New Major Update: The mod no longer needs modified files, meaning the file size of the mod is extremely tiny now. There is now an in-game menu for customization! There's an Ultra mode setting in the menu; this has a big performance hit in crowded cities. However it also unlocks certain objects to have significantly larger draw distances and lod.
Because the mod no longer relies on the manual file modifications, the chances for bugs/conflicts have gone down dramatically. Still, random issues can still occur, feel free to report them.
Known issues: Sometimes the mod crashes the game when loading specific Saves.
I've done just about everything I can to get this working with no luck. And yes, I followed all the instructions to the letter. I even installed the optional scripthooked unmodified map bootstrap version and yet still nothing. I don't know if the effects are there and I'm just not seeing it, but I was hoping this would solve the issue of meshes popping up right in my face and get rid of visible low poly lods on buildings. The settings seem to do absolutely nothing or the difference is so negligible that I can't see it.
Edit: It seems right after I posted this, the issue magically solved itself for some reason. I don't know why this happened because I made sure to load saves every time after I changed the settings. All I can think is that it must have something to do with the scripthooked bootstrap version cause the mod started working the second time I opened the game with this on and I ran a script merger for another mod in between, which may have done something.
Help: For anyone who doesn't understand how to properly download all the different requirements to get this mod working, this is for you. The installation process is difficult enough on its own, but you also have to deal with the instructions and files being needlessly misleading. First off, the mod author decided for some reason to put the Bin and DLC folders inside the modIncreasedDrawDistance folder. They are not doing you any good there and you must put them in their proper places. Obviously modIncreasedDrawDistance still goes in the mods folder and leave the content part there, but paste the other DLC and Bin to your main install dir. Now you must have Shared Imports and Bootstrap, as the description says. Shared Imports is straight forward, just place the mod in the mods folder. Bootstrap is more complicated because it has a multi step process of its own. There is a very helpful workflow chart on the Posts section of that mod page which will tell you precisely what you need installed. I recommend you install Community Patch - Base mod, but if you don't then you have to install another file anyway called Bootstrap vanilla patch. Once that is out of the way, you need to have two separate mods from the page. It is very important that you have Bootstrap Registry and another one of your choosing. Scripthooked is specifically meant for this mod, so you should install that one. If you have Vladimir UI or E3 UI, then install modBootstrap-v.0.4.1-scripthooked-unmodified-worldmap. If you don't use that, you should just install modBootstrap-v.0.4.1-scripthooked. Place everything in their required folders, then it is important that you go to BOOTSTRAP REGISTRY, not BOOTSTRAP for the mods_registry.ws edit. Go to "mods\modBootstrap-registry\content\scripts\local\mods_registry.ws" and open it with Notepad++. Add the line "add(modCreate_IDDMod());" at the bottom as the installation instruction says.
I did some research and we definitely need because small objects still loads on short distance but seems mod doesn`t work. It may increase shadow distance w/o RT and nothing else
First of all, i deinstalled everything related to bootstrap, or IDD
Then i followed this steps from @jasonthegod to the letter:
How TO Install 1. Install Community Patch - Shared Imports https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/2110/?
2.Install Community Patch - Bootstrap and Utilities https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/2109/?tab=description Install :modBootstrap-registry: And :modBootstrap-v.0.4.1: (edit by myself (maramsp) make sure to grab the scripthooked version in optional files!)
3. Open the file: "\mods\modBootstrap-registry\content\scripts\local\mods_registry.ws" Add this line of code add(modCreate_IDDMod());
It should look similar to this:
// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- class CModRegistry extends CModFactory { protected function createMods() { // add mod creation calls here, like this: // // add(modCreate_<ModName>()); // ... // see example dir //add(modCreate_ExampleMod()); //add(modCreate_ExampleEntityMod()); //add(modCreate_UiExampleMod()); add(modCreate_IDDMod()); } } // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Install Increased Draw Distance
5. Open File mods\modBootstrap\modBootstrap.input.settings Copy all: Ctrl+A Ctrl+C
6. Open Documents\The Witcher 3\input.settings go to the bottom and paste Ctrl+V Save
7. (Optional) Run WitcherScriptMerger https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/484
Done
Then i did step 7, and let my player.ws merge with the other one i had from a lip sync mod:
There are reports about disappearing houses, caves, bridges and other entities after walking for a while. As far as I can say the root cause seems to be the timing of the IDD startup.
