Skyrim Special Edition

About this mod

A touch of realism and magic. New and special preset for Cathedral Weathers. Designed for the latest ENB binaries, with all the new fancy effects :)

Requirements
Permissions and credits
Translations
Changelogs
Donations

ENB preset especially designed for CATHEDRAL WEATHERS





NEWS:


As you probably know, Boris recently added "Complex Parallax effect" to ENB. If you want to use it, you need a proper textures (obviously) and this:

"Parallax Occlusion Mapping"

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Version 6.1 - A special update (only the presets) for "Splashes of Storms".
You have to try this mod, it adds splashes to everything you see and normal 3D ripples, not some crap 2D textures, plus it's fully customizable and performance friendly. If you install it once, you will never uninstall it again.

I guess I should add it to the list of mandatory mods ;)

You need:

Splashes of Storms
and
Rudy fix for Splashes of Storms and ENB

if you miss the Rainbow
Rainbows SE

or Shooting Stars
Shooting Stars SE

(obviously these mods aren't essential for the preset to work)




OLDER NEWS:

Finally, a fresh new version number 6, made especially for EVLaS.
Zangdar's edit no longer requires ReShade.
More information in the spoiler:


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Spoiler:  
Show
So we have a new version 6.0.
Bad news to start with, if you want to try this new version, you have to completely uninstall the old one, along with the FOMOD that was required for it.

One important note, I previously included a modified version of Cathedral Weathers.esp in the preset (specifically in FOMOD). But from now, it's just going to be a patch (Soulmancer thanks for your help). There are simply too many changes. I introduced many of them to adapt CW to ENB and EVLaS. Some are made in so lazy way, that they only look good with ENB.
So you have to use it with the original CW.esp. Don't use the Unofficial Patch for CW for now, I haven't tested this preset with it, many of the changes Soulmancer made are included in my patch.
This file has an open permission, so if you need it for something, you can change and modify it as you wish.

Version 6.0 has been fully redesigned for EVLaS. If you don't know what EVLaS is yet, I'll explain shortly. This small (but big) mod created by Kitsuune allows to fully synchronize the volumetric lighting with the position of the sun and, more importantly, with the position of the moon, and additionally allows for synchronization of the light intensity at night with the moon phase.
Due to these changes, the nights look completely different in this version. Just remember that the intensity of the light and VL's depends on the phase of the moon (Masser).
Dusk and dawn look different too, I made it quite realistic and if there is no sun or moon, no directional light either.

The strength of the directional light and VL at night is now adjusted indirectly in the EVLaS cfg file. My settings for "MoonPhaseMultipliers Default" are:

Full = 1.0,
New = 0.3

You can change it and adjust it to your own needs.

When you install EVLaS you also need to install Skyrim Underside mesh (remember this from EVLaS is only for Tamriel worldspace), unless you are using DynDOLOD 3.0 or newer, then you can generate Terrain Underside meshes for all large worldspaces with DynDOLOD. These meshes allow shadows to be cast by the terrain, which is not possible with regular LOD meshes from the game. Just remember, that shadows are visible only in the current cell.

Due to the fact that after a computer crash I had to reinstall the whole game, so decided to take this opportunity and finish the preset on an almost vanilla game (haven't seen Skyrim in such a version for a few years), which I hope allowed me to keep a more objective perspective.
By the way, I made a list with the minimum number of mods, that will allow the game to look decent even with vanilla models and textures.

So, the minimum list (and some kind of loading order):


- SKSE
- Address Library for SKSE Plugins
- Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch
- SSE Engine Fixes (skse64 plugin)
- ENB Helper SE
- EVLaS (with Underside)
- Particle Patch for ENB
- Obsidian Mountain Fogs
- Embers XD
- LUX or ELFX with ELFX Fixes or ELFX SHADOWS or WINDOW SHADOWS RT
- Water for ENB (Shades of Skyrim)
- Bright Waterfall Fix for ENB
- Less Distracting Blowing Snow Effects for ENB Particle Patch
- Vanilla Complex Grasses for ENB - absolutely optional, only if you are using vanilla assets
- of course my ENB plus Cathedral Weathers plus my CW patch and files from my FOMOD (cloud textures, night sky texture and sky and cloud meshes)


Isn't too long, is it? But this is the minimum you just have to install, no exception, otherwise you can throw this preset out of the window.
I think you can replace Water for ENB and Embers XD with something else, but only if you know what you are doing and you are familiar with changing a few things in ENB.

