I shouldn't have been surprised

[MightyZ0G]

like a lot of old school pc and video gamers, rather than reading the destructions, I prefer to just press buttons and see what they do and heaven help the hardware :devil:

 

so as anyone who has seen other posts of mine around here will know, I like to play with my ini settings to see what works and what doesn't and this latest one works far better than I could have hoped.

shadows on player and NPCs how they should have been in the original game and the game is also running smoother.

 

the tweak that did this?

 

open the SkyrimPrefs.ini and look for bActorSelfShadowing and make sure this is set to 0 .

 

I'm now playing Skyrim in HD on my TV and it looks so good.

 

here's my complete skyrimprefs ini

 

[General]
fBrightLightColorB=1.0000
fBrightLightColorG=1.0000
fBrightLightColorR=1.0000
iStoryManagerLoggingEvent=-1
bEnableStoryManagerLogging=0
fdefaultfov=60

[imagespace]
bDoDepthOfField=0
iRadialBlurLevel=2

[Display]
iBlurDeferredShadowMask=1
fInteriorShadowDistance=3500.0000
fShadowDistance=2500.0000
iShadowMapResolutionSecondary=4096
iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=4096
iShadowSplitCount=2
iMaxAnisotropy=4
fLeafAnimDampenDistEnd=4600.0000
fLeafAnimDampenDistStart=3600.0000
fTreesMidLODSwitchDist=3600.0000
fGamma=1.2000
fDecalLOD2=1500.0000
fDecalLOD1=1000.0000
iActorShadowCountInt=6
iActorShadowCountExt=4

fSpecularLODStartFade=2000.0000
fShadowLODStartFade=200.0000
fLightLODStartFade=3500.0000

iTexMipMapMinimum=4
iTexMipMapSkip=0
iWaterMultiSamples=2
iMultiSample=2
iShadowMode=2
bTreesReceiveShadows=1
bDrawLandShadows=1

bFull Screen=1
iSize H=1080
iSize W=1920

fMeshLODFadePercentDefault=1.2000
fMeshLODFadeBoundDefault=256.0000
fMeshLODLevel2FadeTreeDistance=28000.0000
fMeshLODLevel1FadeTreeDistance=32000.0000
fMeshLODLevel2FadeDist=3072.0000
fMeshLODLevel1FadeDist=4096.0000

iScreenShotIndex=174
bShadowMaskZPrepass=0
bMainZPrepass=0
iMaxSkinDecalsPerFrame=25
iMaxDecalsPerFrame=100
bFloatPointRenderTarget=1
sD3DDevice="NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480"
bFXAAEnabled=1
iShadowMapResolution=4096
fShadowBiasScale=0.3000
iShadowMaskQuarter=4
iAdapter=0
iPresentInterval=0
iShadowFilter=3
bTransparencyMultisampling=0
bDrawShadows=1

bEquippedTorchesCastShadows=1
bDynamicWindowReflections=0
bShadowsOnGrass=1
bActorSelfShadowing=0
bUseSunbeams=1

[Grass]
b30GrassVS=1
fGrassStartFadeDistance=20000.0000
fGrassMaxStartFadeDistance=28000.0000
fGrassMinStartFadeDistance=0.0000
bAllowLoadGrass=0
bAllowCreateGrass=1

[MAIN]
bGamepadEnable=1
bCrosshairEnabled=0
fHUDOpacity=1.0000
bSaveOnPause=1
bSaveOnTravel=1
bSaveOnWait=1
bSaveOnRest=1
fSkyCellRefFadeDistance=150000.0000

[GamePlay]
bShowFloatingQuestMarkers=0
bShowQuestMarkers=1
iDifficulty=4

[interface]
bDialogueSubtitles=0
bGeneralSubtitles=0
bShowCompass=0
fMouseCursorSpeed=1.0000

[Controls]
fGamepadHeadingSensitivity=0.8100
fMouseHeadingSensitivity=0.0300
bAlwaysRunByDefault=0
bInvertYValues=1
bGamePadRumble=0
bMouseAcceleration=0

[Particles]
iMaxDesired=512

[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=0.5000
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=75000.0000
fBlockMaximumDistance=250000.0000
fBlockLevel1Distance=70000.0000
fBlockLevel0Distance=35000.0000
fSplitDistanceMult=1.5000
bShowLODInEditor=0

[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=24

[Decals]
uMaxDecals=1000
bDecals=1
bSkinnedDecals=1
uMaxSkinDecals=100
uMaxSkinDecalsPerActor=60

[LOD]
fLODFadeOutMultObjects=30.0000
fLODFadeOutMultItems=20.0000
fLODFadeOutMultActors=18.0000
fLODFadeOutMultSkyCell=1.0000

[Launcher]
bEnableFileSelection=1
bShowAllResolutions=1
uLastAspectRatio=3

[blurShaderHDR]
bDoHighDynamicRange=1

[blurShader]
bUseBlurShader=0

[Water]
iWaterReflectHeight=256
iWaterReflectWidth=256
bUseWaterDisplacements=1
bUseWaterRefractions=1
bUseWaterReflections=1
bUseWaterDepth=1

 

 

and here is my skyrim ini for anyone who is interested.

WARNING if you use my skyrim.ini, but get lag due to the extended draw distance, you will need to check out Skyrim Enthusiast Graphics Yweak Guide to retore your ugrids to the default value

 

[General]
sLanguage=ENGLISH

uGridsToLoad=7
uInterior Cell Buffer=32
uExterior Cell Buffer=64

fMasterFilePreLoadMB=128.0000
iPreloadSizeLimit=268435456

sIntroSequence=DISABLED.BIK

[Display]
fShadowLODMaxStartFade=200.0
fSpecularLODMaxStartFade=2000.0
fLightLODMaxStartFade=3500.0
iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=4096
bAllowScreenshot=1
fSunShadowUpdateTime=0.2000
fSunUpdateThreshold=0.0200

[Audio]
fMusicDuckingSeconds=6.0
fMusicUnDuckingSeconds=8.0
fMenuModeFadeOutTime=3.0
fMenuModeFadeInTime=1.0

[Grass]
bAllowLoadGrass=0
bAllowCreateGrass=1

[GeneralWarnings]
SGeneralMasterMismatchWarning=One or more plugins could not find the correct versions of the master files they depend on. Errors may occur during load or game play. Check the "Warnings.txt" file for more information.

[Archive]
sResourceArchiveList=Skyrim - Misc.bsa, Skyrim - Shaders.bsa, Skyrim - Textures.bsa, Skyrim - Interface.bsa, Skyrim - Animations.bsa, Skyrim - Meshes.bsa, Skyrim - Sounds.bsa
sResourceArchiveList2=Skyrim - Voices.bsa, Skyrim - VoicesExtra.bsa

[Combat]
fMagnetismStrafeHeadingMult=0.0
fMagnetismLookingMult=0.0

[Papyrus]
iMaxAllocatedMemoryBytes=3221225472
fPostLoadUpdateTimeMS=500.0
bEnableLogging=0
bEnableTrace=0
bLoadDebugInformation=0

[Water]
bReflectLODObjects=1
bReflectLODLand=1
bReflectSky=1
bReflectLODTrees=1

 

[xlcr]

@mighty zog, skyrimprefs.ini [Display] bActorSelfShadowing=0, nice find!

looking forward to testing this, hope it works as you reported,

could never completely fix annoying over-saturated player shadows in bright sunlight, especially if equipped with dark gear.

odd i didn't see this parameter already present in my ini file (set to '1'),

like you noted, this feature should've been included in the default skyrimprefs.ini.

wonder why it wasn't in mine.

 

fyi, you can also find a 'Player Self-Shadowing' as a check box in tab Graphics/Shadows(Advanced) in mod:

Skyrim configurator by pfannkuchen_gesicht - http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=814

 

anyway, thank you for sharing your find.

[Elsarian]

Ok, I'm slightly confused. If you are setting bActorSelfShadowing to 0, then wouldn't that take away from the graphics by removing self shadowing? Or are you saying that the game actually looks better without the shadowing?

 

I know that the self-shadowing is pretty crappy and could be better, but don't see how this is supposed to improve it.

[BeastlyBeast]

Ok, I'm slightly confused. If you are setting bActorSelfShadowing to 0, then wouldn't that take away from the graphics by removing self shadowing? Or are you saying that the game actually looks better without the shadowing?

 

I know that the self-shadowing is pretty crappy and could be better, but don't see how this is supposed to improve it.

 

It's kinda hard to explain, but in a one word summary: rendering.

 

Shadows are not just implemented in the game. The game needs to take into account all lights, where they're casting, and where your shadow is going to cast.Then the game renders your shadow. That's why Bethesda doesn't recommend too many Omni-Lights in a CK cell. Cuz Omni-Lights are shadow casting lights. I'm sure someone else could give u a better explanation, but this is why shadows in the long run take up a lot, if not most, of the cp performance.

[vertex23]

Interesting, I don't even have that in my ini. What section is it under?

[Adrius2]

Uh yeah I don't have that stuff in my ini either.

 

I looked through them all, in fact there are several other entries that I completely lack that you have. Must've tweaked it quite extensively.

 

Can I just add the entry perhaps?

Edited May 24, 2012 by Adrius2

[ElricOfGrans]

Could someone post a before and after image of this?

[GoodfellowGoodspring]

So does this remove shadows from being able to cast on you? Because its anoying when it happens to npcs in dark rooms and you can't see there faces, i would prefer a npc version because i can just move my character around to solve the problem for myself!

[xlcr]

fyi, i still haven't fully confirmed how much impact adding setting

[Display]

bActorSelfShadowing=0

to skyrimprefs.ini has on character shadows, doesn't seem to hurt anything so far lol.

 

for what its worth, here is a comparison screenshot for Tree Self-Shadowing (bTreesReceiveShadows=0) in an nvidia tweak guide

that shows what i hope switching bActorSelfShadowing off will do, be sure to use the drag slider to compare:

http://international.download.nvidia.com/geforce-com/international/comparisons/skyrim-TreeSelfShadowing-comparison-1.html

 

here's a link to Five Essential Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Tweaks guide:

http://www.geforce.com/optimize/guides/five-fast-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-tweaks-guaranteed-to-make-your-game-look-even-better/

[MightyZ0G]

I took some pictures with and without bActorSelfShadowing and when I went to upload them I couldn't work out which was which :facepalm:

 

on a side note, I found a cheap way to drastically improve the graphics for no performance loss (and possibly no cost if you are a more mature gamer with a hoarding problem)

 

today my LCD monitor packed in so I dug around in the attic and dragged out my old CRT monitor (damn heavy thing that has sat up there unused, for more years than I'd care to remember, and plugged it in and Skyrim looked as if I had used a whole package of post processing effects and AA injectors.

 

I found that I could turn AA and AF down to minimum and still have the game look better than it did on my LCD display.

 

if you have an old CRT monitor with at least a 1280 x 1024 resolution then try skyrim with it