General Game Questions

Billboard tree LOD does not match close-up full model trees

Billboard tree LOD only looks and works correctly for the load order it was generated for. Generate tree LOD billboards with TexGen, make sure the TexGen output is not being overwritten and generate tree LOD with DynDOLOD for the current load order and make sure the DynDOLOD output is not being overwritten.

If the billboard tree LOD seems overly dark or bright, use the billboard brightness setting of the advanced mode to account for lighting changes made by ENBs or weather mods.

Do not install any third party tree LOD billboards. Use TexGen to generate all the required and desired tree LOD billboards.

Lookup the base record form id of a tree reference in ..\DynDOLOD\Logs\DynDOLOD_[GAME MODE]_Billboards_Used_[WORLDSPACE].txt and visually check and compare the texture with the full model.

Consider using HD tree LOD billboards or 3D tree LOD with ultra tree LOD.

Billboard tree LOD textures cut off mid-way

The tree texture atlas like ..\Textures\Terrain\[WORLDSPACE]\Trees\[WORLDSPACE]TreeLod.dds does not belong to the generated tree LOD in ..\Meshes\Terrain\[WORLDSPACE]\Trees\*.*

Verify that the tree texture atlas ..\Textures\Terrain\[WORLDSPACE]\Trees\[WORLDSPACE]TreeLod.dds and the tree LOD in ..\Meshes\Terrain\[WORLDSPACE]\Trees\*.* are the ones from the DynDOLOD output folder and from the same LOD generation process and none of the files are overwritten.

Billboard tree LOD shows in active exterior cells

Check plugins for errors and clean them from ITMs or deleted references. See xEdit Cleaning and Error Checking. The Batch Plugin Cleaner for Mod Organizer or the xEdit Cleaning Extension for Vortex help to automate some of that.

If the load order of plugins adding or changing tree references was changed, generate billboard tree LOD again so it matches the new load order. Consider using ultra tree LOD (also possible with only tree LOD billboards) to avoid such game engine limitations.

Tree LOD billboard showing in a child world like the walled cities, is caused by a game engine limitation. A plugin added a tree reference into the same area in the parent world. Tree references added to the Tamriel worldspace with positions that fall into the known vanilla areas of Markarth, Riften, Solitude, Whiterun and Windhelm should automatically be done as object LOD when LOD is generated by DynDOLOD 3 to avoid this engine limitation. For other child worldspaces or if the child worlds have been expanded, either disable that mod when generating tree LOD, or create a reference rule that targets the plugin and form ID of the full model tree and sets the Reference option to Enable - set all the other options the same as the tree mesh mask rule. Tree LOD generation skips all trees with enable parents leaving them to be done as static object or dynamic LOD which don't have the limitation.

Consider using ultra tree LOD (also possible with billboards only) to entirely avoid all these issues caused by engine limitations.

No tree and no tree LOD for trees added to child worlds (cities) show in parent world

New references added to child worlds (cities) do not show in the parent world. If an object or tree is supposed to be seen in the parent world an identical reference should be be added to the parent world. Typically it would be best if the plugin that adds a new reference to a child worldspace that is worthy to be seen from the parent worldspace, also adds the corresponding references to the parent worldspace itself.

See Child/Parent Worldspace Copies for how references that are only added to child worldspace can have copies and LOD for them added to the parent worldspace automatically in case they are missing.

Object LOD shows in active exterior cells

This is an engine problem that also happens with vanilla LOD and regardless of what tool was used to generate the LOD files.

Known as stuck object LOD after fast travel engine bug that can happen after fast travel especially to/in Whiterun. Consider using the dynamic LOD option of DynDOLOD which should fix that bug. If dynamic LOD is not used, use the LOD Unloading Bug Fix.

Can be caused by [MapMenu] uLockedObjectMapLOD=32 in Skyrim.ini (or SkyrimCustom.INI or a mod INI), especially if there are no object LOD level 32 meshes (which is the vanilla/default). See Trees on the Map for further explanations. Also see Maps And Map Mods and Seasons if relevant.

If this happen with Seasons, test with an older version of Seasons Of Skyrim, like 1.7.5.2.

Revert all INIs to default settings. Also be aware of [pluginname].INI in the data folder changing settings. Be aware of so called "secret" INI settings to "improve" performance or multithreading having unwanted side effects.

Object LOD model and full model show at the same time causing texture flicker

Known as large reference engine bug in Skyrim Special Edition and Skyrim VR that happens just outside the active exterior cells in the uLargeRefLODGridSize area. Pay attention to log message and read their explanations.

To fix all flickering caused by large reference bugs, use the large reference bugs workarounds.

Move the slider Large Object Distance on the View Distance tab of the Advanced options of the game launcher to the very left. Alternatively set [General] uLargeRefLODGridSize=5 in SkyrimPrefs.ini. If this does not affect the issue see the answers for Out of place or floating objects below.

Large reference bugs will cause full grass being rendered outside the active cells with the help of No Grass In Objects and DynDOLODGrassMode=2 and grass LOD being generated with Mode 2 to flicker in affected cells.

DynDOLOD does not change how engine and how LOD works. When new cells attach, first it loads the full models, then unloads object LOD. For that brief time both models show and there can be texture flicker. The more things the game has to load when new cells attach and the more system resources are strained the longer it takes to load full models and to unload object LOD.

