. Generally, ~5 hours per week should be enough; however, the more the better.
• Testers must already possess general knowledge of modding and troubleshooting to be effective testers.

Overview of Testing Procedure

This will be updated as the procedures are developed and outlined within the other tabs. Testing is separated into two sections: external testing and in-game testing.

• Examine files in game (to accomplish this we need to research a quick and easy way of identifying the actual name of the (texture, mesh, etc) file corresponding to what we see in game.)
• Examine script source of mods for reliability and compatibility (if not available ask the author).
• All mods with scripts must include methods for installing and uninstalling in-game or at the very least stopping scripts with a console command.
• Review Papyrus logs for script issues (if applicable).
• Each mod is examined in multiple ways in game to confirm functionality and compatibility.
  • Test in various key spots of the world using savegames.
  • Test in various key points of quest development using savegames.
  • Test with a Vanilla Skyrim installation. (if there are issues with the mod under this test then no further testing is needed)
  • Test with a Baseline STEP installation that is complete and current (All Baseline mods installed. All mods up-to-date. No non-STEP mods installed.)
  • Test with a new game and with adding it to an existing game with Baseline STEP.
  • Note quality changes to the game's Appearance, Gameplay, etc.
  • Note quantitative changes like VRAM, GPU, CPU, RAM, and FPS usage.
• Complete the Mod Testing wiki form and submit.
• Contact mod authors with hard evidence and constructive criticism to improve any area's in need of improvement before becoming a STEP recommended mod.

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General Information

A stable computer and Skyrim installation is crucial to testing a new mod. Without a stable computer and installation, it will much harder to determine if the mod itself is incompatible/buggy with other mods/Skyrim or if the mod is incompatible with your computer. Below you'll find some guidance on how to increase computer and installation stability, as well as how to setup your computer for mod testing.

Computer Stability

Reference the Skyrim Installation Guide as needed ... this is required reading for all mod testers. Pursue (or post questions to) the mod testing forum ... guessing is not standard procedure.

Device Driver Updates

A driver is a computer program that allows other computer programs to interact with hardware (device). Most drivers are updated relatively frequently, especially drivers for graphic devices such as AMD's or nVidia's graphic cards. Driver updates fix bugs and offer performance improvements. As such, it is quite important to have an up to date set of drivers for all your computer's hardware devices.

If the system being used for mod testing pre-built, for example, an off the shelf computer under a brand (vendor) name such as HP or ACER, a program(s) is usually included that assists in vendor specific driver updates. If this is the case, it is important to use this program(s), as many brand name off-the-shelf computers have drivers specifically designed for their hardware devices, rather than generic drivers. Consult the manual or the website for information on how to do this on your computer.

If the system is custom made, then there are several excellent programs to assist with this. A great tool is Driver Genius, which will download an up-to-date list of drivers for almost all hardware devices, scan your computer with that list, and specify which need to be updated. The freeware version will do all of this and you can manually search for the drivers using the provided summary. If upgraded to the paid version, then the program will also download and install the drivers it finds that are out-of-date. However, it is not recommended to allow this program to update your graphics drivers. This is best done manually by downloading them from AMD or nVidia.

Overclocking

If the system being used to mod test is currently overclocked, it is recommended reverting everything to its default/stock settings. This goes for the CPU, GPU, and RAM. Although the chances are low, it's possible for a new mod that is resource intensive to instigate stability issues, even if the overclock settings were stable to begin with. CPU and RAM overclocks can be managed from the motherboard's BIOS, and GPU overclocks are managed by a variety of programs. A recommended program for GPU overclock management is MSI Afterburner.

Junk and Unnecessary Programs

Junk and unnecessary programs can slow down and computer, eating up valuable resources. These programs include browser tool bars, shareware programs installed during the installation of a separate program, bloatware that is installed by the computer manufacturer and programs installed by the user that is no longer used or needed. Many of these programs automatically start at system boot, eating up system resources and slowing down the computer. It's important to remove these programs for a more stable system. One great program that will help detect and remove these programs is PC Decrapifier. PC Decrapifier will scan both new and used computers for any bloatware and unnecessary programs and then run the uninstallers for these programs. This isn't foolproof; however, so manually scanning through the installed programs is still recommended. Remove any programs that are no longer needed on the system; however, be careful of uninstalling unknown programs because it might be important. For these types of programs, Google the program names and read about them before uninstalling.

