How do i get a good looking shadow?

[Camila]

Hello fellow members.

I've looking all around guides and tweaks about Shadows but i just can't make them good..

 

Here is an example of how my shadows are looking outdoors:

 

 

 

 

That really doesn't look an "Ultra" shadow to me.. It's more like minecraft shadow, lol.

I can clearly see "blocks" of shadows at the edges

 

I'm currently using Project ENB - Realistic : Full Graphics Mode

 

I use "Ultra High Settings" from Skyrim Launcher.

I'm using Climates of Tamriel 3.1.

I do not use any lightning mod like RLO or ELFX.

 

This is what is written at SkyrimPrefs.ini [Display] part:

 

 

[Display]
iTexMipMapSkip=0
bFXAAEnabled=0
bFloatPointRenderTarget=1
bDrawLandShadows=1
bTreesReceiveShadow=1
fMeshLODLevel2FadeDist=10000000.0000
fMeshLODLevel1FadeDist=10000000.0000
fSpecularLODStartFade=2000.0000
fLightLODStartFade=3500.0000
fTreesMidLODSwitchDist=10000000.0000
iShadowMapResolution=4096
fShadowBiasScale=0.1500
iShadowMaskQuarter=4
iBlurDeferredShadowMask=5
iShadowMapResolutionSecondary=4096
iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=4096
fShadowDistance=4000.0000
iMaxDecalsPerFrame=800
iMaxSkinDecalsPerFrame=150
iAdapter=0
iSize W=1440
iSize H=900
iMultiSample=0
iMaxAnisotropy=1
iPresentInterval=1
bFull Screen=1
fInteriorShadowDistance=3000.0000
fLeafAnimDampenDistEnd=4600.0000
fLeafAnimDampenDistStart=3600.0000
fGamma=1.4000
iShadowFilter=4
bShadowsOnGrass=1
fDecalLOD2=1500.0000
fDecalLOD1=1000.0000
fShadowLODStartFade=500.0000
iTexMipMapMinimum=0
bTransparencyMultisampling=0
iWaterMultiSamples=0
bDeferredShadows=1
iShadowMode=4
bDrawShadows=1
fMeshLODFadePercentDefault=1.2000
fMeshLODFadeBoundDefault=256.0000
fMeshLODLevel2FadeTreeDistance=2048.0000
fMeshLODLevel1FadeTreeDistance=2844.0000
iScreenShotIndex=0
bShadowMaskZPrepass=0
bMainZPrepass=0

 

 

 

Rest of my SkyrimPrefs.ini if needed:

 

[imagespace]
iRadialBlurLevel=2
bDoDepthOfField=1
[LOD]
fLODFadeOutMultActors=15.0000
fLODFadeOutMultItems=15.0000
fLODFadeOutMultObjects=15.0000
fLODFadeOutMultSkyCell=1.0000
[Grass]
fGrassStartFadeDistance=7000.0000
b30GrassVS=1
fGrassMaxStartFadeDistance=7000.0000
fGrassMinStartFadeDistance=400.0000
[Decals]
bDecals=1
bSkinnedDecals=1
uMaxDecals=1000
uMaxSkinDecals=100
uMaxSkinDecalsPerActor=60
[TerrainManager]
fTreeLoadDistance=75000.0000
fBlockMaximumDistance=250000.0000
fBlockLevel1Distance=70000.0000
fBlockLevel0Distance=35000.0000
fSplitDistanceMult=1.5000
bShowLODInEditor=0
[blurShaderHDR]
bDoHighDynamicRange=1
[blurShader]
bUseBlurShader=0
[Launcher]
bShowAllResolutions=1
uLastAspectRatio=4
[Water]
iWaterReflectHeight=512
iWaterReflectWidth=512
bUseWaterDisplacements=1
bUseWaterRefractions=1
bUseWaterReflections=1
bUseWaterDepth=1
[MAIN]
fSkyCellRefFadeDistance=150000.0000
bGamepadEnable=0
bCrosshairEnabled=1
fHUDOpacity=1.0000
bSaveOnPause=1
bSaveOnTravel=1
bSaveOnWait=1
bSaveOnRest=1
[interface]
fMouseCursorSpeed=1.0000
bDialogueSubtitles=1
bGeneralSubtitles=1
bShowCompass=1
[GamePlay]
bShowFloatingQuestMarkers=1
bShowQuestMarkers=1
iDifficulty=2
[Controls]
bUseKinect=0
fMouseHeadingSensitivity=0.0160
fGamepadHeadingSensitivity=1.9000
bAlwaysRunByDefault=1
bInvertYValues=0
bGamePadRumble=0
[Particles]
iMaxDesired=750
[saveGame]
fAutosaveEveryXMins=10.0000
[AudioMenu]
fAudioMasterVolume=1.0000
fVal7=1.0000
uID7=0
fVal6=1.0000
uID6=0
fVal5=1.0000
uID5=3954
fVal4=1.0000
uID4=1946572913
fVal3=0.5500
uID3=466532
fVal2=0.8000
uID2=554685
fVal1=0.8000
uID1=1007612
fVal0=0.8000
uID0=94881
[Clouds]
fCloudLevel2Distance=262144.0000
fCloudLevel1Distance=32768.0000
fCloudLevel0Distance=16384.0000
fCloudNearFadeDistance=9000.0000
[General]
iStoryManagerLoggingEvent=-1
bEnableStoryManagerLogging=0
[Trees]
bRenderSkinnedTrees=1
uiMaxSkinnedTreesToRender=40