Only a few mods and an almost vanilla game could look like this:

SCREENS 01

SCREENS 02

By the way, I will mention the load order, due to the fact that ELFX modifies several weather in the game, it must be placed before Cathedral Weathers or at least before my CW patch (ELFX SHADOWS as well) but after EMBERS XD, which modifies some interiors. Water for ENB must be placed after Embers XD and after Obsidian Mountain Fogs, Bright Waterfall Fix for ENB after Water for ENB etc.

Important do not use the snow texture "fxsnowsoftsub.dds" from Bright Waterfall Fix for ENB. In MO2 you can just hide it. It was created before Boris added snow control to ENB and now is just too dark. Snow now reacts to light, and is simply darker in shaded areas.

This is probably all the more important information. A lot of things have changed in the preset, the list is too long to mention, hopefully for the better, have fun :D

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and a nice video from xxMaxxdx:



and from Ancient Gamer/Nobleman Gaming



Please note, that the installation instructions have been changed.


!!! - In the optional files section you will find a special version prepared by Zangdar72. It's made for LUX mod. The requirement and detailed installation instructions, down below - !!!


A small - GALLERY - with screenshots from Zangdar's version.
Also some Interiors screens with LUX


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A few words of introduction.

This preset is designed for "Cathedral Weathers and Seasons" (with my patch), "Enhanced Volumetric Lighting and Shadows (EVLaS)", "Water for ENB" and "Embers XD". These mods are rather “hard requirements” now.

To use the full potential of ENB, for most weather conditions I've made a separate ini.
For special places in the game world, too.
So you have separate weather for:

Inns,
Mines,
Forts,
Thieves Guild,
Dark Brotherhood,
Mistveil Keep,
Castle Volkihar,
High Hrothgar,
Azuras Star,
Dwemer Ruins,
Nordic Dungeons,
Ice Caves,
Apocrypha,
Soul Cairn,
Blackreach,
Sovngarde
Hall of Valor
Blue Palace
Dragonsreach
and Solstheim.


I know it's hard to believe but there are also separate inis for Eclipse (Auriel's Bow) for Bloated Man's Grotto special weather and for Boethiah's Calling quest weather ;)






Link to my Patreon site:





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Installation instructions

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For those who don't like reading:

- Download and install "Cathedral Weathers" -
- Download "Rudy ENB Cathedral Weathers ADDONS and REQUiRED Files FOMOD" using the mod manager -
- Install it -
- Download ENB binaries and my preset -
- Install it manually -
- Ask in the comments why you have black bars on your screen -
- !!! PROFIT !!! -

However, if reading doesn't hurt you, a little more information can be found below.

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- General info -

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- For new ENB users - this preset (as many others) can't be installed using mod manager because the files aren't copied to the Skyrim Data folder.
But you can find many managers specially designed for installing ENB or ReShade, here on Nexus.

- The Letterbox effect is on by default - You can turn it off, just open the ENB GUI, select "Show shaders window" and adjust or turn off the Letterbox in the enbeffectpostpass.fx. Why is it on? One simple reason. The detail shadows in ENB are screen space effect, you can just see them appear and disappear frequently, especially at the top and bottom of the screen.

- All fancy ENB effects are enabled, Wet effects, Detailed shadows for normal maps, Particle shadows, Grass collisions etc., so don't expect superb performance. This preset isn't made for that :)

- Since Cathedral Weathers is not made for ENB, there are a few issues. CW Image Spaces will not work with my preset. Water and waterfalls can be too bright during certain weather and this can't be changed using ENB. Anyway, it can be remedied by installing Particle Patch for ENB and Bright Waterfall Fix for ENB, that should be enough.

- If you are using "SSE Engine Fixes" and you have problems with too bright LOD in snow-covered areas, set "BSLightingShaderForceAlphaTest" to false in the EngineFixes.ini.

- If you are using "SSE Display Tweaks" and you're stuck on the title screen, set "ForceVSync=false" and "EnableFPSLimit=false" in enblocal.ini.

"Known mods that can cause ENB issues"


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- Preparations and requirements -

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//!\\ Hard requirements //!\\

"SKSE"

"Address Library for SKSE Plugins"

"SSE Engine Fixes (skse64 plugin)". The newer version fixes a bug with loading saves (those from interiors), which has been in the game for 10 years!

"ENB Helper SE". Because this is a multi-weather preset.

"Enhanced Volumetric Lighting and Shadows" (EVLaS). Install "Skyrim Underside mesh" too, unless you are using DynDOLOD 3.0 or newer.

"Particle Patch for ENB". Many meshes from the game aren't prepared for ENB.

"Embers XD". ENB fire effect from my preset is prepared for Mindflux's mod. Choose the Orange flames and Optimized version, Disabled Red Glow and Reduced Yellow Glow

"Obsidian Mountain Fogs"

"Water for ENB". Choose "Shades of Skyrim" version. I haven't tested other versions, so I don't know what they look like in the game.

"Cathedral Weathers and Seasons". Don't use unofficial update!

My "Rudy ENB Cathedral Weathers ADDONS and REQUiRED Files FOMOD". You will find it in the main files section on this page.


//!\\ Soft requirements for Rudy's version //!\\
(Zangdar's Edit has its own requirements; cf "Zangdar's version installation and requirements for LUX")

"Bright Waterfall Fix for ENB"

"Less Distracting Blowing Snow Effects for ENB Particle Patch"

"Storm Lightning for SSE and VR (Minty Lightning 2019)"
or
"Lightning During Storms SSE (Minty lightning)"

"Window Shadows RT" - Window Shadows Enhancer is required.
or
"Enhanced Lights and FX" - ELFX Enhancer is required.
with
"ELFX Fixes"
or
"ELFX SHADOWS" - Enhancer from ELFX SHADOWS is required.
and
"Tamriel Master Lights"

- General rules: ELFX modifies several weather in the game, so it must be placed before Cathedral Weathers or at least before my CW patch (ELFX SHADOWS as well) but after EMBERS XD, which modifies some interiors too. Water for ENB must be placed after Embers XD and after Obsidian Mountain Fogs, Bright Waterfall Fix for ENB after Water for ENB.

- ENB "DisableFakeLights" works again in ENB 0.440 or newer with the latest version of the game. So, you don't need to install "Old Skyrim SE Shader Bundle to fix SSS in ENB on SSE 1.5.80". Just make sure that DisableFakeLights=true in the "enblocal.ini" file.

- You should Install "ENB Light". An effect called "ENB Complex Particle and Fire lights" requires this.


- Tune your monitor's BLACK LEVEL, CONTRAST, WHITE SATURATION and GAMMA.
My preset is designed for the white balance - 6500K and Gamma 2.2


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- Skyrim SE options menu and SkyrimPrefs.ini and Skyrim.ini -

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Turn off:

- Screen Space Ambient Occlusion
- Snow Shader
- Lens Flare

A few important things:

- You need to use in-game volumetric rays. Many fog effects require them, make sure that in SkyrimPrefs.ini, "bVolumetricLightingEnable" is set to "1"

- You need in-game DoF, "ENB underwater" effect requires it, even if the game's DoF is disabled in the enblocal.ini file.

- Make sure that in SkyrimPrefs.ini Skyrim.ini, these lines look exactly like this:

SkyrimPrefs.ini:

bSAO_CS_Enable=0
bSAOEnable=0
bEnableImprovedSnow=0
bVolumetricLightingEnable=1
bUse64bitsHDRRenderTarget=1
bDrawLandShadows=1
fGamma=1.0000
bDoDepthOfField=1


Skyrim.ini:

bVolumetricLightingDisableInterior=0

- Try not to use too low values for fShadowDirectionalBiasScale. This can cause shadow stripes when you use ENB.
- For fFirstSliceDistance, use a value of 2896.0000 or greater.
- For more clouds on distant mountains use 280000.0000 or (max) 600000.0000 for fSkyCellRefFadeDistance.