Ghosts in the Machine

Over time a computer will generate many redundant files that, at the minimum, will do nothing harmful or, at worst, could cause stability issues. These files can include temporary files left by programs that are no longer needed, redundant or unused registry entries and much more. It's recommended to use a program such as CCleaner to clean up these files; as well as, to fix any registry issues.

To ensure proper registry key cleaning, it is recommended to restart your computer after any program installation or uninstallation and any computer driver related changes. This is important because Windows will do some registry cleaning of its own when the computer restarts. Once the system has been restarted, it is safe to proceed with cleaning the registry as well as removing unneeded files; however, be sure to back up the registry when asked in the event it needs to be restored.

At this point it is also a good idea to do a thorough cleaning of old files and remove them from the system as well. Backup pictures to an external device, delete any personal files no longer needed, delete any old log files and downloaded software installers and so on. Get the hard drives as clean as possible before continuing.

Spyware and Viruses

Ensuring the system is clean of spyware and viruses is critical to a stable computer. Be sure an anti-virus is installed and working with up-to-date definitions. Microsoft Security Essentials and Avast are two light-weight, respected solutions in the IT community that should serve most users well. Both are free to use and there is no need for the paid version of Avast. The free version has everything anyone will ever need that follows best practices to protect their systems in the first place.

Also ensure the system is clean and free of any possible spyware. There are several programs for this; however, one of the best is SUPERAntiSpyware. This program comes in several different versions, including a portable version. The free version will do the job well so no need to buy the paid vserion. SUPERAntiSpyware will scan for any potential spyware issues and clean them from the system. Close the program completely when it's done. It's not recommended to run the program in the background consistently as your anti-virus program would. Simply run it once a month along with the rest of the regular monthly maintenance on the system. Be sure to also remove it from the startup programs using MSCONFIG or using the previously mentioned CCleaner, as well.

As always with spyware and viruses, the best solution is prevention by following common best practices.

Disk Fragmentation

On hard disk drives (HDD), over time files that are regularly used by the computer will fragment (located on separate parts of the disk). This increases read times and potentially causes stability issues. Defragmenting alines fragmented files by placing them in order on the disks. It is always good practice to make sure the HDDs are defragmented before testing a mod. Thus, defrag the hard drives after installing a new mod, especially large mods such as texture overhauls. A recommended program is Auslogics Disk Defrag, which allows full drive defragmenting as well as specific file and/or folder defragmenting.

If the system has a solid state drive (SSD), please disregard the defragmentation advice detailed above. Defragmenting a SSD offers no benefit and will significantly decrease the life span of the drive.

Background Processes

Background processes will take up system resources and also potentially introduce stability issues when playing or testing Skyrim. The first step is to disable or delete startup items.

The previously mentioned, CCleaner, can removed unwanted startup programs. These are programs that open and remain open in the background when Windows starts. Removing wanted startup programs will decrease startup time and free up system resources. Be sure to leave the anti-virus program and any required programs enabled. Disabling these can leave the system vulnerable and not working properly. If the program is unknown, Google it and read about what it is and what it does before disabling or deleting the program from startup.

A great program for eliminating as many of the remaining background processes as possible is Game Booster. This will close unnecessary programs and background processes and services. Game Booster is optimized towards gaming so it does this very well and will restore the programs, processes and services once the user is done gaming.

TESV.exe Properties

These settings will ensure that when Skyrim runs, Windows Aero Theme will be disabled, freeing up VRAM, since Aero may use between 64 to 128MB of VRAM. To access these settings navigate to the Skyrim folder, right click on TESV.exe and then click on the "Compatibility" tab. Tick the "Disable Visual Themes" and "Disable Desktop Composition" boxes, as shown in the image below. This only applies to Windows Vista and Windows 7; Windows 8 users will not have these options due to the requirements of the new Start Screen.

thumb:Figure 1. TESV.exe Properties Settings
 
 

Skyrim Stability and Settings

Reference the Skyrim Installation Guide as needed ... this is required reading for all mod testers. Pursue (or post questions to) the mod testing forum ... do not guess.

