My Mod Setup

Be aware that Skyrim vanilla (even with all the DLCs) if incompatible in many ways with Skyrim Special Edition. For instance, saved games are not interchangable. Mods on Skyrim Nexus can not be immediately installed between vanilla/SE. Although some happen to be compatible, many are not. For example, a mod made for vanilla Skyrim with a .bsa is not compatible with vanilla Skyrim. As of this writing, many mods are not yet compatible with Skyrim Special Edition. Example

1. Skyrim fresh install with high resolution texture pack DLC and all settings maxed-out
   • Update Windows
   • Update DirectX 9
   • Update NVIDIA driver. Don’t use NVIDIA 320.xx drivers. User earlier or later.
   • Install Skyrim with all DLCs
   • Install Creation Kit and set auto save to 1 minute
   • Install TES5Edit
   • Install WryeBash
   • Install Nexus Mod Manager and select all the DLCs
   • LOOT = Included in Mod Organizer
2. For Testing
   • Skip Intro
   • KenMod - Skip Bethesda Intro
   • SkyUI
   • Better Dialogue Controls
   • Better Message Box Controls
3. Display Settings
   • Use GPUz to test that both GPUs are running at PCIe x16
   • Enable GeForce Experience in-game FPS counter
   • Disable Anti-Aliasing and Ambient Occlusion in NVIDIA settings panel for Skyrim
   • Run the Widescreen Fixer to fix Skyrim's menus or Flawless Widescreen
4. Install Early Requirements
   • Install SKSE
     • Add Data\SKSE\skse.ini to enable memory improvements:

       [Display]
       iTintTextureResolution=2048
       
       [General]
       ClearInvalidRegistrations=1
       
       [Memory]
       DefaultHeapInitialAllocMB= <default heap initial allocation size in megabytes, vanilla size is 512>, maybe use 768
       ScrapHeapSizeMB= <scrap heap size in megabytes, vanilla size is 256>, maybe use 256
       

   • skyrimprefs.ini. List of all options

     [GamePlay]
     bShowFloatingQuestMarkers=0
     bShowQuestMarkers=0
     bShowCompass=0
     
     [Display]
     iWaterMultiSamples=0
     iMultiSample=0
     

   • Java JRE
5. Install Bug Fixes and Realism Fixes
   • Unofficial Skryim Legendary Patch
   • Unofficial High Resolution Patch
   • Realistic Ragdolls and Force
   • Brawl Bugs Patch
   • Dead Body Collision Fix
   • Fires Hurt
   • Smarter Combat Music = Combat music doesn't give away that an NPC has spotted you.
   • Smoking Torches
   • Acquisitive Soul Gems
   • Sounds of Skyrim (The Wilds, The Dungeons, Civilization)
   • Female Vampires Have Fangs
   • Multiple Lyncanthropy Regift
   • Realistic Crime Radius
   • Blacksmithforge Water Fix
   • Burn Freeze Shock Effects
   • Deadly Spell Impacts
   • Spells will Give Off Light
   • Enhanced Blood Textures
   • Training Dummies Provide XP
   • Run for your lives
   • No More Glowing Edges
   • Magical College of Winterhold
   • Immersive Citizens Overhaul
   • Static Mesh Improvement Mod
   • Expanded Towns and Cities
6. ENB + Basic Improved Visuals
   • Climates of Tamriel (Base File, Dawnguard Patch, Dragonborn Patch, Sounds Overhauls)
   • Realistic Lighting Overhaul, excluding weather module
   • RealVision ENB, including skyrim.ini and skyrimprefs.ini file
7. UI
   • iHUD
   • Another Sorting Mod + Organized Books
   • Vendor Sale Delay - GONE
   • More Hotkeys Please
     • Be wary of this when associating hotkeys with user-enchanted items. It doesn't load the user enchanted item this way.
   • Loadout
   • Known Spells
   • Save Hotkey ArchMod
   • A Quality World Map - With Roads
8. Game Balance
   • Requiem = Harder at higher levels, rebalanced potions, re-order perk tree, Carry weight made more difficult, Enchantment balanced, item weight balanced, rebalanced lock picking
     • Patches
9. If the minimum FPS is still above 40, install Improved Textures
   • Ruins Clutter Improved
   • Sky Falls and Sky Mills
   • Skyrim HD - 2K Textures - Skyrim HD v1_5 FULL (Landscape, Dungeons, Towns, Misc, Riften)
   • Vivid Landscapes - All in One
   • Detailed Rugs
10. If the minimum FPS is still above 40, install further improved textures
    • Skyrim Flora Overhaul (Base File, Diverse Pine Colors, Diverse Aspen Colors)
    • Natural Grass Texture Floor
    • Tree Variation
    • High Definition Ivy
    • Realistic Water 2
    • Watercolor for ENB and Watercolor 2
    • Dust Effects = Smoother, more realistic dust
    • Realistic Smoke and Embers
    • Warpaint and Dirt = Greatly improved face warpaint
    • Immersive Soul Gems = Beautiful soul gem textures
    • Visible Windows = Smoother, more realistic looking windows
    • Real Clouds. Be very cautious.
    • True Storms
    • 2X Clothing Remix
11. Final clean-up and performance tuning
    • TES5Edit on Bethesda's DLCs

Resources

• Stability considerations
• ENB Stability

Rejected/Not Needed

• Lush Trees and Grass
• Don’t use STEP because it is simply too large and therefore too bloated.
• Helix does not work with more recent versions of ENB because the fake video card option was removed.
• Mods to avoid
• Mods made obsolete by the Unofficial Patches
• Mod Organizer = Not compatible with Creation Kit
• Follow the tips in this Performance Guide
• Falskaar is boring

Test Procedure

1. What To Do
   • Take a screenshot immediately after each load and record the initial FPS
   • Look at the game map
   • Cast some fireball spells
2. What to look for
   • Everything feels smooth
   • FPS doesn't go below 40
   • Look at GPU load, CPU load, and FPS together. Is the CPU or GPU under greater stress?

Good in-game locations to test FPS and stability

• Inside the Whiterun temple basement where all the smoke is
• Whiterun outdoor plains in day-time with water, grass, sky, and distant mountains
• Whiterun outdoor plains during a thunderstorm
• Whiterun outdoor plains in night-time
• Screenshot-able save game where a lot of sky, distant areas, water, and grass are visible in the current view
• Store these on a thumb drive

Content Mods, Maybe Later

• Temple of Kruziik
• Wheeze's Dungeon Pack 1
• Heimfeigr
• ThirteenOranges Mods
• The Paarthurnax Dilemma = Change the Blades main quest
• Dragon Carved Set
• Dreamborne
• Legacy of Dragonborn
• Undeath

Other ENB to Consider

• Saraan Suum ENB
• TV ENB = Adaptive to location. Forests are greener and tundra is bluer.
• Seasons of Skyrim
• Project ENB
• Poupori ENB
• Somber Dreams ENB