Quick help maxing my LOD in SkyrimPrefs.ini

[hstanford1]

Okay so the other night I started working on my SkyrimPrefs.ini. Definitely looking a lot better, WAY better shadows and water. Landscapes not looking bad either.

Problem is, as it stands now there's too much pop in. When approaching waterfalls they appear "frozen" until I get close enough to render the water. Of course trees don't pop in fast enough

or foliage. So here's the .ini. I really appreciate the help! Also if you have any additional tweaks let me know, or simply a complete maxed out .ini I could simply use!

 

 

[General]

fBrightLightColorB=1.0000

fBrightLightColorG=1.0000

fBrightLightColorR=1.0000

iStoryManagerLoggingEvent=-1

bEnableStoryManagerLogging=0

[imagespace]

bDoDepthOfField=1

iRadialBlurLevel=2

[Display]

iBlurDeferredShadowMask=3

fInteriorShadowDistance=3000.0000

fShadowDistance=2500.0000

iShadowMapResolutionSecondary=2048

iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=4096

iShadowSplitCount=2

iMaxAnisotropy=16

fLeafAnimDampenDistEnd=4600.0000

fLeafAnimDampenDistStart=3600.0000

fTreesMidLODSwitchDist=10000000.0000

fGamma=1.0000

iShadowFilter=3

fDecalLOD2=1500.0000

fDecalLOD1=1000.0000

fSpecularLODStartFade=2000.0000

fShadowLODStartFade=1000.0000

fLightLODStartFade=3500.0000

iTexMipMapMinimum=0

iTexMipMapSkip=0

bTransparencyMultisampling=1

iWaterMultiSamples=4

iMultiSample=8

iShadowMode=3

bTreesReceiveShadows=1

bDrawLandShadows=1

bDrawShadows=1

bFull Screen=1

iSize H=1080

iSize W=1920

fMeshLODFadePercentDefault=1.2000

fMeshLODFadeBoundDefault=256.0000

fMeshLODLevel2FadeTreeDistance=2048.0000

fMeshLODLevel1FadeTreeDistance=2844.0000

fMeshLODLevel2FadeDist=3072.0000

fMeshLODLevel1FadeDist=4096.0000

iScreenShotIndex=2

bShadowMaskZPrepass=0

bMainZPrepass=0

iMaxSkinDecalsPerFrame=3

iMaxDecalsPerFrame=10

sD3DDevice="NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580"

iActorShadowCountInt=6

iActorShadowCountExt=6

iShadowMapResolution=4096

iAdapter=0

iPresentInterval=1

fShadowBiasScale=1.0000

bFloatPointRenderTarget=1

iShadowMaskQuarter=4

bFXAAEnabled=0

[Grass]

b30GrassVS=1

fGrassStartFadeDistance=8000.0000

fGrassMaxStartFadeDistance=8000.0000

fGrassMinStartFadeDistance=400.0000

[Water]

iWaterReflectHeight=1024

iWaterReflectWidth=1024

bUseWaterDisplacements=1

bUseWaterRefractions=1

bUseWaterReflections=1

bUseWaterDepth=1

bForceHighDetailReflections=1

bAutoWaterSilhouetteReflections=0

bUseWaterReflectionBlur=1

iWaterBlurAmount=4

[MAIN]

bGamepadEnable=0

bCrosshairEnabled=1

fHUDOpacity=1.0000

bSaveOnPause=1

bSaveOnTravel=1

bSaveOnWait=1

bSaveOnRest=1

fSkyCellRefFadeDistance=150000.0000

[GamePlay]

bShowFloatingQuestMarkers=1

bShowQuestMarkers=1

iDifficulty=3

[interface]

bDialogueSubtitles=1

bGeneralSubtitles=1

bShowCompass=1

[Controls]

fGamepadHeadingSensitivity=1.0000

fMouseHeadingSensitivity=0.0125

bAlwaysRunByDefault=1

bInvertYValues=0

bGamePadRumble=0

bMouseAcceleration=1

[Particles]

iMaxDesired=1000

[saveGame]

