Thanks for thinking about the UA-cam compression's effects on visibility -- I know a lot of people are saying they don't care and want everything darker, but for some of us with older eyes and smaller screens I appreciate your attempt to balance atmosphere with visibility. I have definitely stopped watching (or at least done some skipping ahead) on other let's plays where I was essentially looking at a black screen, because the player was tuning only for their direct experience. Just another reason why you're my favorite Let's Player out there. Thanks Gopher.
This is my favorite kind of mod, nothing like walking into a pitch black wood, get completely lost and then violently mauled by a bear with only a torch to guide you
True storms. Lighting during storms And splash of rain (heavy) Smoosh 'em all together into a single .esp and call it "weather as it ought to be" Job done.
I switched from Vivid to Obsidian weather recently, and I have to say I am loving it. Used a bit of Imaginator to get the light balance I was looking for. Also have this paired with the light version of ELFX.
Chesko's Wearable Lanterns is great, like everything else made by Chesko. Also somehow a Lantern strapped around the waist seems more appealing to Leonard, holding up a torch might be tiring and a bit beneath him. I believe there is even a torchbug in a jar as light option... and given leonards fascination with lovebugs... Also I heartily endorse vivid. Fog and clouds especially on the mountains make such a difference. Insert joke about it being atmospheric.
Yep...it is perfect for a playthru as you can easily adjust the surrounding light for immersion or visibility for the viewers as needed without taking away a hand slot.
it's variable. going from a pretty tiny area immediately around the player character to unrealistically lighting up whole large rooms. adjust to your preference.
Gopher: You’re consideration for your viewers is very appreciated. I like your idea of balancing the darkness in areas with the use of a torch. That seems realistic to me. It’ s a shame that UA-cam makes everything so dark. I’m more than willing to meet you half way on this. It’s fine if there are areas where I can’t see everything. That makes sense. Especially in caves and such. As long as you light a torch or turn on a lantern every so often to break up the darkness, I’m good. I just don’t want to see 40 minutes of uninterrupted darkness if it can be avoided. I’m actually really happy you are adding more mods to your game. One of the things I love most about Skyrim on pc is how beautiful the game can be made to look. While I am immensely grateful that Bethesda and the modding community has made mods available for console players like myself, consoles are naturally just more limited. My console can show me Skyrim as it is but your pc can show me Skyrim as it could be. So feel free to make the game as beautiful as you like :)
It's amazing how big of a difference full-screening the video makes. I can barely see at all in the dark places when viewing the video in the window with all the bright white around it, but when I full-screen it I can see perfectly fine in the dark places as you have it set right now.
I really like Wearable Lanterns. Also Lanterns of Skyrim adds lampposts every so often on the main roads, so you could still keep the night's darker, and stick to the main roads at night.
These types of videos are why you're one my favorite youtubers. I appreciate the thought and care that you put into your videos. As for the darkness, I think it's ok if it's a little dark. I think I'd be more concerned with the outside light level that the interior. Most of the interiors have got a fair amount of lighting (plus as you said you can use to a torch) whereas the outside doesn't have any. So when it's a cloudy moonless night that could be a poor viewer experience if it's too dark.
I watched this on mobile, in a relatively dark room with my brightness turned to max and when you said you could see the floor I saw pitch black. So do with that as you will Gopher. Either way, I'm very glad to have you playing Skyrim again, it's always a treat!
Gopher I could see just fine in the ratway. For the torches, the straight up and down ones like in the ratway that look bolted to the wall you can't pick up but the ones in caves that are at a 45 degree angle can easily be grabbed. Vivid Weathers is a great mod. Keep up the good work! :D
Wearable lanterns is my go to mod for when I'm using non-vanilla lighting. It's much more convenient than the in game torches which take up weapon space and extinguish after a short time
The dungeon clips looked great to me. They were dark enough that I couldn't "see" anything, but there was just enough variation in the textures that I could perceive the walls and floor when you moved around. Any darker would have been blindness and much lighter would have destroyed the feeling of being in shadow. Perfection, IMHO.
