Description
This guide aims to help you squeeze out more performance on Skyrim SE
Computer Optimization
I have developed software for computer optimization. WARNING! Use at your own risk. These tweaks can have some bad side effects so make sure to backup your PC! I have included the entire code of the program so you know everything it will do.
Mods
For more mods, check out the Dragonborn's Fate Skyrim modding guide (I tried to add only mods not covered by DF guide). Here are some mods that can increase performance and help with stability as well as mods that are created by me to help you achieve the most FPS...
Essentials
Unofficial Skyrim Modder's Patch - USMP SE SSE FPS Stabilizer(I use high preset) Save Unbaker
These are essential mods. They do not affect gameplay or graphics in a major way.
Vanilla Script (micro)Optimizations
Vanilla Scripting Enhancements
WIDeadBodyCleanupScript Crash FixSimply Optimized Scripts AIOOnMagicEffectApply ReplacerDisk Cache Enabler
Skyrim Project Optimization
eFPS - Exterior FPS Boost(make sure to check out the patch page also)
Lightened Skyrim
Graphical Changes
Insignificant Object RemoverSkyrim Landscape and Water Fixes
Will change the graphics.
Cleaned Skyrim SE Textures
Cathedral - Water Overhaul
Landscape Fixes for Grass ModsGrass FPS Booster
Glow Be Gone SKSE
Universal Fog RemoverParamount - FPS Galore
Paramount - FPS Galore Alternative
RUGNAROKPELTAPALOOZA
No More Radial Blur
No Grass in Cities
Performance Hit Relief Remastered - PHR_RE (SSE Edition)Less Vanilla Trees
Disable Snow Grass
Soul Cairn No Grass
Cathedral Landscapes (some users claim it boosts performance. I use Folkvangr, with Grass FPS Booster, and they perform about the same on my rig but Folkvangr looks far better. You can also use the Cathedral 3D Pine Grass which is apparently far better optimized than Cathedral Landscapes) Static Mesh Improvement Mod - SMIM - Texture optimization (I don't recommend you use SMIM if you are on a low-end PC) ENB -> Community Shaders + its addonsEnhanced Blood Textures -> Use lite version or remove the ESPs after installation of Standard OR you can try Optimised Scripts for EBT
Enhanced Vanilla Trees(some users claim it can boost performance. I have not seen a difference between this and vanilla but I have not thoroughly tested it)
Happy Little Trees (feels more lightweight than EVT, could be placebo?)
MrShadowBlood's Cleaned Texture ModsSkyrim Upscaler - DLSS FSR2 XESS (does not work with ENB, check below for a version that works with ENB)
Alternatives
Alternative to other mods.
HDT-SMP -> Faster HDT-SMP
Immersive Armors/Weapons -> Immersive Weapon Integration Distributed with SPID
TK Dodge SE -> TK Dodge RE - Script Free
Combat Gameplay Overhaul -> CGO Stripped (if you do not need all the other features)
Immersive Citizens -> AI Overhaul
Cathedral Weathers -> Good mod but don't use Plockton's Culling Data Glitch Fix
Wet and Cold -> R.A.S.S or Wet and Cold - Gear
JKs Skyrim City Mods -> Spaghetti Cities (suggest skipping all city mods if you need performance)
Mods that can possibly eat up performance are...
- 4k+ Graphical texture overhaul with parallax (I stay at 2k).
- Grass, Trees and Landscape overhauls
- City overhauls
- NPC adder mods
- Lighting mods
- ENB presets.
Software
There is a lot of softwarethat can help with Skyrim SE's performance, here are some... Cathedral Assets Optimizer Spoiler: Show - Select several mods BSA (select the following) Meshes Textures Animations Spoiler: Show Follow this tutorial -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=encZYHEeQrQ&t=0s I use the low preset. Bethini Pie Spoiler: Show Select the 'High' preset button and apply recommended tweaks. After that, change the settings that you want like subtitles, show map markers, etc...
- Change the folder to your mods folder for MO2 (or Vortex)
- After changing settings, run the software
- Extract BSA
- ...all other options are optional. I delete the BSAs after extraction
- Necessary optimization
- Always process headparts
- Necessary optimization
- Compress textures
- Generate mipmaps
- Downsizing
- By fixed size (2048x2048 - Downsizes all higher quality textures to 2k)
- Necessary optimization
ENB
ENB DLSS - If you want the most performance, this allows the use of DLSS + ENB. Unfortunately, this application is behind a pay-wall
enblocal.ini - DO NOT COPY AND PASTE Spoiler: Show [ENGINE] [LIMITER] [FIX] [PERFORMANCE] Spoiler: Show [SSAO_SSIL] *** This can cause noisy (like static) textures. The lower this is, the better the performance but if the noisy textures bother you, increase both values. I use 0.35 *** [SSAO_SSIL] [COMPLEXPARTICLELIGHTS] [UNDERWATER]
ForceVSync=false
EnableFPSLimit=false
FixReflectionTrees=true
DisableFakeLights=true
FixReflectionThirdPerson=true
FixBlackHair=true
IgnoreInventory=true
DisableGameDOF=true
IgnoreLoadingScreen=true
SpeedHack=true
ShaderCache=true
enbseries.ini - DO NOT COPY AND PASTE
ResolutionScale=0.1
SourceTexturesScale=0.1
UseSelfIntersecting=false
EnableShadow=false
HighQualityCaustics=false
When you download an ENB preset, some authors add performance INIs. You can use those if you need more performance. If you want the most performance, I suggest skipping ENB as using the binaries itself can take a lot of performance already. For an alternative option, check out Community Shaders and its addons. Keep in mind this will also tank performance though not as hard as ENB.
Console Commands
Some performance commands with their values... cl rim off - Disables the rim lighting around characters Setfog 0,999999 - Removes exterior fog.
To type a command in-game, press the ~ key on your keyboard (usually beside the number key, 1)
tg
- Removes grass (INCOMPATIBLEWITH GRASS OVERHAUL MODS BECAUSE IT REMOVES GRASS)
teofis
- Toggle end-of-frame image space. Gets rid of that ugly black filter on Skyrim. Also improves FPS by a hefty amount. Incompatible with mods that edit/enhance bloom, DoF, etc. Also, vampire and khajit vision willNOTwork with this enabled.
The following commands are from FNV, not tested if they work for SSE. These commands will make AI more "dumb" and I only recommend using them if you desperately need more performance...
SetSceneIsComplex 1
-Animation and sound details are reduced, combat does not check movement restrictions (actors may sidestep into objects, off ledges, etc), actors that are not in the loaded area WILL NOT UPDATE while this flag is set meaning they will not go through load doors, excess dead bodies in the loaded area are cleaned up more frequently, avoidance is disabled
SetAllVisible 1
- Actors do not perform LineOfSight checks
SetNoAvoidance 1
- Actors do not perform avoid box movement
SetAllReachable 1
- Actors do not use pathing
Other
Skyrim Performance Testing Spreadsheet(not by me)
Free FPS GuideSweet Sweet FramesOptimized SkyrimCustom.ini
- Do not remove any mods mid-playthrough
- Replace ESP plugins with SKSE (ESPless), SPID, or Skyrim Platform equivalents
- I have added the INI values I use for my game for download. Please do not use them as-is and only use them for reference
Suggestions
You made it at the end of the guide. After reading, is there anything I should add? Leave it in the comments. Be sure to check for updates and don't forget to endorse if this mod helped you.THANK YOU:)
~123keelos
