Need a reliable Skyrim.ini and SkyrimPrefs.ini and settings info

[zyg0tic]

Could someone with a smooth setup for Skyrim please post both their .ini files and also let us know if they have made any changes to their graphics card settings. Z-fighting/mountain flicker I can live with, but if your settings are good and your SkyrimPrefs includes z-fighting reduction that would be great too.

 

I've been having issues with Skyrim's performance and graphical glitches. I see so many videos where it looks great and doesn't stutter much or have wierd glitches like animals jumping or falling out of sky and rapid stutter glitching.

 

I'm hoping that by using, or comparing, the files and settings of someone who has not been experiencing the same issues, I can actually enjoy Skyrim immersion again, especially in areas like the Whiterun grasslands.

[Deleted3507349User]

It would help to know your machine specs, particularly your graphics card, but here's my setup. It rarely crashes with my Radeon 7770 running WinXP w/4Gb RAM/ Overall graphics set to High, all View Distance sliders maxed out, all Detail settings set to High.

 

Skyrim.ini:

 

[General]
sLanguage=ENGLISH

uExterior Cell Buffer=36

iNumHWThreads=4
iHWThread8=3
iHWThread7=2
iHWThread6=1
iHWThread5=0
iHWThread4=3
iHWThread3=2
iHWThread2=1
iHWThread1=0
iAIThread2HWThread=3
iAIThread1HWThread=1
iRenderingThread2HWThread=2
iRenderingThread1HWThread=0
bMultiThreadMovement=1
bUseThreadedParticleSystem=1
bUseThreadedBlood=1
bUseThreadedMorpher=1
bUseThreadedTempEffects=1
bUseThreadedTextures=1
bUseThreadedMeshes=1
bUseThreadedLOD=1
bUseThreadedAI=1
bUseHardDriveCache=0

[backgroundLoad]
bUseBackgroundFileLoader=1
bUseMultiThreadedFaceGen=1
bBackgroundCellLoads=1
bUseMultiThreadedTrees=1
bUseBackgroundFileLoader=1
bBackgroundLoadLipFiles=1

[HAVOK]
iNumThreads=2

[Display]
fShadowLODMaxStartFade=1000.0
fSpecularLODMaxStartFade=2000.0
fLightLODMaxStartFade=3500.0
iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=2048
bAllowScreenshot=1

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

[Grass]
bAllowCreateGrass=1
bAllowLoadGrass=0

[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, HighResTexturePack01.bsa, HighResTexturePack02.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
f1PArrowTiltUpAngle=0.7
f3PArrowTiltUpAngle=0.7

[Papyrus]
fPostLoadUpdateTimeMS=500.0
bEnableLogging=1
bEnableTrace=1
bLoadDebugInformation=1
[Water]
bReflectLODObjects=1
bReflectLODLand=1
bReflectSky=0
bReflectLODTrees=1

[Actor]
fVisibleNavmeshMoveDist=12288.0000

[MapMenu]
uLockedObjectMapLOD=8 
bWorldMapNoSkyDepthBlur=1
fWorldMapNearDepthBlurScale=0
fWorldMapDepthBlurScale=0
fWorldMapMaximumDepthBlur=0
fMapWorldInitialPitch=90.0000
fMapWorldZoomSpeed=0.0750
fMapLookMouseSpeed=3.0000
fMapZoomMouseSpeed=15.0000

 

SkyrimPrefs.ini:

 