There are two types of torches on walls, if it is hooked to the wall with a heavy duty holder, you cant take it, but if it is a lighter one, you can take it and replace it. Thanks for making great vids ^_^ can't wait for more.
I personally like NAT + TrueStorms (with Ionas177's patch w/ optional Dark and Stormy sky). I mainly use NAT bc its the recommended weather/lighting with my ENB (True Beauty of Skyrim), however TrueStorms is my must have weather mod for any playthrough. I need my inclement weathers to actually feel inclement. The patch just came out this year, but it works seamlessly in my game. lonas177 actually has TrueStorms patches for Vivid and some other weather mods as well, if you go with one of them.
I like the darkness with a good lighting mod. There is nothing like watching a lit up dwarven spider crawl towards you from a darkened hall. The bright side is that if Gopher becomes a vampire or a werewolf, he could always use preditor vision
I feel like the balance you have struck in this video is a good one. It's dark enough for me (personally) to almost not be able to see in dark places (which would mean using a torch becomes viable at least on the viewer side) and it is a lot more atmospheric than the vanilla lighting. So like many other people have already said, I am fine with this, you could even go a bit darker if it would strike your fancy. I sadly can't give any mod tips, seeing as it has been a while since I played and I haven't really tested a lot of them. Edit: Also, yes there are some torches that you can pick off of walls, so keep an eye out for those. They are usually in small "wall baskets" ... sconces? ... rather than affixed to the wall via just some metal.
To answer your annotated question Gopher, there are two types of torches in Skyrim. One type is a static object, and those are vertically oriented and metal. The other type is wooden and oriented at an angle, and these you can take with you. You tend to find the wooden ones in caves/mines, but that’s not always the case. If you want to get some early on, there’s a mine just off the road between Riverwood and the Guardian Stones. I always make a point to stop off there early on just for the torches.
I would recommend Obsidian Weathers and Seasons over Vivid Weathers. In my opinion it is by far the best weather mod for SSE. But it doesn't have the amount of configuration as Vivid Weathers. You could try ELFX without the Enhancer plugin. It improves light placement but doesn't reduce ambient lighting. For lanterns I recommend Quick Light: www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/12633
Can only speak for myself of course, but as someone who has never played this game and did have some difficulty making out the last video, I still appreciated the ambiance with the existing settings. I felt your acting and character commentary were enough to keep me aware of the situation and setting. Hope that helps somewhat.
Gopher you should watch your videos on youtube so you can see how dark it looks. In the last episode there were a lot of times where it was just black and I couldn't see anything. It would be nice to see more than just pitch black, but there probably just isn't a no compromise solution (as with almost anything). Great lets play so far, I really like the character.
I seem to remember being able to pick torches off the wall when going through some dungeons, but whether that was specific to draugr dungeons or all wall torches in the game I do not remember, wasn't much of a torch user.
The Ninjaneer Thanks for reminding me! The all-metal torches are fixed, and the ones set into a metal ring are active (activatable). : ) Edit: Removing lit torches to make it darker can really help with sneaking, even in the vanilla game.
Hare deLune That sounds right, the more I think about it. Again, with how I play, I never really bothered with torches before, so that's an aspect I'm a little rough on, but the sneaking aspect is something I'll definitely keep in mind going forward.
+Gopher some of the torches can be taken from the wall. It's not all of them (the ones that are metal can't be taken) but there are some that look just like regular torches and they can be picked up off the wall. If you are looking at weather mods one you might consider, if you haven't already, is dolomite weathers. I think it's nights are just what you're looking for.
On torches - I haven't poked around in quite some time and haven't messed with SE at all but I remember one of my must-have mods was something called Dynamic Torches. It basically made all the static torches removable which not only let you control the light, but gave you a supply of torches. It might be worth looking into and would be perfect for this LP.
I think the lighting is pretty good in this video. For a torch/lantern mod, Quick Light (which has already been suggested) is a good simple option. It's basically a super stripped down version of Wearable Lanterns, that adds a toggleable light sort of like the pip-boy flashlight. You can choose to have your light source be a belt lantern, hovering magelight, or just invisible, and there are some options for the radius/brightness. For weathers, big +1 from me for Obsidian Weathers. By far the most meticulously made weather mod for SE. Excellent exterior lighting, fantastic cloud cover and fogs, well balanced. It doesn't have the variety of Vivid or CoT, but every single weather it has is masterfully made.
