I've finally pushed Skyrim past the limit, please help.

[skullsy]

Through many immersion, graphical improvement mods, and realism tweaks, my Skyrim now uses more RAM than Bethesda allowed it to use. As a result, when going outside in deeply detailed areas, my game crashes to desktop with no warning what-so-ever.

 

I checked the debug file, and it supports my theory.

 

Anyway, I was wondering if any of you people had a way to force Skyrim to allow more RAM usage (I've already changed the .ini file), or if anyone had any tips that would allow me to cut down on Skyrims RAM usage, without cutting back too much on the beauty.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

EDIT: (for specs)

 

Intel i5 3570k 3.9 GHz (Ivy Bridge)

nVidia GTX 680 2GB

16 GB 1866 RAM

 

Temps never go over 35-40C

Edited May 27, 2013 by skullsy

[Georgiegril]

You can't exceed the limit, but I wonder if you've tried to optimize your texture files?

Personally I am just investigating doing this myself, so I can't swear it will work. However there are a couple out there, and they may pull your game back enough to keep it going.

 

Skyrim Mods Complex Optimizer

 

and

 

Optimizer textures

 

Those are the 2 I've run across-- there may be more. If you try this, and it works, I would love to hear about it!

 

Other than that, you might try simplifying a few things--finishing some quests if you have a bunch open in your journal, getting rid of inventory, followers.

Also if you are using a larger than default gridstoload, going back to the default will save you a lot of RAM.

A mod like Possessive Corpses might cut out a bit.

 

If you post your BOSS log and prefs.ini, it might help people give you more targeted advice.

[skullsy]

I optimized the textures + meshes, it helped, but didn't fix it entirely.

Before, when exiting the starting dungeon, the game crashed immediately. Now I can 'almost' make it to the sight stones.

Here is my prefs.ini

 

 

[General]
fBrightLightColorB=1.0000
fBrightLightColorG=1.0000
fBrightLightColorR=1.0000
iStoryManagerLoggingEvent=-1
bEnableStoryManagerLogging=0
iLargeIntRefCount=999999
iMaxAllocatedMemoryBytes=4000000000
[imagespace]
bDoDepthOfField=1
iRadialBlurLevel=2
fFlickeringLightDistance=8192
[Display]
bTransparencyMultisampling=0
iBlurDeferredShadowMask=3
fInteriorShadowDistance=2500.0000
bShadowsOnGrass=0
fShadowDistance=2500.0000
iShadowMapResolutionSecondary=4096
iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=4096
iShadowSplitCount=2
fSunShadowUpdateTime=0
fSunUpdateThreshold=2.0
iMaxAnisotropy=8
fLeafAnimDampenDistEnd=4600.0000
fLeafAnimDampenDistStart=3600.0000
fTreesMidLODSwitchDist=10000000.0000
fGamma=1.4000
fDecalLOD2=1500.0000
fDecalLOD1=1000.0000
fSpecularLODStartFade=1730.0000
fShadowLODStartFade=500.0000
fLightLODStartFade=3335.0000
iTexMipMapMinimum=0
iTexMipMapSkip=0
iWaterMultiSamples=0
iMultiSample=4
iShadowMode=4
bTreesReceiveShadows=1
bDrawLandShadows=1
bFull Screen=1
iSize H=1080
iSize W=1920
fMeshLODFadePercentDefault=1.2000
fMeshLODFadeBoundDefault=256.0000
fMeshLODLevel2FadeTreeDistance=2048.0000
fMeshLODLevel1FadeTreeDistance=2844.0000
fMeshLODLevel2FadeDist=10000000.0000
fMeshLODLevel1FadeDist=10000000.0000
iScreenShotIndex=4
bShadowMaskZPrepass=0
bMainZPrepass=0
iMaxSkinDecalsPerFrame=25
iMaxDecalsPerFrame=100
bFloatPointRenderTarget=1
sD3DDevice="NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680"
bFXAAEnabled=1
iShadowMapResolution=4096
fShadowBiasScale=0.1500
iShadowMaskQuarter=4
iAdapter=0
iPresentInterval=1
iShadowFilter=4
bDeferredShadows=0
bDrawShadows=1
[Grass]
b30GrassVS=0
fGrassStartFadeDistance=15000.0000
fGrassMaxStartFadeDistance=15000.0000
fGrassMinStartFadeDistance=1000.0000
iMaxGrassTypesPerTexure=6
[MAIN]
bGamepadEnable=1
bCrosshairEnabled=0
fHUDOpacity=0.3000
bSaveOnPause=1
bSaveOnTravel=1
bSaveOnWait=1
bSaveOnRest=1
fSkyCellRefFadeDistance=150000.0000
[GamePlay]
bShowFloatingQuestMarkers=1
bShowQuestMarkers=1
iDifficulty=2
[interface]
bDialogueSubtitles=0
bGeneralSubtitles=0
fMouseCursorSpeed=1.0000
bShowCompass=1
[Controls]
fGamepadHeadingSensitivity=1.0000
fMouseHeadingSensitivity=0.0500
bAlwaysRunByDefault=1
bInvertYValues=0
bGamePadRumble=1
bMouseAcceleration=0
bUseKinect=0
[Particles]
iMaxDesired=750
[saveGame]
fAutosaveEveryXMins=15.0000
[AudioMenu]
fAudioMasterVolume=0.2500
fVal7=1.0000
uID7=0
fVal6=1.0000
uID6=0
fVal5=1.0000
uID5=0
fVal4=1.0000
uID4=0
fVal3=0.8000
uID3=94881
fVal2=0.3000
uID2=466532
fVal1=1.0000
uID1=554685
fVal0=0.8000
uID0=1007612
[Clouds]
fCloudLevel2Distance=262144.0000
fCloudLevel1Distance=32768.0000
fCloudLevel0Distance=16384.0000
fCloudNearFadeDistance=9000.0000
[TerrainManager]
fTreeLoadDistance=75000.0000
fBlockMaximumDistance=250000.0000
fBlockLevel1Distance=70000.0000
fBlockLevel0Distance=35000.0000
fSplitDistanceMult=1.5000
bShowLODInEditor=0
[NavMesh]
fObstacleAlpha=0.5000
fCoverSideHighAlpha=0.8000
fCoverSideLowAlpha=0.6500
fEdgeFullAlpha=1.0000
fEdgeHighAlpha=0.7500
fEdgeLowAlpha=0.5000
fTriangleFullAlpha=0.7000
fTriangleHighAlpha=0.3500
fTriangleLowAlpha=0.2000
fLedgeBoxHalfHeight=25.0000
fEdgeDistFromVert=10.0000
fEdgeThickness=10.0000
fPointSize=2.5000
[Trees]
bRenderSkinnedTrees=1
uiMaxSkinnedTreesToRender=20
[Decals]
uMaxDecals=1000
bDecals=1
bSkinnedDecals=1
uMaxSkinDecals=100
uMaxSkinDecalsPerActor=60
[LOD]
fLODFadeOutMultObjects=15.0000
fLODFadeOutMultItems=10.0000
fLODFadeOutMultActors=15.0000
fLODFadeOutMultSkyCell=1.0000
[Launcher]
bEnableFileSelection=1
bShowAllResolutions=1
uLastAspectRatio=3
[blurShaderHDR]
bDoHighDynamicRange=1
[blurShader]
bUseBlurShader=0
[Water]
iWaterReflectHeight=512
iWaterReflectWidth=512
bUseWaterDisplacements=1
bUseWaterRefractions=1
bUseWaterReflections=1
bUseWaterDepth=1