Launcher Settings

Unless intimately familiar with the game settings and INIs, it is recommended to leave the launcher settings at their defaults. However, they may be changed to the hearts content, as long as the game remains stable. If the settings are changed, keep the following in mind:

Try to select a screen resolution of, or as close to, 1920x1080 as possible. This will provide a true high definition (HD) testing environment. However, if unable to do so, don't worry. Full HD (1920x1080) users are by no means a large majority. The other common screen resolution to test at is 1600x900; which is still 720p HD. Antialiasing should be set to at least 4x and AF to at least 8x. These can be set in the video drivers if preferred. All view distance sliders should be at least halfway with being maxed out preferred. Distant object detail should be high or medium, at the lowest, and FXAA should be disabled (unchecked).

INI Settings

It is recommended to test a mod on default medium or high INI settings, and once verified, then a test on ultra settings can be done. Testing on ultra may skew the results of the testing, especially if others may want to use the mod. The majority of Skyrim users will not have high end computer setups which are able to run on ultra settings.

The easiest way to achieve this is to use a mod manager's INI functions. Make sure to generate a default Skyrim.ini and SkyrimPrefs.ini. This can be done by deleting the current INIs (remember to back them up first) in the Documents folder. Once deleted, generate new INIs by changing the settings in the Skyrim launcher to either medium, high or ultra. Once these default INIs have been generated, back them up.

Mod Organizer
Using MO, the INI edits are specific to the profile that is loaded. To make a medium or high default INI, simply create a profile and copy and paste the default INIs into the INI Editor for that profile then save. When that profile is loaded, so will be the default INI. Repeat this same process for creating a profile with the ultra INI that can be loaded for testing when needed. (Profile creation is covered in the next tab.)

uGrids

This INI setting MUST be set to the default value of 5. For those who use a value of 7 and above, be warned that these higher values are 100% inherently unstable. It may be stable as a rock for some setups; however, please don't test mods with anything but the default value of 5. The chances that a new mod may cause stability issues with higher uGrids values is very high, and again, most Skyrim players will be using the default value for uGrids. To easily switch between uGrids values, create the relevant personal profile and custom INI files, as mentioned in the section above.

Should anyone attempt to test mods on a save game that used to have a higher uGrids value than 5, they will be unable to load it. There are two solutions to this. The first is to start a new game, which is highly preferred. The second option is to use a selection of vanilla saves that can be downloaded under the Save Game Archive section.

Default uGrids Settings (Skyrim.ini)

[General]
uGrids=5
uExterior Cell Buffer=32

SKSE INI

This INI tweak will help to keep save games clean of issues related to scripts and is highly recommended for increased stability. The SKSE.ini does not exist so it will need to be created. In the "SKSE" folder, located in the Skyrim "Data" folder, create a new text document, copy and paste in the code below and save the document as SKSE.ini. Be sure the extension for the file is only ".ini" and not ".ini.txt".

[General]
ClearInvalidRegistrations=1

Papyrus Logging

These INI tweaks will log mod issues caused by errors in the mods scripts. Not all mods will contain scripts though. Again the easiest way to apply these is create separate testing profiles with customer INIs in Mod Organizer. This tweak is applied to the Skyrim.ini file. The log files can be found within the Scripts folder where the save games are located ( usually Documents/My Games/Skyrim/ ).

Papyrus Logging (Skyrim.ini)

[Papyrus]
bEnableLogging=1
bEnableTrace=1
bLoadDebugInformation = 1

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This page is still under development. More or reviewed information will be added/edited.

Mod Managing Programs

Any modder should be using a proper mod manager such as Mod Organizer (MO) or Wrye Bash (WB). Please note that Nexus Mod Manager (NMM) is no longer supported by STEP. Using these programs is a must for any Mod Tester. The recommended and only supported manager for mod testing is Mod Organizer. It has proven more helpful for mod testing purposes.

