Details

Lucid Institute aims to increase performance of the Institute and all its adjacent cells.

This has been accomplished primarily through the following methods:

• Remove excessive usage of lights and leave only the bare minimum needed while preserving the original aesthetics.
• Give the main concourse all-encompassing sky lighting, custom region, weather and image space which will effectively replace all lighting in this main hub.
• Remove some mists as they are self-illuminated and if their removal won't change too much of the original ambience.
• Remove some decals in extreme cases. This method is rarely used.
  

The main reason for the creation of this mod is for VR users to be able to experience the Institute without reprojection and doing this without removing all semblance if interior lighting which is a popular method of resolving the performance issues. While removing lights is exactly what Lucid Institute does for the main concourse area, while keeping a few lights where the teleporter is located, it also remedies the lack of lighting by filling the cell with sky lighting that doesn't cast shadows. The end result is better than expected and gives the feeling that the Institute is appropriately lit in all places, while also retaining its day-night cycle.



Any user, be it of VR or pancake Fallout 4, which has consistent performance issues in the Institute can very well make use of this mod as it is fully compatible with both.

The additional locations that have been optimized include:

• Institute BioScience
• Institute Advanced Systems
• Institute Robotics
• Institute Reactor
• Institute Sublevel 21-D
• Institute SRB (Synth Retention Bureau)
• FEV Lab
• Old Robotics
  

All adjacent cells have also had optimization passes where as many lights as possible have been removed. As a result godrays will have disappeared and the Institute is in general a bit less overblown in brightness than before, but still retains most of the original feel. Many spots of mist, although not all, have also been removed as these are self-lit, thus heavy on performance, and can be sacrificed without too much difference in overall
appearance of a location. This is a necessary sacrifice to gain consistent performance but is always optional in the mod's installer; the end user can choose which locations should be included.

Optional location - Old Robotics - Pre-combine/pre-vis regenerated:
One location is particular has performance issues in such a way that none of the methods already mentioned could resolve them sufficiently. This location is Old Robotics. In this cell Lucid Institute opts for a more invasive approach in adding a completely new wall to block off long sightlines that is the main cause of the performance issues. In doing so the mod also removes a railing as well as a few objects that would otherwise be protruding unrealistically from the wall. This GOD-FORBID breaks the pre-combine/pre-vis system and so these have been re-generated for this particular cell. This has increased the size of the mod significantly and only really marginally made a difference, but has been done for peace-of-mind and general goodwill.

Should the pre-combine/pre-vis system break for this cell due to the end user having another mod that affects the same cell, it's always possible to re-generate these if so inclined, or leave it be. Leaving it be is a wholly legitimate alternative as the roombounds, the system which Fallout 4 falls back upon whenever the aforementioned systems break, is overall pretty good in this cell and have been tinkered a bit with additionally in Lucid Institute so as to increase performance. It is recommended that Old Robotics is chosen at install as this gives a consistent and worthwhile performance gain in this cell.




Known Compatibilities

• VR Performance Light Fix - If you are using this mod please use the patch included in the installer. While lights are removed from the main concourse almost entirely, Lucid Institute keeps a few essential lights at the top by the teleporter and nearby rooms. This mod also removes all lights from adjacent locations, while Lucid Institute only removes some. The patch will restore all lights for the Institute and its adjacent cells, while keeping the changes made by VR Performance Light Fix for other locations such as Vault 111 and Corvega Assembly Plant.
  

• Phase 4: An Institute Expansion - Works well together with this mod as long as Lucid Institute is placed below it in your load order, or the changes of Lucid Institute otherwise allowed to take precedence.
  

• Shades of Gradient - An Institute Retexture - Fully compatible with the textures. The optional Lighting Fix .esp plugin file will work as well but is not recommended; it will have no effect at all in the main concourse area however it will work for the other Institute cells.
  

• Faction Housing Overhaul - Institute Director's Quarters - Compatible with the patch that can be downloaded as an optional file, without which there will be flickering and disappearing objects. The patch will simply regenerate pre-combines and pre-vis as well as making sure that the changes by Lucid Institute takes precedence. The installer will prompt the end user to download and install the patch if the plugin for Faction Housing Overhaul - Institute Director's Quarters is detected as activated.
  

• Evil Institute HD - Fully compatible as it is only a texture overhaul.
  

Known Incompatibilities

• Lights Remover - This mod is incompatible with Lucid Institute as it completely removes lights at light templates level. As such it will make the main concourse and all adjacent locations entirely without workable lights and they can't be restored individually.
  

In general please note that issues will arise with any other mod that makes changes to the same locations that Lucid Institute makes changes to.

The most notable of these issues will occur if another mod makes changes to the main concourse. Make sure that Lucid Institute is placed below any such mod in your load order, or make a smashed patch where the changes from this mod takes precedence. In particular the changes to sky lighting, region and added image space should be kept at all times to accomplish the desired effect.

Any mod that makes changes to lights of any of the cells will effectively restore the lights unless Lucid Institute is placed below it in your load order.



Known Issues or Bugs

There are no known issues or bugs at this point in time.

Please report any bugs or requests for improvements on the nexus mods page using either the bug report feature or the comments section. Thank you!



Install

• Make sure you are up to date with how to enable mods for Fallout 4 or Fallout 4 VR.
• Install the mod using the FOMOD-installer in a mod manager of your choice.
• Make sure the included .esp plugin file is ticked in your mod manager of choice and that it is appropriately placed in your load order.
• Enjoy and please report any bugs.
  

Uninstall

• (Automatic) Uninstall in your mod manager of choice.
• (Manual) If installed via mod manager this isn't recommended. Remove the included .esp plugin file, and .ba2 archive if relevant, from your data folder.
  

Changelog

• 1.1, 2020-08-02 - Updated installer with information about the patch for Faction Housing Overhaul - Institute Director's Quarters.
• 1.0, 2020-07-31 - Initial release.
  

Tools Used

Creation Kit
Archive2
FO4Edit
zEdit
Inkscape
GIMP
7-Zip
Sanity & Well-Being™



Licensing/Legal

You can do whatever you want with this mod. No permissions needed. All I ask is that you give me credit if you modify & distribute any portion of this mod. It's not a requirement however. Sharing is caring! ~KhaoMaat



If you tried the mod and liked it please consider endorsing.


Check out my other mods for Fallout 4 if you have the chance: