Prepare Mod Textures for Optimization confusion

[arutha]

Hi, I have been following the DDSopt quickstart guide attempting to optimize the STEP guide mod textures but have got stuck on one of the instructions in Prepare Mod Textures for Optimization - 

 

1. In the "Working" directory (which can be the same one used for vanilla textures if desired) create a new Mod Extracted folder. Extract the mod files from the mod list above into folders in the Mod Extracted'directory, with one folder per mod archive file.
2. If this has not already been done, Extract the customized batch files including 7zxa.exe into the Working Directory adjacent to Mod Extracted.

 

This instruction - 

 

Extract the customized batch files including 7zxa.exe

 

I am unsure what it is referring to and cant find anything related to 7zxa.exe, perhaps this is because I have not done my own optimization of the Vanilla textures as I am using the STEP Optimized Vanilla Textures so have skipped straight to optimizing the mods.

 

Any clarity on this appreciated.

Thanks.

Edited November 23, 2015 by arutha

[Greg]

It took some digging, but I finally found the file you need here. This is a 7z archive that contains the batch files and 7za.exe. I know this used to be linked from one of the DDSOpt guides, but I don't see it linked anywhere now... unless I'm overlooking it somewhere.

 

EDIT:: I made that text a link to the file.

[Nebulous112]

It would be great if the quick-start guide itself could be updated with a link.

 

Also, Better Bones should be removed from this list, as it was dropped.

[TechAngel85]

The DDSopt Guide has become less and less used since we've released our own STEP Optimized Textures files on Nexus. These files basically replaced the need to use DDSopt on the vanilla files so the only thing DDSopt is still used for is optimizing the actual mods in STEP...most of which are already optimized well.

[Spock]

That is hugely helpful. Tbh, I don't like to use ddsopt because I used to create bugs in the process. Are there still mods left in STEP where ddsoptimizing is still highly recommended (missing mip maps or large gains)?

[Kelmych]

The link to the batch files is at the top of the quick start guide. The font size for this link was changed when the guide was reformatted. As Tech points out, the guide mentions several alternatives with existing optimized vanilla textures. Most of the mods in the STEP Skyrim guide are adequately optimized. If desired, DDSopt and the batch tools can be used to,optimize mods that benefit from optimization.

[Nebulous112]

Just to add:

 

I had posted in the 2.2.9.2 STEP Compilation thread, but it got erased with the server rollback. I noticed a few of the mods from the new 2.2.9.2 Compilation list were also on the DDSopt Quick-Start Guide list of mods that would benefit from optimization.

 

I had asked if the non-optimized mods in the compilation had been optimized (as I wasn't sure if the compilation will be safe to optimize after release), and I believe Ess replied that he doubted it.

 

Anyway, I just thought I'd add to this thread so you had a reference for whenever you update the recommended optimization list in the DDSopt quick-start guide again. I find the guide quite intriguing for potentially squeezing all the performance I can out of the non-optimized STEP mods.

 

Cheers, and thanks again.

 

Edit: (clarity)

Edited November 23, 2015 by Nebulous112

[Kelmych]

The versions of the mods in the STEP compilation do not include any optimization. I'll check the mods in the list to see if any have been updated since the list was created.

[Nebulous112]

Thanks, Kelmych. :-)

[Kelmych]

The bigger issue is that the current version of the textures in the STEP Mod Compilation contains the medium resolution version of textures when there are high and medium resolution versions. There was a discussion of this in another thread, and it seems likely there will be an additional version of the STEP Mod Compilation with higher resolution textures (when available from the original mod).

 

Skyrim HD has been updated and the new version hasn't been evaluated.

[TechAngel85]

New version of Skyrim HD has simply been accepted and rolled in. Really the only thing that was added was Dragonborn content and from my quick review the content was good. Remember that we're currently only using the landscape textures from the mod.

[arutha]

Thanks for the link and replies, so it seems that it may not be necessary to optimize the mods?