Good mod set-up for my New PC?

[Deleted14423759User]

Hello,

 

I bought myself an Alienware x51 R3 Intel i7 6700 @ 4GHz 16GB with a GTX 960 2GB. I'd like to mod it with the works -- overhauls, scripted mods, gameplay changes, ENBs or graphics that make the game look better than vanilla -- etcetera.

 

How much could I do with that computer set-up? i'd like to have a balanced game that won't crash because I have too many mods and crazy 8k stuff

 

And can anybody give me a mod list that covers all of the basics for texture replacers which will cover everything in the game? For example, I don't want to see 2k landscapes outside, and still have vanilla dungeons and interiors. or body replacers with 4k textures in armor and clothes that look horrible.

[tejano2828]

I do not know much about alienware laptops.....(it is a laptop right?)

 

But what I do know after modding Skyrim on multiple computers and laptops is that there

are 2 things that limit a PC when it comes to Skyrim.

 

Scripts and Graphic enhancers.

 

Let me ask you....Does it come with a HD or an SSD?

 

If it comes with a HD switch out with an SSD and you will have

a more capable machine at your disposal. Look to google why.

 

I can say and just guessing here that you might be able to install around 150 mods

and run it stable.

 

One thing you might want to do is test the graphics card with some software...run the game

with the mods you want and check it's capacity if you are running at 99% graphical power than

that will be a limiting factor of what you can do with your setup. Honestly by looking at your setup the only thing that might limit you would be the graphics card and how hot your laptop gets.

 

Some mods you might want to look into getting are the official Bethesda Skyrim patches/HD texture packs and then get all the unofficial ones will fix many bugs in the game.

 

I currently run 255 mods with a High end PC setup with constant 60 FPS through out the land but I had to tweak this game for like 2 years kid you not but it runs real stable.....hope you have some free time on your hands GL.

[Deleted14423759User]

No. x51 is a desktop. I'm concerned about bottlenecking. I've been getting some negative vibes on the GTX 960. "Get 970 4GB. it's better!" sadly I'm not this rich person with a mansion on a hill, and this computer's market value is over $1000 as is. *I got nice deal (900) but I still hear they rip you off on those alienwares*

 

hard drive: 1TB (64 MB Cache) 7200 RPM SATA 6Gb.

 

I have the 2k Texture pack from nexus. it doesn't do any clothes or armor, and I'm looking for extra detail like Pure Water and Flora Overhaul, SMIM. does that cover everything or am I missing something?

Edited December 29, 2015 by Guest

[Novem99]

I can say and just guessing here that you might be able to install around 150 mods

and run it stable.

 

Hahaha! Funniest thing I have read in a while! This is such an unreliable answer since it totally depends what these 150 mods are doing. There comes at once 10 mods in my mind that will bring his system immediately down. To say across-the-board "150 mods are possible" is so ridiculous.

 

Honestly by looking at your setup the only thing that might limit you would be the graphics card

 

 

Absolutely correct. So it is even more strange that you earlier recommend switching to a SSD because the SSD won't bring him a single FPS back.

 

@Novice

There is no mod out there that covers everything and this mod will never exist. Always use the official HD DLC from Bethesda and then you won't get around to look yourself through the popular texture mods here and try out to see what you like and add it to the game.

 

And I also have to tell you that with that graphics card you won't be able to run an ENB with all the finest 4k/2k textures available and get 40fps. 2GB VRAM is too little.

Edited December 29, 2015 by Novem99

[Deleted14423759User]

So it sounds like the only problem here is my vram? because there's no higher processer and going more than 16GB of RAM is just ridiculous. I thought Skyrim only uses 2gbs of the vram? and can't it use the RAM and CPU as an advantage? ENBs eat away at everybody's computer. from what I heard, they are just good for screenshots, which I have no interest in. What about the performance versions? or SweetFX? What are the 10 mods you think of that will bring this PC to its knees?

 

I'm very new to gaming on (a good PC) so forgive me if I'm wrong about something. my modding experience has been since last winter, with a Pentium CPU @ 2.6ghz and an intel hd graphics card. 10-15 fps. everything low as possible. go figure. anything is gonna look better than that lol.