Mod Organizer (recommended)

Reading down the features list of Mod Organizer speaks for it. However, for mod testing it has some key advantages over Wrye Bash.

• Creates a virtual Data folder, which means it will keep the Skyrim directory completely clean.
• Installs mods in separate folders in its own directory, which translates to organized mods that are quick and easy to track down.
• Ability to create multiple profiles without the need for a third party app. This is essential to mod testing.
• Full control over BSAs and the ability to extract them during installation which is necessary for conflict resolution in mod testing.
• Nexus integration for downloading, installing and upgrading.
• Portable design that requires not installations. Just unpack and use.
• Automatic program updating. No more need to keep track of MO's updates.
• Mod version tracking and notification when mods are out-of-date.
• Profile specific INI files with internal INI editor. No need to keep track of multiple INIs for multiple play-throughs. Also essential for mod testing.

Mod Testing Setup

Reference the Skyrim Installation Guide as needed ... this is required reading for all mod testers. Persue (or post questions to) the mod testing forum ...please do not guess!

Overview

• Skyrim installed in a non windows directory, if able. Preferably something like E:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\skyrim
• All DLC's installed and cleaned with TES5edit. (Just what you own, you don't need to buy stuff just to test)
• All Unofficial Patches installed (Just for the DLCs you own)
• All INIs with Vanilla Med to High settings.

General Setup

1. Ensure a clean install of Steam and Skyrim (non-windows directory)
2. Use TES5Edit to clean any relevant DLC content present
• Optional: use DDSopt to fix the vanilla textures
3. Install and properly configure utilities and extenders
• SKSE
• BOSS
• Mod Organizer
• TES5Edit
• DDSopt (Latest stable version. Also replace the INI with the STEP INI)
• FRAPS (For performance benchmarking)
• Your preferred capturing program. STEP recommends the paid version of FRAPS, but no need to spend money to test unless you want to.
4. Start a new game, play through until you leave Helgen, and save as soon as the dragon flies away after exiting the cave.

Mod Organizer Profile Setup

Follow these instructions to set up the profiles in Mod Organizer for mod testing:

1. Open Mod Organizer and click on the Configure Profiles button at the top.
2. Click the Create button on the right side of the window that opens.
3. Type the name of the profile. Suggested profiles are Vanilla, STEP:Core and STEP:Extended.
• Check the "Default Game Setting" box for each of the testing profiles.
4. Click okay to save the new profile.
5. For each profile you can choose have local savegames and automatic archive invalidation or not. For testing:
• Make sure the "Local Savegames box" is not checked for the testing profiles.
• Make sure the "Automatic Archive Invalidation box" is selected for the testing profiles.
6. Click close to return to the main program window.

You can now switch between profiles at will from the Profile drop-down box located above the Mod List. Mods activated will be profile specific meaning mods active (checked) in your STEP:Core profile will not be active when you switch to your Vanilla profile.

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General Information

Now that your system is setup for mod testing, the fun begins! External testing is where all testing starts. Use the following steps as a guide to testing any mod externally before moving on to testing them in-game. Each step should be completed and notes taken from each before in-game testing occurs.

External Mod Testing Procedure

Step 1 - Opening Post/Workflow

Read the mod's thread opening post (OP) or workflow in the Mod Testing Forum.

There, an outline of what needs to be tested for the particular mod can be found. Make note of this and use it when testing begins.

Step 2 - Nexus Page

Read the Nexus Page in it's entirety

Read the mod's Nexus page description completely as well as the changelog (if provided). Make note of any special installation/uninstall instructions, of any known issues with the mod or mod compatibility issues, and of any potential conflicts with the DLCs and/or other STEP mods. The changelog can often provide a sense of where the author is taking the mod and what might be expected from a mod and its author.

Step 3 - Mod's Forums

Read the Bethesda, Nexus, and Steam forums

A complete read is not necessary; however, try to develop a sense of user satisfaction and a list of possible bugs to attempt to confirm or deny. This is also a good way to find out how active the author is with the mod. No replies from the author in a long period of time usually indicates they have been absent or may no longer be actively supporting the mod.

