Do any of these .ini tweaks actually work or benefit?

[Honesty]

Hello all. I usually attempt to help others, however, maybe some can help me out - and shed some light on some .ini tweaks floating around.

I know full well SOME of  the .ini lines from Morrrowind and Oblivion do not fly at all in Skyrim - and just litters your .ini with junk lines that do nothing, or do more harm than good.

I also know some people still swear by the memory tweaks, but most advanced players/modders highly recommend NOT using them as they cause problems.

Most of these are new to me however, and I have never seen some of these before...:

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/articles/1153//?

 

Some of the new things I have never seen include the likes of:

 

In Skyrim.ini Add/Edit:

[backgroundLoad]
bBackgroundLoadLipFiles=1
bLoadBackgroundFaceGen=1
bUseMultiThreadedFaceGen=1
bBackgroundCellLoads=1
bLoadHelmetsInBackground=1
bUseMultiThreadedTrees=1
bUseBackgroundFileLoader=1

[Animation]
bMultiThreadBoneUpdate=1

[HAVOK]
iNumThreads=XX

[General]
bUseThreadedTempEffects=1
bUseThreadedParticleSystem=1
bMultiThreadMovement=1
bUseThreadedMorpher=1

[Decals]
bDecalMultithreaded=1

 

In SkyrimPrefs.ini Add/Edit:

 

 

[Navmesh]
bUseThreadedMeshes=1

[Trees]
bUseMultiThreadedTrees=1
bShadowMaskZPrePass=1

[backgroundLoad]
bBackgroundLoadLipFiles=1
bLoadBackgroundFaceGen=1
bUseMultiThreadedFaceGen=1
bBackgroundCellLoads=1
bLoadHelmetsInBackground=1
bUseMultiThreadedTrees=1

[General]
bUseThreadedParticleSystem=1
bUseThreadedBlood=1
bUseThreadedMorpher=1
bUseThreadedTempEffects=1
bUseThreadedTextures=1
bUseThreadedMeshes=1
bUseThreadedLOD=1
bUseThreadedAI=1
bUseThreadedMorpher=1

[Decals]
bDecalMultithreaded=1

 

 

he then mentions some memory tweaks,as I have previously stated, a lot of people recommend to ignore and not add them. And then some other tuff like the aiming and distance and etc (which actually DOES work and is proven and is very well recommended).


I don't want to sound mean, but please anyone with some "real know-how" chime in on this please? Again, I don't want to sound mean (and hell, I don't know myself, which is why I am asking) - but I don't want everyone coming out of the woodwork and going like, "oyeah man, I had dese since day 1 and they work so well..." and actually they have no idea if they work or not, and just added them because someone said to.

Thanks again all, I appreciate it.

 

 

EDIT: Steve40 (well-known) actually was the one who recommened the papyrus tweaks, I use the following myself:

 

[Papyrus]
fUpdateBudgetMS=1.7
fExtraTaskletBudgetMS=1.7
fPostLoadUpdateTimeMS=1100.0

 

Whats the difference between "1.7" and say,,, 800? And i am wondering why he isn't using number (point [.]) number, and instead three digits? Skyrim default is 1.2 or so I believe.

 

[RitualClarity]

the ability to config and change .ini files are useful tools that can be used.

 

However I would recommend not using any config changes unless absolutely needed.

 

How to you know you need it you ask? Good question! You need it when nothing else will fix the problem on a otherwise stable game. It is to be used sparingly if used at all.

 

In FNV on my old machine i needed to change the threading because I was running into a premature plugin limit. Changing that one record helped me add a few more plugins. I needed these to experience a certain play though with mods. Not so that I could have a mountain of mods running when I wasn't really going to take advantage of them. In your case it would be like having 25 magic mods when you are playing a warrior. You just aren't going to use them. In these cases removed them before starting a new play through.

 

If you do decide to use these tools there are a few things to consider.

Source of info. Is it good, can you find others using this or that .ini config on other sites.?

Always keep a backup and some documentation on what was done.

Always try and test one config at a time to make sure that it works as expected.

If there isn't a major change to the good, return back to the old config.

 

In the end most of the times focusing on well bulit mods, fixing issues in them if you can and reporting bugs if you can't. Using complementary mods and avoiding mods that affect the same record, npc and such as much as possible. and limited use of heavy scripted mods except where absolutely necessary will do far more good to your game play than typing a few changes into an .ini file.

 

Bottom line:

You are asking for a world of hurt unless you know what you are doing and/or are willing to test extensively these changes on your system and mods.

[D_ManXX2]

threaded is only correct if you have multicore processor. if you still have single core, it is better then not to use these ini settings.

