Graphics overhaul thoughts/suggestions/"guide"

[duffman9465]

Hey guys. I was wondering if someone could help out with graphics mods suggestions. It's been a little while since I've been able to mod skyrim and now I'm back into it with a new rig and I'm really excited to make skyrim look great without hitting the mod cap of course. I've already tried the real vision enb guide on skyrimtuner's real vision page and it didn't work out for me (had half the screen black and no fix solved it). So I'm curious as to how you guys made your games look as there's many ways to mod the game. I just don't have a lot of spare time to go through and search for a bunch of mods by myself.

 

For reference, here's my specs so you know what my rig can be capable of:

 

Intel i7 6700k

Nvidia GTX 1070 8gb

16gb ram ddr4

Asus z170-a motherboard

240gb ssd

Windows 10 pro

 

Any suggestions are accepted (links appreciated but not entirely necessary). Let me know what you guys have!

Edited July 17, 2016 by duffman9465

[Cambionn]

I had ENB problems as well. ENB doesn't work well yet with the GTX 10** series sadly. You can make it work by installing the wrapper, deleting d3d9.dll en replacing it with injector version, which you need to open every time before Skyrim. Disable Razer Synaps if you have it and any other monitoring software (like msi gaming app for example) and start a new game. THEN everything should work with any ENB. The half black screen has a fix on realvisions mod page btw, you need to change something in the one of the inis ^^.

I just got a new rig as well, I've got a MSI GTX1080 Gaming X on gaming mode (base clock 1683 MHz, boost clock 1822 MHz) and a i5-6600k, 2 time 8GB DDR4 RAM, 250BG SSD and a 2TB HDD (Skyrim on SSD), windows 10 pro and an MSI tomahawk AC mortherbord. I run the following:

-Truevision ENB (with some edits to gamma and brightness, no DoF)

-Dinavision (for dept of field that is not only pretty but also nice to play with)

-Vivid Landscapes (all 2K textures)

-superior rock textures (lighter vanilla textures, together with the stone quarry and clay quarry mod)

-Climates of Tamriel

-Amidianborn weapons and armour and special item on full resolution

-SMIM

-lot of HD clutter textures and improvement mods

-Bellyaches animals textures

-some bigger rain textures

-purewaters

-and handmade NPC overhaul roughly based on vanilla version of

-a LOD overhaul

-JK skyrim

-Skyrim Bigger Trees

-SkyTEST (with some additional tweaks found on the nexus)

-Verdant (because who doesn't want grass to be so full you can t see the ground, density at 60)

-AURORA

-SKUI with SKUIaway

-racemenu

-UUNP with high poly UUNP armours and clothing and exeters UNP base body armours and clothing

-Mature skin texture young edition

-Coverkhajiit

-rustic children

-CBBE-CHSBHC-UNP-ADEC-Human Argonian Khajiit Texture-4096 (only for female beast race textures, using coverkhajiit as head)

-some high poly hand and feet meshes for woman

-Superior Lore-Friendly Hair - HD textures

-Maevan2's eye brows

-The Eyes Of Beauty

-Some warpaint and dirt textures

-Better Vanilla Hairs - Mesh Replacements

-KS hairdos renewal (I don't like anime hairs but it has quite a few that fit into the lore. It's why I'm making my own NPC overhaul, I want the lore fitting hairs only to be used)

-Enhanced Lights and FX

-True Wolves Of Skyrim

-rustic clothing

-SkySight Skins - Ultra HD 4K and 2K - Male Textures and Real Feet Meshes (with the meshes obviously)

-a lot of other textures so everything in game is retextured.

 

This are only my most important mods. I have many other mods like unofficial Skyrim patches, run for your lives. And don't forget SKSE ^^.
I run mostly on 60fps. BUT I tried running it with uGridsToLoad on 7 and that is just a little bit to much (fps between 30fps to 80fps depending on where I am). You might want to ditch a few and not have the whole gaming running on screen archery set-up (with high poly meshes and 2k to 4k textures everywhere, and a few 1k on really small objects) as you have a 1070 instead of a 1080, but it might give you an idea what to look for.

I may have tweaked and edited a few small things here an there. I install everything manually, as I find it more easy as I know exactly what files I'm using and adding/editing and it gives me more free dome, but I had to learn it when I modded oblivion in the time before mod managers and sorting software, once you spend so much time learning manual it gives you more control, but as you said you don't have much time, I suggest using a mod manager.