Step 4 - Documentation

Examine the documentation included with the mod

Read the Readme and any other documentation which comes with the mod. Note any lack of clarity, installation/uninstall directions, and general completeness. If the mod does not include documentation, please make note of this as well for the final review and mod page creation.

Step 5 - Validation

Validate the archive package, naming scheme, and directory structure using your mod manager or 7zip.

Observe if the downloaded mod package is properly structured and configured for installation. Detailed information on proper mod package structure for WB can be found here. Mod Organizer can also use BAIN type installations; however, FOMODs are preferred which use XML. You can validate the FOMOD XML using an online validation tool. W3Schools has an always up-to-date XML Validator.

Step 6 - DDSopt

Used DDSopt to determine quality of texture compression for texture mods.

The DDSopt Guide can help; however, knowledge of texture compression and familiarity with DDSopt will be required.

Step 7 - TES5Edit

Inspect the mod in TES5Edit to determine quality of edits in any plugin files and the scope of mod

Note any issues of the mod not carrying over changes from the DLCs and/or from the Unofficial Patches. Also note any conflicts with mods already in STEP. Knowledge of TES5Edit and conflict resolution will be required for this step. Even though it's not for Skyrim, this guide will help in learning TES5Edit.

Step 8 - Installation/Uninstall

• Validate the installation procedure
• Validate the uninstallation procedure

• Note any leftover files which the uninstallation failed to remove

Step 9 - Inspection

• Inspect in WB/MO

• Make note of any file conflicts

Using a mod manager, take note of any conflicts that appear against vanilla Skyrim files and other STEP mods. The process is different for each mod manager so you should be familiar how to do this in your chosen manager (MO is the recommend manager for testing). For mods with BSA archives, extract these archives into loose files to be able to see the conflicts. This can be done easily using BSAopt for WB users. MO provides the option to extract BSAs during installation of the mod.

Step 10 - Before Testing

Enable papyrus logging if it's not already enabled.

Open your Skyrim.ini file and scroll down to [Papyrus]. Set bEnableLogging=0 to 1 and save. MO users will need to do this in their profile INI files using the INI Editor.

[edit]

Still to be reviewed.

General Information

This section is the most important and will detail the steps required to test a mod in such a way that it can be recommended for STEP. It will be as simple and streamlined as possible. However, regarding the complexity, breadth and depth of mods for Skyrim, this guide will never be able to cover all testing scenarios. Ultimately, this guide should cover the majority of mod testing scenarios, but when it doesn't use your best judgment.

Testing Procedure

To begin with, the mod you have chosen to test will be examined using several tools to assess viability. This should have been completed from the External Testing tab.

Next, the mod will be tested on a vanilla Skyrim profile.

Thirdly, the mod will be tested on a complete Baseline STEP Skyrim profile.

Lastly, the Mod Testers will write detailed review (as much as possible) about their findings.

Screen & Video Captures

When screenshots or videos are needed for comparisons, provide them from in-game sources. Do not use "studio" applications to provide shots and/or video. In-game lighting conditions and rendering can change the appearance of many textures compared to studio applications. Therefore, it is very important to capture these comparisons from within the game itself.

FRAPS is an excellent program for both screen and video captures in-game as well as capturing FPS data; however, feel free to use your preferred program for captures. The paid version of FRAPS provides more functionality and is recommended. PNG is the preferred format for screen captures due to its accuracy in capturing correct colors, saturation, tints, etc. JPEG is not recommended because some loss of the image's originality can be lost; however, it can be used if PNG isn't an option. Do not use GIF format for screen captures!

For video captures, AVI, MKV, and MP4 file formats (containers) are best. FRAPS will capture videos in the AVI format. Using one of these three formats or a higher quality one for capturing video is very important for proper captures in high definition. If you can set the codec for captures, use H.264 as the first choice and MPEG-4 as a second choice. Video for true HD should be captured in 1080p, not 1080i. Audio for video captures, if it can be set, should be no less than a 48khz sample rate and no less than a 128kbps bit rate (96khz sample/384kbps bit rate is recommended for true HD audio). Use this information for encoding edited videos for compares as well. Adobe Premiere Elements is excellent for this, but rather expensive.

