Beautiful Imaginator Tweaks COT 5 + ELFX

Read this BEFORE tweaking the Imaginator!!! GO!!!

Hello Guys

This is my preset for the Imaginator for the mod-combination "Climates of Tamriel 5" (COT 5) and "Enhanced Lights and FX" (ELFX). As you can see in the pictures (FOV 85) it doesn't look that bad actually so I decided to share this preset.

The point of Imaginator is that you can change the graphical aspect (color, saturation, contrast, bloom etc.) of the game to your liking WITHOUT loosing performance.



WARNING: This preset is REALLY ONLY for COT 5 (or COT 3 - should work (?)) and ELFX combined and will only look as in the pictures with them installed!



Keep that in mind before throwing tomatoes and stuff ^^. 


Note for RLO Users

If you have "Realistic Lighting Overhaul" (RLO) installed and use this preset, many lights from fires just look too cold, almost white. But if you can live with that you can keep RLO installed. (If you really want to use RLO with this, put the contrast down 2 points and make sure you have "Brighter Dungeons" installed with RLO - but as I said it isn't recommended)

COT 5 on the other hand is an absolute MUST HAVE for this preset.


Note that if you are new to modding there are many guides on the net on how to prepare your game for modding. I suggest starting with the Beginner's Guide on modding from Gopher + the S.T.E.P. Guide. Just search for Gopher on youtube as he is one of the best "mod explainers" and modders out there and he really goes into detail.



Installation:


0. SKSE + SKYUI with its build in MCM Menu are REQUIRED, because otherwise you can't tweak Imaginator



1. If you haven't already, download "COT 5" and install with the following setup:

-DLC Patches if you have them
-Leave "Dungeons and Caves" and "Interiors" on DEFAULT because ELFX will handle them
-"Main Files" of course ^^
-"Optional Vanilla Nights" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to use "Nights Level 2" as level 1 is too bright for this preset.

IF YOU ARE MAKING A FRESH INSTALL OF CLIMATES OF TAMRIEL YOU HAVE TO WAIT 12 TO 24 HOURS (ingame time) FOR THE WEATHER TO CHANGE AFTER INSTALLATION!



2. If you haven't already, download "ELFX" and install with the following setup:

-Core Files
-ELFX Enhancer
-ELFX Exteriors
-Patches ONLY IF YOU NEED THEM (Moonpath and NO Breezehome)
-the optional "no candle smoke" if you don't want the smoke that ELFX adds



3. Imaginator

-when you have Imaginator installed, load your save and press ESC
-you will find a new tab "Mod-Configuration" so click it
-now click on IMAGINATOR
-now you are in the Imaginator configuration
-simply go through the tabs and configure like you see in the pics or the textfile i've added
-press ESC again and see the difference
-NOTE: The Imaginator Helper passed away long time ago so don't search for him :)



4. Optional little ini tweak

I suggest changing the field of view to 80 or 85 so you see a little bit more from the world ^^
to do so find your "skyrim.ini", find the [Display] section and copy this into it: fDefaultWorldFOV=80.0 and SAVE
if you don't like the changed FOV you can simply delete what you copied in (don't forget to save)



5. Problems with this preset

-On really sunny days the shadows on NPC's look strange when they stand in a shadow (of a building for example) themself. You have to live with that as I can do nothing about it. It even isn't THAT distracting though.
-If you are using the Official Bethesda Hi-Res DLC, very few red tones are a bit oversaturated. If you have a problem playing like that --> Saturation -5 --> Problem solved
There is ONE night in COT 5 that is a liiiiitle bit too bright with this preset. It's the night when most auroras are seen. But as the nights in COT are   very different and unique it shouldn't be a problem. The other nights are really well contrasted.



6. Other recommended Mods and patches (laptop/performance choice)

-Unofficial Skyrim Legendary Patch (if you have all DLCs)

-for better water "Realistic Water Two*" OR "Pure Waters"  *RW2 for performance, as Pure Waters has more of a performance-impact (at least for me)

-Skyrim HD 2K Textures (lite for performance) OR for even more performance "Bethesda Hi-Res DLC Optimized" (look carefully which of the three options to install and don't forget the Unofficial Hi-Res Patch Compatible Version

-Ruins Clutter improved

-Static Mesh Improvement Mod (install VERY carefully regarding performance - many choices)

-Cinematic Fire Effects 2 HD (definetely superior than vanilla -very little performance impact but sooo worth it)

-XCE - Xenius Character Enhancement (makes vanilla NPC's more beautiful)

-Fences of Skyrim (you wanna have this to override the flickering vanilla fences)

-Grass on Steroids (CAN give even more performance - read the description of it!)

-RS Children Overhaul (because..... look at the vanilla children. 'nuff said! :) 

-Immersive HUD - iHUD (immersion baby^^) (SKYUI required)

-Enhanced Blood Textures (SKYUI required)

-Dynavision (performance Depth of Field) (SKYUI required) <-- THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE IN THE SCREENSHOTS!!!

-Skyrim Project Optimization (performance boost in interiors)

-Skyrim Enhanced Camera (you can see yourself in first person by looking down + you now have a shadow etc.)

-No Spinning Death Animation (watch the vid ^^)

-Realistic Ragdolls And Force

-Safety Load




6. Last Points

-If this preset is too saturated for you --> desaturate 5 points at a time

-do yourself a favor and don't touch the contrast UNLESS you find it unplayable in this state. It is balanced between interiors, exteriors and dungeons so if you find the contrast too strong or too weak in one place, it might be too strong/weak in another place after your tweak.


IF I HAVE FORGOTTEN TO PUT SOMETHING IMPORTANT HERE PLEASE LET ME KNOW! OH, AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU LIKED THE PRESET!