11/02/2010 - tapio schnaars - tapioks at newvegasnexus.com

******** FNV Enhanced Shaders HD - Final Beta - Release DeltaD ******** New TEST 'merged' d3d9.dll AND ATI d3d9.dll files now available - the benefits of the perf dll + Enhanced Shaders together!

*** New FNV Patch was released today (Nov 9) with a fix for "Severe performance issues with DirectX". Maybe people who had performance issues with this mod in the past will no longer have issues?? Please let me know! =) ***

Add some visual pizazz and styling to the graphics of Fallout New Vegas! Truly dynamic depth of field, enhanced bloom, chroma-diffusion and more, with many setting adjustable in-game. Also includes a simple FPS counter (no need for Fraps). The effects produced by this mod can be really amazing when running correctly (see Images section and videos below). For some people this mod is plug-and-play, while for others it may require some configuration.

Questions or issues? -- Please READ THIS ENTIRE PAGE! -- Lots of help in here... and tons more in the Comments. I am also currently producing a full guide, stay tuned.

THIS MOD REQUIRES A DECENT COMPUTER AND GPU. ---> FOR PERFORMANCE TIPS, KNOWN ISSUES AND GPU-SPECIFIC INFO, SEE TECHNICAL NOTES NEAR BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.

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///////////////////////////////////////// UPDATE November 8, 2010 (Newest at top) \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

>> UPDATE 1: Generous community member slayer418 has provided a test 'merged' d3d9.dll file (and now ALSO a merged ATI perf DLL) that is meant to combine the benefits provided by the perf .dll with effect functionality of the .dll from this mod. This should allow both the performance booster AND this mod to work together! This file is available for download now in the 'Updates' section. Please provide feedback on how this .dll works for you, as I am unable to test it myself (... since the perf d3d9,dll has no effect on my game's performance)

>> UPDATE 2: NVIDIA GPU USERS - Get artifact-free SSAO in Fallout New Vegas! To do this, first download the free nVidia Inspector 1.94 app from the following link:

http://download.orbmu2k.de/download.php?id=51

... and see this easy step-by-step guide I made just for you:
http://www.newvegasnexus.com/imageshare/image.php?id=1620

This will enable SSAO in-game automatically, so no need to also enable the SSAO effect from this mod. This AO has a much shorter 'range' than the ENBseries AO, but NO ARTIFACTS or GHOSTS!
(NOTE: I used nHancer instead of Inspector to enable AO for Fallout 3, but the same method doesn't seem to work for FNV...)

>> UPDATE 3: I am compiling a comprehensive 'guide' for this mod that details ALL settings/options/conflicts/recommendations etc. Stay tuned...

>> UPDATE 4: I've learned that post-processor variables can be adjusted easily in-game in real-time:

1) Hit shift-Enter. You'll see some numbers/text at the top-left area of the screen, including F1 through F10.
2) These are the effect variables. To change one just hold down a number key (1 through 0, NOT F1 through F10!) and use PgUp and PgDown to change values.
3) You'll also see an FPS counter so you can see exactly how performance is affected
4) Hit shift-Enter again when you're done.
5) I don't know exactly what ALL the variables control (see below) ... but you'll be able to see the changes in real-time.

So, here are the variables I've identified:

F0 - Saturation
F9 - Blur offset !!!!!!!!
F4, 5 and 6 - All brightness/contrast related
F3 - Some kind of brightness threshold

The rest don't SEEM to have much effect on the image...

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FULL README STARTS HERE:

>> Fallout New Vegas: Enhanced Shaders HD DeltaD <<

This ENBseries-based mod adds dynamic visual effects and enhanced post-processing to Fallout New Vegas. Easy to install, and can be configured to taste... image uploads are welcome!

FINAL BETA RELEASE DeltaD -- Release notes at the very bottom of this page.

Please read this entire page first if you have questions or issues. I am happy to help if you don't find what you need (see Comments), but many issues have already been addressed in this document.


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Effects included in this mod are:

- Enhanced bloom
- Dynamic Depth of Field -- (NOT the distance-only variety, MUST disable AA for this to work correctly)
- 'Transparent' Color Correction, works with most other color-adjusting and weather mods
- Advanced post-processing (Chroma diffusion)
- SSAO -- Disabled by default - Toggle in-game with Shift-F10. The SSAO has some unwanted visual artifacts, not enabled in main release by default, but really cool nonetheless. MUST disable AA for this to work
- nVidia AO works fine with AA enabled.
- This mod includes a built-in FPS counter (no need for FRAPS). Toggle with the '*' key above your numeric keypad =)
- Main download comes 'Ready-to-Play', but all effects are fully configurable if desired. Many settings can be adjusted in-game! (see Technical Notes on this page)
- This mod works great with Vanilla FNV, but I HIGHLY recommend using it with URWL and Empirical Weather, in that load order (yes, they do work together, try for yourself).


