Skyrim ENB | Effect Demo Video Series

[tapioks]

(I originally posted this in 'General Discussion', but it probably belongs better here...)

I decided to create a thread for my series of 'tech demo' videos of Skyrim ENB visual effects. I will add new videos to this thread as I continue to create them. These all feature the Skyrim Enhanced Shaders NLA preset.

This video demonstrates the real-time screen-space reflections effect of ENB series for Skyrim, calculating true reflections in real-time as opposed to the standard simulated cube-map techniques.

http://i.imgur.com/R4kCNIH.jpg
Reflections Effect Demo - 1080p @ 30FPS


This video demonstrates the image-based lighting (IBL) effect of ENB series for Skyrim, an effect that is only now beginning to appear in commercial video games. IBL is an effect where the scene is illuminated from above by the light from the sky. To oversimplify: a image of the sky is reflected onto the scene. IBL also has potenial applications for interior scenes, but the Skyrim ENB only uses this effect in exterior scenes with the sky.

http://i.imgur.com/cU427NX.jpg
Image-Based Lighting Effect Demo - 1080p @30FPS


This video demonstrates the underappreciated subsurface scattering (SSS) effect of ENB series for Skyrim, another effect that is only now starting to appear in commercial video games in 2015. Subsurface scattering is the diffusion of light within a translucent material. For more info, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subsurface_scattering

In ENB series for Skyrim, subsurface scattering is mostly used to help skin to look more like skin, rather than like leather or rubber.

http://i.imgur.com/sKK2IRN.jpg
Subsurface Scattering Effect Demo - 1080p @ 30FPS


This video demonstrates the screen-space indirect lighting (SSIL) effect of ENB series for Skyrim, an effect rarely used in ANY commercial video games to date. SSIL is an effect where light cast onto one surface is reflected onto other nearby surfaces. It can be considered a 'sister effect' to screen-space ambient occlusion (SSAO), working with light rather than shadow.

http://i.imgur.com/3nr7r1H.jpg
Screen-Space Indirect Lighting Effect Demo - 1080p @30FPS


This video demonstrates the screen-space ambient occlusion (SSAO) effect of ENB series for Skyrim. Ambient occlusion is an effect that calculates how exposed each point in a scene is to ambient lighting; areas with less light exposure, like corners & crevices,are darkened accordingly. ENB's implementation of SSAO is more sophisticated than most found in commercial games today; it respects lighting and transparency, and applies realistic darkening to affected areas rather than overlaying 'black blobs' as bound in some games. (*cough* ... Far Cry 4 ... *cough*). SSAO can be considered a 'sister effect' to screen-space indirect lighting (SSIL).

http://i.imgur.com/nNHRXXT.jpg
Screen-Space Ambient Occlusion Effect Demo - 1080p@30FPS


This video demonstrates the volumetric mist effect of ENB series for Skyrim. ENB for Skyrim allows for volumetric mist to be added to areas of the game world. The appearance of mist depends on weather conditions and requires an ENB preset designed to use the effect, such as Enhanced Shaders NLA.

Volumetric mist helps foggy days feel more atmospheric, and also helps to mask lower quality distant textures and models with a realistic effect.

http://i.imgur.com/wREoTEi.jpg
Volumetric Mist Effect Demo - 1080p @ 30FPS


This video demonstrates how the individual effects of ENB contribute to overall image quality. First a comparison is shown between vanilla Skyrim & full ENB, then individual effects are shown being added in sequence.

http://i.imgur.com/a3Upl86.jpg
Layering ENB Effects - 1080p @ 30FPS


This video demonstrates the crepuscular rays, or sun rays, effect of ENB series for Skyrim. Sun rays are shafts of light perceived to issue from the position of the sun. These rays are tinted orange by the atmosphere they traverse, and are most easily visible at dawn and dusk hours. For details, see the Wikipedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crepuscular_rays

http://i.imgur.com/03j1riP.jpg
Crepuscular Rays Effect Demo - 1080p @ 30FPS


This video demonstrates two of the many post-processing effects that may be added to any ENB series preset for Skyrim. The effects demonstrated in this video are an 'MS-DOS' style effect that gives the game a 'retro' feel, and a 'painting' effect that simulates brush-strokes to create a painterly aesthetic. These effects exclude the user interface (inventory, map, menus, HUD), so they are 100% playable :smile:


Painting Effect by KingEric1992 - Download:
http://enbseries.enbdev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3244

MS-DOS and other effects by Boris Vorontsov - Download:
http://enbdev.com/effect_en.htm

http://i.imgur.com/WpUJWRs.jpg
Paint & Pixels - Post-processing Effect Demo - 1080p @ 30FPS

 

This video demonstrates the optional 'Depth of Field' effect of ENB series for Skyrim. Depth of field is an effect that simulates the ability of an optical lens to only be able to focus precisely on one distance at a time. Subjects within the focus range are rendered crisply and clearly, while subjects out of range appear blurry and out of focus. This effect requires the installation of a depth-of-field-enabled enbeffectprepass.fx file, many of which come packaged along with ENB presets on the nexusmods.com website.

http://i.imgur.com/auk5pC1.jpg
Depth of Field Effect Demo - 1080p @ 30FPS

Edited October 11, 2015 by tapioks

[tapioks]

Just updated first post with video #10 in the series, this time looking at the depth of field effect.