I personally like no-anime, lore-friendly, realistic mods, so that's what you can expect with this.

Edited July 17, 2016 by TDOGH

[duffman9465]

I have to say, that's a really awesome set up you have going! Kudos to you getting your hands on a 1080. I work at Best Buy and I couldn't even get my hands on one. Also, awesome mod list and very helpful. I didn't know that enb's didn't work well with the new cards, so that explains a lot. How exactly did you get it to run? I'm not quite understanding. Do you need to run the enbhost.exe every time? And I don't like the anime mods either. I like to run high resolution graphics (especially since I'm running on a 4k screen), content mods, weapons, armors, and player homes. Just seems to make things more interesting and keep things close to "home" more than anything. Things ran pretty smoothly on my 970 with my older computer. But I know this 1070 can handle things way better and I know I won't even come close to capping out on the card. I'll give your post a shot for sure, but is there any specific way to install everything? I know that's the case sometimes. I'm also using NMM instead of MO because I feel a bit overwhelmed with MO even though I prefer it and recommend it more (I know, I know, that sounds counter-intuitive). But, if you say to do things a specific way, I'll give it a go. No harm in doing things a certain way. Also, are there specifics to any of those mods? Like the ones you said "lot of HD clutter textures and improvement mods." Or is it more personal choice than anything? I know that's a lot to cover and a lot of questions, but so far you seem to know a bit more than other people I've talked to

Edited July 18, 2016 by duffman9465

[Cambionn]

Thanks. I've waited one and a half month to get that 1080, just to cancel it and have to import it from Germany.

Let me just get it one by one:

How exactly did you get it to run?
-Download the newest ENB

-Install wrapper version as normal

-Delete d3d9.dll

-Install the injector version over the wrapper version

-Install the ENB of your choice

-When you want to play:

-Open ENBinjector.exe

-Close razer synaps (if you have it running, it really breaks ENB)

-Close other monitoring software, like MSI gaming app, a few other examples are listed in the FAQ of realvision and purevision.

 

Do you need to run the enbhost.exe every time?

No, you need to run ENBinjector.exe every time you want to play, it replaces the d3d9.dll. ENB injector will open ENBhost.exe. It will give a little pop-up, you can ignore this. Don't close it trough. I suggest pinning it to the start menu.

 

especially since I'm running on a 4k screen

Note that I can barely run the above on 1080p 60ghz. Like I said, I tried running with uGridsToLoad on 7 but that was just to much. The videocard can handle more but sadly the engine is a 32 bit engine with memory allocation problems. Trough ENBoost en SKSE can help a great lot, it's not perfect. Hopefully the new engine end this year will change things for the better.

 

but is there any specific way to install everything?
I prefer to do everything manually. It's takes a lot of trial and error, but once you've learned to do it it allows you for more mix and match and mistakes will happen less often, as you know exactly what to add where and what you did. As you are more close to your mods, you will know better what you have installed. But it may take a few clean installations and takes time to learn, but when I started modding it was the only option. Seeing you stated you didn't have to much time I suggest you use NMM (unless ofcourse you don't mind putting time and effort in it, then I can only recommend manually), I use it for a few things and it's nice (mods with horrid documentation as if no one will ever do manual (only happend once yet, and it defiantly had to do with documentation from the mods side) and turning mods on and off as Skyrim launcher may reset some of my settings in my ini files). Mod managers should be simple, not to much overwhelming stuff, my favorite is still OBMM for sure (which was oblivion exclusive). Further just make sure you read all descriptions well. If you have an heavy set-up you want to make sure no mods are in the way of another, so keep track of what you install and make sure it all works together well. And ofcourse read FAQ and comments. They'll tell you a lot. In fact, just read everything and first one or two pages of the comments, it's there for a reason.

Also, are there specifics to any of those mods?
Well this is just really the part where I mix and match. It's mainly a personal choice, together with the fact that no clutter texture mod seems to have a clutter. So this mod is missing this, while that mod is missing that, so if I put them together I have everything. Next to that, all personal choice. I like the RUSTIC series, and ruins clutter improvment with that one. Ofcourse SMIM will run next to it and have a lot of clutter as well.

I know that's a lot to cover and a lot of questions, but so far you seem to know a bit more than other people I've talked to
It's no problem. If I didn't want to get questions I shouldn't have went to the forum. I have been modding since the time BOSS wasn't a thing and we didn't have mod managers. Back in the time Oblivion was the best thing in the world. Perhaps that's why I know a bit more. Been in it for a long time.

And don't forget, if something is almost what you want, but not entirely, you always have creation kit to fix it. Just turn of sound in it's ini file to inprove stability a lot, and check UESP for other tweaks needed in the ini file to load al DLC and block all those thousands of messages (of course it overrides file CK, why else would I have a NPC overhaul mod...)

[duffman9465]

Oooohhhh haha the enb thing makes much more sense now. I totally forgot that the game engine is 32 bit. It's been a while since I've been in the modding scene and things have changed since then. But I'm still familiar with just about everything you've mentioned. I do know that there's a ugrids mod put up on nexus recently that I checked out so I might give that a try and see how it works (I'll post and let you know because that might be helpful to someone else too). I'm gunna go through the list today and see how it works out. On another note, are they updating skyrim for pc too? I know they're remaking the game for consoles and adding mod support there as well. But I haven't heard anything about updates for pc

 

Also, you mentioned "handmade NPC" stuff. Is that something you made or something that's available on nexus?

 

UPDATE:

I do want to mention that I have Skyrim up and going! It looks better than ever (I'd hope so with these specs). I'm playing with extremely high frame rates, absolutely no lag or skips, and no screen tearing. I don't have half the screen blacked out either. TDOGH, you're awesome man! You provided great help, solved a very irritating issue, and provided a great mod list as well. This is the best I've ever seen this game perform, and I feel more comfortable with the changes most these mods have made since the last time I was able to play this game. I do want to ask what other visual enhancements are out there that would work as well. More like landscapes, plants, and so on. Plus if there's any great content mods out there with good stories. I already have Falskaar, but I'm looking for more to expand my game

Edited July 18, 2016 by duffman9465

[Cambionn]

I feel like modding in very similar with Oblivion. It only became more easy (one misstake in your loadorder would blow that game up, and since we had no BOSS nor LOOT we had to make the entire loadorder our selfs. Thanks someone that is no longer needed!)

I get the uGrids to work it's just to heavy. Not sure why I would have a hard time running this all on my 1080 if you have it running easily on a 1070. Do you have any ideas for me here? Everything seems to be working well on my pc, and I checked the card and CPU which the the clock speeds they should, and they both don't run maxed out either. I also had a professional builder check it out for me as it was my first time build, together with my uncle who has build his own pc's for years. I doubt there are hardware problems (like I said, I worked with PCs for quite some time now, but never got the time and money to build my own). Yet I don't understand why I have a hard time keeping the game on 60FPS. Do I really just have to much mods and to high resolution textures? For a 1080? I expected it could easily handle this... I was even planning on high poly headmeshes, but couldn't get them to work so fats and decided it wasn't worth the hassle :o

On the other hand, Inquisition with everything on the highest settings also seems to have a bit of trouble, especially in the hinterlands. I told you my specs and most of my mods. I have no texture under 1024, and that is only for some clutter. Al bigger things (and some clutter) have 2048 textures and a few things (not much) has 4k textures. You think those textures may be the problem?

I'm making my own NPC overhaul. I like those hair mods, but I don't want NPC's to have anime hair like other overhauls using KS hairdos or Apachi skyhair do. But the basic braids or lose hairs look so well. I'm making my own NPC overhaul using KS hairdos renewal but only using hair that would fit into the world. I base it on inhabitants of Skyrim (if I recall right version 3 had the vanilla hair, that one I use).

I haven't played much content mods as I mostly feel the voice acting feels just a bit off, and without voice acting it seemed empty. I still need to play Falskaar, but I never got myself to it. I heard good things about it trough. I just like to expand the cities that are already there, and there where mods to made towns like kartwatsen bigger and gave everyone a house instead of making them sleep outside (which quite feels like Bethesda was to lazy to add some houses for not-so-important NPC's). Otherwise there was this mod giving over a hundred voiced NPCs which people liked, but I personally felt again the voice acting didn't fit quite well and deleted it. I also had this mod which added a lot of dialogs and quests which where finished in CK but for some reason never added in game. It are a lot of small things but I really liked it. For example Utghred had a conversation with the stable master about her travels and a jester on the road starting the quest delayed burial. There has also been an opening scene overhaul uploaded resently with missing dialogs added back into the game, but I don't know if these are also added by the first mod I mentioned. A lot of people also like mods that add the need to eat and drink and sleep and such, I personally don't, but it may be nice for the role playing part. Other wise I wouldn't know. I don't run much of these mods, so it are just recommendations based on what I've heard. Undoubtly you can find these yourself easily as well.

