Skyrim.iniSkyrimprefs.ini optimization : V

» Sun Jul 28, 2013 10:25 am

I picked up a GTX 760 a week ago and have seen a massive performance increase over my ATI 6870 HD. I'm fully capable of running this game at max settings, but, because I'm greedy, I want more. MORE!

Unfortunately, I seem to have run into a bottleneck with one particular setting; the nefarious uGridsToLoad. Currently, I have it set to 9 and I simply haven't been hit with a performance decrease at all. For all intents and purposes, the game runs 100% smooth and pretty... but... I get CTD's, and not because my gear is inferior, as I've been watching my performance monitor and I'm not hitting the roof... not even that close really; about 50% of the CPU, and a little over 5gb of memory (out of 8.).

I've done quite a bit of searching about this and found, I think, that Skyrim simply cannot run past its built in maximums, but, as I said, I'm totally greedy and will not rest until I at least try to max out my performance... I really want to see this game start to chop so I know where the ceiling is, and then I want to modify it ever so slightly to get the smooth framerate I desire with my maximum possible settings.

So, I'm appealing to you fine people and hope that you can look over my settings and tell me what it is that I can increase/decrease to get a truly spectacular vision of the Skyrim world.

Here are my .ini's

Skyrim.ini

[General]

sLanguage=ENGLISH

uExterior Cell Buffer=64

uGridsToLoad=7

iPreloadSizeLimit=51380224

fFlickeringLightDistance=8192

iLargeIntRefCount=131072

[Display]

fShadowLODMaxStartFade=1000.0

fSpecularLODMaxStartFade=2000.0

fLightLODMaxStartFade=3500.0

iShadowMapResolution=8192

iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=8192

bAllowScreenshot=1

fDefaultWorldFOV=85

fDefault1stPersonFOV=85.0000

fDefaultFOV=85.0000

fSunShadowUpdateTime=0

fSunUpdateThreshold=2.0

fDecalLifetime=256.000

[BackgroundLoad]

bBackgroundLoadLipFiles=1

bLoadBackgroundFaceGen=1

bUseMultiThreadedFaceGen=1

bBackgroundCellLoads=1

bLoadHelmetsInBackground=1

bUseMultiThreadedTrees=1

bUseBackgroundFileLoader=1

[Animation]

bMultiThreadBoneUpdate=1

[HAVOK]

iNumThreads=4

[General]

bUseThreadedTempEffects=1

bUseThreadedParticleSystem=1

bMultiThreadMovement=1

bUseThreadedMorpher=1

[Decals]

bDecalMultithreaded=1

[Audio]

fMusicDuckingSeconds=6.0

fMusicUnDuckingSeconds=8.0

fMenuModeFadeOutTime=3.0

fMenuModeFadeInTime=1.0

[Grass]

bAllowCreateGrass=1

bAllowLoadGrass=0

iMaxGrassTypesPerTexure=6

iGrassCellRadius=16

iMinGrassSize=75

[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 - Voicesixtra.bsa

[Combat]

fMagnetismStrafeHeadingMult=0.0

fMagnetismLookingMult=0.0

[Papyrus]

fUpdateBudgetMS=100

fExtraTaskletBudgetMS=300

fPostLoadUpdateTimeMS=2000.0

iMinMemoryPageSize=1024

iMaxMemoryPageSize=2048

bEnableLogging=0

bEnableTrace=0

bLoadDebugInformation=0

bEnableProfiling=0

[Water]

bReflectLODObjects=1

bReflectLODLand=1

bReflectSky=1

bReflectLODTrees=1

[Actor]

fVisibleNavmeshMoveDist=12288.0000

f1PArrowTiltUpAngle=0.7

f3PArrowTiltUpAngle=0.7

------

Skyrimprefs.ini

[General]

fBrightLightColorB=1.0000

fBrightLightColorG=1.0000

fBrightLightColorR=1.0000

iStoryManagerLoggingEvent=-1

bEnableStoryManagerLogging=0

bUseThreadedParticleSystem=1

bUseThreadedBlood=1

bUseThreadedMorpher=1

bUseThreadedTempEffects=1

bUseThreadedTextures=1

bUseThreadedMeshes=1

bUseThreadedLOD=1

bUseThreadedAI=1

bUseThreadedMorpher=1

[Imagespace]

bDoDepthOfField=1

iRadialBlurLevel=2

[Display]

