Rebuilding my Skyrim, please assist

[ImWarpedd]

Hello, this past week I made a post regarding my system's limits with Skyrim. I've been unmodding and trying to add a lot of mods that help performance, but I wanted to know if I could get some help with actually modding my game depending on my specs. By this I mean I don't know what mods are too heavy for my system and I'm trying to get a good idea on how I can make my game look somewhat decent, but I still want to focus on the performance. If people could recommend a mod load order depending on my specs, that'd be great. I'm especially concerned with some things like ENBoost that were recommended to me in my latest post which I'll link below. But for now, here's my computers spec and a link to my other forum post..

 

Time of this report: 11/12/2014, 18:25:58

Machine name: ALEX

Operating System: Windows 8.1 64-bit (6.3, Build 9600) (9600.winblue_r3.140827-1500)

Language: English (Regional Setting: English)

System Manufacturer: 1E658

System Model: 1E658A74

BIOS: BIOS Date: 05/03/11 17:25:20 Ver: 08.00.16

Processor: Intel® Core i5 CPU 750 @ 2.67GHz (4 CPUs), ~2.7GHz

Memory: 4096MB RAM

Available OS Memory: 4088MB RAM

Page File: 2889MB used, 3181MB available

Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS

DirectX Version: DirectX 11

DX Setup Parameters: Not found

User DPI Setting: Using System DPI

System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)

DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled

DxDiag Version: 6.03.9600.16384 64bit Unicode

Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT

Manufacturer: NVIDIA

Chip type: GeForce 9800 GT

DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC

Device Type: Full Device

Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0614&SUBSYS_0E7919F1&REV_A2

Display Memory: 3043 MB

Dedicated Memory: 999 MB

Shared Memory: 2043 MB

Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (60Hz)

Monitor Name: HP 2311 Series LED Backlit LCD Monitor

Monitor Model: HP 2311

Monitor Id: HWP2939

Native Mode: 1920 x 1080(p) (60.000Hz)

Output Type: DVI

Driver Name: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um

Driver File Version: 9.18.0013.4052 (English)

Driver Version: 9.18.13.4052

DDI Version: 10

Feature Levels: 10.0,9.3,9.2,9.1

Driver Model: WDDM 1.2

Graphics Preemption: DMA

Compute Preemption: DMA

Miracast: Not Supported

Hybrid Graphics GPU: Not Applicable

Power P-states: Not Applicable

Driver Attributes: Final Retail

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/2278539-can-someone-help-me-figure-out-my-computers-limits-for-skyrim/

I'm not sure what else I can include, but I'm really trying to get my game to a state where it's balanced between good gameplay and immersion, with some performance. I'm not too concerned about graphics, but I would like to try to get it to where it looks a bit better than vanilla.

 

[ImWarpedd]

I'm also thinking of doing a complete deletion of my skyrim folder and doing a fresh reinstall, considering I think i've installed some things correctly (such as ENBoost). Would this be a step backwards or forwards?

 

Also, some extra information. I'm using Mod Organizer, I only have the dawnguard DLC.

[ImWarpedd]

bump

[ImWarpedd]

Bump

[ImWarpedd]

Still could use someone to help me out :(

[gamefever]

Hey Warpedd,

 

So you want some tips on getting a good game of Skyrim started on the path of modding.

 

I have a system of how to get that started.

 

Here are the Apps I use.

 

MOD Organizer,

-Great Program, after you get the hang of this the only time you need to reinstall Skyrim is when your forced to system wipe >< squinty cause I just had to do that last week haha.

-Gophar has a video on how to get started.

 

TesVEDIT

-Great for cleaning the DLC's and for some other handy features.

-Gopher has a Video on that.

 

Wyre Bash

-Must have app for making patches which is pretty much mandatory faster than you'd think.

 

Skyrim Configulator

-I use this to work on the INI files particularly shadows.

-With the I-5 chipset you want to turn on Threading with this program it should really help (Note if performance does not improve with threading revert that change!)

 

INI Tweaks

-Mostly personal taste, I usually make adjustments to the 3rd person camera

-You can google up Skyrim INI tweaks for a bunch of different ones but the best ones are on STEP WIKI

-There are a ton of bad tweaks so look up Skyrim Optimization

 

Texture Optimizer

-Essential

-There are a shameful amount of badly optimized textures (I should know I'm responsible for at least a dozen)

-Bad textures can be anything from a bad size, to missing mip maps, and a host of other problems that does nothing more than bog down your everything from the file fetch system to hog up VCard space.

-Optimizers fix that stuff and most even downsize as well.