DEMO VIDEOS:
A little choppy, but in YouTube "Hi-Def". All game-play shown ALSO has URWL installed (recommended).

1) Daytime Showcase 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onNY8HegvLw -- You will see the effects toggled on and off toward the beginning of the video

2) Daytime Showcase 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCT85BoNppE -- Running around town, first and third-person. The camera-man gets a little spazzy at times... ;)

3) Nighttime in Goodsprings:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWgVxAT8g6Y -- NOTE: Be sure to select the 'View Original' option, as YouTube's video compression butchers the details in dark areas

4) Dynamic Depth of Field demo [SD]:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61XDRdG9iYw -- (courtesy of pagantek - w00t!)

DISCLAIMER:
This project is in BETA, and is an adaptation of the glorious, but discontinued ENBseries project (enbdev.com). As with any mod, the appeal of this mod's effects on your game is subjective. I've released a number of versions of this mod to try to accommodate different user preferences and setups, and ultimately all the settings of this mod are 100% configurable with a bit of effort. There's a lot of help on this page, and in the Comments section ... I generally reply to all reasonable comments, and am happy to assist. Oh... and [INSERT LEGAL STUFFS HERE]


OVERVIEW:
This is an advanced ENBseries-based mod bringing enhanced graphics shaders to the Gamebryo engine. For me, the mod imparts a cinematic quality to the image that makes me feel more like I'm 'playing a movie' rather than just a game. The mod is best seen it in action, as dynamic effects cannot be captured adequately in a screenshot. The videos help a bit...

The depth of field is dynamic, not 'distance only'. For it to work, you MUST DISABLE IN-GAME AA! I know this is a bummer, but it's at least worth trying to see this effect in action. On the upside: disabling AA will allow you to run at higher settings/FPS, and this mod includes some pseudo-AA so your eyes won't bleed from shimmering pixels! If you prefer the AA to the DoF, no worries, ;)

The optional SSAO effect is disabled by default because, while beautiful, it is a somewhat buggy and a framerate killer. SSAO can be toggled on and off in-game with Shift-F10. If you have a nice rig, I highly suggest trying it out, just don't mind the occasional NPC 'ghost'... Lots on this in the 'Comments' section.

You may notice more significant FPS drops in very large interior areas than in other areas. This is also true for some areas of the Strip (which I think the game treats like a large interior...)


RECOMMENDED SYSTEM SETTINGS:
- Disable in-game AA (to allow for true dynamic depth of field effect to work). Note, when running at lower resolutions, you may prefer to use AA instead of the DoF to reduce pixel shimmering
- Anisotropic: 4x - 8x
- Lighting: HDR
- Resolution: 1680x1050 or higher preferred, else highest possible with acceptable FPS. At lower resolutions, you may want to reduce some post-processor settings for clarity (see Technical Notes at bottom)
- This mod adds some darkness to night-time exteriors. You may or may not want to use an additional 'dark nights' mod depending on your preference.
- Your game WILL crash at startup if you are running D3DOverrider, EVGA Precision, Afterburner, Xfire and/or other driver management or overclocking apps. This conflict is inherent to ENBseries, I can do nothing about it ... yet.
- nVidia GPU users, enable driver-level SSAO with the nVidia Inspector 1.94 app!
- Some high-end GPU's get great performance with this mod, some get total crap... it seems to be very GPU-specific. A lot of solutions/workarounds/discussion/dead-ends/epic-wins in the (hundreds and hundreds of) comments.


INSTALLATION:
To install, just copy all files included in the archive into your Fallout New Vegas install directory, where your 'FalloutNV.exe' file is located. For most people, this will be:

C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\common\fallout new vegas

**** DO NOT INSTALL IN YOUR DATA FOLDER - WILL NOT WORK ****
**** DO INCLUDE THE 'effect.txt' FILE WHEN YOU INSTALL ****

THE 'PERF D3D9.DLL' ISSUE:
Test 'merged' d3d9.dll files now available for both the 'perf' dll and the 'ATI-perf' dll. Also, the Nov. 9, 2010 official patch may address performance issues some have experienced with this mod.