[Novem99]

Your processor is absolutely killer and 16GB RAM is also more than enough.

 

 

I thought Skyrim only uses 2gbs of the vram?

 

Why do think that? Where do you have that info from? Skyrim will use as much VRAM as you can give. I have a very heavy modded game regarding textures and models and without an ENB Skyrim uses all of my 4GB VRAM.

 

 

can't it use the RAM and CPU as an advantage?

 

No. And especially in Skyrim you don't want to "transfer" from VRAM to RAM!!!

 

 

ENBs eat away at everybody's computer. from what I heard, they are just good for screenshots

 

Oh Lord...where do you have these infos from. An ENB will make the whole game look better. That doesn't mean that without an ENB the game looks horrible. But alone the ambient occlusion has a great effect of the look of the game. And even if you don't want/can't use the graphical enhancement of the ENB you should at least use the inbuilt memory improvement called ENBoost that comes along with it. If you don't know what that is google it.

 

You can play this easily on ultra settings. Then see how much texture mods you can add without sending the performance to hell. Go to the textures section of nexus and look for the most endorsed mods and pick what you like. This is how everyone here has made it.

[Deleted14423759User]

Yep, I've got Enboost, Memory Patches and I've tried just about every mod out there to try to stop CTD on my crappy PC. I'd love to have an ENB. is the 960 2gb is just an inferior card? why would that be included with a $1,200 gaming computer? Man, it's right below the 970 4gb on the spec requirements page. whatev. I'll buy the Titan with my next 52 paychecks and put that in there lol. I only ran 50 mods before anyway. well the RAM and CPU will be very happy at least.

[Signette]

Basically you can install one or two mods which gonna destroy your game, or over 200 without any noticable impact.

 

That's long and hard work to read and understand how much strain modlist you want puts on your PC. And that's really isn't much dependant on your hardwrare for Skyrim really, you can run many gorgeous ENBs and visual mods without heavy performance impact on 2010-11 potato PC if you know what you're doing. Skyrim is old game, and pretty unstable as it is, one wrong move can totally wreck the balance, you have to be very accurate and careful with mod setup.

[Deleted14423759User]

Thanks! that's the first encouraging thing I've heard so far! I have a very nice mod collection from my old computer that has absolutely no conflicts except performance. I'll just add one, and take away another so I don't overload it.

 

I'm just hoping that I could add some nice textures and details to accompany them, along with a better than 10 fps like I had on my old computer

[gamefever]

Dude,

 

Install the game.

Run it to create the INI's.

Drop from game

Install Mod Organizer

Install SKSE

Install SKSE memory Tweak for dummies

Install ENB Boost...

Read the Comments Section of ENB Boost

Follow the directions from the guy that goes to great lengths to explain how to properly install ENB Boost

>Do not push his comments down in ENB Boost comments section or go straight to $$$$

 

Install Alternate Start....

Skip Helen intro

 

Use FPS counter

Run round Riverwood what is FPS.

 

Tips

Cap FPS at 60

Don't install shizton of mods outta the gate

Don install a bunch of texture mods on this and expect high FPS with Enb Preset >< haha not happening.

 

____________________________________________

 

Find an ENB Preset

Install the Preset

Run around Riverwood

What is FPS?

Go kill a bunch of Bandits

What is FPS in the fight?

 

_____________________________________

 

Target Frame Rate for active ENB preset should be 60+

 

Why?

 

Your going to put mods in this thing...

The FPS will go down from

Scripts being applied actively to NPC's

Draw Calls of objects, freakin more triangles to render in real time,

Texture size....Dude I have to say stay away from stuff more than 1K....not worth it....Not worth the loss in smooth high frame rates for when Im running an ENB nope.

 

2 best reasons to get an ENB preset.

 

1) ENB does shadows 1,000 times better.

 

2) More lively colors...cant stand the drab normal game ENB can fix that....For that matter so can Sweet FX but SFX doesn't fix the damn shadows.

Edited December 30, 2015 by gamefever