UPDATE: 7/12/14 - Added an optional download for users with 1GB of VRAM or more. This add-on to the main mod, are 2K diffuse (color) textures of all the main armor and clothing textures. That's ONLY the main pieces, not the helmets, gauntlets, boots, etc. Couple this with my reduced sized normal maps, and you have significant resource savings over the hi-res pack textures.
I'm offering this option to people who can handle bigger textures, but who want better performance as well. The 2K option added to the regular mod will give you the best combination of performance and visual quality. There were a few armors with terrible fur textures (hide and steel for example), so I remade those fur textures completely. They should appear more realistic now.
UPDATE 6/17/14: Added a fix for the male Steel Boot color texture. I had saved originally as a DXT1A to make a smaller file, but it masked out a part of the fur trim that needed to be preserved. I repaired the fur trim and saved as a DXT3 (same as the original), so it should look fine now. File size is same as the vanilla, so no loss of performance.
UPDATE 6/10/14 - Version 3.0 now available with all the prior fixes added, as well as revised vanilla textures that weren't included in the hi-res pack. All the textures have been newly revised and updated, so all users are advised to update to version 3.0.
UPDATE 3/12/14 - Added fixed diffused texture for the Falmer Arrow. Feathers were too delicate to work with a DXT1A knockout alpha, so I had to change to DXT3. File size is bigger, but still the same size as the vanilla texture.
UPDATE 12/18/13 - Added textures for Yngol's helm and the Clavicus Vile mask, which are not included in the Bethesda hi-res packs, so I enhanced the vanilla textures.
UPDATE 11/2/13 - Added Nord style children clothing retexture as an optional download. Retains the default color scheme, but adds Nord style appliqué and embroidery designs to the children outfits. I also added a rougher woven texture to the skirts and pants, in keeping with the rustic style. Dirt is preserved, for Nord kids play hard.
UPDATE 10/30/13 - Added patch fix for the male glass armor cuirass that had been saved incorrectly, causing the alpha layer to be a knockout layer, when it wasn't meant to be. This update applies to all users.
UPDATE 10/16/13 - Added patch for Farmclothes03 normal maps that were missing spectral maps (Bethesda's mistake, not mine).
UPDATE 10/14/13 - BPT - Character ver. 1.1 - Male & Female body normals now in 2K resolution at the same reduced 2.8 MB file size. Compression artifacts are less noticeable at the larger size. A better balance of appearance and performance.
UPDATE 10/13/13 - Optional male & female body msn textures added. 1K versions of the Bethesda hi-res body model-space normal maps offering 14 MB of resource savings per NPC. You should get a noticeable FPS boost in combat with NPCs.
UPDATE 9/29/13 - Tamriel Objects updated to include Dawnguard castle and the detail was enhanced further. All users should update to version 2.0
UPDATE: Regarding the BPT - Tamriel Objects file
This texture contains the architectural LOD for Skyrim. This is the first texture you see in the distance as you are approaching a city, town, or fort. As you get closer, the mip maps start to load in, and you see greater detail. Without this texture, buildings were just pop-in out of nowhere. It's essential to get a smooth transition of detail.
In the screenshots, you can see the texture clearly in the view of Dragonsreach in Whiterun (1st pic), and at the end of the gallery, you can see it in the Blue Palace in Solitude (and the fort in the distance). You'll also see it in the cliff buildings of Markarth screenhsot, and the palace in the Windhelm screenshot.
THANK YOU! for all of your hard work on these texture improvements! I know I speak for many others also who haven't expressed their appreciation publicly.
Thanks so much for making this mod! I'm glad to find a mod that enhances the textures without making the game lag really badly. I really appreciate all the hard work you put into this, I can actually see details in some of the items that I've never seen before. So again, thanks so much for the awesome mod!
I feel like there should somehow be a search function in the nexus threads without having to go to the forum. And it should be situated above the first post. In 128 point font size. With flashing lights and arrows pointing to it.
cant believe i havent seen this before, computer having its yearly wipe so will install this when done, amazed at all the work you have put into this, man you need more acknowledgement of this mod, dont know what else to say gobsmacked and well done and keep up the fantastic work!!!!
I got a question I can't ask anywhere else. I've been going on a mad modding spree re-texturing everything in my game. However, any textures above 2k makes my LE lag. Its impossible to find retextures for everything, much to my annoyance. Recently though I've been looking into the hires pack. I've had it uninstalled for the longest time. I've heard its unoptimized, but from my research, that's because it makes everything 2k, literally what I'm trying to do. I have 4gb of vram, and people recommending you avoid that 'dlc' saying you shouldn't use that if you're only working with 1gb.
Given this, I wonder if it would actually harm my system.
Also, I often find I don't like the only retexture I can find for half the things in this game. Seemingly everything changes the aesthetic. Yeah, I like the change of some things like noble skyrim, but not everything. This has got me thinking; if I seriously want to make my game 2k, why not just use the hires pack? In theory it shouldn't harm my system, and it would make everything 2k like I wanted, while keeping everything vanilla. If I do want to use the aesthetic changing mods like noble skyrim, I can just use those on top of it.