When uploading captures for posting compares on the STEP forums, please use a 3rd party service to host your captures. Do not store your captures on the STEP wiki! Imgur has proven to be an excellent free image hosting site for uploading screen captures to. It will re-compress your PNGs to JPEGs without any loss in quality. If using Imgur or JPEGs, please use the inline image functions on the forums to post your compares. For posting video captures, please use YouTube. Other services have proven themselves annoying for members to use; most requiring an account to view the videos. YouTube videos can also be included right in the post using the video clip button in the formatting bar on the forum. As long as you've followed the recommendations above for video captures and encoding, your YouTube videos will be in proper HD.

Quick tip: Unless you're running at a monitor resolution of 1920x1080 or higher and capturing at that resolution, do not encode your videos in 1080p. The result will be blurry due to upscaling. If you're below 1920x1080, 1600x900 for example, encode your videos in 720p.

External Assesment

Plugin Assessment

Using WB, assess the plugin. Right-click on the .esp or .esm plugin and highlight "Mod Cleaning" in WB. In the drop down box, select "Scan for UDR's". This will indicate if the mod is clean or dirty, which should be noted in the review. Once additional programs such as TESVEdit, TESVJedit, and TESVGecko are released a more detailed explanation will be added. This can also be done with BOSS; however, neither of this methods are completely accurate.

Enable a Vanilla Skyrim Profile

Enable your vanilla version of skyrim using SIS or MO. Do not start the game yet.

Generate Default Skyrim.ini & SkyrimPrefs.ini Files

If you have not already done so using SIS or MO, generate default ini files on medium or high settings with the relevant modifications by following the instructions in the Skyrim Stability and Settings.

Papyrus Logging

During all stages of mod testing, papyrus logging should be enabled. Activate it by changing the relevant ini values in the Skyrim.ini file under Documents/My Games/Skyrim/ (for Win7).

Testing Locations

• Testing Hall

• Riften

• Whiterun

• Riverwood

• Mod Specific

Helpful Console Commands

To open the in-game console press the [ ~ ] (tilde) key normally located just below the ESC key. Press it again to close the console.

coc locationName

Transports you to specified location. Replace the locationName with the name of the location. A list of location names can be found here.

tgm

Toggles God Mode on/off.

tcl

Toggles collisions on/off. Don't use while falling or CTD can occur.

tfc

Toggles Free Camera Mode on/off

tfc 1

Pauses Free Camera Mode

tm

Toggles menus on/off. Useful when taking screenshots. Immersive HUD can be used to achieve this without having to use the console.

Texture Mod Testing

[edit]

Still to be created and archives added.

General

Below are saved game archives that are meant to be used for mod testing purposes only. Using these saves to "skip" ahead in the game is not recommended. All locations have been unlocked for the saves as well. Game setup for saves include:

• Skyrim version: 1.9.32.08
• SKSE version: 1.6.16 rel 44
• DLC/Mods

• Dawnguard
• Hearthfire
• Dragonborn
• Unofficial Skyrim Patch
• Unofficial Dawnguard Patch
• Unofficial Hearthfire Patch
• Unofficial Dragonborn Patch
• Unofficial High Resolution Patch

Note: HRDLC was present in saves; however, they were used as loose files so they have no effect on the save files.

Vanilla Saves

Tester Nord - Game Start
This save is based off a default Nord (male) character which has no customization. Character is at level 1, has no perks assigned, is located just outside the Helgen Keep cavern exit and has all map locations unlocked. This save will be helpful for texture mod compares and testing as you'll quickly be able to switch to different locations around Tamriel.

Tester Nord - Archive
This is a collection of saves based on the above save; however, with character advancements. Character has perks assigned and has completed incremental parts of the storyline (depending on the save loaded). As such, expect to find the character with a range of armor, inventory, and weapons all depending on which save is loaded. These archives will be most helpful when needing to test at a certain point or quest in the game as you'll be able to pick a save that is the closest to the point at which testing is required. This archive will be updated until it encompassed a completed game.