[General]
fBrightLightColorB=1.0000
fBrightLightColorG=1.0000
fBrightLightColorR=1.0000
iStoryManagerLoggingEvent=-1
bEnableStoryManagerLogging=0
[imagespace]
bDoDepthOfField=1
iRadialBlurLevel=1
[Display]
iBlurDeferredShadowMask=3
fInteriorShadowDistance=3000.0000
fShadowDistance=4000.0000
iShadowMapResolutionSecondary=4096
iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=4096
iShadowSplitCount=2
iMaxAnisotropy=8
fLeafAnimDampenDistEnd=4600.0000
fLeafAnimDampenDistStart=3600.0000
fTreesMidLODSwitchDist=5000.0000
fGamma=1.0000
fDecalLOD2=1500.0000
fDecalLOD1=1000.0000
fSpecularLODStartFade=1500.0000
fShadowLODStartFade=200.0000
fLightLODStartFade=3500.0000
iTexMipMapMinimum=0
iTexMipMapSkip=0
iWaterMultiSamples=0
iMultiSample=8
iShadowMode=3
bTreesReceiveShadows=1
bDrawLandShadows=1
bFull Screen=1
iSize H=720
iSize W=1280
fMeshLODFadePercentDefault=1.2000
fMeshLODFadeBoundDefault=256.0000
fMeshLODLevel2FadeTreeDistance=2048.0000
fMeshLODLevel1FadeTreeDistance=2844.0000
fMeshLODLevel2FadeDist=3072.0000
fMeshLODLevel1FadeDist=4096.0000
iScreenShotIndex=3
bShadowMaskZPrepass=0
bMainZPrepass=0
iMaxSkinDecalsPerFrame=10
iMaxDecalsPerFrame=30
bFloatPointRenderTarget=0
sD3DDevice="AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series"
bFXAAEnabled=0
iShadowMapResolution=2048
fShadowBiasScale=0.2500
iShadowMaskQuarter=4
iAdapter=0
iPresentInterval=0
iShadowFilter=3
bShadowsOnGrass=1
bTransparencyMultisampling=0
bDeferredShadows=1
bDrawShadows=1
[Grass]
b30GrassVS=0
fGrassStartFadeDistance=7000.0000
fGrassMaxStartFadeDistance=7000.0000
fGrassMinStartFadeDistance=0.0000
[MAIN]
bGamepadEnable=0
bCrosshairEnabled=1
fHUDOpacity=1.0000
bSaveOnPause=1
bSaveOnTravel=1
bSaveOnWait=0
bSaveOnRest=0
fSkyCellRefFadeDistance=150000.0000
[GamePlay]
bShowFloatingQuestMarkers=1
bShowQuestMarkers=1
iDifficulty=2
[interface]
bDialogueSubtitles=1
bGeneralSubtitles=0
fMouseCursorSpeed=1.0000
bShowCompass=1
[Controls]
fGamepadHeadingSensitivity=1.0000
fMouseHeadingSensitivity=0.0360
bAlwaysRunByDefault=1
bInvertYValues=0
bGamePadRumble=0
bMouseAcceleration=1
bUseKinect=0
[Particles]
iMaxDesired=750
[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=150000.0000
fBlockLevel1Distance=40000.0000
fBlockLevel0Distance=25000.0000
fSplitDistanceMult=1.1000
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=20
[Decals]
uMaxDecals=250
bDecals=1
bSkinnedDecals=1
uMaxSkinDecals=50
uMaxSkinDecalsPerActor=40
[LOD]
fLODFadeOutMultObjects=15.0000
fLODFadeOutMultItems=15.0000
fLODFadeOutMultActors=15.0000
fLODFadeOutMultSkyCell=1.0000
[Launcher]
bEnableFileSelection=1
bShowAllResolutions=0
uLastAspectRatio=3
[blurShaderHDR]
bDoHighDynamicRange=1
[blurShader]
bUseBlurShader=0
[Water]
iWaterReflectHeight=512
iWaterReflectWidth=512
bUseWaterDisplacements=1
bUseWaterRefractions=1
bUseWaterReflections=1
bUseWaterDepth=1

[zyg0tic]

Hey thanks a lot.

 

Did you find that the threading made a significant difference with the performance?

 

I'm trying to reduce micro stutter at the moment. It happens when Im running along into an area, as all the things are loading. Ive tried a number of things to reduce or eliminate it, but have not yet found the best solution. I have an SSD for my C drive and the drive on which Skyrim is installed. It happens even when I dont use HD textures. Maybe threading will help.

[Deleted3507349User]

Threading helped a LOT. As far as NPCs falling out of the sky, welcome to Bethesda games.

[zyg0tic]

Hey I just got a chance to try your ini's and they work great. I had to change a few things, like the difficulty setting and I turned vsync on (iPresentInterval=1). My FPS in Whiterun grasslands hasnt gone beyond about 50, yet the stutter isnt that bad and no screen tearing to speak of. No jumping/falling/flying NPCs either - although this is notoriously fickle and tends to return right after I say its gone.