-Always use one of these on files you intend to install that contain textures.

-Best time to fire it up is after installing a host of textures.

-This will increase performance.

-Due Note, some Authors explicitly state not to do this with their file, mostly because they already have....So be aware and read up.

 

SKSE

-its meant for extending the script system but you can also install this for a boost.

->there are some extra boost tweaks online to look up like memory boosting that you just plop some lines into SKSE.ini file for.

 

Really important, even when you know what your doing.

1) only install a handful of mods in a go, make sure to play the game rather than install 10-80 mods in a sitting...(Real important cause each mod could be something that doesn't work with another mod that is installed Incompatible)

2) if you mod something keep a post it note of what you modded...(cause u know maybe it doesn't work or worse made things crash GUILTY)

3) Try to make sure that your in fact well rested and aware when modding. Guilty here too, sleepiness causes more mod conflicts than mods!

 

#1 Mod to get started is LAL: Live another life.

--->It really helps in modding because you do not want to test load orders via the helgon sequence.

--->Must have mod.

 

After I get those installed I try to decide on a gameplay theme that I stick too and that decides what mods get put into my folder and which don't.

 

Example

 

I really like the survival theme soo I focus only on those mods which enhance that.

Frostfall

Wet and Cold

Winter is Coming and Cloaks of Skyrim

Ineed

Real Shelter

 

Those right there are going to start clogging Papyrus more than most want to believe at that point I'm real careful about making choices about script mods...

Why? Well those mods make a lot of call functions often to the system so adding more stuff if it doesn't fit the theme then no it doesn't get in.

 

I'd rather play then crash or make guesses at whats causing the crash.

But that line up works great and it would suit a wildlife mod like SKYTEST really well, now SKYTEST actually doesn't get along well with mods that overhaul "Factions" and its also going to add a bit more onto the script system too, gotta say though that it does make outdoorsman type of game really a lot of fun.

 

From there I look around for mods that enhance the outdoors without using scripts or making changes to factions. Location mods play real well to this and anything that adds new places really helps the experiences of traveling around Skyrim when you can happen along something new and see it for the first time.

 

In those games I tend to just dump a bunch of houses and locations overhauls right in willy nilly lols.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

With that computer I really don't think your going to want to take the FPS hit from fancy textures or EMB's. I put a strong preference on performance myself so I don't use much texture wise outside of armor packs.

 

That said you might want to take a look at Unnofficial HD Texture Pack.

 

Also while your at it get all the USKP's for each DLC you have. Good way to start your rebuild is with those.

Edited November 18, 2014 by gamefever

[gamefever]

More on Graphics

 

Listen Warp,

 

Do not sacrifice High Texture settings or High Resolution on the alter of eye candy mods..................

 

See the whole point of installing eye candy mods is to have them in game to enjoy looking at

 

BUT!!!

 

The problem is that most of those mods loose too much quality when your forced to downscale your graphics to compensate. This is speaking from experience. If your line up of "Eye Candy" is too demanding and you give up graphics quality your shooting yourself in the Vcard!

Honestly with a few choice pretty mods a "Somewhat Vanilla" game can be quite good to look at.

 

Take a Look at "Realistic Clouds" or Ethereal Clouds, both of those mods aim to change how clouds work and actually they also brighten up the game outdoors in general which tends to remove that perpetual shadow on your character.

 

There are a lot of really good performance mods most of which I intend to look for and install tomorrow myself.

 

Keywords I'll put into Google with the word Skyrim will be DUST, Particles, Effects, and I think underwater plant remover.

 

You'd be surpised just how many useless things you never see are soaking up performance, plants under the water of every source of water are actually being sent off to the vcard to not be rendered on screen....? Duh

 

Also DUST, I cant believe how many mods want to make dust and falling leaves higher resolution. I gotta say if your stopping to admire that stuff your not in the game for the action. There are several mods that will downsample those textures but I cant remember what they are. But I know for a fact that it helps in areas like RIFTEN and helps prevent slow downs.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Video Driver's

 

I know this is going to sound weird but I use a particular driver from 2012 when I play Skyrim. I have just had far fewer crashes with the 290 driver for my 550ti card. For some reason my computer wont even perform well with some of the latest drivers in 300 series for nvidea.... I think it wants me to download the 340 or whatever but I was crashing every 5 minutes I swear.

Edited November 18, 2014 by gamefever

[gamefever]

Be real careful about using a lot of mods that add scripts to your game!

 

Cant stress this enough. I know you want every single mod that adds something interesting to the game and an overhaul for combat.

