Texture Option Question

[dennis20014]

I use this 'texture optimizer' to compress the 1k texture pack (I use the lite version of the popular 2k) as my 560ti only has 1GB of ram. I actually use it to compress all textures ,on the minimum (safe) setting.

 

However, I still get crashes from time to time, even with the various tweaks to ini's and adjusting various settings in the launcher options.

 

I recently learned about the 3.1GB ctd error as most of us have, and I have come to find out through the performance monitor that this is USUALLY (out of most of my tests) the reason for crashing.

 

Now it is is my understanding, that textures in skyrim are loaded into RAM (not VRAM) is this correct?

 

I'm pretty sure it is, as I see my RAM usage decrease by at least 10% (more) even when going from High to medium in the launcher options. This is even with textures compressed already.

 

So here is my big question, going forward assuming everything I have said is right.

 

With the quality even lower on medium, would it be better to reinstall the texture packs, then just play on the medium setting? Or would it be better (for those who use that linked utility I wrote about) to pick a higher setting? Within the program I mean (medium compress as opposed to minimum that I use now)

 

Cause it does indeed compress textures without much quality loss, but I'm trying to find out if it would make more sense to just pick a higher setting on that, than playing on medium. Because it (the quality loss ) is quite noticeable when going from high to medium, than it is with just the textures compressed and staying on high.

 

Okay sorry that was long, but I hope someone understands what I am asking! haha

Edited August 1, 2013 by dennis20014

[prod80]

ummm if you reach 3.1GB RAM usage using 1K textures something else is wrong.

 

I use 2K and 4K textures (mostly 2K) and am not reaching 3.1GB limit.... and if you check my screenshots you'll see my game is really heavily modded...

 

What kind of tweaks have you done to your ini's (skyrim.ini / skyrimprefs.ini)

 

 

 

  Quote

 

Now it is is my understanding, that textures in skyrim are loaded into RAM (not VRAM) is this correct?

 

Wrong.... sorta... Textures are loaded into VRAM and due to Skyrim being DirectX9 it will mirror them into your RAM... but not everything. It only mirrors the textures but it will not mirror things your card does internally, like AA, which also takes up VRAM.

[dennis20014]

  On 8/1/2013 at 10:12 PM, prod80 said:

ummm if you reach 3.1GB RAM usage using 1K textures something else is wrong.

 

I use 2K and 4K textures (mostly 2K) and am not reaching 3.1GB limit.... and if you check my screenshots you'll see my game is really heavily modded...

 

What kind of tweaks have you done to your ini's (skyrim.ini / skyrimprefs.ini)

 

 

 

  Quote

 

Now it is is my understanding, that textures in skyrim are loaded into RAM (not VRAM) is this correct?

 

Wrong.... sorta... Textures are loaded into VRAM and due to Skyrim being DirectX9 it will mirror them into your RAM... but not everything. It only mirrors the textures but it will not mirror things your card does internally, like AA, which also takes up VRAM.

 

 

Ah yeah right, I guess that makes more sense lol. I thought it odd if it was the case. Here are both of what my ini's are. Let me know if anything is outdated or of no use! :)

 

 

Skyrim INI

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

[General]

sLanguage=ENGLISH

bUseThreadedTempEffects=1

bUseThreadedParticleSystem=1

bMultiThreadMovement=1

bUseThreadedMorpher=1

fFlickeringLightDistance=8192

sIntroSequence=

uExterior Cell Buffer=6

uInterior Cell Buffer=1

bPreemptivelyUnloadCells=1

iLargeIntRefCount=131072

[Display]

fShadowLODMaxStartFade=1000.0

fSpecularLODMaxStartFade=2000.0

fLightLODMaxStartFade=3500.0

iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=2048

bAllowScreenshot=1

[Audio]

fMusicDuckingSeconds=6.0

fMusicUnDuckingSeconds=8.0

fMenuModeFadeOutTime=3.0

fMenuModeFadeInTime=1.0

[Grass]

bAllowCreateGrass=1

bAllowLoadGrass=0

iMaxGrassTypesPerTexure=6

[GeneralWarnings]

SGeneralMasterMismatchWarning=One or more plugins could not find the correct versions of the master files they depend on. Errors may occur during load or game play. Check the "Warnings.txt" file for more information.

[Archive]

sResourceArchiveList=Skyrim - Misc.bsa, Skyrim - Shaders.bsa, Skyrim - Textures.bsa, Skyrim - Interface.bsa, Skyrim - Animations.bsa, Skyrim - Meshes.bsa, Skyrim - Sounds.bsa

sResourceArchiveList2=Skyrim - Voices.bsa, Skyrim - VoicesExtra.bsa

[Combat]

fMagnetismStrafeHeadingMult=0.0

fMagnetismLookingMult=0.0

[Papyrus]

fPostLoadUpdateTimeMS=500.0

bEnableLogging=1

bEnableTrace=0

bLoadDebugInformation=0

[Water]

bReflectLODObjects=1

bReflectLODLand=1

bReflectSky=1

bReflectLODTrees=1

[backgroundLoad]

