About this video
Been stoked about no grass in objects by Meh321 for not only the no grass growing through objects but also the extended grass draw distance beyond the 5 uGridsToLoad.
However rendering full grass models to double the distance took a big bite out of my frame rate (about 10-12 FPS)
Although this was still playable I went in search of a different solution to keep the graphics of extended grass without such a big frame rate hit of rendering full models.
So....
At the bottom of the No Grass In Objects.ini I notice there are different DynDOLOD options.
Disabled, and 1 did not extend the grass distance but returned the frame rate
2 extended the draw distance at expense of frame rate and I thought....
Since DynDOLOD and TexGen can produce billboards from full models and textures for trees and buildings there has to be a way to do that for grass also.
Low and behold there is using the GrassCache created by Meh321 No Grass in Objects and DynDOLOD to make the billboards, and LOD.
So I did as Sheson suggests and RTFM about creating grass LODs using the GrassCache files from Meh321's mod.
Not really that tough and was able to produce them with NGiO, TexGen, and DynDOLOD but the color wasn't quite right so did more reading and re-ran LODGen in expert mode on DynDOLOD after editing the grass top color RGB values in the ini
And this is the result.
Infinite grass with full tree and object LOD and a great frame rate.
Thank you Sheson, and Meh321 for the wonderful tools and tutorials/ manuals so I could improve my game.
You guys truly rock.
16 comments
Excellent work, Nico
Regarding the installation of this mod and engine fixes, etc. what dll loader(s) did you install?
It contains a .dll loader so Meh321's dll loader isn't needed if you use Engine fixes (which I recommend using).
In fact in the instructions for installing the .net framework it specifically says one or the other not both
Be sure and read all instructions for pre caching grass here>>>
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/42161
Don't forget to read in the spoilers of the instructions.
Important information.
My game crashed 3 times during pre cache of grass and hung when complete.
Just restart the game if it does this it will continue until all grass files are created.
The different options at the bottom of the .ini file for No Grass In Objects for DynDOLOD are like this
Disabled= vanilla
1= let no grass in objects handle within loaded area and DynDOLOD out side of that.
This is what I chose but need to run DynDOLOD 3 with grass LOD checked (RTFM!!!!!) so that it uses the grass cache files to make the needed billboards.
Also important to run TexGen before DynDOLOD.
2. Let NGiO handle near and far grid grass dictated by the distance set in the ini for NGiO.
This option produces better visuals since it rendering full models for grass out to whatever distance you set it to in the ini
However it take a TON of resources to render full models especially so many of them so expect a massive frame rate drop if you choose this option.
So with grass cache created by NGiO and running TexGen with grass clicked then DynDOLOD 3 using the grass LOD you now have the files needed.
Back to the ini file for Grass control
READ. Meh321 gives great descriptions and instructions for what to turn on but the main thing is at the very bottom to choose option 1 for DynDOLOD so that it can produce the LOD billboards in world view while NGiO handles every thing inside the 5 uGrids to load area.
This gave me the best frame rate and awesome visuals.
Last notes:
great information over at STEP forums.
Again, and I can't stress this enough.
READ
Took longer for my computer to compile everything than it did to read the manual from Sheson and forum posts on how to.
The color of my LOD for grass was darker than the full models within the 5 uGrid to load area around my character.
Sheson explains how to edit the ini in the edit scripts folder of DynDOLOD then run DynDOLOD in expert mode to just reproduce the LOD for the selected area then merge it with what you already have. Need to have a little knowledge of RGB values to do this and does take time to compile in command window.
READ READ READ.
Oh yes.......and the firstborn goes to Sheson. :)
What grass mod are you using? And after all that dark sorcery how much fps did you lose?
doesn’t really matter.
NGiO and TexGen will use whatever it finds in your files.
Main thing besides taking the time to read the manuals and instructions which are very detailed and explained by Meh321 and Sheson is to use DynDOLOD 3
bottom line is DynDOLOD 3 can produce the atlases and LOD but needs to find the files to work with.
NGiO provides the grass files in its grass cache along with the ones from TexGen so DynDOLOD can do it’s thing.
The difference in frame rate for me between running DynDOLOD with only trees and objects to running it including grass LOD was minimal
maybe 1-2 FPS
However if letting NGiO handle both near and far grid (option 2 at the bottom of its ini file) the frame rate drop was 10-15 FPS
so what I have is still 5 UGrids to load for full models but letting DynDOLOD produce the object, tree, and grass billboards in Far Grid.
The trick for me was matching the shade of the billboards to the full models.
