TexGen | DynDOLOD

TexGen is a tool which updates a select list of object LOD textures and tree/grass LOD billboards which are then used by DynDOLOD to create the final texture atlasses used by object LOD and tree LOD in the game. It is included in the DynDOLOD Standalone archive.

TexGen generates textures from full textures. For rendered textures and LOD billboards it uses full models or special models. TexGen does not care about terrain LOD meshes or terrain LOD textures or grass cache files.

The first time TexGen is started, some settings like the Base size, Units per pixel and the Max texture size are adjusted to the current game resolution as determined by the Prefs, Custom or Display Tweaks INI.

Once the Start button is clicked, the current settings are saved as a preset to ..\DynDOLOD\Edit Scripts\DynDOLOD\Presets\DynDOLOD_[GAME MODE]_TexGen_Default.ini for the next time TexGen is started.

Select Output Path

To minimize issues often caused by features or quirks of the OS, mod managers and other third party programs, DynDOLOD/TexGen prevents the use of certain paths/folders.

The dedicated output path should be outside of special OS folders like 'Programs Files' or 'Program Files (x86)', User, Documents, Desktop, Download and also not in SteamApps, game or any mod manager folders.

Always deactivate or remove older installed output first. A warning will show if older output is detected in the game data folder.

If generating from scratch, delete all old files in the output folder first.

Creating an archive will clean the dedicated output folder while all relevant files are packed into the zip file.

Any existing old files in the output folder will be overwritten by the new files with the same path and filename.

Once the generation of files has been successfully completed, the content of the output folder should be installed as any other mod.

Stitched Object LOD Textures

Stitched object LOD textures are direct derivatives of resized full textures.

Base Size

This sets the typical base size of the generated object LOD textures. The actual texture resolutions varies by texture as defined by the TexGen configuration files.

Set to smaller values to save VRAM usage, set to higher values for better quality.

There is typically no visual gain using higher base sizes for lower screen resolutions. VRAM is wasted for texture resolutions that are never used with default mipmap bias.

While sometimes object LOD textures are used directly, the majority of LOD makes use of the texture atlasses created by DynDOLOD. It's Max tile size LOD setting in the Advanced Mode options decides the max resolution of the object LOD texture on the texture atlas.

Rendered Object LOD Textures

Rendered object LOD textures are rendered from special models in the ..\DynDOLOD\Edit Scripts\DynDOLOD\Render\Skyrim\Objects\ folder.

Note that the list of rendered object LOD textures is not covering all vanilla rendered object LOD textures. It can update the rendered object LOD textures for the walled cities and most structures. However, far away mountains, icebergs and glaciers are not yet covered. If a mod makes changes to these relevant full textures, it should also include updated pre-rendered object LOD textures.

Base Size

This sets the typical base size of the generated object LOD textures. The actual texture resolutions varies by texture as defined by the scale defined in the special models.

Set to smaller values to save VRAM usage, set to higher values for better quality.

There is typically no visual gain using higher base sizes for lower screen resolutions. VRAM is wasted for texture resolutions that are never used with default mipmap bias.

Tree/Grass LOD Billboards

TexGen automatically determines which trees and grasses should have tree/grass LOD billboards created for them. See TexGen Configuration for details.

TexGen supports ENB complex grass textures.

Units per pixel

This setting is used to translates the 3D dimensions of a model into pixels to automatically determine a sane texture resolution for the tree/grass LOD billboards.

The height of a tree model is multiplied by the maximum scale found on references using the tree. In case no references were found, the default value of the TreeModelHeightMultiplier setting in ..\DynDOLOD\Edit Scripts\DynDOLOD\TexGen_[GAME MODE].ini is used. The maximum scale for each tree can be overwritten as explained in TexGen Configuration.

Smaller Units per pixel values result in higher resolution billboard textures. Greater values result in lower resolution billboard textures.

