How should I graphically mod my game to look it's best?

[ImWarpedd]

Hello, on Christmas I am going to be getting a very high end custom-built pc. I've been playing skyrim on a pretty low end computer, so I don't really have any experience in modding my game to look amazing. Can anyone suggest how I can begin modding my game's graphics? Bear in mind this computer is going to be pretty high end, I don't know the certain specs it has until I get it from my brother. Let me know of any mods you think are must haves, and if possible include some screenshots :D

[ArtMurder]

First I can say don't try to go "all out" even if the computer is a total beast, trying push skyrim to it's limits will introduce CTDs and FPS hangs. My computer is pretty high end as well, with an i5 processor and a GTX 660, but I still find myself using the more balanced options.

 

A lot of people swear by ENBs, because they do make the game look fantastic... when they work right. I personally don't like them very much, so I will let someone else suggest ENBs,. and aI'll suggest alternatives.

 

I suggest Ultimate Lighting Overhaul as your SweetFX mod it is very realistic in it's design.

 

To get a very ENB like look with a SweetFX mod is possible, bet hard.

 

Download Climates of Tamriel and Enhanced Lights and FX - These two together alter the lighting of the world to be super realistic and breath takingly well designed.

 

Finally, Dynavision gives the DoF of ENB, I suggest setting it to "static" as this serves to blur our just very distant things, and doesn't have the nasty "snap" visuals of most DoF you find in ENBs.

 

Also, I have a preset for ULO, that makes nights a bit darker, that is designed around these mods. I am actually mostly just linking you this for the screenshots, as it shows all these mentioned mods in action.

ULO - Dramatic Cinematic

 

For textures I use 2k Textures lite and Book of Silence. In addition to several other random single off texture replacers that those things miss. Avoid anything over 1k~2k, I still sometimes get CTDs from memory issues, but it's always after my game has been running 3+ hours, the lower res your textures are the longer you can play without CTDs. That being said the official HD DLC are very high res, yet not actually THAT great looking, so I suggest avoiding it. ^_^ In addition if you don't download the unoffical patch for it off the nexus you will find some bright purple missing textures in the HD DLC.

[ImWarpedd]

First I can say don't try to go "all out" even if the computer is a total beast, trying push skyrim to it's limits will introduce CTDs and FPS hangs. My computer is pretty high end as well, with an i5 processor and a GTX 660, but I still find myself using the more balanced options.

 

A lot of people swear by ENBs, because they do make the game look fantastic... when they work right. I personally don't like them very much, so I will let someone else suggest ENBs,. and aI'll suggest alternatives.

 

I suggest Ultimate Lighting Overhaul as your SweetFX mod it is very realistic in it's design.

 

To get a very ENB like look with a SweetFX mod is possible, bet hard.

 

Download Climates of Tamriel and Enhanced Lights and FX - These two together alter the lighting of the world to be super realistic and breath takingly well designed.

 

Finally, Dynavision gives the DoF of ENB, I suggest setting it to "static" as this serves to blur our just very distant things, and doesn't have the nasty "snap" visuals of most DoF you find in ENBs.

 

Also, I have a preset for ULO, that makes nights a bit darker, that is designed around these mods. I am actually mostly just linking you this for the screenshots, as it shows all these mentioned mods in action.

ULO - Dramatic Cinematic

 

For textures I use 2k Textures lite and Book of Silence. In addition to several other random single off texture replacers that those things miss. Avoid anything over 1k~2k, I still sometimes get CTDs from memory issues, but it's always after my game has been running 3+ hours, the lower res your textures are the longer you can play without CTDs. That being said the official HD DLC are very high res, yet not actually THAT great looking, so I suggest avoiding it. ^_^ In addition if you don't download the unoffical patch for it off the nexus you will find some bright purple missing textures in the HD DLC.

Thanks a bunch, but why do you say ENBs are bad? they look pretty amazing, can you go in more depth about what they really are? (I'm a total modding noob)

[ArtMurder]

 

First I can say don't try to go "all out" even if the computer is a total beast, trying push skyrim to it's limits will introduce CTDs and FPS hangs. My computer is pretty high end as well, with an i5 processor and a GTX 660, but I still find myself using the more balanced options.

 

A lot of people swear by ENBs, because they do make the game look fantastic... when they work right. I personally don't like them very much, so I will let someone else suggest ENBs,. and aI'll suggest alternatives.

 

I suggest Ultimate Lighting Overhaul as your SweetFX mod it is very realistic in it's design.

 

To get a very ENB like look with a SweetFX mod is possible, bet hard.

 

Download Climates of Tamriel and Enhanced Lights and FX - These two together alter the lighting of the world to be super realistic and breath takingly well designed.

 

Finally, Dynavision gives the DoF of ENB, I suggest setting it to "static" as this serves to blur our just very distant things, and doesn't have the nasty "snap" visuals of most DoF you find in ENBs.

 

Also, I have a preset for ULO, that makes nights a bit darker, that is designed around these mods. I am actually mostly just linking you this for the screenshots, as it shows all these mentioned mods in action.

ULO - Dramatic Cinematic

 

For textures I use 2k Textures lite and Book of Silence. In addition to several other random single off texture replacers that those things miss. Avoid anything over 1k~2k, I still sometimes get CTDs from memory issues, but it's always after my game has been running 3+ hours, the lower res your textures are the longer you can play without CTDs. That being said the official HD DLC are very high res, yet not actually THAT great looking, so I suggest avoiding it. ^_^ In addition if you don't download the unoffical patch for it off the nexus you will find some bright purple missing textures in the HD DLC.

Thanks a bunch, but why do you say ENBs are bad? they look pretty amazing, can you go in more depth about what they really are? (I'm a total modding noob)

 

Well, because they are performance hogs, at least some of them, even on my computer some of them cut my FPS in half, which just is not worth it in my opinion, but aside form that, every one I have ever tried has some sort of weird visual glitches you will encounter if you actually PLAY the game with them. Some of them will make dungeons as bright as the day time sky, some of them will make really dark shadows look like blue shiny oil, some of them will go totally BALLISTIC if any screen shader is activated, like when you absorb a dragon soul, find a word wall, take hist sap, etc. ENBs are more for taking screenshots and videos in specific areas, because they do look AMAZING in the specific areas they are designed to work in, but no ENB covers everything and looks great everywhere, it's because of this I avoid them. ^_^ That and most of the effects that look cool in the videos actually get old after about 2 minutes of playing with it in the game. The only thing I REALLY miss from ENBs was something only one specific ENB I found did well, and that is making metal REALLY shiny and gleam, not just have a shininess too it. BUT it also made animals fur shine and gleam...