bBackgroundLoadLipFiles=1

bLoadBackgroundFaceGen=1

bUseMultiThreadedFaceGen=1

bBackgroundCellLoads=1

bLoadHelmetsInBackground=1

bUseMultiThreadedTrees=1

bUseBackgroundFileLoader=1

[Animation]

bMultiThreadBoneUpdate=1

[HAVOK]

iNumThreads=04

[MapMenu]

sMapCloudNIF=0

bWorldMapNoSkyDepthBlur=1

fWorldMapNearDepthBlurScale=0

fWorldMapDepthBlurScale=0

fWorldMapMaximumDepthBlur=0

fMapWorldYawRange=3600.0000

fMapWorldMaxHeight=130000.0000

fMapWorldMinHeight=5000.0000

[interface]

fBookOpenTime=200.0000

[Decals]

bDecalMultithreaded=1

 

 

 

 

Skyrim Pref INI

  Reveal hidden contents

[General]

fBrightLightColorB=1.0000

fBrightLightColorG=1.0000

fBrightLightColorR=1.0000

iStoryManagerLoggingEvent=-1

bEnableStoryManagerLogging=0

bUseThreadedParticleSystem=1

bUseThreadedBlood=1

bUseThreadedLOD=1

bUseThreadedAI=1

bUseThreadedMorpher=1

bUseThreadedTempEffects=1

bUseThreadedTextures=1

bUseThreadedMeshes=1

[imagespace]

bDoDepthOfField=1

iRadialBlurLevel=2

[Display]

fSunShadowUpdateTime=0.0025

fSunUpdateThreshold=0.0025

iBlurDeferredShadowMask=3

fInteriorShadowDistance=2500.0000

fShadowDistance=4000

iShadowMapResolutionSecondary=2048

iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=2048

iShadowSplitCount=2

iMaxAnisotropy=1

fLeafAnimDampenDistEnd=4600.0000

fLeafAnimDampenDistStart=3600.0000

fTreesMidLODSwitchDist=5000

fGamma=1.4000

fDecalLOD2=1500.0000

fDecalLOD1=1000.0000

fSpecularLODStartFade=2000

fShadowLODStartFade=500.0000

fLightLODStartFade=3500

iTexMipMapMinimum=0

iTexMipMapSkip=1

iWaterMultiSamples=0

iMultiSample=1

iShadowMode=4

bTreesReceiveShadows=1

bDrawLandShadows=1

bFull Screen=1

iSize H=1080

iSize W=1920

fMeshLODFadePercentDefault=1.2000

fMeshLODFadeBoundDefault=256.0000

fMeshLODLevel2FadeTreeDistance=10000000.0000

fMeshLODLevel1FadeTreeDistance=10000000.0000

fMeshLODLevel2FadeDist=1e+007

fMeshLODLevel1FadeDist=1e+007

iScreenShotIndex=66

bShadowMaskZPrepass=0

bMainZPrepass=0

iMaxSkinDecalsPerFrame=10

iMaxDecalsPerFrame=30

bFloatPointRenderTarget=1

sD3DDevice="NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti "

bFXAAEnabled=1

iShadowMapResolution=2048

fShadowBiasScale=0.25

iShadowMaskQuarter=4

iAdapter=0

iPresentInterval=1

iShadowFilter=4

bShadowsOnGrass=1

bTransparencyMultisampling=0

bDeferredShadows=1

bDrawShadows=1

[Grass]

b30GrassVS=1

fGrassStartFadeDistance=5000

fGrassMaxStartFadeDistance=7000.0000

fGrassMinStartFadeDistance=0.0000

[MAIN]

bGamepadEnable=1

bCrosshairEnabled=1

fHUDOpacity=1.0000

bSaveOnPause=1

bSaveOnTravel=0

bSaveOnWait=0

bSaveOnRest=0

fSkyCellRefFadeDistance=150000.0000

[GamePlay]

bShowFloatingQuestMarkers=1

bShowQuestMarkers=1

iDifficulty=4

[interface]

bDialogueSubtitles=0

bGeneralSubtitles=1

fMouseCursorSpeed=1.0000

bShowCompass=1

[Controls]

fGamepadHeadingSensitivity=1.0000

fMouseHeadingSensitivity=0.0140

bAlwaysRunByDefault=1

bInvertYValues=0

bGamePadRumble=1

bMouseAcceleration=1

bUseKinect=0

[Particles]

iMaxDesired=750

[saveGame]

fAutosaveEveryXMins=15.0000

[AudioMenu]

fAudioMasterVolume=1.0000

fVal7=1.0000

uID7=0

fVal6=1.0000

uID6=0

fVal5=1.0000

uID5=0

fVal4=1.0000

uID4=0

fVal3=1.0000

uID3=94881

fVal2=0.4000

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

fBlockMaximumDistance=250000

fBlockLevel1Distance=70000

fBlockLevel0Distance=35000

fSplitDistanceMult=1.5

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

bUseThreadedMeshes=1

[Trees]

bUseMultiThreadedTrees=1

bShadowMaskZPrePass=1

bRenderSkinnedTrees=1

uiMaxSkinnedTreesToRender=20

[Decals]

bDecalMultithreaded=1

uMaxDecals=250

bDecals=1

bSkinnedDecals=1

uMaxSkinDecals=50

uMaxSkinDecalsPerActor=40

[LOD]

fLODFadeOutMultObjects=10

fLODFadeOutMultItems=11.5

fLODFadeOutMultActors=11.1

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

[backgroundLoad]

bLoadHelmetsInBackground=1

bUseMultiThreadedTrees=1

bBackgroundLoadLipFiles=1

bLoadBackgroundFaceGen=1

bUseMultiThreadedFaceGen=1

bBackgroundCellLoads=1

[prod80]