I think ELFX dungeons footage that you shown here had a perfect balance of watchability/atmosphere. I could still see walls and objects in the dark even on youtube video, but it felt pretty realistic.
You can take most torches from the wall, Gopher. Not the ones in the Ratway but in most dungeons. There are quite a few in Embershard Mine you can take.
I liked the darkness in the Ratway, and I'm one of the ones that was complaining about darkness in the Forest livestreams. I wouldn't go all that much brighter than this.
You can take torches off the wall. Well, at least in certain cases. I always grab a few from the walls in Embershard Mine near the beginning of the game, for instance.
I like the ambiance shown in this video. The level of darkness makes things that are supposed to counter low lighting level more valuable. It makes getting night vision feel powerful and useful. Torches, both yours and NPC's, feel more immersive. I wouldn't be upset if the majority feels otherwise, as long as it's darker than vanilla I'd be happy.
Gopher - the Quick Light mod might be what you’re after - it works just light the Pip Boy light but produces a lantern on your belt. Very convenient. You can also adjust its intensity.
There are some torches that you can take off the walls. Not the ones that are in the Ratway, but there are ones like in Embershard Mine that you can take off the wall. The difference seems to be that the ones you *can't* take are parallel with the wall and usually metal while the ones you *can* take are at an angle and are wood.
Torch when you need it, Hide when you don't! On weathers, I use Vivid Weathers in FO4 and it is just LOVELY. Except for snow coming through the walls...
If you ever opt for an ENB, Re-engaged has a setting specifically for nights, days and interiors with elfx compatibility. Just saying in case you ever get there. Also compatible with VWs
yes you can take torches from the wall, but only from certain ones where they have activateable torch sconces. Also from a little more light in certain areas, i would suggest Claralux more and brighter lights. For weather im thinking you would love dolomite.
Hey Gopher, Use Vivid Weathers. The look in game is just beyond anything that came before. One of the best things it does is the snow. It just looks so much more realistic than the default vanilla snow when it falling or you get in a storm. The rain is also allot better. Being able to change the lighting on the fly in a case such as your is a must, and this is the only real way to do it. Oh, and yes, you can grab torches from the walls in certain areas. The big steal torches you had in the above video are not the ones you can grab and take with you, at least I think the metal ones are fixed, but the more wooden ones you find in caves and mines and some of the Nord ruins do have removable torches and you can take then with you.
Configuration wise, Vivid Weathers works really well and it's one of it's best selling points. The new weathers are really neat, and definitely give the game atmosphere.
My vote is, when choosing the lighting for an episode go a little brighter. Most of us seasoned LP watchers use our monitors brightness to set the mood we want. Some want to see everything and some what to be surprised. When your video is too dark YT really pixelates the hell out of it. JMO
"Some want to see everything and some what to be surprised. " - What about the player themselves? Let's not forget that a big part of the viewing experience is not just seeing the players actions, but seeing/hearing his reactions/experience. If the player is bored or disconnected, no amount of lighting (or darkness) will make the experience fun to watch.
Vivid weathers, enb .330, Natural Vision ENB (special vivid weathers version), Darker Nights, True Storms (both with patches for vivid) and ELFX Enhancer as the last loading mod in my load order pushed my SSE to a visual level where I really cannot tell if I still prefer my 250+ plugin-Oldrim. Breathtaking. I just dont know how good it would work for you gopher, because of the youtube-compression and lighting issues, but in general this combination is just fantastic. I can highly recommend it to anyone.
I don't mind the darkness level you had down in the ratway, I play with hardcore so watching the level above is no issue, if you can't see then I can't complain, love the series so far :)
I noticed that it was quite dark, especially in the room with the traps(and I couldnt see them), but I didnt mind. I thought it was a mod you already had and I just missed it because I didnt pay attention.
