Strange ground-shadow texture bug

[JoeyBagsLXIX]

I don't know if anyone might know the answer to this question, but does anyone know what might be causing the visual bug in images from this link (if the link doesn't work let me know, I've never personally used imugr before but the images were too big for the Nexus post file size)?

https://imgur.com/a/3NZaH0l

These images were taken near Riverwood, near Pelagia Farm, and in front of Fort Snowhawk while building my modlist and running around to inspect the visuals. I have multiple texture packs working together so I didn't find it strange at first that there might be some texture conflicts, but when I started looking closer at these shadowy areas I noticed that they still use the same textures as the ground around them, with all of the details such as rocks perfectly lining up, but for some reason there is this "shadow" over the texture. The seams are not for a change in the texture as far as I can tell as when inspecting in the console the IDs are always the same for the normal side and "shadow side". I did wonder if maybe it actually was a shadow, but in some places there wouldn't be anything to cause the shadows I am seeing. I am using Parallax. 

Thanks for any help!

[drsemmel]

This is very hard to tackle without seeing your load order but I use Landscape Seam Fixes. Judging by your pics, there is a chance it might help you as well.

[Karna5]

I don't use Parallax because I don't use ENBs. Did you try uninstalling Parallax and your ENB to determine if the issue is one of your mods or whether it's a truly graphical bug related to Parallax and your ENB? I don't have this issue at all and have never seen anything like it.

[Karna5]

Post script: I logged into Skyrim AE and went to that area to take a control screen shot for you. This is how the game looks for me with no landscape mods (I don't use those) and no ENB. I also use all my graphical settings in the skyrim configuration as high as possible (including, of course, shadows).

https://i.imgur.com/g08FHbk.jpeg

[drsemmel]

@JoeyBagsLXIX Have you run texgen recently?

[radiusrsatti]

it's going to a mod conflict plain and simple... mods that edit the landscape records in particular, though it may also apply to texture replacement mods that aren't compatible with said landscape edits

have you added or generated a patch to resolve conflicts? if not, my recommendation would be to install and run LEGACY Mator Smash (I have startup issues with the unofficial update, it's unusable), and generate a smash patch for your load order (if you ONLY want a landscape patch, and not all the other records, they can be selected or deselected on generation, or you can simply delete from the patch in sseedit afterward)... then load up your load order in sseedit with the patch, and because no patcher is perfect, verify your worldspace records in the patch match what you want to keep... if you keep the records homogenized (definition 2 :P) across mods (ie make all records from Landscape and Grass Fixes win over other mods), you should be able to restore proper blending with vanilla resources

proper load order is a secondary consideration that is largely removed if you use a properly validated final patch(es)... I say largely, you still have to keep masters above child mods, and because bsa(s) are loaded based on plugin order, you'd have to be mindful of resource overwrites from within these packages

[JoeyBagsLXIX]

Sorry I am late responding to some of these. To answer a few questions that were asked, I did not try Landscape Seam Fixes. I saw the mod and debated giving it a shot, but for whatever reason never did. I can't provide a modlist, because I removed all of my visual mods that could be affecting the landscape textures that I had (at the time it was only Landscapes, Grass, Simplicity of Snow, and Roads) and returned it to vanilla to start over. The plan was to then slowly re-add the mods I had been using and see if at any point the issue returned, but it never did. This time I didn't try and stack on as many landscape texture overhauls together as I did before, so maybe that was the issue? I've checked every location where I saw the glitch before and have not seen it since the reset. This seems to eliminate ENB as the issue (I am using Cabbage btw), but I suppose Parallax cannot be ruled out, however I am still using Parallax and as I said the issue is gone for now. I also have not yet run Textgen as I was still pretty early on in making this list, having only added landscape textures, grass, snow, and roads. I had yet to add any trees or additional flora, water, etc. 

Now, I did at the time have Blended Roads and Northern Roads and while trying to look around I saw some people mention texture glitches with both of those that kind of resembled the issues I had, but most of those pictures were not on roads (although the ones outside Fort Snowhawk were) which makes me kind of doubt that was the issue, but I can't be sure. I have not added Blended Roads or Northern Roads back, but probably will later on (or maybe not, I am fairly happy with just Simplest Roads so maybe I just avoid having to deal with all the necessary patching for NR). I also have not redownloaded Simplicity of Snow and do not plan to as I am happy enough with the snow textures from my landscape mods. Currently the landscape overhaul mods I have are 202X Downscale, Atlantean, and Riton (all Parallax) and they all are working together great.

To also clarify something in case anyone wonders, I did not just immediately choose to reset everything. I did initially attempt to disable different mods to see if any one mod could be found as the culprit, but even if I removed all but one of my texture mods the issue remained. I either had the issue, or purple landscape textures, there was no in between it seemed. Looking back I do wish I had tried disabling Blended and Northern Roads to see if maybe they were connected, but again most of the spots I found were not on roads, or really even near them. 

I am happy to try and answer any more questions even though the problem has seemingly been fixed as I would love to know what could have caused it to begin with so as to avoid it in the future. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions and help!