 

Thing is that Skyrim has a hardcap no matter how good the computer, the "Papyrus System" can only handle so much and unfortunately its more trail and error than most care for.

 

Try to avoid mods that make constant calls via scripts. If it cannot be helped be sure to limit how many your going to put under the hood.

 

You can be sure that I have personally butted heads with this problem many times.

 

Best advice I can give is think of a theme for your gameplay and if the mod in question doesn't support that theme than don't install it.

[ImWarpedd]

Hey Warpedd,

 

So you want some tips on getting a good game of Skyrim started on the path of modding.

 

I have a system of how to get that started.

 

Here are the Apps I use.

 

MOD Organizer,

-Great Program, after you get the hang of this the only time you need to reinstall Skyrim is when your forced to system wipe >< squinty cause I just had to do that last week haha.

-Gophar has a video on how to get started.

 

TesVEDIT

-Great for cleaning the DLC's and for some other handy features.

-Gopher has a Video on that.

 

Wyre Bash

-Must have app for making patches which is pretty much mandatory faster than you'd think.

 

Skyrim Configulator

-I use this to work on the INI files particularly shadows.

-With the I-5 chipset you want to turn on Threading with this program it should really help (Note if performance does not improve with threading revert that change!)

 

INI Tweaks

-Mostly personal taste, I usually make adjustments to the 3rd person camera

-You can google up Skyrim INI tweaks for a bunch of different ones but the best ones are on STEP WIKI

-There are a ton of bad tweaks so look up Skyrim Optimization

 

Texture Optimizer

-Essential

-There are a shameful amount of badly optimized textures (I should know I'm responsible for at least a dozen)

-Bad textures can be anything from a bad size, to missing mip maps, and a host of other problems that does nothing more than bog down your everything from the file fetch system to hog up VCard space.

-Optimizers fix that stuff and most even downsize as well.

-Always use one of these on files you intend to install that contain textures.

-Best time to fire it up is after installing a host of textures.

-This will increase performance.

-Due Note, some Authors explicitly state not to do this with their file, mostly because they already have....So be aware and read up.

 

SKSE

-its meant for extending the script system but you can also install this for a boost.

->there are some extra boost tweaks online to look up like memory boosting that you just plop some lines into SKSE.ini file for.

 

Really important, even when you know what your doing.

1) only install a handful of mods in a go, make sure to play the game rather than install 10-80 mods in a sitting...(Real important cause each mod could be something that doesn't work with another mod that is installed Incompatible)

2) if you mod something keep a post it note of what you modded...(cause u know maybe it doesn't work or worse made things crash GUILTY)

3) Try to make sure that your in fact well rested and aware when modding. Guilty here too, sleepiness causes more mod conflicts than mods!

 

#1 Mod to get started is LAL: Live another life.

--->It really helps in modding because you do not want to test load orders via the helgon sequence.

--->Must have mod.

 

After I get those installed I try to decide on a gameplay theme that I stick too and that decides what mods get put into my folder and which don't.

 

Example

 

I really like the survival theme soo I focus only on those mods which enhance that.

Frostfall

Wet and Cold

Winter is Coming and Cloaks of Skyrim

Ineed

Real Shelter

 

Those right there are going to start clogging Papyrus more than most want to believe at that point I'm real careful about making choices about script mods...

Why? Well those mods make a lot of call functions often to the system so adding more stuff if it doesn't fit the theme then no it doesn't get in.

 

I'd rather play then crash or make guesses at whats causing the crash.

But that line up works great and it would suit a wildlife mod like SKYTEST really well, now SKYTEST actually doesn't get along well with mods that overhaul "Factions" and its also going to add a bit more onto the script system too, gotta say though that it does make outdoorsman type of game really a lot of fun.

 

From there I look around for mods that enhance the outdoors without using scripts or making changes to factions. Location mods play real well to this and anything that adds new places really helps the experiences of traveling around Skyrim when you can happen along something new and see it for the first time.

 

In those games I tend to just dump a bunch of houses and locations overhauls right in willy nilly lols.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

With that computer I really don't think your going to want to take the FPS hit from fancy textures or EMB's. I put a strong preference on performance myself so I don't use much texture wise outside of armor packs.

 

That said you might want to take a look at Unnofficial HD Texture Pack.

 

Also while your at it get all the USKP's for each DLC you have. Good way to start your rebuild is with those.

Thanks for all the tips. Would you recommend I delete everything skyrim related and start over? Or is it better right now to just start by removing things bit by bit. Reason I ask is because I've made changes to the .ini in an attempt to help performance, and i've also downloaded a lot of things for like mod organizer and ENBoost to try to once again help performance.