For trees and object this was handled with TexGen
For grass LOD it was editing top grass RGB values in DynDOLOD edit scripts Tamriel world space and running xLODGen in expert mode in DynDOLOD then merging the files.
Don’t be daunted.
Both Meh321 and Sheson give detailed instructions on how to do all this
All you need to do is Read and wait for the programs they created to compile everything.
If I could give you another dozen KUDOS I surely would. :)
Right now, I'm trying to get me game back whole after the Anniversary update.
I run Steam in offline mode so I didn't get the update to my Skyrim SE files but somehow when Steam updated it's app, I am now being prompted to log into Bethesda.net which is irritating but I am able to successfully login to my account but once in the game, Racemenu does not work; I type showracemenu at the command prompt, the screen flashes quickly and nothing happens, no Racemenu interface, no nothing. I can play the game just fine but I can't start a new game and create a new character because the character creation menu doesn't appear; just drops the default male character in that Alternate Start - Live Another Life starting room. LOL
So I'm backing up my game and I'm going to try running that new restore to the previous version of Skyrim SE to see if that resolves the issue.
I'm also drudgingly contemplating buying a new video card.
I hate paying scalper prices but Amazon has a 6900 XT for about 1400 bucks and wondered if you considered that card when you got your new rig?
This thing is a monster and I will have to take a drive cage out of my case for it to fit and I will have to get a new power supply because the thing is super power hungry requiring three 8 pin connectors.
I've been building my own computers for many years and never paid over 300 bucks for a video card but now in Covid world and runaway inflation in the U.S., I'm wondering if there will ever be a return to reasonable prices.
Personally I copied my entire Skyrim special edition folder to a different drive as a backup.
I have had to reinstall everything before so learned the 100 or so GB is space well spent to ensure I can revert back if there is any issue.
I had bad luck with a Non- nVidia card many years ago. Basically driver issues so have been team green ever since.
So no. I didn’t even contemplate AMD for a graphics card but did for a cpu.
Mainly because of how Intel and Amd handle sockets on the motherboard.
Intel comes out with a new gen but it requires a different MB socket
AMD is stacking chips not changing architecture so Socket support across different processors is there making later upgrades easier.
as for graphics card
you told me you have a 1070
If you stay at 1080p resolution and keep added textures to 2k you can run the exact same load order I do.
it takes some tweaking in Bethini as well as within the graphics driver settings, and ENB but that card can push the pixels required.
If you have the 8GB Vram model it’s actually more headroom than the 1060 6GB I was running before.
my humble suggestion before you drop $1400 on a card alone is optimize everything on the system you have from shutting down unneeded background windows processes to striping the driver and game settings of all AA, AF, AO (except TAA in game settings…. Keep that).
and letting the ENB handle those graphical processes.
If that’s still not enough to get you smiling at how the game is running and you want to upgrade and have the cash look at pre-built systems on the site that was laid by chickens.
I was able to buy a complete system for about $100 more than what they were asking for the graphics card alone.
this allowed me to upgrade processor, switch from DDR2 to DDR4 ram and switch to M.2 SSD on the motherboard for faster data transfer than the sata SSD I had before.
There are some good complete systems there in your price range for just that card.
some with Rysen 5 16GB DDR4 and 3060 RTX as well as 1TB M.2 SSD.
(think 3 letters and ‘master’).
go look
I am way too dumb, and will certanly mess it up without a way to compare if I am doing it right hahaha
Read the .net framework, and NGiO pages.
All of it.
Then get DynDOLOD and read the manual
All of it.
Then if there are any questions
Google it
and read all of it.
That how I learned
All the information is there. You just need to read it and follow instructions.
I would love to just hand this to everyone on a silver platter so they can enjoy their game more. I really would.
Thing is that it’s gonna require effort on your part to make it happen on your system which I cannot do for you.
So the best instruction I can give is like Sheson recommends
Read The Fantabulous Manual
all the answers are there.
Sorry for diggin an old tread and thanks for the vid.
I'm just confused on one point if you could clarify, you are saying that I should delete the GrassControl.dll from the installer if I am using SSE Engine fixes? This is confusing me as it is nowhere mentioned on the NGIO instructions...
Thanks.
Seriously though... I think Feb needs this one. I'll send her a link...
Thanks brother, Phat
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/42161
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/32382
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/52897
https://stepmodifications.org/forum/topic/15606-dyndolod-300-alpha-53/
there ya go Phat
tell her to read everything but that’s everything anyone would need to make it happen.
Feel free to chime in sweet Feb
Blessings, Phat