FILE LIST:
-enbseries.ini
-d3d9.dll
-effect.txt
-enbpalette.bmp
-README_FNV_vXX.txt


TECHNICAL NOTES:
KNOWN ISSUE: Mod does not work correctly for SOME (not all) GTS/GTX 250/260 and GTX 470/480 users. For some it's weird artifacts, for some it's poor performance ... and for some it's just fine. Any FEEDBACK to help better understand and resolve these conflicts is appreciated, as I don't have any of these cards myself...

The best resource to find a solution to GPU-related issues is the Documentation page for the original ENBSeries mod at: http://enbdev.com/doc_en.htm

- IF YOU WANT DEPTH OF FIELD TO WORK, AA MUST BE DISABLED IN-GAME.

- The shaders can be toggled on an off in real-time while playing by hitting Shift-F12

- Some over-clocking and driver management applications will conflict with this mod, causing crash-on-startup. For example EVGA precision, RivaTuner, D3DOverrider. Temporarily disable these apps to use this mod.

- Some have reported issues when using X-Fire with this mod. Try disabling X-Fire if you are having performance issues.

- Many settings of the mod can be configured by editing the variables in the included enbseries.ini file. You can also adjust some post-processing variables to taste, as described below.

- With regard to blur and/or 'haziness'. The occasional gun and GUI blur is a side-effect of the Depth-of-Field effect, which can be disabled entirely by editing the enbseries.ini file (set EnableDepthOfField=0). The 'haziness' is imparted by the chroma diffusion post-processing effect. This effect can be somewhat overbearing when running the game at lower resolutions (i.e. less than 1440x900px). To address this:

Open up the effect.txt file from this mod an finding the following lines:

coord.xy=In.txcoord.xy;
coord.w=0.5*tempF1;
float4 envcol1=tex2Dbias(SamplerColor, coord);
coord.w=1.5*tempF2;

Reduce the '0.5' and '1.5' values to '0.1' and '1.0' and this will reduce the intensity of the effect.

- You may notice an FPS drop when looking in the distance in large interiors, like the Camp McCarran Terminal Building, and in some areas of the Strip.

- For better nighttime stars, download the Nevada Skies mod (http://www.newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=35998) and install the 'textures' folder from this mod into your game. You can also install/enable the full mod, but the textures alone will improve the night sky. - The depth of field effect WILL affect your hand/gun/weapon at times. If you don't like it, this effect can be disabled by editing the enbseries.ini file.

- The mod supports SSAO, but this is disabled by default, as it produces some strange artifacts when running in the Gamebryo engine.

To try it, you can toggle the SSAO on and off by hitting Shift-F10. It actually looks pretty cool most of the time, but may murder your framerate! NOTE: For some users, the SSAO effect will ONLY be rendered if you DISABLE antialiasing. If you leave AA on, enabling SSAO can still murder your FPS, even if there is visual difference, lol.

- If you like vanity-camera, you will probably like this mod with depth of field enabled. It's like you're 'right there'... just be sure to use 3rd person centered camera, unrasied version to stay in focus: http://www.newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=34744 :)

- This mod is generally URLW-Friendly. Day and night brightness levels can be also easily configured to taste by editing the included enbseries.ini file with a text editor

- The Palette Texture feature is now enabled as of the Delta releases.

- With regard to a line near the top of the enbseries.in file that comes with this mod:

"BugFixMode=(0..5)

"Every value fixes it's own unsupported feature or bug in driver or hardware. For nvidia forceware drivers 169.xx and higher (last tested 174.xx) do not set this parameter to 1 or it will crash (driver bug with R32F texture format), unfortunately these drivers may crash with some other values of this parameter, try yourself. For ATI videocards set this parameter to 1, for old videocards try 5, this may help in some situations.
Values from 0 to 5 actually HDR texture formats: 0 (R32G32F)-high quality and middle performance, 1 (R32F)-high quality and fast, 2 (A32R32G32B32F)-high quality and very slow, 3 (R16F)-low quality and fastest, 4 (R16G16F)-low quality and fast, 5 (A16R16G16B16F)-low quality and middle performance."

- Wearing SOME custom armors, this mod will KILL your framerate when in 3rd person view. This is NOT true for ALL custom armor. For example, the 'Lady' outfit works just fine, but the 'Moon' outfit from the Oblivion conversion pack KILLS your framerate. Any of you who experienced slowdown in 3rd-person view, try it again while wearing a different set of armor...