Vivid weathers is good. That is the only weather mod I use. Coupled with RLO it can make nights way too dark though and you may need a mod to make torches brighter. I thought the darkness was fine. You were in a sewer and it is supposed to be dark. If you had a torch it would have been fine. Some torches can be taken from the wall.
I think the lighting is really nice! You've got the atmosphere you're looking for, and it's a simple matter to get a light source you can carry. Leonard can probably buy a torch at a general store, too. Lastly, some wall torches are static objects, while others can be taken. I don't know how Bethesda decided which should be static and which shouldn't be, but I always felt that if there are any non-static torches, all of them should be non-static.
Gopher: "I really couldn't miss much if I took long enough". Aww, don't sell yourself short Gopher, we're all sure you can still miss tons! We believe in you! :D
I like it to be modded darker than vanilla, pretty much to this point now. Important is to use a lightsource, specifically a lantern. Igniting and stashing a torch every 2 min is not realistic. closing a lantern is fine. Also consider running around well lit attracts enemy eyes, too. Nights outside are good close up, could be less visibility further away, but that's difficult, as you said.
I love playing with elfx hardcore. Can't tell you how many times I have screamed because a draugr or spider or something pops up out of no where. I love how dark it makes the game
I really like what the lighting mods do. They do wonders for the atmosphere and add whole new gameplay elements. Light spells go from completely irrelevant to extremely relevant, you're often forced to sacrifice combat capability to wield a torch, and so on. The appeal might be lost on some of those that haven't tried it themselves, but I personally think episode 4 looked pretty much perfect.
Do you remember Isolation? THAT was dark and we still were happy to watch it. Anything else is a child play to me. Not that I want that level of light, god no, but ELFX we can handle.
Potion mod that includes the khajiit night vision effect as an option. I don't know one, but I'm pretty sure it exists. Plus it more or less fits Lenny's apparent interest in Alchelmy
for lighting up the darkness may i suggest wearable lanterns (pretty handy) spells emit light (makes for example fireball cast light wile holding it in your hand) or quick light (kinda FO4 style hold button to activate torch/lantern/spell) all options that are super handy if your game is very dark.
It was a little too dark in the last video, but I did appreciate that you lured the enemies into the light so we could actually see what was happening. I presume visibility will be a moot point when you have a steady supply of torches/lanterns.
I've actually spent the last few days playing around with different weather lighting mods, and the best combo i found for me personally was vivid weathers with ELFX using the enhancer and exteriors modules (NOT weather). One of the bonuses of vivid weathers is that you can use the MCM to change the brightness of both interiors and nights seperately, so you could tweak it to work with your playthrough (although bear in mind it doesn't actually change brightness values, it just uses shaders). I also use the effects module from RLO because it makes smoke and candles look REALLY nice and it synergises with ELFX really well. EDIT: You may also want to check out Everlight - Torches of Skyrim if you're looking for a torch mod www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/16043
You should look at some texture replacers. For clothing I would suggest 'Rustic Clothing' from Gamwich- makes the vanilla clothing a lot nicer and this would be perfect for Lenny's fashion musings.Also 'Peltazoola' would add some variety to the hides Lenny is forced to sleep on :PI would recommend most of Gamwich's Rustic mods. They all improve the look of the world no end and would be perfect for a character like Lenny who likes to be aesthetically pleased.
I'm using Vivid + Wet and Cold + True Storms. You'll need the unofficial patch, but these mods do complement each other spectacularly well. The great thing about Vivid is that it allows you to configure inside/ouside darkness separately. And I find that Vivid does its "darkening" of spaces a lot cleaner than Darker Nights.
Some torches can be removed from their sconces. These are the ones that are made of wood and look like the hand held torches you can carry because that's exactly what they are, just mounted in the wall. The metal fixture torches, like those in this video, are not removable. For an example of a place with removable torches, check Embershard mine right by the 3-standing stones and Riverwood.
+1 for Obsidian Weathers. Obsidian + ELFX + Rudy ENB is the best lighting combo I've yet found. And since youre all about outfits theres 2 more mods you should try: Rustic Clothing for proper fancy outfits, and Bandolier, because Lenny seems to like utility belts. Theres also Fantasy Soundtrack Project which adds a ton of great sounding and perfectly fitting music.