 

 

Don't know if the Skyrim.ini is useful but this is what is inside:

 

[Display]
sD3DDevice="NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970"
[Grass]
b30GrassVS=1
iMaxGrassTypesPerTexure=7
[Water]
bReflectLODObjects=1
bReflectLODLand=1
bReflectSky=1
bReflectLODTrees=1
[interface]
fBookOpenTime=700.0000

 

 

So does anyone have any tip on how to improve these "ultra" shadows of mine?

 

Thanks in advice.

[ao2thend]

To my knowledge, shadows in Skyrim can be either far away or detailed, but not both.  Nevertheless, here are some things to try...

 

This is a Guide by Nvidia (its rather old and you should only try the shadow tweak because the other ones could screw up the ENB).

 

http://www.geforce.com/whats-new/guides/five-fast-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-tweaks-guaranteed-to-make-your-game-look-even-better#1

 

You could try these .ini files by Ewi65.

 

http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/59810/?

 

Another thing you could try.

 

http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/7638/?

 

Hope that helps.  

[Ky Kiske]

Getting those shadows to look good is a real pain I've tweaked so many values that I forgot which ones are for shadows you can search in google how to tweak shadows for the skyrimprefs.ini, I only remember this one tho, put under display iBlurDeferredShadowMask= don't recommend anything higher than 10, as all shadows in games has huge impact on performance. And yes like Ao2thend said you can't have good shadows if you have them on in a huge radius.

 

Edit just read more about it and seems like "max" value is 32 you won't see any difference after that.

[Camila]

Hmmm.. I see. I guess i'll try out the Ewis tweaks on my game and see how it goes.

Such a shame we can't get both distance and quality ):

 

Thanks for the links and replies

[w1des]

I do not use an ENB myself. But I recently started using this mod: http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/13531/? ULTRA REALISTIC WORLD LIGHTING for Skyrim.

 

I've been very pleased with how the lighting and shadows now look.

[Camila]

I think this would probably conflict with my Climates of Tamriel as both changes weather/lightning

[Kastagir]

You are looking in the wrong places.  In enbseries.ini, increase this value:

[SHADOW]
ShadowBlurRange=2.0

Use the ENB GUI to see the result.  Don't increase it too much or your shadows will become shapeless.

[ao2thend]

I am fairly positive that its not the ENB.  ENB's don't cast those kinds of shadows. 

 

I tested it to be sure and turning an ENB on or off has no effect on the types of shadows shown in the image.  It is due to the shadow settings in the

 

skyrim/skyrimprefs.ini's

 

 I guess it couldn't hurt to be sure though, but I didn't notice a change when I tested it.  

[ettorg]

try this?

skyrim prefs ini:

[Display]

iShadowMapResolution=8192

 

 

skyrim ini:

[Display]

iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=4096

 

 

 

[Rayblue]

 

 

iShadowMapResolution=8192

 

Do note that at these values, and unless you have a mid-to-top-tier GPU, high-resolution shadows may impact your performance.