Should I just be running that? I think most retextures are actually intended if you want to make your game 4k. My se could handle that, but my le never could. Maybe I should consider it. Sadly, the thing's a whoping 4gb in size, comparable in size to the rest of the game with all its dlc! Guess I should expect that from a dlc that makes everything 2k. The thing would literally take an entire day to download due to my crappy internet.
Is it okay to run the hires pack if you have enough vram? I guess I could always run this ontop of it to increase performance a bit. Just been thinking I've been a fool this whole time, and would've been better off just using that stupid free dlc.
Does the Bethesda Hi-Res texture pack automatically install with Skyrim? I want to use this but I don't even know if I have the Hi-Res texture pack in the first place.
805 comments
I'm offering this option to people who can handle bigger textures, but who want better performance as well. The 2K option added to the regular mod will give you the best combination of performance and visual quality. There were a few armors with terrible fur textures (hide and steel for example), so I remade those fur textures completely. They should appear more realistic now.
UPDATE 6/17/14: Added a fix for the male Steel Boot color texture. I had saved originally as a DXT1A to make a smaller file, but it masked out a part of the fur trim that needed to be preserved. I repaired the fur trim and saved as a DXT3 (same as the original), so it should look fine now. File size is same as the vanilla, so no loss of performance.
UPDATE 6/10/14 - Version 3.0 now available with all the prior fixes added, as well as revised vanilla textures that weren't included in the hi-res pack. All the textures have been newly revised and updated, so all users are advised to update to version 3.0.
UPDATE 3/12/14 - Added fixed diffused texture for the Falmer Arrow. Feathers were too delicate to work with a DXT1A knockout alpha, so I had to change to DXT3. File size is bigger, but still the same size as the vanilla texture.
UPDATE 12/18/13 - Added textures for Yngol's helm and the Clavicus Vile mask, which are not included in the Bethesda hi-res packs, so I enhanced the vanilla textures.
UPDATE 11/2/13 - Added Nord style children clothing retexture as an optional download. Retains the default color scheme, but adds Nord style appliqué and embroidery designs to the children outfits. I also added a rougher woven texture to the skirts and pants, in keeping with the rustic style. Dirt is preserved, for Nord kids play hard.
UPDATE 10/30/13 - Added patch fix for the male glass armor cuirass that had been saved incorrectly, causing the alpha layer to be a knockout layer, when it wasn't meant to be. This update applies to all users.
UPDATE 10/16/13 - Added patch for Farmclothes03 normal maps that were missing spectral maps (Bethesda's mistake, not mine).
UPDATE 10/14/13 - BPT - Character ver. 1.1 - Male & Female body normals now in 2K resolution at the same reduced 2.8 MB file size. Compression artifacts are less noticeable at the larger size. A better balance of appearance and performance.
UPDATE 10/13/13 - Optional male & female body msn textures added. 1K versions of the Bethesda hi-res body model-space normal maps offering 14 MB of resource savings per NPC. You should get a noticeable FPS boost in combat with NPCs.
UPDATE 9/29/13 - Tamriel Objects updated to include Dawnguard castle and the detail was enhanced further. All users should update to version 2.0
UPDATE: Regarding the BPT - Tamriel Objects file
This texture contains the architectural LOD for Skyrim. This is the first texture you see in the distance as you are approaching a city, town, or fort. As you get closer, the mip maps start to load in, and you see greater detail. Without this texture, buildings were just pop-in out of nowhere. It's essential to get a smooth transition of detail.
In the screenshots, you can see the texture clearly in the view of Dragonsreach in Whiterun (1st pic), and at the end of the gallery, you can see it in the Blue Palace in Solitude (and the fort in the distance). You'll also see it in the cliff buildings of Markarth screenhsot, and the palace in the Windhelm screenshot.
We appreciate your work!
Given this, I wonder if it would actually harm my system.
Also, I often find I don't like the only retexture I can find for half the things in this game. Seemingly everything changes the aesthetic. Yeah, I like the change of some things like noble skyrim, but not everything. This has got me thinking; if I seriously want to make my game 2k, why not just use the hires pack? In theory it shouldn't harm my system, and it would make everything 2k like I wanted, while keeping everything vanilla. If I do want to use the aesthetic changing mods like noble skyrim, I can just use those on top of it.
Should I just be running that? I think most retextures are actually intended if you want to make your game 4k. My se could handle that, but my le never could. Maybe I should consider it. Sadly, the thing's a whoping 4gb in size, comparable in size to the rest of the game with all its dlc! Guess I should expect that from a dlc that makes everything 2k. The thing would literally take an entire day to download due to my crappy internet.
Is it okay to run the hires pack if you have enough vram? I guess I could always run this ontop of it to increase performance a bit. Just been thinking I've been a fool this whole time, and would've been better off just using that stupid free dlc.
YOU-ARE-THE-MAN. Thousands kudos for you!