 

I have a GTX 680 so was expecting a higher framerate than 50ish. It runs okay though. I'll preserve a backup of the ini's as they are now and work from there. Thanks so much.

Edited December 3, 2012 by zyg0tic

[Deleted3507349User]

The NPC thing is built into the game at the engine level. It has to do with how they're spawned in the cell. Nothing to do about it but chuckle (or swear, if someone important skydives to their death). Glad to have been of help. Edited December 3, 2012 by digitaltrucker

[Xescream]

Something's not right there zyg0tic, I have an EVGA 680 and without an enb I never dip below 60 with settings even higher than this. My shadow maps are 8192 with 32 shadow mask instead of 3....... with Project ENB with all filters on highest I get 45-50.

[Deleted3507349User]

He never shared the rest of his system's specs, the OS, CPU, etc. He may be bottlenecked somewhere other than the GPU (as I am). I get lower FPS than I *should* be getting with my 7770, but that's mainly because this machine is four years old now and the CPU is a 2.2 Phenom. Skyrim relies on the CPU just nearly as much as the GPU. Heck, until I upgraded to the 7770 (from a 2400!) I was playing with about 18FPS. I'm getting about 30 now. I could get more out of it, but at the cost of lower quality. Bear in mind, 24 FPS is cinema quality.

[zyg0tic]

I was able to spend some more time today tweaking my settings and have made progress, but I continue to seek the optimal.

 

I have an i7 950 overclocked to 3.5ghz. Both my game drive and my virtual memory drive are SSD. 6GB 1600mhz memory (Im going to increase it, but Ive not observed total system memory usage above 4gb). Im using the latest beta drivers from nVidia. Graphcs card is an MSI Twin Frozr that runs remarkably cool. 64-bit Windows 7.

 

Im not using any ENB currently, but I intend to. I have the high res textures pack but I just use high settings. I also have the Flora Overhaul, Lush Grass and Lush Trees.

 

Xescream, do you have Immersive Patrols, Civil War Unrest and ASIS mods? If so can you test something for me. I have all these and there is an area near Whiterun (past the small giant camp with the big bonfire in the middle) where a massive amount of Imperials, Stormcloak and animals spawn. Loading/running into it is usually stuttery for me. I also have a mod that randomises the armor of the Stormcloaks and Imperials so they dont all look the same, and this of course tends to iincrease loading time stutter. In addition, without FPS limit and vsync the animal models rapidly flicker up and down like crazy and jump into the sky really high then fall to their deaths. The NPCs falling out of the sky was a major issue for me, and after much agonizing and tweaking the only solution I found has been to limit FPS to 45 and I use nVidia Inspector to do so. Increasing actor/NPC load distance to 20 helped with the loading stutter while approaching that populated area - uGrids 7 (along with the other things you have to raise with it) did too, but I hate using it due to savegame corruption issue, higher chance of CTD, and since I might change my mind about it later and be unable to switch back.

 

Edit: the area is directly west of Whiterun city.

Edited December 3, 2012 by zyg0tic

[bben46]

Some of the ini settings the game sets are based on your hardware - You are lucky it works at all with someone elses ini settings. The purpose of the ini settings is to adjust the game to work properly with your hardware - the default settings are very conservative though and can be tweaked quite a bit. What works great for one system will crash another - or cause poor performance.

 

Best source for optimizing your ini is Tweak guides. http://www.tweakguides.com/

 

Optimize your operating system first, then your video card settings and then the game settings. it doesn't matter if your game is tweaked to perfection if your operating system is a mess - the game will work far better if the OS, Video and game are all tweaked properly. This is not a set a few parameters and run. It is a time consuming process of setting a LOT of parameters to make the game run far better. :thumbsup:

 

I discovered this early in Oblivion - on my old slow XP system with 2G ram, my game FPS went from around 25FPS -and as low as 10FPS in combat to 45FPS or better after doing a full optimization. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-dance014.gif

Your mileage may vary though.

 

 

Start with the default ini the game gives you and make the changes based on the suggestions from Tweak Guides. :thumbsup: