LOAD CTD on slightly-modified STEP-Core

[thedmbarlow]

Hi!

 

So let's get some of the basics out of the way first.

 

https://wiki.step-project.com/User:Thedmbarlow/SystemSpecs (Yes, I know I should have a 2GB GPU. I've used this one with a larger modlist built on the same STEP guide, however, and the performance was acceptable to me.)

 

Mod list:

 

STEP Core

 

+ Wearable Lanterns

+ A different male body replacement (this and next: I don't mind NSFW)

+ CBBBE 

+ Sabre Gear Backpacks for Wet & Cold

+ Cloaks of Skyrim

 

Intended, but not installed at all yet:

+ Helgen Reborn

 

List is sorted by LOOT, DSR's, FNIS's, and DynDOLOD's outputs are all generated as per the guide. The STEP Extended Patch installed without a bother. LOOT isn't reporting conflicts, etc.

 

For INI management I have been using BethINI's Ultra preset, because it seems perfectly playable to me (I understand the limitations of my rig, and I'm OK with a certain amount of stutter, a certain amount of long loading times, etc). 

 

 

---

Problem:

 

It loads up just fine and I can get into the game, play through the beginning sequence (I've played up until Hadvar calling the boy out of the road, just after jumping into the inn) but loading - even just saving and immediately loading - results in a near-immediate CTD. 

[thedmbarlow]

 

 

 

+ A different male body replacement (this and next: I don't mind NSFW)

 

 

 

Correction: A different VERSION of the male body replacement mod. (i.e., one of the actually nude ones, but same mod page as suggested) - apologies.

[Kelmych]

When VRAM use increases past what the graphics card can deliver, even if it is only briefly, there is often a CTD. ENBoost helps with this, but it isn't a complete cure. I expect you are already limiting the texture sizes to max 1Kx1K at least for exterior textures, as most users with 1 Gb VRAM did when using STEP 2.2.9. DynDOLOD wasn't available for and thus not part of STEP 2.2.9 and could be part of the problem.

 

Have you tried using profiles with some reduced mod sets to see whether you are able to run the game with these?

[thedmbarlow]

STEP 2.2.9

And this is why I usually don't put together forum posts asking for help in a rush - STEP:2.2.9.2 is what I meant to link - I probably truncated the link unintentionally, apologies. 

 

You also mentioned 1K textures - the answer is yes, I did limit them to that at max.

 

I understand that I'll probably semi-randomly CTD every 90~180 minutes as I did before, when I had it installed to the HDD rather than the SSD. I'm willing and happy to trade that for the upgraded experience that STEP offers over Skyrim vanilla. But that's not what I'm concerned about here - I'm specifically seeing a CTD every time I try to load a savefile - even from a fresh launch's main menu.

[Kelmych]

I thought you purposely linked to the 2.2.9 guide since it was intended for users with 1Gb VRAM. The 2.2.9.2 guide is for users with a minimum of 2Gb VRAM. You can still use it with 1 Gb VRAM but it takes a lot of tailoring. I would, for example, expect Immersive Citizens AI Overhaul and DynDOLOD to be among the first mods left out because of the script and VRAM loading. When I was using STEP 2.2.9 with a 2Gb graphics card I reduced all the exterior normal maps to 1K and also monitored my VRAM usage with GPU-Z If I didn't do this reduction I got CTDs on a regular basis, and when I got a CTD I noticed it almost always occurred when my VRAM use went over 2 Gb.

 

I have had situations when I couldn't load an old save game, even a save I just created. I expect it was because when loading the game the engine also needs to load resources from the current cell and the capacity of the engine and/or graphics card were exceeded. It doesn't happen everywhere in Skyrim and is especially true, at least for me, when I use DynDOLOD and other VRAM or script intensive mods.

[thedmbarlow]

So I've just eliminated both DynDOLOD and Immersive Citizens AI Overhaul by running the game without the relevant mods enabled. No change in the CTD behavior.

 

Are there any other particularly script-heavy mods I should check?

Edited November 8, 2016 by thedmbarlow

[TechAngel85]

You're going to have to reduce your vram load. This can be done, but it's not easy and as Kelmych said, well take customization throughout the Guide. You can skip the HRDLC and the STEP Optimized Vanilla Textures. Instead, replace them with Vanilla Reduced Textures by alt3rn1ty. Use the 512 version. The game will not be quite as pretty in some things, but we're only working with 1GB here. Next, in SMIM install the Half-Sized texture option when you're following the instructions. Now limit all exterior and interior mods to 1K. The clutter items and smaller objects should use the 512K textures when available. At the end, be sure to use the "STEP Compilation Installer - Normal Res - 2292l" and not the High Res version.

 

That should get you close.

[thedmbarlow]

So I've noticed something interesting in reviewing the data here.

 

You're telling me it's most likely a VRAM issue, but SPM actually only shows slightly <400MB of VRAM use at the time of crash when loading a save.

 

Is Skyrim really trying to load ~600MB+ of VRAM load? For one scene? Even at HD textures? 

[TechAngel85]

Yes, I regular use between 1.5GB to 2.5GB while just using STEP. Keep in mind that your Reserved memory set in enblocal.ini will be using up the amount you have it set to. This is why setting it as low as possible without suffering issues is recommended.