Vivid weathers is great, even has its own water? Not sure about that but being able to change lighting on the fly is handy. Been a while since I ran SSE but I think the MCM was working last time I tried it.
I think the lighting is fine. It doesn't add any undue strain on the eyes when watching. Also you can remove wooden tourches from the walls but not the ones made from metal.
sometimes the only way to add something, is to take something away. i enjoy the way these look, the dungeons that is, adding a focus points to ends of hallways and shadows to slink through i think will be interesting. the outside is pretty well lit, so not to different.
i use Vivid Weathers in conjunction with True Storms and Minty's Lightning (it can hit you), it makes it more heavy downpours and beautiful skies as you go along, all in all it is a good mod
Vivid Weathers is by far my favourite weather mod, espacially for the outdoors. It works extremely well with several ENB which are tailored around Vivid. However, I still prefer ELFX for the indoors. It just provides so much more atmosphere with the lighting and the smoke.
the lighting looks great to me i wouldn't change it and try True Storms weather mod it looks great and i like when your in buildings you can hear thunder a rain
Well, you know it always comes down to what is best for you. But, if I may recommend a weather mod to use would be Obsidian Weather or Natural Atmospheric Tamriel ( NAT). Both are amazing and I'm often debating between the two. I tend to lean more towards NAT but, Obsidian I feel is just as good. Obsidian is hands down the most popular on my NVT ENB page though.
I like the darkness. I'll admit that there were times I had to strain to see what was happening but it was still nice considering I like skyrim being dark when I play.
Aha! I'm not the only one, at 2:12 you can see broken shadows from fireplace. I have the exact same thing in some inns and I have no idea how to fix it. Does anyone know?
An enb would be nice . I use re engaged with elfx and have found the perfect balance of light and dark. Oh and I use obsidian weathers with re engage's preset for it .
Vivid Weathers is a personal favourite. That said, I think vanilla SE looks really good -- Vivid is perfect for giving it a nice colour balance. Imaginator gives you some nice options as well. Night darkness was a concern going in for me and I think that while medium darker nights is acceptable for exteriors, I really can't see enough in the interiors. If you're going to play around with torches and light sources that's cool, but it won't be much fun if I'm just watching you plough ahead in complete darkness without any idea what's going on.
Most places, the torches can be pulled from their sconces and used. As for weather mods, I suggest Obsidian or Dolomite as they seem to be the best regarded ones currently on SE.
Honestly, I was completely comfortable with the inside darkness. If your want light then you would likely want "Wearable Lanterns", and/or "Kagrenac's Wisp's". They are supremely helpful to me in my modded play through.
The lighting is fine by me. The atmosphere is very important. Elfx is the best, imo.
Thanks for thinking about the UA-cam compression's effects on visibility -- I know a lot of people are saying they don't care and want everything darker, but for some of us with older eyes and smaller screens I appreciate your attempt to balance atmosphere with visibility. I have definitely stopped watching (or at least done some skipping ahead) on other let's plays where I was essentially looking at a black screen, because the player was tuning only for their direct experience.
Just another reason why you're my favorite Let's Player out there. Thanks Gopher.
This is my favorite kind of mod, nothing like walking into a pitch black wood, get completely lost and then violently mauled by a bear with only a torch to guide you
6:03 Yes, some torches can be taken from the wall, but not all. Usually in Nordic dungeons you can.
Go with Obsidian weathers imo, pair it with True Storms too. Hands down the best weather combination.
This.
Obsidian weathers is very nice and lightweight, no silly conflicts with other stuff.
True storms.
Lighting during storms
And splash of rain (heavy)
Smoosh 'em all together into a single .esp and call it "weather as it ought to be" Job done.
Seconding this. Obsidian Weathers is absolutely fantastic and looks gorgeous.
I switched from Vivid to Obsidian weather recently, and I have to say I am loving it. Used a bit of Imaginator to get the light balance I was looking for. Also have this paired with the light version of ELFX.