There is an IDD compatible v0.4 script hooked version of the bootstrap mod in the optional section. It starts IDD and other mods slightly earlier than the normal bootstrap versions which seems to work. The general installation workflow is the same as with the normal bootstrap version. But INSTEAD of 'modBootstrap-v.0.4.1' package use 'modBootstrap-v.0.4.1-scripthooked' package or if you want to install the unmodified worldmap INSTEAD of 'modBootstrap-v.0.4.1-unmodified-worldmap' use 'modBootstrap-v.0.4.1-scripthooked-unmodified-worldmap'. However you may need to merge the player.ws script with scriptmerger or manually. Make sure the following lines: //modBootstrap-START modStartBootstrapManually(); //modBootstrap-END } are present at the end of the "event OnSpawned( spawnData : SEntitySpawnData )" function after merging! Thx @Kneegur for testing!
So this meant to me that i had to check my player.ws file which was now in the merged folder created by witcher 3 script merger
I checked if the entry was there, and actually there was, but a bit down from where the event OnSpawned line started, so i closed the file and launched TW3
Mod didnt work.
I found out that i lacked the mod menu thingy ingame at all (maybe i had it before, but looked in the wrong place) so i googled for missing mod menu witcher 3.
So i installed it, ran witcher 3 and thought it still didnt work, but actually it wasnt in the place where ive expected it to be. It was there, but i had to go to the normal options menu first, and there was the mods section, and now finally there was the increased draw distance entry.
So this confirms the mod is still working, takes some time, but it does work!
And you can actually see a difference in game? I have been trying for a long time to get the new version to work, it installs but I cant see any differences
When i remove the mod i cant see as much as that i see with the mod. And i know that it works cause of the longer loading times, and when you "enter" the game world, the assets are still loading in. So just try it out, and see if it works for you too. Btw, i had to set the slider to 10, and then i saw it working, tried it at 5-8 at first and didnt saw that much of a difference :)
Looks like this mod (even when installed as described above) causes random ctd in Toussaint - this is also confirmed by several reports in bugs section.
I will try to disable it while playing Blood&Wine.
Hi, I did everything you did but it still doesnt work. I have the mod menu in the settings thats not problem, but I cant see a difference in the game except longer load time. What did I missed? (cuz I completely followed your instructions and dont know what now) Adding screenshots:
Thank you for your work in figuring this out, maramsp!
I can confirm that this mod does work, but having the multiplier at 5 or at 10 didn't make a difference in draw distance or FPS drop. The load screen was a little longer and I had about a 5 FPS drop.
However, the draw distance increase is not too impressive; it doesn't catch all the details. From where I was standing on a small ship in Novigrad, with that draw distance increase, I saw house textures show up, but the HD shadows and the some of the vegetation didn't render (particularly the vegetation that hangs off from the house on the right in the screenshot). If have Geralt walk three steps toward the camera, the HD building textures will be de-rendered.
So is this mod worth it? If your system can handle the extra load on ULTRA settings, especially with the other graphics enhancing mods that you enjoy, yes. If you're doing video projects and you would like more details in the background while getting reasonable FPS along with your other mods, yes. If you're struggling to maintain 60 FPS for gameplay, no.
tried this step by step. not working.. I get this when launching witcher: Error [content0]game\types.ws(52): Enum 'EAreaName' already defined. Error [content0]game\types.ws(68): Enum 'EDlcAreaName' already defined.
Followed your instructions to a t and it still doesn't work. Well, it "works", but it also DOESN'T at the same time, almost all of the draw distance/LOD issues are still there, entire wall textures that do not load are still in your face, and only the small irrelevant details change, like poles on a bridge a few meters away from you having better meshes or some fence in far distance that consists of a dozen of pixels showing up on your screen, but that's it. On the other hand, something like "Next Generation LOD" (edited version) fixes MUCH more than this mod (yet still barely anything), when logically that shouldn't be the case, after looking at the difference in popularity of both mods.
(right click > copy image address > paste the link in the search bar on a new tab > page zoom +++)
I've done these steps but idk if it's really working lmao. after carefully doing these steps i still see things being rendered when i come closer to the distant object (house)
Followed all of the install instructions and the only effect this mod has is adding a five second pause every time I load a save. Draw distance and LODs are exactly the same as vanilla in all categories. I could probably get it to work if I spent a few hours doing what the mod author should've, but it's not worth the effort.
it works only when starting new game. I just tried. After bathtub cutscene i walk out on the balcony and can perfectly see scaffolding on the broken tower in distance (not possible in vanilla). I save at that moment, reload and the detail is gone. Something is wrong with saves, the reset the engine or something.
Ok for a week or so i have played with the latest version of the mod (the bootstrap / shared imports one) Yes the installation is not the simplest thing ever, but if you follow the instructions provided by the guys and gals below you are set to go For anyone thinking this mod doesn't work even after carefully doing every step, i was one of you the first time i tried it, i installed it but every lod W3 issue was still there. Well you HAVE to set it to the ultra mode, which makes a huge difference, if not then don't bother at all, it's not worth it Finally i'll list the main pros and cons of using it Pros 1)No more buidings and trees appearing and disappearing in the distance 2)Grass doesn't load in front of you 3)Combined with ''Volumetric Clouds over Skellige'' and ''True Fires'' you get some outstanding and super immersive views of the W3 world Cons: 1)Installation has A LOT of requirements 2)A huge performance hit, especially in cities (that's to be expected though) 3)It's not properly modified for Toussaint, you get ultra draw distance, but the game crashes frequently for no specific reason and the NPCs pop in very close to you For me it's pros are just so important that i grew really attached to the mod (i mean the immersion faction is one of the biggest reasons so many people play W3 after more than half a decade, myself included), but you definitely should consider the cons before installing (Warning: Every time you boot up a region, it takes a second(s) for it to properly load up, don't panic!)
Okay so what you call ultra is enable override and put all the sliders on 10? If it's this, I already did it and I have still boats in Novigrad rendering 100 meters in front of me... Maybe I can try the older version of this mod?
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The mod no longer needs modified files, meaning the file size of the mod is extremely tiny now.
There is now an in-game menu for customization!
There's an Ultra mode setting in the menu; this has a big performance hit in crowded cities. However it also unlocks certain objects to have significantly larger draw distances and lod.
Because the mod no longer relies on the manual file modifications, the chances for bugs/conflicts have gone down dramatically.
Still, random issues can still occur, feel free to report them.
Known issues:
Sometimes the mod crashes the game when loading specific Saves.Edit: It seems right after I posted this, the issue magically solved itself for some reason. I don't know why this happened because I made sure to load saves every time after I changed the settings. All I can think is that it must have something to do with the scripthooked bootstrap version cause the mod started working the second time I opened the game with this on and I ran a script merger for another mod in between, which may have done something.
Help: For anyone who doesn't understand how to properly download all the different requirements to get this mod working, this is for you. The installation process is difficult enough on its own, but you also have to deal with the instructions and files being needlessly misleading. First off, the mod author decided for some reason to put the Bin and DLC folders inside the modIncreasedDrawDistance folder. They are not doing you any good there and you must put them in their proper places. Obviously modIncreasedDrawDistance still goes in the mods folder and leave the content part there, but paste the other DLC and Bin to your main install dir. Now you must have Shared Imports and Bootstrap, as the description says. Shared Imports is straight forward, just place the mod in the mods folder. Bootstrap is more complicated because it has a multi step process of its own. There is a very helpful workflow chart on the Posts section of that mod page which will tell you precisely what you need installed. I recommend you install Community Patch - Base mod, but if you don't then you have to install another file anyway called Bootstrap vanilla patch. Once that is out of the way, you need to have two separate mods from the page. It is very important that you have Bootstrap Registry and another one of your choosing. Scripthooked is specifically meant for this mod, so you should install that one. If you have Vladimir UI or E3 UI, then install modBootstrap-v.0.4.1-scripthooked-unmodified-worldmap. If you don't use that, you should just install modBootstrap-v.0.4.1-scripthooked. Place everything in their required folders, then it is important that you go to BOOTSTRAP REGISTRY, not BOOTSTRAP for the mods_registry.ws edit. Go to "mods\modBootstrap-registry\content\scripts\local\mods_registry.ws" and open it with Notepad++. Add the line "add(modCreate_IDDMod());" at the bottom as the installation instruction says.
Dont work for me please help me to fix this error
Got CSEntityMod error. Thanks!
Some stuttering and entity pixelated. Made a screenshot and doesn't see any difference.First of all, i deinstalled everything related to bootstrap, or IDD
Then i followed this steps from @jasonthegod to the letter:
How TO Install
1. Install Community Patch - Shared Imports
https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/2110/?
2.Install Community Patch - Bootstrap and Utilities
https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/2109/?tab=description
Install :modBootstrap-registry: And :modBootstrap-v.0.4.1: (edit by myself (maramsp) make sure to grab the scripthooked version in optional files!)
3. Open the file: "\mods\modBootstrap-registry\content\scripts\local\mods_registry.ws"
Add this line of code add(modCreate_IDDMod());
It should look similar to this:
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
class CModRegistry extends CModFactory {
protected function createMods() {
// add mod creation calls here, like this:
//
// add(modCreate_<ModName>());
// ...
// see example dir
//add(modCreate_ExampleMod());
//add(modCreate_ExampleEntityMod());
//add(modCreate_UiExampleMod());
add(modCreate_IDDMod());
}
}
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Install Increased Draw Distance
5. Open File mods\modBootstrap\modBootstrap.input.settings
Copy all: Ctrl+A Ctrl+C
6. Open Documents\The Witcher 3\input.settings
go to the bottom and paste Ctrl+V
Save
7. (Optional) Run WitcherScriptMerger
https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/484
Done
Then i did step 7, and let my player.ws merge with the other one i had from a lip sync mod:
https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/1902?tab=posts
Then i checked the 5.1 entry of bootstrap:
There are reports about disappearing houses, caves, bridges and other entities after walking for a while. As far as I can say the root cause seems to be the timing of the IDD startup.
There is an IDD compatible v0.4 script hooked version of the bootstrap mod in the optional section. It starts IDD and other mods slightly earlier than the normal bootstrap versions which seems to work. The general installation workflow is the same as with the normal bootstrap version. But INSTEAD of 'modBootstrap-v.0.4.1' package use 'modBootstrap-v.0.4.1-scripthooked' package or if you want to install the unmodified worldmap INSTEAD of 'modBootstrap-v.0.4.1-unmodified-worldmap' use 'modBootstrap-v.0.4.1-scripthooked-unmodified-worldmap'. However you may need to merge the player.ws script with scriptmerger or manually. Make sure the following lines:
//modBootstrap-START
modStartBootstrapManually();
//modBootstrap-END
}
are present at the end of the "event OnSpawned( spawnData : SEntitySpawnData )" function after merging!
Thx @Kneegur for testing!
So this meant to me that i had to check my player.ws file which was now in the merged folder created by witcher 3 script merger
I checked if the entry was there, and actually there was, but a bit down from where the event OnSpawned line started, so i closed the file and launched TW3
Mod didnt work.
I found out that i lacked the mod menu thingy ingame at all (maybe i had it before, but looked in the wrong place) so i googled for missing mod menu witcher 3.
Then i found out i missed this fix:
https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/897/?tab=files
So i installed it, ran witcher 3 and thought it still didnt work, but actually it wasnt in the place where ive expected it to be. It was there, but i had to go to the normal options menu first, and there was the mods section, and now finally there was the increased draw distance entry.
So this confirms the mod is still working, takes some time, but it does work!
Thanks for this mate!
When i remove the mod i cant see as much as that i see with the mod.
And i know that it works cause of the longer loading times, and when you "enter" the game world, the assets are still loading in.
So just try it out, and see if it works for you too.
Btw, i had to set the slider to 10, and then i saw it working, tried it at 5-8 at first and didnt saw that much of a difference :)
I will try to disable it while playing Blood&Wine.
Adding screenshots:
I can confirm that this mod does work, but having the multiplier at 5 or at 10 didn't make a difference in draw distance or FPS drop. The load screen was a little longer and I had about a 5 FPS drop.
However, the draw distance increase is not too impressive; it doesn't catch all the details. From where I was standing on a small ship in Novigrad, with that draw distance increase, I saw house textures show up, but the HD shadows and the some of the vegetation didn't render (particularly the vegetation that hangs off from the house on the right in the screenshot). If have Geralt walk three steps toward the camera, the HD building textures will be de-rendered.
So is this mod worth it?
If your system can handle the extra load on ULTRA settings, especially with the other graphics enhancing mods that you enjoy, yes.
If you're doing video projects and you would like more details in the background while getting reasonable FPS along with your other mods, yes.
If you're struggling to maintain 60 FPS for gameplay, no.
I get this when launching witcher:
Error [content0]game\types.ws(52): Enum 'EAreaName' already defined.
Error [content0]game\types.ws(68): Enum 'EDlcAreaName' already defined.
Too add though, you also have to install Community Patch - Base AND this Custom Localization Fix at The Witcher 3 Nexus - Mods and community (nexusmods.com)
along with the required the Community Patch - Boot Strap Utilities Script Hook, and the Shared Imports as well.
(right click > copy image address > paste the link in the search bar on a new tab > page zoom +++)
Yes the installation is not the simplest thing ever, but if you follow the instructions provided by the guys and gals below you are set to go
For anyone thinking this mod doesn't work even after carefully doing every step, i was one of you the first time i tried it, i installed it but every lod W3 issue was still there. Well you HAVE to set it to the ultra mode, which makes a huge difference, if not then don't bother at all, it's not worth it
Finally i'll list the main pros and cons of using it
Pros
1)No more buidings and trees appearing and disappearing in the distance
2)Grass doesn't load in front of you
3)Combined with ''Volumetric Clouds over Skellige'' and ''True Fires'' you get some outstanding and super immersive views of the W3 world
Cons:
1)Installation has A LOT of requirements
2)A huge performance hit, especially in cities (that's to be expected though)
3)It's not properly modified for Toussaint, you get ultra draw distance, but the game crashes frequently for no specific reason and the NPCs pop in very close to you
For me it's pros are just so important that i grew really attached to the mod (i mean the immersion faction is one of the biggest reasons so many people play W3 after more than half a decade, myself included), but you definitely should consider the cons before installing
(Warning: Every time you boot up a region, it takes a second(s) for it to properly load up, don't panic!)
If it's this, I already did it and I have still boats in Novigrad rendering 100 meters in front of me...
Maybe I can try the older version of this mod?