Fallout 4 Optimization and Performance Systems Explained

[calthrop]

@ChuckSteel thanks for the reply! I guess I'll check out the cliff and rock meshes to see which grass meshes are attached and go from there. Can I ask if you know whether simply editing the UVs of something like the leafpile nifs (in landscape/forest) would break precombines (assuming its included in them) if I left the geometry and makeup of the mesh alone?

[chucksteel]

One problem you’ll run into is just editing the meshes won’t make them show. Mesh replaces don’t work the same as they did in earlier titles because of the pre-combined meshes. Basically think of pre-combined meshes like big SCOL’s (for simplicity)

 

For your edited meshes to show you would still need to break pre-combines.

[calthrop]

Gotcha. I'm guessing that the stuff in the /grass folder isn't in precombines (unlike the leafpile stuff which is in /forest), but since I can't know I'm just not going to bother. Appreciate the advice, and thanks for saving me a lot of time!

[SeargeDP]

 

Note: There's an issue where -GeneratePrecombined with either clean or filtered options produces NIFs that aren't compatible with the game due to 32-bit Havok data being used. This is a major issue that's still unresolved but IMO solvable as CK already knows how to do the right thing from the UI. -GeneratePreVisData should be unaffected as it's basically a wrapper around BGSAutomatedProcess which calls the Umbra3d optimizer. The latter part is still beneficial as easily the most tedious part of working with this data is regenerating previs from within the CK UI. However, if you're working with a long list of specific cells (e.g. @chucksteel and BTI), then generating precombines from within the UI is also quite tedious. When you use the automated commands they look at cell data of the passed in esm or esp files and only process cells that contain statics - which is way less tedious then attempting to do the same thing for 50 cells in CK's UI (as there's no way to filter by plugin owner plus too much menu/mouse/human involvement).

 

 

If you have Version 1.10.15.0 of the Creation Kit for Fallout 4, try this:

 

- open the CreationKit.exe file in a hex editor

- check if at 038A6200 you find string "1.10.15.0" to ensure CreationKit.exe is the right version

- at 0034713D change from B9 01 00 00 00 to B9 00 00 00 00

- at 00DCA716 change from B9 01 00 00 00 to B9 00 00 00 00

- save the changes to CreationKit.exe (I recommend to make a backup copy of the exe first)

 

Now the generated NIF files will all be using the x64 format and should not crash the game anymore.

 

This should make it possible to create a working, fully automated process for precombines and previs without involving any mouse clicks :smile:

 

(note: you can also change from 01 to 02 to generate files in PS4 format)

[pendannadnep]

I was having slow downs around Bunker Hill with a mod I was using so I built pre-combines and vis for the surrounding cells. It worked to speed up fps but left red markers in the ground.

 

I then tried hiding the layer they were a part of and starting over fresh but they still showed up.

[VIitS]

If you add bUseCombinedObjects=0 to your Fallout4Custom.ini (globally disables precombineds), do you see them? If so, then there are a bunch of bad meshes. You usually see that if the mesh has a major issue (such as wrong format for the game).

 

If not, something went horribly wrong with your precombined generation.

[pendannadnep]

Objects show up fine with bUseCombinedObjects=0. I should have paid more attention to what objects are turning into these red things. They are the Static refs the mod changes the Model to its own nif located in the ba2 file. Apparently the nif works fine in game but the CK is not loading the mods meshes in the ba2 or is a format the CK does not understand but the game does. I really hate using the CK.

 

The other problem I am having is trying to do the precombine vis for the area outside Goodneighbor. CK always crashes even with only Fallout4.esm loaded. RAM usage never goes above half what the machine has.

[VIitS]

You might want to uninstall the CK, verify integrity of FO4 files, and reinstall the CK. It sounds like there may be a problem with the install.

 

Edit: Actually, first delete the generated precombiend .nif files and try building previs (it will use vanilla precombineds). If that works, then the bad precombineds are causing problems with previs. Then try extracting the contents of the .ba2 to your data folder and rebuilding precombineds again.

[pendannadnep]

The red objects are visible in the CK so has nothing to do with the precombines. Thanks for you help on the issue but I am going to remove the problem mod from my list. I have successfully done precombines and vis for other mods except for one that changes goodneighbor because of the crash problem.

[wanderer3292]

Hey guys, I'm about to regenerate pre vis and pre combineds for goodneighbor and have a couple questions. Ive watched a tutorial and have read most of the info in this thread as well as other places, but it is my first time doing it.

 

Goodneighbor is its own workspace in the cell window, and it consists of 3 cells that intersect just within the gate. There are also a couple wilderness cells barely touching goodneighbor. But i havent made any changes in those cells.

 

One thing i am confused about is the fact that when i am outside of the gate to GN, the changes ive made to the goodneighbor interior gate cell, or the goodneighbor alleys cell do not show. Im not experienced enough with how the game handles these cells to know for sure, but I'm guessing that even though the 2 secondary cells are cut off within goodneighbor , they are only accessible through the GN worldspace.

 

Now my question based on the info I've provided is, am i safe to just generate the PCB and previs within those 3 goodneighbor cells, or will they break those in the cells outside of GN as well?

 

Performance in downtown around goodneighbor doesnt seem to be affected, and while i was working on the mod I had accidently moved an object from one of the wilderness cells, and with that edit performance outside of GN dropped drastically.

 

I'm prepared to trouble shoot and figure this out but i figured I'd at least ask here before i begin doing that. I'm mainly concerned with maintaining Performance as much as possible , and the only mod i know might conflict is the Boston pre vis fix on the nexus. I know i probably haven't described everything as well as i need to,but anyone offering any advice would be greatly appreciated as I'd like for this mod to function as perfectly as possible.