Simplified, the closest distance to tree LOD is 2 cells, which is 8192 units. With a default FOV (field of view) of 75 degrees, the view frustum height at that distance is about 12,750 units.

height = 2 * distance * tan(FOV / 2)

A screen resolution of 1080p translates to 11.80, 1440p to 8.85 and 2160p to 5.90 units per pixel. Consider lowering the default Units per pixel value in case the game is played at higher resolutions.

The billboard texture resolution is always rounded up to the next power of 2 and together with the maximum scale the resolution of the generated tree LOD billboard textures should always be higher than what is rendered onto the screen.

The typical texture resolutions required for tree LOD billboards can be guessed in the game by eyeballing the height of a LOD tree relative to the screen just before it switches to the full model. If a type of tree typically never occupies more than 1/3rd the screen at 1080p, its height is about 360 pixels, which means that the billboard texture does not generally require a higher resolution than 512 pixels - as long as the scales of the references are usually less than about 1.4 (= 512 / 360).

Using higher texture resolutions is pointless if mipmaps are enabled for the LOD texture atlasses. VRAM is wasted for texture resolutions that are never used with default mipmap bias.

Min/Max texture size

These settings clamp the final billboard texture resolution in conjunction with the Units per pixel setting.

There is typically no point in raising the texture size Min of billboards as long as the units per pixel is used as intended to achive sane texture resolutions for billboards. Especially grass LOD billboards rarely require resolutions beyond 32 pixels, which should be obvious considering the height and distance of grass LOD.

Grass, HD Grass, Tree, HD Tree, Rendered

Grass LOD billboards are for optional grass LOD generation. The option is automatically disabled if grass models using ENB complex grass textures are found in the load order. In case ApplyToBasicGrass=false is set in enbseries.ini, set ForceComplexGrass=0 in ..\DynDOLOD\Edit Scripts\DynDOLOD\TexGen_[GAME MODE].ini to generate both types of grass LOD billboards.

HD Grass LOD billboards are for optional grass LOD generation. The option becomes available if grass models using ENB complex grass textures are found in the load order. Typically it is assumed that ApplyToBasicGrass=true is set in enbseries.ini, so HD grass LOD billboards will be generated for all grasses by default. Set ForceComplexGrass=0 in ..\DynDOLOD\Edit Scripts\DynDOLOD\TexGen_[GAME MODE].ini to generate both types of grass LOD billboards. Set ForceComplexGrass=2 to always force HD Grass LOD billboards.

Tree LOD billboards are required for standard tree LOD generation or ultra tree LOD generation.

HD Tree LOD billboards are for the optional ultra tree LOD generation.

Rendered billboards are for the optional ultra tree LOD generation. They are rendered from special models in the ..\DynDOLOD\Edit Scripts\DynDOLOD\Render\Skyrim\Billboards\ folder. They generate trunk textures for hybrid tree LOD models for example.

Direct, Ambient, Smoothness

These settings change the direct (default from top) and ambient lighting strength for the created diffuse texture and the smoothness of the created normal map textures. Lower numbers mean less light strength = darker.

Use the Preview button to see changes to these settings in real time. Click the Use button in the preview window to use the new settings.

Diffuse/Normal texture compression formats

There is typically no need to change the default texture compression formats.

Use formats that have an alpha channel for Diffuse alpha and Normal specular. For example BC3, BC7 and A8R8G8B8.

Use formats that do not have an alpha channel for Diffuse and Normal. For example BC1, BC7 and R8G8B8.

Start

Click the Start button to start the generation of textures.

Pay attention to all warnings and errors in the message window. Warnings inform about issues that should be fixed. Errors prevent successful texture generation and need to be fixed.

Once generation of files has been successfully completed, select Exit TexGen or Zip & Exit to create a *.zip archive of the output for easier mod installation. Creating an archive will clean the output folder while all relevant files are packed into the zip file.

Install the contents of the output path or the *.zip archive as a mod. It should overwrite everything. Consider moving the zip archive to the mod managers download folder for later re-use.

Keep the mod activated after generating LOD as well.