Yakuza Shadows - Optimized Shadow Presets for ANY PC

[Yakuza]

Sorry to any users that felt this was helpful at all. It seems many STEP-related individuals act in a typical way for modmakers, and I'm not going to help with that.

 

 

 

https://forum.step-project.com/topic/9291-yakuza-shadows-optimized-shadow-presets-for-any-pc/?p=146282

 

Read the above post from this topic if you're truly interested as for why. Or read the whole topic. Amazing.

Edited November 19, 2015 by Yakuza

[DoubleYou]

I think you need to have another look at fInteriorShadowDistance. It acts quite different from fShadowDistance, and there is little benefit to reducing it.

[Yakuza]

I think you need to have another look at fInteriorShadowDistance. It acts quite different from fShadowDistance, and there is little benefit to reducing it.

Increasing it beyond a certain point creates indoor crashes at specific resolutions. The lowering/changing of it at all was to prevent people from creating crashes or get unnecessary performance hits when using one of the provided settings.

 

 

Besides, I'm not really sure how much of the wiki is worth holding close for shadow info at this point.

Edited November 7, 2015 by Yakuza

[TechAngel85]

I've not checked out shadows in any great detail, but I know DY has put many, many hours into the Wiki. They are the most complete sources of information on the INI settings to date (much like our ENB related guides). I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the information they hold. However, if we can expand out knowledge, then that would be great! Here are my current settings:

• iShadowMapResolution =2048
• fShadowBiasScale =0.1500
• fShadowDistance =5000.0000

I will test a few of your presets to see how they work out. I know without ENB, I still have some good o'shadow stripping with my current settings at mid-range.

[TechAngel85]

For reference I'm testing with STEP:Extended so I have Relighting Skyrim installed. ENB installed but disabled.

 

I've tried a few of your Quality presets. The High preset seems to work pretty well and eliminated most of the stripping over my previous values posted above. The only stripping I could still see was some vertical stripping on the side of rocks/mountains in the near to mid range.

 

The Ultra preset has some stripping issues:

 

The Super preset gave me a laugh  :

 

Here are my shadow related settings:

 

 

bShadowMaskZPrepass =0
bDeferredShadows =1
iShadowMode =4
bTreesReceiveShadows =1
bDrawLandShadows =1
bDrawShadows =1
iShadowFilter =4
bShadowsOnGrass =1
fInteriorShadowDistance =3000.0000
iShadowMapResolution =2048
fShadowBiasScale =0.275
iShadowMaskQuarter =4
iBlurDeferredShadowMask =3
fShadowDistance =4000.0000
fShadowLODStartFade =200.0000

 

 

[DoubleYou]

This is the first time I've heard that increasing fInteriorShadowDistance can cause crashes. I'll have to look into that. What specific resolutions were you referring to, btw? Or do you mean once your rig is at 1 fps that it will crash, which I realize, and is to be said about any setting that affects performance on a potentially infinite scale.

[z929669]

Waiting to hear more on this ....

[JawZ]

One thing that greatly impacts the shadow quality, apart from the obvious "Shadow" labelled .ini settings is the FOV value. I can't run anything above FOV 65 as it then, in certain viewing angles, "pops" in to a pixelated mess. Adjust the view a little bit more and it "pops" into a more high quality visual.

So having the FOV 65 or lower, depending on screen resolution, will maintain the high quality shadows no matter how you adjust your viewing angle.

[Spock]

@Jawz:

Is this what you are experiencing?

 

If it is, you might want to check his shadow settings:

Low: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/19632/?

Medium: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/283/?

Ultra: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/7638/?

 

Afaik further view distance without the bug requires Boris' shadow fixes.

With ENB shadows I would suggest keeping shadow distance below 7000 btw. During my testings, there was a decline in quality as I increased the distance. My favored balance between distance and quality is 6500.

[z929669]

still waiting for Yukaza to expound upon revelations of subsequent posters.

 

If there is a magical or scientifically valid 'fix' for Skyrim shadows that is universally applicable, we are all willing to implement ;)

[hishutup]

To fix the shadow striping, ya there's a fix, its called ENB :P

[z929669]

To fix the shadow striping, ya there's a fix, its called ENB :P

I hear that. ENB potentially resolves 'stuttering' issues relating to 'low' FPS as well, especially when there is some blurring implemented (sharpness and contrast/brightness differentials between frames can cause these issues ... for the especially astute observer).

 

I appreciate the idea of not using ENB visual enhancements, but there is certainly nothing 'wrong' with it. And ENB memory optimizations are revolutionary, so not using any ENB at all makes little sense.

[Genius384]

I tried the settings in the OP and got similar results to DY/Tech - not sure the OP is offering much here in terms of settings.

[christopherleegallant]

holy crap. that video! I'm going to have to test this out.

[TechAngel85]

I did update my settings due to this though. The STEP settings left me with shadow stripping. The High setting posted here is much better on my system.