fAutosaveEveryXMins=15.0000

[AudioMenu]

fAudioMasterVolume=1.0000

fVal7=1.0000

uID7=0

fVal6=1.0000

uID6=0

fVal5=1.0000

uID5=0

fVal4=1.0000

uID4=0

fVal3=1.0000

uID3=94881

fVal2=0.4000

uID2=466532

fVal1=1.0000

uID1=554685

fVal0=0.8000

uID0=1007612

[Clouds]

fCloudLevel2Distance=262144.0000

fCloudLevel1Distance=32768.0000

fCloudLevel0Distance=16384.0000

fCloudNearFadeDistance=9000.0000

[TerrainManager]

fTreeLoadDistance=40000.0000

fBlockMaximumDistance=100000.0000

fBlockLevel1Distance=32768.0000

fBlockLevel0Distance=20480.0000

fSplitDistanceMult=1.5000

bShowLODInEditor=0

fBlockLoadDistanceLow=50000

[NavMesh]

fObstacleAlpha=0.5000

fCoverSideHighAlpha=0.8000

fCoverSideLowAlpha=0.6500

fEdgeFullAlpha=1.0000

fEdgeHighAlpha=0.7500

fEdgeLowAlpha=0.5000

fTriangleFullAlpha=0.7000

fTriangleHighAlpha=0.3500

fTriangleLowAlpha=0.2000

fLedgeBoxHalfHeight=25.0000

fEdgeDistFromVert=10.0000

fEdgeThickness=10.0000

fPointSize=2.5000

[Trees]

bRenderSkinnedTrees=1

uiMaxSkinnedTreesToRender=40

[Decals]

uMaxDecals=100

[LOD]

fLODFadeOutMultObjects=20.0000

fLODFadeOutMultItems=20.0000

fLODFadeOutMultActors=20.0000

fLODFadeOutMultSkyCell=1.0000

[Launcher]

bEnableFileSelection=1

bUseWaterReflectionBlur=1

bReflectExplosions=1

iWaterBlurAmount=4

bAutoWaterSilhouetteReflections=0

bForceHighDetailReflections=1

fBlockLoadDistanceLow=50000.0000

fBlockLoadDistance=125000.0000

fHighBlockLoadDistanceLow=20000.0000

bShowAllResolutions=1

uLastAspectRatio=4

[blurShaderHDR]

bDoHighDynamicRange=1

[blurShader]

bUseBlurShader=0

bUseWaterReflectionBlur=1

bReflectExplosions=1

iWaterBlurAmount=4

bAutoWaterSilhouetteReflections=0

bForceHighDetailReflections=1

fBlockLoadDistanceLow=50000.0000

fBlockLoadDistance=125000.0000

fHighBlockLoadDistanceLow=20000.0000

Edited November 13, 2011 by hstanford1

[hstanford1]

http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc478/hstanford1/Screenshot27786.png

 

Here's a good example, notice how the mountain doesn't fully render

[Tropxe]

Sorry, just posting to ask a question rather than offer help, but have you found that editing the ini disables achievements? I've heard this once, but no one else has mentioned it.

[Tzz]

Sorry, just posting to ask a question rather than offer help, but have you found that editing the ini disables achievements? I've heard this once, but no one else has mentioned it.

 

Modified my .ini right after release. Still getting achievements :thumbsup:

[Tropxe]

Okay, thanks (and phew!) Hope you get help with your problem soon.

[hstanford1]

It doesn't seem that anything is making this kind of stuff go away :(

Just tried this config creator with everything set to it's max and my LODs still suck with horrible pop-in :(

http://donotargue.com/cfg-makers/skyrim/

And the area outside of Whiterun is absolutely the UGLIEST thing I've ever seen

WTF Bethesda?