You can use BethINI for the ini tweaks


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- Preset installation -

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- Download latest public ENB binaries, (a black arrow at the bottom of the page ).

- Copy d3d11.dll and decompiler_46e.dll and paste into your Skyrim SE folder.

- Download and unpack my preset.

- Copy and paste my files from "! Catherdral Weathers ..." (choose only one version) into your Skyrim SE main directory.

!!! next steps are required for this version to work properly !!!

- Download and install - "Cathedral Weathers and Seasons". Don't use unofficial update!
- Download and install - "Enhanced Volumetric Lighting and Shadows" (EVLaS), and optional file "EVLaS Skyrim Underside"
- Install "Rudy ENB Cathedral Weathers ADDONS and REQUiRED Files FOMOD" (from Main files section on my mod page). Overwrite Cathedral Weathers.ini file. In addition to my patch for CW, FOMOD also contain the assets from Vivid Weathers (required for the new Solstheim ash storm effect to work properly), the sky and cloud meshes made by TrueDraconis, my cfg file for EVLaS mod and fix for blinding fogs in some interiors. All of these files are required for this preset.
- Choose what you need from the "Options" category and "Night eye Version".

- Make sure that in your enblocal.ini file "DisableFakeLights" is set to true.

!!! Don't use "Improved Rain and Fog for Cathedral Weathers". My preset is designed for a pure Cathedral Weathers mod and for its volumetric effects. Foggy and rainy weather are changed by ENB and don't need to be corrected with external modifications !!!

!!! For the same reason, I do not recommend using Supreme or True Storms !!!

!!! All special effects, such as sunsets, sunrises, sun rays, are prepared for Vanilla and CW clouds, in the FOMOD attached to the preset you will find specially prepared cloud textures in 2K or 4K resolution. Source: "Project Clarity" (thanks to IconicDeath), I've removed the visible seams from some of them and tweaked a little. !!!


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- Zangdar's version installation and requirements for LUX -

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Spoiler:  
Show

- Make sure that in SkyrimPrefs.ini, these lines look exactly like this:
bSAO_CS_Enable=0
bSAOEnable=0
bEnableImprovedSnow=0
bVolumetricLightingEnable=1
bUse64bitsHDRRenderTarget=1
bDrawLandShadows=1
fGamma=1.0000
bDoDepthOfField=1


Skyrim.ini:
- Try not to use too low values for "fShadowDirectionalBiasScale". This can cause shadow stripes when you use ENB.

- For fFirstSliceDistance, use a value of 2896.0000 or greater.

0 - !!! First of all, don't use "Window Shadows" - this version isn't prepared for this mod.

1 - Download the latest ENB for Skyrim SE and copy d3d11.dll and decompiler_46e.dll to your main skyrim SE directory.

Please remove "PrivateProfileRedirector SE" if you use it, Boris mentions it as being incompatible with enbs as it disables some weathers; source link


2 - Download and install the following needed files


3 - Paste in your root skyrim se directory folder Rudy CW zangdar72's Edit [ Skyrim SE folder ]



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!!!!!!!!! SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION !!!!!!!!!!


Spoiler:  
Show

"NIGHTS and INTERIORS BRIGHTNESS"

There are simple switches for Interiors and Nights brightness in the enbeffect.fx shader, ENB UI, Shader parameters window. You can adjust them to your liking.

"ENB UNDERWATER"

This effect requires in-game DoF, so the DoF must be turned on in the game settings (But at the same time it's turned off in the enblocal.ini file, because I'm using a great Marty McFly's shader for the DoF effect). Anyway, underwater can be tweaked in two places, in the main ENB UI, you can adjust Tint Amount (adopt this value for the water mod you are using) and Caustics Amount and in the enbunderwater.fx shader, there will find Blur Amount and Range.

"SSE SUNGLARE"

Is disabled in the effects section and set to 0 in the ENB UI, If you like this effect enable it and tweak the values.