 

 

It's quite ridiculous, what is my biggest RAM hog in this?

Thanks for the reply, by the way!

 

And my boss log....

 

 

BOSS
Version 2.1.1


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Thanks again!

Edited May 27, 2013 by skullsy

[Georgiegril]

Ok...

I misunderstood you before--I thought you had been playing a stable game for quite a while, and then got the memory crash.

But now it sounds as though you are starting a new game, and are crashing? That is a different matter.

 

Based on that, I would suggest the following:

 

1. Revert to vanilla. Start game again, no mods or other tweaks until after exiting Helgen. (This includes no ini tweaks.) You will not have good luck trying to add mods to a game until after the cave.

2. After Helgen start making one or two changes at a time, run boss (if you added mods) and play for stability. Make sure you have read everything available about any mod or tweak.

 

 

When you revert to vanilla, that will overwrite your ini files. You may want to make a backup, but I would not reapply these files to your new game, rather use them as a guide.

(and definitely make a backup of the new default files before trying any changes)

Just looking at your prefs.ini file, you have some seriously over-buffed settings as well as settings that should be in your skyrim.ini file instead.

 

For example:

These both belong in the skyrim ini file.

iLargeIntRefCount=999999 (also STEP suggests a value of 262144)

iMaxAllocatedMemoryBytes= (4000000000 I would pull this down to 3500000000)

 

Buffed settings:

fSkyCellRefFadeDistance=150000.0000

Lowering this to 500000 may reduce the annoying cloud pop-in around mountains. I use only 1000000, and have no pop-in at all.

 

fMeshLODLevel2FadeDist=10000000.0000
fMeshLODLevel1FadeDist=10000000.0000

 

I would recommend lowering these to

fMeshLODLevel2FadeDist=3072.0000
fMeshLODLevel1FadeDist=4096.0000

 

Likewise, some of these seem high--
fBlockLevel1Distance=70000.0000 (you could try 140000)
fBlockLevel0Distance=35000.0000 (and 75000)

 

To compensate, you might try a higher splitdistance multiplier, to push out the transition and make the game seem smoother.

fSplitDistanceMult=0.4000 (this is what I use)

 

Finally:

uMaxDecals=1000 (Id suggest cutting this to at least 500. I think the default is 250).

 

Also disabling blurshader HDR can save you a bunch on performance, unless you really love the effect--to me its not worth it.

 

If you decide to take my advice and start fresh, I think you will find your game will be much more stable and perform better. Anyway, good luck to you!