Lighting on some surfaces flickering on & off

[superpangolin]

I've encountered a pretty weird bug that, whilst isn't game-breaking, is completely immersion-breaking and a huge pain. In a few select areas of the game, the lighting on some surfaces will flicker on & off depending on the camera angle. It doesn't happen everywhere, but it happens often enough to be a nuisance.

It is most noticeable in Windhelm, particularly on the path up to it, which is where I took these screenshots. These side-by-side screens were taken seconds after another, looking at more or less the EXACT same spots - just moving the camera a FRACTION (seriously, look at the compass, it's that minor). For lighting mods, I'm using Realistic Lighting Overhaul and Mike Foxs Darker Nights Bl20.

RLO + Mike Fox:
http://oi59.tinypic.com/29f593c.jpg
http://oi58.tinypic.com/veufkk.jpg
http://oi61.tinypic.com/14ul1ee.jpg

I even tried uninstalling Mike Foxs Darker Nights before creating a new save game and making my way to Windhelm again, but the issue still persists, leading me to believe it's on the part of Realistic Lighting Overhaul or a conflict with it.

RLO:
http://oi59.tinypic.com/1zbaywj.jpg
http://oi61.tinypic.com/33f8ebs.jpg

I can't remove RLO to try a new game the same way, because I get a CTD on launch.

I regularly used BOSS and now LOOT to sort load order, whilst also trying to make adjustments as recommended by mod authors. Neither program's load order will solve the problem however, both give me the exact same result. Running the two immediately after each other I get:

BOSS load order:

Skyrim.esm
Update.esm
Unofficial Skyrim Patch.esp Version 2.0.6
Dawnguard.esm
Unofficial Dawnguard Patch.esp Version 2.0.6
HearthFires.esm
Unofficial Hearthfire Patch.esp Version 2.0.6
Dragonborn.esm
Unofficial Dragonborn Patch.esp Version 2.0.6
JSwords.esm Version 1.4
TERAArmors.esm
HighResTexturePack01.esp (deactivated)
HighResTexturePack02.esp (deactivated)
HighResTexturePack03.esp (deactivated)
enhanceddynamicweathersystem.esp Version 1.30
MoreRain.esp
MoreSnow.esp
contrast-fix.esp
Chesko_WearableLantern.esp
Moss Rocks.esp
JSwords_Load_Screens.esp Version 1.4
Black Mage Armor.esp
bound weapons redux.esp
Cloaks.esp
Cloaks - Dawnguard.esp
Contractor Armor.esp
DragonBoneEbonsteel.esp
dragonpriestmasks.esp
Hothtrooper44_Armor_Ecksstra.esp
Hothtrooper44_ArmorCompilation.esp Version 7.1
Immersive Weapons.esp
Insanity's Craftable Dragonbane.esp Version 1.0
Insanity's Dragonbane.esp Version 1.0
JSwordsDistributionBalancePlugin.esp Version 1.4
konahrik_accoutrements.esp Version 5.3.3
konahrik_accoutrements_dpe.esp Version 5.3.3
LeftHandRings.esp Version 1.3
LeftHandRings - Dawnguard.esp Version 1.3
Mavari Armor.esp
ScoutArmor.esp
SeraticArmor.esp
SeraticHeavyArmorDark.esp
SeraticHeavyArmorGray.esp
silverknight.esp
SPOAsilverknight.esp
Throwing_Weapons_Redux.esp
uruk.esp
urukhelmet.esp
urukshield.esp
Wanderer Armor.esp Version 3.0
Dr_Bandolier.esp
Inconsequential NPCs.esp
Kynesguard.esp
lighterdbs.esp
ArtifactOverhaul.esp
BetterQuestObjectives.esp
BetterQuestObjectives-Dawnguard.esp
BetterQuestObjectives-DBForevertoMisc.esp
BR_HoodCirclets.esp
faster vanilla horses.esp
more dragons.esp
SoS - The Dungeons.esp Version 1.23
SoS - The Wilds.esp Version 1.13
SoS - Civilization.esp Version 1.02
Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Dungeons.esp Version 4
Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Dawnguard Interiors.esp Version 4
Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Minor Cities and Town Interiors.esp Version 4
Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Major City Exteriors.esp Version 4
Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Major City Interiors.esp Version 4
RLO - Adaptive Interiors Vanilla Weathers Patch.esp Version 4
Darker Nights_20bl.esp
SoS - The Dungeons-PatchRLODungeons.esp
SoS - The Dungeons-PatchRLOMajorCityInteriors.esp
SoS - Civilization-PatchRLOMajorCityInteriors.esp
SoS - Civilization-PatchRLOMinorCities.esp
spellsneak.esp
EnchantmentOverhaul.esp
flexibleperktrees.esp
Alteration and Restoration redux.esp
Horses for followers.esp
Better Follower Improvements.esp
Follower Trap Safety.esp
Purewaters.esp Version 4.5
PurewatersDG.esp

LOOT load order:

Skyrim.esm
Update.esm
Unofficial Skyrim Patch.esp Version 2.0.6
Dawnguard.esm
Unofficial Dawnguard Patch.esp Version 2.0.6
HearthFires.esm
Unofficial Hearthfire Patch.esp Version 2.0.6
Dragonborn.esm
Unofficial Dragonborn Patch.esp Version 2.0.6
JSwords.esm Version 1.4
TERAArmors.esm
HighResTexturePack01.esp (deactivated)
HighResTexturePack02.esp (deactivated)
HighResTexturePack03.esp (deactivated)
BetterQuestObjectives.esp
urukhelmet.esp
DragonBoneEbonsteel.esp
ShieldsDefendYouFrommagic40.esp
dragonpriestmasks.esp
BetterQuestObjectives-Dawnguard.esp
Chesko_WearableLantern.esp
Insanity's Craftable Dragonbane.esp
BetterQuestObjectives-DBForevertoMisc.esp
LeftHandRings - Dawnguard.esp
Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Major City Exteriors.esp
faster vanilla horses.esp
Hothtrooper44_Armor_Ecksstra.esp
LeftHandRings.esp
Darker Nights_20bl.esp
Follower Trap Safety.esp
MoreSnow.esp
Immersive Weapons.esp
more dragons.esp
Better Followed Improvements.esp
JSwords_Load_Screens.esp
SeraticHeavyArmorGray.esp
lighterdbs.esp
contrast-fix.esp
Moss Rocks.esp
Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Major City Interiors.esp
SeraticArmor.esp
SeraticHeavyArmorDark.esp
silverknight.esp
SoS - The Wilds.esp
SoS - Civilization.esp
Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Dungeons.esp
RLO - Adaptive Interiors Vanilla Weathers Patch
MoreRain.esp
Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Dawnguard Interiors.esp
Cloaks - Dawnguard.esp
Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Minor Cities and Town Interiors.esp
enhanceddynamicweathersystem.esp
SoS - The Dungeons.esp
Hothtrooper44_ArmorCompilation.esp
SoS - Civilization-PatchROLOMinorCities.esp
SPOAsilverknight.esp
Tera Armor Level List.esp
ArtifactOverhaul.esp
Insanity's Dragonbane.esp
Kynesguard.esp
EnchantmentOverhaul.esp
uruk.esp
urukshield.esp
spellsneak.esp
Dr_Bandolier.esp
SoS - Civilization-PatchRLOMajorCityInteriors.esp
Inconsequential NPCs.esp
Cloaks.esp
JSwordsDistributionBalancePlugin.esp
Throwing_Weapons_Redux.esp
Alteration and Restoration redux.esp
Black Mage Armor.esp
SoS - The Dungeons-PatchRLODungeons.esp
konahrik_accoutrements_dpe.esp
SoS - The Dungeons-PatchRLOMajorCityInteriors.esp
BR_HoodCirclets.esp
flexibleperktrees.esp
Purewaters.esp
bound weapons redux.esp
konahrik_accoutrements.esp
Horses for followers.esp
PurewatersDG.esp
riverwood parrot fixed.esp
Contractor Armor.esp
Mavari Armor.esp
ScoutArmor.esp
Wanderer Armor.esp

LOOT's load order seems a little all over the place, but I haven't been able to apply as many changes as I could with BOSS because configuring the load order properly seems impossible.

I've also tried playing with cleaned plugins using TESVEdit, but that didn't work either. I'm at a complete loss as to what may be causing this bug... any pointers would be hugely appreciated. I've wasted so many hours of my life trying to fix this!

[GazzTempest]

There is a limit on light sources that can be put in areas, while RLO is great, it has many instances of this. Enhanced Light and Effects has this too.

 

Sadly there is no fix, just a limitation of the game engine.

[superpangolin]

That I've read, something ridiculous like only 4 light sources right?

 

I knew the RLO guys admitted the mod wasn't perfect and there may be some areas that aren't ideal, but this was such a major and glaringly obvious one I figured it would have to be something my end. I mean, it's a LONG run up that path to Windhelm, and at night with just some light mouse movement I can effectively make the whole area strobe - didn't seem like the kind of thing that would be overlooked, yenno?

 

Well I'll see what they come back to me with... if it's genuinely an effect of RLO I'll probably uninstall it and start over to be honest. Trying to quest around Solitude & Windhelm whilst the cities are strobing definitely hampers the immersive experience unfortunately. A shame, because for the hours & hours I played before it became a pain, RLO was doing a damn good job of looking wonderful.

[GazzTempest]

You may have already done this, but always make sure when installing RLO you select the no guard torches or it will be even worse.

 

As you will see here, enhanced light and effects also suffers some flickering on the bridge too, although to a smaller degree.

 

http://i.imgur.com/UWdgmvs.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/rIjISLy.jpg

 

edit: forgot to add, your wearable lantern may also make it worse.

Edited September 16, 2014 by en3raider

[superpangolin]

In all honesty I'm not sure I did select that, I'll have a check.

 

As for the wearable lantern, I'd considered it, but the game is so dark when I don't have it out at night thanks to Darker Nights it would be impossible to tell if it had an effect. :P

 

All I know is that during the day, when I don't have the wearable lantern out, the flickering is DEFINITELY still there - not sure if the number of light sources changes during the day though, for all I know it could.