[RitualClarity]

Correct. However you still shouldn't really mess with the threaded option if your game is running correctly even if you do have threaded processor. I only did that on an old machine when I was trying to exceed what was reasonable in # of mods.  I currently use the default and use mods to correct the "ammo" issues or other issues. Sometimes there are plugins that can fix crash on exit issues and such. I would prefer to use those over .ini config changes. There is nothing wrong with doing it but it should be the last resort when you have tweaked everything else or problem solved every other option first.

 

[Groovtama]

The values you are asking are the time in ms that scripts get to update, http://www.creationkit.com/INI_Settings_(Papyrus) everything described here (also the memory tweak stuff). With many many scripts running 800 is a good value, with just frostfall 25-40 is often enough, it's more about the mass your a running and the cpu you have that defines a good value. 800 gives the best results for me, because I run 5-8 heavy script intensive mods.

 

f as prefix means float:

0.1 is a float value

800 is a float and also a possible integer value

800.0 is a float

800 if assigned to a float variable gets automatically the [.00000] added

=> 800 = 800.0 = 800.00 ... as assignment to float variable

 

The values above are all pretty save, shouldn't make any problems. What that stuff misses in my eyes are the HW thread setups so that multithreaded stuff you are throwing in are better balanced on the cpu cores. If you have a cpu with a lot of cores it really helps with BackgroundLoader and throwing everything in multithreaded stuff. And It works, the cpu with tweaks and stuff is more balanced than the one without and also higher usage with higher fps.

Havok Threads are also really nice on physics stuff like HDT Physics or other phyisc using mods.

 

To the memory tweaks, there are values that help you get less memory usage, there are values that get you less time on memory allocation. defaults are good but all depends what you are running and on what you are running it.

 

Don't want to write to much because ini tweaking is really finetweaking of the game and you can discuss alot of values alone alot if value a is better than value b and save and blabla.

[nooblet123]

Run the game with a debugger, preferrably ring 0, find where the ini file is being loaded, place breakpoints on mem read, find where the variables you're interested in are being loaded, place mem read breakpoints on those variables. If the breakpoints don't trigger those settings are not used. You can do a control test on those that you know are used like resolution.

Isn't assembly awesome?

 

A much less effective way is to search for names in process memory, because there is a lot of stuff just copy pasted from fallout 3 like a bunch of vats settings which aren't used but are present.

[Veladarius]

I have been adding the multithreading commands to my ini as I have found them (found a few in this list that I did not have) and have been watching the performance of the game with the Skyrim Performance Monitor and watching the number of fps I am running. Prior to adding these I ran 20%-25% CPU usage and had about 25 fps with a minimalistic ENB outdoors, 45 fps indoors. Adding these I hit 50%-60% cpu usage and ran 35-40 fps outdoors and 60ish fps indoors. Adding in the ENB Boost and the latest ENB I hit 40fps outdoors and 70-110 fps indoors with a more intensive ENB. I have not had an increase in CTD's with these. If you have a multicore processor then I say use them.

[johnnyboy88]

Those "performance tweaks" keep popping up from time to time. They have no noticeable impact. When it comes to Skyrim ini tweaking; Less is Better.

http://forum.step-project.com/showthread.php?tid=3365

 

But feel free to test them out yourself.  It's not going to do any permanent damage. Keep an ini backup for easy rollback. If it "feels better" to you go for it and add them it. If it doesn't seem like it does anything leave them out.

 

Oh. And some of those actually default to on already. so adding them like that does absolutely nothing. You can check which ones default to on by using the "saveini" command in the in-game console. It'll put an ini file in your data directory named as the last mod loaded. It'll contain every possible ini option available. Though be aware that a lot of the options in that file will do absolutely nothing. Just because options are available in the Gamebyro engine doesn't mean Skyrim was programed or told to use them. As an example you'll see options for Fallout in there and if you change those, Skyrim's not going to care. Skyrim won't understand it so will just ignore it and not do anything with it.

 

When it comes to papyrus settings. I've seen more settings than mods I think . I've run a lot of different numbers and never noticed much difference. I run with default and never had a problem *shug*. Here's another discussion.

And here's what the settings do according to the Creation Wiki.

[Honesty]

See, i was waiting for an answer like yours, Johnny - very well detailed also and answered every possible question I had in said detail also.

I did not and will never add memory tweaks. I did however add the multithreading stuff. They "seem" to be helping (placebo effect?) and the papyrus settings were actually a nice help me thinks.. I have Wet & Cold, footprints, headtracking, frostfall and enhanced blood running.

[Taskmaster]

 

 

A much less effective way is to search for names in process memory, because there is a lot of stuff just copy pasted from fallout 3 like a bunch of vats settings which aren't used but are present.

 

This line:

 

[VATS]

bVATSDisable=1

 

Takes the cinematic camera away from the killmoves, so they just blend right into gameplay.