Try copy over this skyrim.ini

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

[General]

sLanguage=ENGLISH

fFlickeringLightDistance=8192

sIntroSequence=

uGridsToLoad=5

uExterior Cell Buffer=36

uInterior Cell Buffer=6

iNumHWThreads=4

fMasterFilePreLoadMB=128.0000

iPreloadSizeLimit=209715200

bPreemptivelyUnloadCells=0

bUseThreadedTempEffects=1

bUseThreadedParticleSystem=1

bMultiThreadMovement=1

bUseThreadedMorpher=1

[Display]

fShadowLODMaxStartFade=1000.0

fSpecularLODMaxStartFade=2000.0

fLightLODMaxStartFade=3500.0

iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=2048

bAllowScreenshot=1

[Audio]

fMusicDuckingSeconds=6.0

fMusicUnDuckingSeconds=8.0

fMenuModeFadeOutTime=3.0

fMenuModeFadeInTime=1.0

[Grass]

bAllowCreateGrass=1

bAllowLoadGrass=0

iMaxGrassTypesPerTexure=6

[GeneralWarnings]

SGeneralMasterMismatchWarning=One or more plugins could not find the correct versions of the master files they depend on. Errors may occur during load or game play. Check the "Warnings.txt" file for more information.

[Archive]

sResourceArchiveList=Skyrim - Misc.bsa, Skyrim - Shaders.bsa, Skyrim - Textures.bsa, Skyrim - Interface.bsa, Skyrim - Animations.bsa, Skyrim - Meshes.bsa, Skyrim - Sounds.bsa

sResourceArchiveList2=Skyrim - Voices.bsa, Skyrim - VoicesExtra.bsa

[Combat]

fMagnetismStrafeHeadingMult=0.0

fMagnetismLookingMult=0.0

[Papyrus]

fPostLoadUpdateTimeMS=500.0

bEnableLogging=1

bEnableTrace=0

bLoadDebugInformation=0

[Water]

bReflectLODObjects=1

bReflectLODLand=1

bReflectSky=1

bReflectLODTrees=1

[backgroundLoad]

bBackgroundLoadLipFiles=1

bLoadBackgroundFaceGen=1

bUseMultiThreadedFaceGen=1

bBackgroundCellLoads=1

bLoadHelmetsInBackground=1

bUseMultiThreadedTrees=1

bUseBackgroundFileLoader=1

[Animation]

bMultiThreadBoneUpdate=1

[HAVOK]

iNumThreads=4

[MapMenu]

sMapCloudNIF=0

bWorldMapNoSkyDepthBlur=1

fWorldMapNearDepthBlurScale=0

fWorldMapDepthBlurScale=0

fWorldMapMaximumDepthBlur=0

fMapWorldYawRange=3600.0000

fMapWorldMaxHeight=130000.0000

fMapWorldMinHeight=5000.0000

[interface]

fBookOpenTime=200.0000

[Decals]

bDecalMultithreaded=1

 

 

 

 

 

Make sure you correct tehse in SkyrimPrefs.ini...

 

fMeshLODLevel2FadeDist=1e+007

fMeshLODLevel1FadeDist=1e+007

You have a lot of custom stuff in both files, you might wanna consider trying with the default files (rename both files and launch skyrim launcher to rebuild them)

[dennis20014]

Okay thanks for the information, I will test things out and let you know how it goes.

 

I will note, since using the ENBoost files, I have had less crashing. Does anyone use or recomment the ATTK program still? I remember it was big a few months back but I wasn't too sure if it was really that great or not.

[dennis20014]

Also, what would you recommend for the fMeshLODLevel1FadeDist and fMeshLODLevel2FadeDist settings?

[prod80]

10000000.0000

And I wont recommend any of those programs.

[dennis20014]

Thanks for the quick responses! I haven't crashed in about an hour and a half (except my unexplained lockup I have always gotten in a certain area right by riverwood). Otherwise it was fine this whole time.

 

And yeah I really feel like ATTK doesn't do a dang thing, then or now.

 

The enbbooster seems to work well, at least if I want to use an ENB.

[prod80]

not so sure about enboost ... you know, 32bit programs can use 4gb of virtual address space, no matter where this is located on the system (physical ram, virtual memory, vram, whatever is used)... what enboost seems to do is move memory from physical ram into video ram.. but this does not reduce the total amount virtual address space used.

 

game will still crash at the same limit.

[dennis20014]

Really? Hmm that is bizarre. I don't see the big benefit of that...not with my card's limited VRAM. Maybe if it had 2 or 4GB