Skyrim

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AnarchoArchitect

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AnarchoArchitect

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About this mod

Darker LOD textures for Skyrim High Definition LODs

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I think Skyrim High Definition LODs has the best distant detail LOD textures that I'm aware of. The way they are broken up in the distance looks very natural. The only problem is that they are extremely light in color and this creates a drastic contrast from the foreground if your game has a darker palette. So I edited them. THIS MOD NOW INCLUDES THE ORIGINAL Skyrim High Definition LODs (by Tamu75).

MAIN FILES:
Dark = Overall darkening of the original SHD LODs
Dark and Grassy = Slightly darker than the Dark version and considerably darker Grassy areas
Darker and Grassy = Overall darker version of the Dark and Grassy version

OPTIONAL FILES:
Medium-Resolution Terrain Textures
Darkened Falskaar LOD textures including a darkened version of Better Falskaar Map with Roads (by swordboy)
I've also included the original, undarkened Skyrim High Definition LODs for Dragonborn as well as an untested darkened version.


I did not make any direct edits to these textures, all I did was extract the textures from Skyrim High Definition LODs and ran a batch edit on them to make them fit a darker color scheme. So if there are any issues with them (I've never seen any) the issue was present in the original textures. That said, if you find some anomaly I can probably make some direct edits to the offending texture if you provide a decent screenshot of the issue and tell me where you are using coordinates from this map.

As shown in the screenshots, neither the original textures nor my edited ones were made with a summer or a forested Skyrim in mind. They could look alright with these setups depending on the mods being used. But they were adjusted for a more vanilla look with a red/orange/brown Whiterun Hold. I'm using Skyrim Realistic Overhaul, then Skyrim HD, Then SFO 2.0 & Unique Grasses. You can always try downloading my mod and adjusting them to your liking via a batch edit in Photoshop.




Suggested:

 The Skyrim Distance Overhaul - Skyrim High Definition LODs goes really well with SDO and together they do a lot to fill in the distant landscape without having to jack your ugrids too high. (I use 7) I wasn't aware that Tamu75 made Expand Object LODs which affects the same thing as SDO. I will test soon and provide feedback on it here.

Skyrim Landscape Overhaul - I was trying this mod out when taking my screenshots. The rocks and trees it adds breaks up the barren area around Whiterun rather nicely.

To reproduce the look in my screenshots install in this order (or place in this priority in MO):

1. SkyFalls and SkyMills (if you have it)
2. Skyrim Distant Detail (if you have it. wasn't in the shots but can be used with the rest. requires a 3-step cleaning process)
3. The Skyrim Distance Overhaul Beta
4. SDO - SkyFalls and SkyMills Patch (if you have it)
5. Skyrim High Definition LODs
6. Skyrim High Definition LODs - Dark LOD Textures
7. Skyrim Landscape Overhaul (if you have it)

Final results will vary with the landscape textures and flora mods being used. (I'm using Skyrim HD, SFO 2.0, and Unique Grasses)

Installation:

Install with your mod manager of choice. Mod Organizer is the professional's choice.

Compatibility:

Quality World Map - QWM has to overwrite the textures from my mod. These few textures are used to represent the map as well as the landscape at the most extreme distances. While the the color hue is slightly lighter than my textures, at these distances you are unlikely to notice. I've tried to detect the difference at various locations in Skyrim and couldn't even with Remove Exterior Fog. That said, you might consider Warburgs map. Just be sure not to merge the ESPs together, and place them DEAD LAST in your load order or Warburgs will likely flip out.

High Qualty LODs is not compatible since they affect the same thing.
Enhanced Distant Terrain 2 is not compatible since they affect the same thing.

It's possible that using my textures alone with other LOD meshes and normals will work fine as long as they are installed after those mods.

Future:

Possible darkening of Wyrmstooth LODs

I'm planning to do a completely new LOD mod from scratch sometime in the future.

Credits:
Skyrim High Definition LODs are uploaded here with permission from Tamu75. Thanks to her for her work on SHD LODs.
Darkened versions of Better Falskaar Map with Roads used with permission from swordboy.
Thanks to Hodilton for the video he made of my mod and all he has done for the modding community.