iBlurDeferredShadowMask=3

fInteriorShadowDistance=3000.0000

fShadowDistance=8000.0000

iShadowMapResolutionSecondary=4096

iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=4096

iShadowSplitCount=2

iMaxAnisotropy=16

fLeafAnimDampenDistEnd=4600.0000

fLeafAnimDampenDistStart=3600.0000

fTreesMidLODSwitchDist=10000000.0000

fGamma=1.0000

fDecalLOD2=1500.0000

fDecalLOD1=1000.0000

fSpecularLODStartFade=2000.0000

fShadowLODStartFade=1000.0000

fLightLODStartFade=3500.0000

iTexMipMapMinimum=0

iTexMipMapSkip=0

iWaterMultiSamples=0

iMultiSample=8

iShadowMode=3

bTreesReceiveShadows=1

bDrawLandShadows=1

bFull Screen=1

iSize H=1080

iSize W=1920

fMeshLODFadePercentDefault=1.2000

fMeshLODFadeBoundDefault=256.0000

fMeshLODLevel2FadeTreeDistance=4096.0000

fMeshLODLevel1FadeTreeDistance=5688.0000

fMeshLODLevel2FadeDist=10000000.0000

fMeshLODLevel1FadeDist=10000000.0000

iScreenShotIndex=3

bShadowMaskZPrepass=0

bMainZPrepass=0

iMaxSkinDecalsPerFrame=25

iMaxDecalsPerFrame=100

bFloatPointRenderTarget=0

sD3DDevice="NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760"

bFXAAEnabled=1

iShadowMapResolution=4096

fShadowBiasScale=0.1500

iShadowMaskQuarter=4

iAdapter=0

iPresentInterval=1

iShadowFilter=4

bShadowsOnGrass=1

bTransparencyMultisampling=0

bDeferredShadows=1

bDrawShadows=1

iMaxDecalsPerFrame=350

[BackgroundLoad]

bBackgroundLoadLipFiles=0

bLoadBackgroundFaceGen=1

bUseMultiThreadedFaceGen=1

bBackgroundCellLoads=1

bLoadHelmetsInBackground=1

bUseMultiThreadedTrees=1

[Grass]

b30GrassVS=1

fGrassStartFadeDistance=60000.0000

fGrassMaxStartFadeDistance=100000.0000

fGrassMinStartFadeDistance=30000.0000

[MAIN]

bGamepadEnable=0

bCrosshairEnabled=1

fHUDOpacity=1.0000

bSaveOnPause=1

bSaveOnTravel=1

bSaveOnWait=1

bSaveOnRest=1

fSkyCellRefFadeDistance=300000.0000

[GamePlay]

bShowFloatingQuestMarkers=1

bShowQuestMarkers=1

iDifficulty=2

[Interface]

bDialogueSubtitles=0

bGeneralSubtitles=0

fMouseCursorSpeed=1.0000

bShowCompass=1

[Controls]

fGamepadHeadingSensitivity=1.0000

fMouseHeadingSensitivity=0.0160

bAlwaysRunByDefault=1

bInvertYValues=0

bGamePadRumble=0

bMouseAcceleration=1

bUseKinect=0

[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=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

bUseThreadedMeshes=1

[Trees]

bRenderSkinnedTrees=1

uiMaxSkinnedTreesToRender=100

bUseMultiThreadedTrees=1

bShadowMaskZPrePass=1

[Decals]

uMaxDecals=1000

bDecals=1

bSkinnedDecals=1

uMaxSkinDecals=100

uMaxSkinDecalsPerActor=60

bDecalMultithreaded=1

bDecalsOnSkinnedGeometry=1

[LOD]

fLODFadeOutMultObjects=15.0000

fLODFadeOutMultItems=15.0000

fLODFadeOutMultActors=15.0000

fLODFadeOutMultSkyCell=1.0000

[Launcher]

bEnableFileSelection=1

bShowAllResolutions=1

uLastAspectRatio=3

[BlurShaderHDR]

bDoHighDynamicRange=1

[BlurShader]

bUseBlurShader=0

[Water]

iWaterReflectHeight=1024

iWaterReflectWidth=1024

bUseWaterDisplacements=1

bUseWaterRefractions=1

bUseWaterReflections=1

bUseWaterDepth=1

bUseWaterReflectionBlur=1

bReflectExplosions=1

iWaterBlurAmount=4

bAutoWaterSilhouetteReflections=0

bForceHighDetailReflections=1

[Interface]

fBookOpenTime=200.0000

-----

Any recommendations for what I can do to increase prettiness would be appreciated.

» Sat Jul 27, 2013 9:00 pm

Leave. Ugrids. ALONE!

Sorry to blow up like that, but that is the cold, hard truth. Ever since Skyrim was released, one site mentions this "tweak", then other sites copycat it making it look like something that is stable and a godsend fix.

That is not the case. Ugrids does more than make your game pretty, it makes your games unstable. It doesn't matter if you have the most high end rig, leave the Ugrids line alone. This was also the case with Oblivion.

Again, sorry if I came out all fast and mean, just letting you know about Ugrids :smile:

http://www.geforce.com/whats-new/guides/five-fast-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-tweaks-guaranteed-to-make-your-game-look-even-better#1

» Sun Jul 28, 2013 10:44 am

make sure skyrim doesnt hit 3.1 gb mark or it will CTD everytime thats the limit for the game turn down your ugrid values

» Sun Jul 28, 2013 8:23 am

Ok, with that in mind, are there any additional tweaks I can do?

Also, and not to beat a dead horse, that link you did says stay away from 9 and 11 for ugrids. How about 7? Is that one a happy medium?

» Sat Jul 27, 2013 10:30 pm

You've gotten many of those ini "tweaks" from a website i assume? A number of those tweaks are likely to cause you problems, specifically the papyrus ones.

