SMCO - Skyrim Mods Complex Optimizer? Anyone used this?

[Vond]

https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=13529

 

Now, I'm not interested in the texture-optimization it provides at all since I've already optimized every single mod I've downloaded with DDSOPT anyway. The mesh-optimization however is tempting me... But bad meshes can cause crashes, and while it's just a matter of re-installing the old ones with WB if I figure out which meshes failed, I'm still wondering wether it's worth the possible hassle. Optimizing meshes helped performance quite a bit for me in Oblivion.

 

So, anyone tried this program? If so, is the performance gain noticeable? Anything else to note about it?

[z929669]

Hmmm. I have been anxiously awaiting a mesh optimizer. Secretly longing for a port of NIFopt by Ethatron et al.

 

This is worth a look though, but I am skeptical.

[Vond]

I'm in the process of re-installing everything Skyrim-related atm, so decided to try it out with the few mods I had installed thus far. coc riverwood and run around everything works fine. Same in Solitude and Riften. Whiterun caused a crash, trying to narrow down which mesh caused it currently. The program has quite a lot of exclusions already for files from various mods that will cause crashes if optimized, and you can add your own aswell.

 

Author also mentioned you can use Process Monitor to set help narrowing down which mesh caused it.

 

You just need to set up filter for files with .nif extension loaded by TESV.exe process. When the game crashes next time all loaded meshes will be dispalyed and one of the last will be what you are looking for :)

Still trying to figure out how to go about that though!

Edit: Wasn't too hard I guess. Under filters add Process > is > TESV.exe > include, and Path > ends with > .nif > include

Edit 2: Cause of the crash in Whiterun was optimized WATER 1.4 meshes. 1.3 meshes were already in the exclusions from what I gathered in the SMCO comments on Nexus, but 1.4 added some new ones. Author said that pretty much any mesh by OpticShooter will cause a crash if optimized.

[frihyland]

Probably best to avoid optimizing meshes done by Brumbeck, Opticshooter, and Kivan. They really know what they are doing, other authors not so much.

[Vond]

Probably best to avoid optimizing meshes done by Brumbeck, Opticshooter, and Kivan. They really know what they are doing, other authors not so much.

 

 

OpticShooters and Kivans meshes are in the exclusion-lists (except some from WATER 1.4 as it's newer than latest SMCO version). Brumbecks meshes didn't seem to be excluded as they still worked fine after being optimized, but he was running tests checking if there was any exceptions. So far the only issues I've had was with new meshes from WATER, and I've almost finished installing everything and optimizing loose meshes. Then it's time for .bsa's. Bethesda .bsa's are excluded aswell, not sure if that was because of possible crashes or just by choice.

 

So far I've reduced my meshes folder approx ~20-25mb, so it's nothing major.

[skwareballz]

I ran through my meshes folder with this and only got ~11MB, but in game the Haralds were mess up so exclude Skyrim Coin Replacer.

[Vond]

Next thing to put on the exclude lists: any hair .nif's

[Bealdwine]

I did test with this a while back (meaning the exclusion list was even less complete) and much prefered it to 'Optimizer Textures'. The author really does seem to understand his stuff - even if he admits to still being on a learning curve for 3D.

 

Unfortunately at the time I was testing out several things at once (bad policy I know) and ended up with missing textures and screen tearing. I do NOT think this was caused by SMCO however - more likely a modded to destruction setup ;)

Still trying to shake this 'flu/sinus problem so definitely intellectually under par for now :P

[Vond]

Base exclusions can be found here:

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\SkyrimMTO\exclusions_base.txt

[z929669]

Would like to know performance impact of mesh opt (without confounding added by other opt). Anything yet on this?

[Vond]

I haven't really noticed any difference at all, but I've only optimized the loose meshes, not touched the meshes that are in bsas added by mods yet (which should be the majority of the meshes I have).

[skwareballz]

When we are using Process Monitor to look at the .nif files, how do I establish which one was the problem? Is it the last .nif that was loaded, or should Process Monitor show the files as FAILED in the Result tab?

[Vond]

It's one of the last loaded, usually you can see it tries to load that .nif more than once

[Roflcat]

Anyone tried the latest version of this? Is it better/faster than Texture Optimizer?