[edit]

Still to be reviewed.

General Information

Several in-game tools will be specified here. These tools will for the most part be mods that are particularly useful when it comes to mod testing.

Elys MemInfo is a SKSE plugin that is very useful for displaying in game resource usage. Currently it is able to show RAM, Pagefile, Virtual Manager, Handles, and VRAM use and utilization by Skyrim. This is most useful when testing mods that affect graphics, such as texture mods, FXAA Injectors, ENB presets, and lighting and shadow tweaks and mods. For example, when testing out texture omptimizer, such as DDSOpt, it is possible to see how much VRAM use has decreased in certain areas. If you are hitting your graphic cards VRAM limit, it is useful to know that the optimizations have lowered VRAM use. Since Elys MemInfo displays this information in game, there is no need to minimize the game to bring up alternative resource use tools such as GPUZ or the Task Manager. (Requires SKSE)

Alternative Start - Live Another Life is an extremely useful in game testing mod. As explained before, mod testing is best done by starting a new game. One of the issues with testing out one, or many, mods quickly when starting out a new game, is the requirement by Skyrim to watch and play the opening sequence of the game. This mod allows mod testers to simply skip the rather long introduction sequence. For reducing the time required for testing mods, Live Another Life is an invaluable addition. It is also a safe and clean mod, and will not break any quest lines.

No Boring Sleep Wait Menu allows the tester to wait up to 31 days quickly and easily, which is not possible using the vanilla waiting system. Skyrim requires a 31 day in-game wait time before as many cells as possible can be reset. Cell resets are useful when mod testing for several reasons. A cell may be badly generated, or you wish to install a mod without starting a new game for testing. In both cases a cell reset will potentially generate a proper cell, and the new mod may be integrated properly, especially if the mod affects spawns.

ScenicCarriages transforms the non-moving Skyrim carriages to a fully functional carriage ride. This mod is great for bench testing performance within the game. It will allow you to provide more accurate results than if you tried to bench and re-bench by simply walking/running. Simply pay the carriage driver to go from Whiterun to Riften, climb in the back of the carriage, hit your benchmark hot key (FRAPS) and you're off. For best results when using this for benchmarking, use the default settings and don't move the mouse to look around. The ride from Whiterun to Riften will take around 15 minutes and provides a wide range of textures during the benchmark.

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Still to be reviewed.

General Information

This page contains a list of programs that will be recommended for use during the testing procedure.

Generic Programs

GPU-Z is an amazing lightweight program that offers a plethora of information regarding any type of gpu you have, as well as allowing logging and graphing of gpu related processes such as vram load, temperature, clock speeds, and far more. This will be the main tool for testing graphic related mods, as its logging ability is very useful here.

Nvidia Inspector (NI), is a program that allows for in depth gpu information of Nvidia graphics cards. It allows for very fine profile tuning for skyrim, as well as monitors for a range of process such as gpu temperature and vram use.

FRAPS is an excellent program for capturing both screenshots and video. It's as easy as pressing your Hotkey while in-game. FRAPS is also great at capturing FPS data for performance testing. Both free and paid versions are available; however, if you're serious about Mod Testing and plan on capturing a lot of shots or videos then the paid version, which opens up new (and better) file formats for screenshots and better options overall, is well worth the cost.

FRAPS Bench Viewer is a free tool that graphs out your FRAPS logs from your benchmarks (FPS data) in easy to read visual graphs. This makes it very easy to spot performance issues.

ATI Tools

Skyrim Focused Programs

• Skyrim Performance Monitor
• TES5Edit
• TES5Dump

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To be added into the guide ...maybe.

• Camera mod

• wrye bash

• esmfy esps to fix ctds/ tesvsnip.

• saves

• multiple save files from vanilla setup, heavy exterior areas, heavy interior.
• link to total cell clear in troubleshooting guide
• z92's suggestions for 60s run throughs.

• in game tools

• camera mod

• software tools

• skyrim performance monitor, FPS background booster.

Completed Pages

• Mod Testing Prep
• External Testing Procedures