Out of place or floating objects

LOD only looks and works correctly for the load order it was generated for. Generate object LOD textures and tree LOD billboards with TexGen, make sure the TexGen output is not being overwritten. Generate LOD with DynDOLOD for the current load order and make sure the DynDOLOD output is not being overwritten.

Some mods are made with disregard to generating LOD or require updated rules and configs for best compatibility. This is especially true for mods modifying the walled cities. Users are asked and welcome to provide feedback to the official DynDOLOD support forum in order to get everything working with as much compatibility as possible. Include a link to the mod and screenshots (with open console / form id) to show the issues if possible. If the reference is added by a DynDOLOD plugin, follow the "pluginname_formid" information found in the Editor ID of the reference to find the plugin from which this reference originates. Also see How to ignore all references of a child worldspace for copying to parent worldspace and LOD.

Sometimes objects that have LOD are placed above other objects without LOD and thus appear to float in the distance. Use mesh rules so that the object has no LOD or that the other object also has LOD.

Test with new game, wait in the exterior for the DynDOLOD initialized message before moving. If the problem goes away, the updating of an existing save game with old DynDOLOD plugins went wrong. Follow the clean save instructions when updating DynDOLOD .

Wild edit added by a plugin. Get the plugin and reference form ID via the console in the game (use tfc to get close to object). If the object can not be clicked in console, it may be a deleted reference or a wild edit added in the child world, so for example try again while being in Whiterun). Check the DynDOLOD log messages for Potentially wild edit reference with z = 0.0. Look up the form id in xEdit and remove the reference, clean the plugin afterwards. Notify mod author. If the reference is added by a DynDOLOD plugin, follow the "pluginname_formid" information found in the Editor ID of the reference to find the plugin from which this reference originates.

Check the log messages for deleted references. Check plugins for errors and clean them from ITMs or deleted references. See xEdit Cleaning and Error Checking.

In case large references are enabled in the game, make sure to generate both the DynDOLOD.esm and DynDOLOD.esp and to enable the Large Reference Fix in the DynDOLOD SkyUI MCM.

If the load order had script lag and deactivating/activating from the DynDOLOD SkyUI MCM main page does not reset out of place objects, do the clean save routine where "old" and "new" plugin are the same. Check the papyrus log if scripts from other mods cause errors or problems. Make sure that FPS is not too low to hinder script execution. Consider generating less demanding LOD. See Performance.

Rectangular holes in LOD

Sometimes referred to as the culling glitch. Caused by vanilla pre-computed TVDT - Occlusion Data. Has nothing to do with the generated LOD itself. Update the TVDT - Occlusion Data.

Something has wrong or not matching LOD

If a mod replaces a full model, it typically may also needs a new matching LOD model. For performance reasons, a dedicated LOD model is preferred, alternatively it may be possible to use the full model for LOD. See Replaced Full Model - Example Azura Statue.

If a mod replaces full textures, updating LOD textures with TexGen will cover most of them. Sometimes new TexGen configuration rules are required. Some rendered object LOD textures might need manual updating.

Do not hesitate to make a post to the official support forum to ask for LOD assets or mesh mask / reference rules to be added for a specific mod. Include information like form IDs, filename of the full model, mod etc.

See MOD Authors for how to create and name LOD models or how to add mesh mask / reference rules for specific mods or how to create TexGen configuration rules.

Something does not have LOD

See answers for "Out of place or floating objects" above.

For something to have LOD, a LOD model or a LOD Billboard is required to be installed in the load order. Check the ..\DynDOLOD\Logs\DynDOLOD_[GAME MODE]_Object_Report.txt to find which LOD models have been found and which models are used for LOD representation.

If a LOD model does not exist, mesh mask / reference rules can be used to use the full model for LOD.

If a LOD billboard does not exist, use TexGen to generate it. Also see TexGen Configuration.

The Low and Medium presets purposefully do not make use of all available LOD models. Test with the High preset and compare mesh mask rules.

See MOD Authors for how to create and name LOD models or how to add mesh mask / reference rules for specific mods.

Entire LOD missing

Increase terrain LOD, object LOD or tree LOD distances in the DynDOLOD SkyUI MCM Settings.

If Seasons of Skyrim SKSE is used, make sure to generate LOD - including terrain LOD with xLODGen - for all enabled seasons or disable LOD switching for a season in ..\Seasons of Skyrim\SKSE\Plugins\po3_SeasonsOfSkyrim.ini.

A plugin might be changing the Editor ID of the worldspace. See Worldspace Editor ID Changed.

There might be a problem with the lodsettings file ..\LODSettings\[WORLDSPACE].LOD. Unlikely to happen for vanilla worldspaces. Note that in this case lodsettings files in *.BSA files win over loose files.

Full models disappearing, going in and out of view

Has nothing to do with LOD or Occlusion data and also happens if no DynDOLOD output is active.

Caused by placed occlusion planes or boxes. Typically a patch is missing for a mod.

Floating water planes

Has nothing to do with LOD and also happens if no DynDOLOD output is active.

Caused by plugins erroneously modifying the XCLW - Water Height on cell records.

Remember, the cell records in the DynDOLOD and Occlusion plugins are being copied from the winning plugins at generation time.

Use xEdit to fix the wrong height values in the affected plugins. Either generate LOD generate again or also forward the changes to the DynDOLOD and Occlusion plugins.