Edited November 14, 2011 by hstanford1

[mechtech]

Add uGridsToLoad=9 to your skyrim.ini in C:\Users\____\Documents\My Games\Skyrim. The default value is 5. Only modify this value if you have a 64-bit system, and you need to apply the patch that I've listed below. FYI, I was getting crashes when this was set to 11 (although I also had some other loading tweaks in that could have been doing it), but I've been running ugrids=9 for hours, and I've run 1/2 way across the map with no crashes. If you're on a 32-bit OS or have less than 4GB RAM, setting it to 7 is probably safe.

 

This setting makes a massive difference in graphics quality, but it will drop performance due to so much more getting rendered. Being near Whiterun used to piss me off due to LOD loading, but now it's beautiful :)

 

---------

 

Large Address Aware patch to the TESV.exe is essential for safe uGrids tweaking, and even then the results are entirely subject to your system specs and the drive you're running the game from. You're totally overloading the game's streaming system by doing this, so you'll probably need the entire game installed on an SSD for stability and performance. The aforementioned exe is a 32bit application that can't, by default, use more than 2gb of RAM. This is insufficient. By following this (very simple) method, you can give Skyrim full access to all the RAM it needs, provided you have enough:

 

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=112556

 

Doing this can solve a whole range of problems, from instability when taking screenshots to random CTDs. One thing it won't do is create problems. If you're getting them after doing it, the problem is somewhere else.

 

I'm playing the game at 2160p with FXAA (no multisampling - that's a performance killer) and it's smooth as butter, so these tweaks do work. As with Oblivion, though, once you've taken all the necessary steps, only the intricate configuration of your PC can really determine how stable they are.

 

Something else to bear in mind is that this is with a vanilla install. In all likelihood, once a significant HD texture mod arrives, uGridsToLoad will become a much more volatile thing to play with.

[hstanford1]

Add uGridsToLoad=9 to your skyrim.ini in C:\Users\____\Documents\My Games\Skyrim. The default value is 5. Only modify this value if you have a 64-bit system, and you need to apply the patch that I've listed below. FYI, I was getting crashes when this was set to 11 (although I also had some other loading tweaks in that could have been doing it), but I've been running ugrids=9 for hours, and I've run 1/2 way across the map with no crashes. If you're on a 32-bit OS or have less than 4GB RAM, setting it to 7 is probably safe.

 

This setting makes a massive difference in graphics quality, but it will drop performance due to so much more getting rendered. Being near Whiterun used to piss me off due to LOD loading, but now it's beautiful :)

 

---------

 

Large Address Aware patch to the TESV.exe is essential for safe uGrids tweaking, and even then the results are entirely subject to your system specs and the drive you're running the game from. You're totally overloading the game's streaming system by doing this, so you'll probably need the entire game installed on an SSD for stability and performance. The aforementioned exe is a 32bit application that can't, by default, use more than 2gb of RAM. This is insufficient. By following this (very simple) method, you can give Skyrim full access to all the RAM it needs, provided you have enough:

 

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=112556

 

Doing this can solve a whole range of problems, from instability when taking screenshots to random CTDs. One thing it won't do is create problems. If you're getting them after doing it, the problem is somewhere else.

 

I'm playing the game at 2160p with FXAA (no multisampling - that's a performance killer) and it's smooth as butter, so these tweaks do work. As with Oblivion, though, once you've taken all the necessary steps, only the intricate configuration of your PC can really determine how stable they are.

 

Something else to bear in mind is that this is with a vanilla install. In all likelihood, once a significant HD texture mod arrives, uGridsToLoad will become a much more volatile thing to play with.

 

Mechtech, thank you so much! There's a lot of really pointless stuff flying around about .ini settings and I have yet to find a SINGLE source that just gave me the information you gave me.

So +1, no make that +500 will try very soon and post results.

 

EDIT: Okay so I did that, still having weird LOD issues. Although it does seem much better as far as ground textures and scenery. The mountains just hate rendering on my system

I'm running 2 x 580s in SLI, i5 2500k OC'ed to 4.9ghz stable, and 8gb 1600mhz RAM 9-9-9-24. Everything is severely maxed in the .ini with Inspector AO and AF 16x as well as 8x AA native.

http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc478/hstanford1/Screenshot11475.png

Edited November 14, 2011 by hstanford1