"ENB SSS - SUBSURFACE SCATTERING"

If you use the "Subsurface Scattering Shaders for Skins" mod, deinstall it. ENB SSS is based on a diffuse map, so the game sss maps *_sk.dds are ignored by that effect. For this reason, ENB SSS depends on a body texture replacer you are currently using. You should avoid using the default sss maps, they are pink and saturated, better to use dark or even black maps. ENB is ignoring them, but the game engine no, so you can't reduce a red/pink tint effect. Try "UNP Female Body Renewal", subsurface maps "Dark Red" or "Black".
Feel free to fine-tune this effect in the ENB UI.

"SSE LENS FLARE"

This effect Is set to 0 in the enbseries.ini, so you can't see it in the game. If you like it, tweak the values in the [LENSFLARE_GAME] section, in the ENB UI.

"ENB ANIMATED STARS"

This a new enb addon. It's really cool, see my video :



Remember, not all the texture replacers for the night sky are compatible with it. With some of them, that effect look just odd when is enabled.
I made my own bitmaps, which works more or less well. They replaces a two textures : skystars.dds and skyrimgalaxy.dds. You can find them in the "Addons" folder, can be installed using a mod manager.
This particular effect should be tweaked individually by the users. To do it, open the ENB UI (shift+Enter), scroll down to the [SKY] section.
There is a one more problem with this effect. It depends on the anti-aliasing method you use. My enbseries.ini is prepared for TAA and my bitmaps. If you use FXAA, or a mod which changes a stars texture, a few parameters need to be tweaked.
Start with a "StarsCurveNight" value, lower it, if you use FXAA, then play with "StarsAnimationDensity" and "StarsAnimationIntensity" until you achieve satisfactory results.

"ENB EDGE ANTI-ALIASING and SMAA"

As you probably know (or maybe don't) in the 0.334 binaries Boris adds a new edge anti-aliasing, in my enblocal.ini, if you use my file, this addon is disabled. I'm personally using TAA and think, that in that case, additional AA isn't really necessary.
But if you hate TAA (this method has a few cons) and prefer to use FXAA, turn it on.
With the latest update I've added an additional anti-aliasing method, SMAA (big thanks for Kingeric1992 and Adyss). Is off by default. To enable it just change the technique in the enbeffectpostpass.fx, see the screen :
PostPass
Only SMAA 1x is available. You can use it as an additional anti-aliasing (but don't know if this makes sense. eats 2-3 frames in my case), or as a replacement for FXAA. One big pros, you can tweak it in the UI. More info you will find in the readme file.

"ENB NIGHT EYE"

The code for the Night EYE effect is made by Phinix - author of "The Truth ENB". He was so kind that allow me to use this code. A huge thanks, Phinix :D
In the ADDONS directory you can find a special esp files prepared for a normal gameplay and for a Predator Vision mod. Install or copy esp and copy all prepared files to the proper folders.
To turn it on/off, open ENB UI (shift+Enter}, expand, in the right window called "Shader parameters", enbeffect.fx section, scroll down and uncheck "Use Nighteye Fix".
A bit more of theory, more details and info, how to fine-tune this effect, you will find on The Truth ENB page - - THE TRUTH ENB



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Hot Keys in my enblocal.ini


shift+F12 - disable/eneble effects
shift+Enter - ENB GUI
shift+F7 - DOF on/off
Insert - screenshot - saved in the game folder


If the shift+Enter combination didn't work for you, change in the enblocal.ini these two lines: KeyCombination=0 and KeyEditor=35. Now the END key should bring up the GUI.

[url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/visualstudio/visual-basic-6/aa243025(v=vs.60)?redirectedfrom=MSDN]KEY CODES


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All credits go to :

- Boris Vorontsov
- JawZ
- Marty McFly
- Tapioks
- MaxG3D
- Kingeric1992
- Jjensson
- Adyss
- Phinix
- Bethesda
- THE SANDVICH MAKER
- lazy4466
- True Draconis
- LonelyKitsuune
- IconicDeath
- isoku
- lKocMoHaBTl
- JonnyWang13
- Mangaclub
- Doodlezoid
- InstantKor
- foreverphoenix
- Pamposzek
- Soulmancer


With special thanks to JonnyWang, Mangaclub, True Draconis and RedMad


Sorry for my english, it's not my native language.