[duffman9465]

You have your drivers installed for your card properly and all of your windows updates? That does have a good impact on gaming experience. On top of that, you've set things in the nvidia control panel to where they should? Like the antialiasing and all that? Cuz when those are set to application controlled or off, that'll help too. You very well could be bottlenecking from the processor too. You shouldn't be, and it'd be very hard to monitor that while running the game as well. I also installed ssme too and skyrim project optimization, just because it always helped with running 150+ mods on my 970 and i7 4790k and it keeps things from loading when they shouldn't. You also cleaned your mods with tes5edit? I made sure everything was cleaned up before running. I'm also running a few other 4k mods and enb series says I'm running at 90+ fps at the intro to the game which I know is very script heavy. Quite strange how you're running harsher than I am with that card

 

That's awesome that you're making your own overhaul mod. I took a liking to making weapons and story mods more than anything. But I didn't get all the way through with almost all of them because of the nature of CK and I was trying to use CK on a laptop with only a 3rd gen i5. So that was kinda expected.

 

As for content mods already out there, falskaar is awesome. Easily one of the best mods made. It adds at least 20 extra hours of gameplay and it's fully voice acted professionally with it being fully navmeshed so your followers can go with you. Wyrmstooth was another really good one that never got finished and a couple of months ago the lead developer of the mod decided to stop modding and took the mod off the internet. It's a shame the mod never saw a finish and was taken down, but I respect why he did it. A lot of content mods that aren't well known and tagged as a work in progress aren't too great either though. I've found a lot that were terrible. Jotunheim (think that's the correct spelling) was amazing. There weren't any voice actors, but the developer had other characters interact through notes and such. It's more of a mystery mod though so it makes more sense to do it that way. MannyGT has a couple that are pretty good with professional voice acting. Like the gray cowl of nocturnal. There's even some pretty good custom textures. The wonders of mzark is another good one with great voice acting and story, and also Summerset isle. That one has great voice acting, really strong story, new creatures, and tons of quests. But it's still a work in progress last I checked. You should give those a go. They're heavy in story and mostly stay lore-friendly. I have pretty high standards when it comes to content mods, or anything with a story really, but those fit the bill and have great replayability too

Edited July 19, 2016 by duffman9465

[Cambionn]

I have my drives set up well, first thing to do whenever I start my pc is check if GeForce experience has any notes for me. I guess I could double check Nvidea control panel, but it should be set all good. I'll check it another time trough. I know it's not my CPU, I've checked my CPU, DRAM, VRAM and GPU with MSI gaming app, doesn't always work nice with ENB and may be trown out any time, but when it works doesn't change performance. Just doesn't work half the time.

I've put my card into OC mode (which is the highest stock clock it came with). It helped quite a lot. I used to frop to 35 in Falkreath, now i won't come under 50 fps anymore my case should have by far enough cooling to take it. Also resetted the ini files from Skyrim and only added the setting needed for ENB as I know one little mistake in there may kill your FPS. I also have project optimalisation, Skyrim legendary patch. SSME is included with SKSE nowadays, whose ini is all set.

LOOT tells me almost anything is clean. I've always learned not to clean official files including DLC, as some mods may accidentally rely on those mistakes and misbehave when cleaning them. Official DLC has dirty edits but none should cause problems when mods are working well and properly installed. The only thing with dirty edits is a patch I will clean it just to be sure. Everything else is fine.

I also followed the Skyrim stability guide.

If you want CK to run more stable, disable audio in the ini. Not sure why but it crashed far less if you do. Haven't had a crash since while it used to crash after every 2-3 NPCs.

If you like, you can add me on steam. It's more easy talking there, and we're getting a bit of-topic now I think.

Edited July 19, 2016 by TDOGH

[duffman9465]

Ssme does come with some of the new stuff, but I still installed it anyway because I still notice a difference with it installed. With the USLEEP patch, it replaces those official dirty edits, come to find out, so cleaning those will improve performance, so I still clean those too. Do you have the 64 bit part set to true in your enb? Because a lot of enb settings come with that set to false automatically and it's easily missed a lot of times too. Plus the proper bug fixes in the ini enabled can be missed as well. Maybe try out a script cleaner and bsa optimizer. Those tools are a performance life saver and will help with 150+ mods.

 

We are kinda getting a bit off topic here and there haha so I'll add you on steam when I have a chance, I'm currently at work. Pm me your steam name and I'll send out a request when I can