Also if you plan to use mods that add dialogue inside a BSA file, this will break it:

bBackgroundLoadLipFiles=1

» Sat Jul 27, 2013 9:33 pm

Quite a few websites, actually. I must have looked at over two dozen different websites with tweaks to pull all of that. Several mod files, too had some info. I'm aware that there's a lot of false info out there with people not knowing what settings are correct, or work, though. I can remove the one you mention since that doesn't affect me.

This is where I'm at so far; http://s23.postimg.org/j39z7h6nt/Screenshot5237.png

I'm actually starting to think I won't get much better than that, because that was about 5pm to 4am worth of work. I spent hours looking up info, downloading some mods and all that. There's a slight performance decrease when turning and looking around... just for a second though. I imagine it's all that grass it's trying to load.

Those previous ini files are also a little dated, as I've made quite a few changes since then. Going to update the OP with the new files.

» Sat Jul 27, 2013 10:37 pm

Also tried that ENB or whatever mod... or one version of it, at least... but like I was saying before; I turned it on and then right off again and deleted it, because that bloom is just way too "happy" for me. The look I have now is right where I want to be.

» Sat Jul 27, 2013 10:41 pm

^This. There's some information, and a link, in http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/953613-papyrus-script-ctd/page-3#entry7705776

» Sat Jul 27, 2013 7:57 pm

Yup, that one was removed long before you guys got here. Figured that one out awhile back.... well, the iMaxAllocatedMemoryBytes=2147483647 at least.

How about the others? OP was updated.

» Sat Jul 27, 2013 8:20 pm

Wipe your INI files. The majority of INI tweaks like this will cause problems.

» Sat Jul 27, 2013 9:32 pm

Btw you have a Nvidia graphic card - so you can look for some tweaks here too: http://www.geforce.com/whats-new/guides/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-tweak-guide#1

----------------------------------------------------------------------

And something else. I have seen your skyrim.ini and you have this:

[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.

So if you get CTD's "without reason", maybe you should see the warnings.txt. (I only mention it :cool:

)

» Sun Jul 28, 2013 10:20 am

*uGridsToLoad=9, on my rig(s), works fine EVERYWHERE save Solstheim where uGridsToLoad=7 works just fine (after temporary http://www.gamesas.com/reverting-lower-ugridstoload-value-better-way-t218642.html). Anyhow, I beg to differ.

Hell, sans DLC, uGridsToLoad=11 was stable. :shrug:

uGridsToLoad=7 should be stable throughout the game with all DLC and no fidgeting.

*with corresponding INI edits in all cases

» Sun Jul 28, 2013 1:37 am

Everybody has that, and you should too. It is not a warning but the definition of what text would be output if and when a warning message is needed. I don't wish to get involved in the ini tweak discussion, but I just thought I would mention this, as I don't see a point in needlessly confusing the OP.

P.S.
And I have also had a very stable game with uGridsToLoad=7. It is noteworthy, that the OP has that matched with the correct setting of uExterior Cell Buffer=64, as in (7+1)x(7+1)=64. If those two settings don't match, issues are bound to arise. Of course, if memory gets otherwise crowded, then there is good reason to lower the uGrids number for stability. I am not claiming that uGridsToLoad=7 would be guaranteed to be safe for everybody and under all possible conditions.

Perhaps I could also clarify what those uGrids settings mean: The standard uGridsToLoad=5 means that a 5x5 array of cells are loaded in memory (and are "attached"), where the player is in the middle, so apart from the cell where the player is located, there are additionally 2 cells attached in each cardinal direction in the overall form of a large square. When the player moves into an adjoining cell, the game has to load additional cells in that direction, and the standard uExterior Cell Buffer=36, as in (5+1)x(5+1)=36, must have space for the new cells in addition to old cells that are about to become detached in the direction where the player came from. The old cells are still also kept in memory (in the additional "+1" space) so that if the player suddenly backtracks, they can be immediately "re-attached" without having to load them again. Thus the "+1" space has a very useful function (apart from probably being necessary for a properly managed transition when the player moves from one cell to another). To recap, when moving in the external world with the standard settings you always have 25 cells "attached" and up to 36 cells loaded, depending on your movement history. If you do a "Purge Cell Buffers" command, unnecessary cells are unloaded, and you end up having the same 25 cells both "attached" and loaded. The most important point may be, that having a uExterior Cell Buffer setting that is inadequate to match the uGridsToLoad setting can be a recipe for disaster.

P.P.S.
I realize there are different opinions on what the uGrids settings might mean in practice, and a fairly authoritative one is even quoted above in post #2, with some incorrect information nevertheless. I can say this with confidence, as I verified the game's behaviour empirically with a test script, that placed a linked chain of scripted test markers throughout the world space. The script then collected reports from the markers on when each cell was being attached, detached, or loaded, as well as periodically checked the load-status of each cell, so I was able to monitor the actual process in real time as I moved about.

» Sun Jul 28, 2013 2:32 am

I would rather you just tell me which ones are a problem and why.