- ATI card users with performance issues, please see the following link (...and good luck...): http://enbdev.com/doc_cp_ati_en.htm

- To improve SSAO performance, open the enbseries.ini and find the following:

UseIndirectLighting=1

This is ambient illumination. Set to 0 for better performance, SSAO still works. And...

OcclusionQuality=0
FilterQuality=0

Both of these have values of 0 to 2, 0 is highest quality and 2 is lowest. Setting these to 1 or 2 will improve performance at the cost of quality.

- I have uploaded an updated effect.txt file that uses Shader Model 3 instead of Shader Model 2. You may get better performance and/or image quality with this file if your GPU supports SM3.

- There is a simple config utility available for editing the settings of the enbseries.ini without having to open it as a text file. From enbdev.com: 'This is the first version of configuration utility for ENBSeries, created by -iX' -- I provide no support for this utility, but people seem to like it.

Download the ENBseries tuner here: http://enbdev.com/enbtuner.zip

- To disable DoF (but keep the 'haze' from post-processing), open your enbseries.ini file and set the following value:

EnableDepthOfField=0 (1 by default)

... Or just download the the 'No-DoF' version of the ini file from the 'Files' tab, easy enough.

- OPTIMIZE your fallout_default.ini file in your game's root folder! I recommend HIGHLY that EVERYBODY look through the .ini tweaks section for Fallout 3/New Vegas at TweakGuides:

http://www.tweakguides.com/Fallout3_8.html

The answers to MANY performance issues are there...


LICENSING AND CREDITS:
This is a modern adaptation for FNV of the discontinued ENBseries project created by Boris Vorontsov.

The core technology for this mod is the ENBseries, developed by Boris Vorontsov. It is licensed for adaptation (i.e. this mod) and non-commercial distribution; details on this and ENBseries can be found here:

http://enbdev.com/index_en.html


----FINAL BETA DeltaD RELEASE NOTES ---

- Found sneaky setting in enbseries.ini: "ForceOldDXVersion=1" I set this to "0" now... may fix some GPU/Conflict issues.................?
- Further reduced post-processor blur, should allow for better compatibility at lower screen resolutions, and maybe better performance
- Reduced post-processor desaturation effect to preserve vivid colors where present
- Reduced bloom oversaturation from interior light sources
- Refined enbpalette.bmp palette texture. Now better night/indoor color balance and MUCH better very-dark areas. The previoius release would produce very noticable 'banding' of near-black colors in very dark areas; this has been significantly reduced -- dark is dark.
- Calibrated for URWL 2.2 Standard. This mod adds some darkness to nights. You may or may not want to use an additional 'darker nights' mod depending on preference
- DoF focus range expanded to reduce excessive blur. Yes, it still affects your hud/gun if you're focused in the distance, and the 'frame' of your Pip-Boy. Hoping to resolve this (with a miracle) for first full release... any help appreciated... For now Shift-F12 is your friend...
- Recently discovered how cooool DoF can be when zoomed close up to your character in Vanity-Camera mode... to stay in focus, make sure to use Centered 3rd Person Cam - Unraised from http://www.newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=34744
- Adjusted color correction variables to make the mod's effects more 'transparent' on color palette. So, pick your favorite color mod (i.e URWL!!!!!) and enjoy this mod as well.
- No separate SSAO version of the mod anymore, it is included in this version but disabled by default. To toggle this on, hit Shift-F10 in-game, or set the following value in your enbseries.ini file to have it enabled by default when you start the game: EnableOcclusion=1
- SSAO (when enabled), also includes SSIL (Screenspace Indirect Lighting) for ambient illumination. This adds to the quality of the SSAO effect, but is also more demanding on your hardware. As always, enabling SSAO is recommended ONLY for high-end rigs.
- SSIL can be disabled independently of SSAO in the enbseries.ini by setting the following value: UseIndirectLighting=0
- The SSAO has amuch more natural feel in this version, but also still has the 'ghost' artifact that sometimes appears in the top left area of your screen when near NPC's. Looking for a solution.....
- Removed 'focusing.txt' file from mod... turns out this was having no effect with this version of the ENBseries d3d9.dll.
- Feedback on this version of the mod is more appreciated than ever, as I would like to resolve as many conflicts/issues as possible for the first official release.
- Much thanks to the community for your support and helping me to get this mod from the overkill-blurrrrfest is started as and into something that genuinely contributes to the Fallout New Vegas experience! W00t!!