DDSopt Vanilla Optimization

[e4stw00t]

I was able to follow the guide pretty much to the very end but there I got a bit lost. I end up with 6 individual 7 zip files (having Dawnguard and Dragonborn DLCs) in the working folder I created (which is outside of the Skyrim directory). As I read the instruction I should now move these 6 archives to the skyrim data folder and remove from there in my case 6 bsa files (HighResPacks 1-3, Skyrim - Textures, Dawnguard and Dragonborn).

 

Probably I got something about these last activities required wrong since when I start the (otherwise unmodified) Skyrim now, it crashes at the title screen.

[ogorman]

May I ask what is purpose of this step

 

 

4. If the file type box in the lower right doesn't "All Documents (*).(*)" change it so this shows.

I notice that every time i browse for new directory it changes from "All Documents (*).(*)" to dds or something. I ask because it's so confusing to have step for showing folder which shows anyway withouth this step.

 

Is there any special reason to do this?

[Kelmych]

The other option is Bethesda Software Archive (.bsa) files. The BSA setting is used only when files are being extracted from a BSA or being archived in a BSA file. This setting should retain the last choice you made for it. If it doesn't, make sure that DDSopt is being run with administrative privilege as mentioned in step 6 of the DDSopt Setup at the top of the page.

[ogorman]

I ask this because at first, this was little confusing to me. Where the hell is box lower right, I ask myself. I thought that this apply to ddsopt gui itself insted of browse box. Silly i know.

 

During the extraction i did choose (*.bsa) files and they remain. No problem about that.

 

But, during optimization, every time i click on browse (upper ddsopt box) for searching folder to optimize(e.g. Vanilla Body Textures), it shows DirectDraw Surface (*.dds) and i need manually put "All Documents (*).(*)"

 

So when i want to optimize Vanilla Exterior Normal Maps, again shows .dds.

 

ddsop is run by admin privilege and i use x64 version.

Edited November 15, 2014 by ogorman

[Kelmych]

We'll change the guide to clarify this. On the upper DDSopt window it doesn't matter as much for the vanilla and mod optimizations; the file type should't be set to ".bsa" but ".dds" is fine. One the lower window it's also important that the file type should not be ".bsa".

[ogorman]

I don't understand why we optimize 3 dlc and base game texture(std) with HD dlc.

Does this mean that we can optimize only 3 dlc and std without hd dlc and that we can use those optimization without even using hd dlc's in game?

 

Idea that i had is that hd dlc's bring higher textures in game, so as for gameplay dlc's(DG, HF, DB) or they come with their own hd textures?

[Kelmych]

Skyrim - textures.bsa and the DLC BSAs each include a base set of textures. The 3 High Res Texture Packs include higher resolution replacement textures for some, but not all, of the textures in Skyrim - textures.bsa and the DLC BSAs. When optimizing, textures all of these files (Skyrim - textures.bsa, the DLC BSAs, and the HighRes texture packs) need to be optimized.

[icapricorn]

I was getting textures for distant items in blue or green.  I tracked the problem down to HRDLC2, the optimized textures for HighResTexturePack02.bsa.  

I followed the instructions slowly and carefully in the DDSopt guide for optimizing vanilla textures.  It seems no one else is complaining of this problem.  In any case using the original unoptimized file has solved the problem.  Mod Organizer, by not overwriting the files, made this as easy as unticking the HRDLC2 folder.

To be specific, the walls of Dragonreach, for instance, seen from the Eastern road going North looked like they were covered with green ivy until I approached it, only then did the correct texture pop in.  Similarly the snowy mountains with all the trolls in the vicinity of Winterhold showed icy blue glacial rock faces in the distance instead of snowy textures.

 

UPDATE:  I downloaded Optimized Vanilla Textures by Tony971 for HRDLC2 and that fixed the problem.  I must have made a mistake optimizing the file.

Edited November 16, 2014 by icapricorn

[TheLolrus]

That sounds like the same problem I had. It ended up being one of the texture files in HRDLC2 that DDSopt was processing improperly. If that's what it was, it's not a mistake on your part, it's something that needs to be fixed in the batch files.

[icapricorn]

Thanks, TheLorus, for the confirmation.

[z929669]

Persons wanting to learn how to use DDSopt in general terms should read the modified main guide, particularly the section discussing the browser tab and filters.