Chesko's Wearable Lanterns is great, like everything else made by Chesko. Also somehow a Lantern strapped around the waist seems more appealing to Leonard, holding up a torch might be tiring and a bit beneath him. I believe there is even a torchbug in a jar as light option... and given leonards fascination with lovebugs...
Also I heartily endorse vivid. Fog and clouds especially on the mountains make such a difference. Insert joke about it being atmospheric.
exactly this. There are torchbug options and fuel options. Chesko mods are bomb diggy. And yes to vivid. so much yes.
Yep...it is perfect for a playthru as you can easily adjust the surrounding light for immersion or visibility for the viewers as needed without taking away a hand slot.
it's variable. going from a pretty tiny area immediately around the player character to unrealistically lighting up whole large rooms.
adjust to your preference.
Gopher: You’re consideration for your viewers is very appreciated. I like your idea of balancing the darkness in areas with the use of a torch. That seems realistic to me. It’ s a shame that UA-cam makes everything so dark. I’m more than willing to meet you half way on this. It’s fine if there are areas where I can’t see everything. That makes sense. Especially in caves and such. As long as you light a torch or turn on a lantern every so often to break up the darkness, I’m good. I just don’t want to see 40 minutes of uninterrupted darkness if it can be avoided.
I’m actually really happy you are adding more mods to your game. One of the things I love most about Skyrim on pc is how beautiful the game can be made to look. While I am immensely grateful that Bethesda and the modding community has made mods available for console players like myself, consoles are naturally just more limited. My console can show me Skyrim as it is but your pc can show me Skyrim as it could be. So feel free to make the game as beautiful as you like :)
Wicked Crayon Totally agree about the darkness.
It's amazing how big of a difference full-screening the video makes. I can barely see at all in the dark places when viewing the video in the window with all the bright white around it, but when I full-screen it I can see perfectly fine in the dark places as you have it set right now.
I really like Wearable Lanterns. Also Lanterns of Skyrim adds lampposts every so often on the main roads, so you could still keep the night's darker, and stick to the main roads at night.
These types of videos are why you're one my favorite youtubers. I appreciate the thought and care that you put into your videos. As for the darkness, I think it's ok if it's a little dark. I think I'd be more concerned with the outside light level that the interior. Most of the interiors have got a fair amount of lighting (plus as you said you can use to a torch) whereas the outside doesn't have any. So when it's a cloudy moonless night that could be a poor viewer experience if it's too dark.
I watched this on mobile, in a relatively dark room with my brightness turned to max and when you said you could see the floor I saw pitch black. So do with that as you will Gopher. Either way, I'm very glad to have you playing Skyrim again, it's always a treat!
Obsidian Weathers with Obsidian Mountain Fog is my go to weather mod. It creates a wonderful atmosphere, especially during foggy weather!
You need Obsidian Weathers + Quick Light + ELFX interiors without enhancer.
I highly recommend you also try out true storms. There is a compatibility patch that makes it work with vivid weathers.
Gopher I could see just fine in the ratway. For the torches, the straight up and down ones like in the ratway that look bolted to the wall you can't pick up but the ones in caves that are at a 45 degree angle can easily be grabbed. Vivid Weathers is a great mod. Keep up the good work! :D
Wearable lanterns is my go to mod for when I'm using non-vanilla lighting. It's much more convenient than the in game torches which take up weapon space and extinguish after a short time
The dungeon clips looked great to me. They were dark enough that I couldn't "see" anything, but there was just enough variation in the textures that I could perceive the walls and floor when you moved around. Any darker would have been blindness and much lighter would have destroyed the feeling of being in shadow. Perfection, IMHO.
There are two types of torches on walls, if it is hooked to the wall with a heavy duty holder, you cant take it, but if it is a lighter one, you can take it and replace it. Thanks for making great vids ^_^ can't wait for more.
I personally like NAT + TrueStorms (with Ionas177's patch w/ optional Dark and Stormy sky).
I mainly use NAT bc its the recommended weather/lighting with my ENB (True Beauty of Skyrim), however TrueStorms is my must have weather mod for any playthrough. I need my inclement weathers to actually feel inclement. The patch just came out this year, but it works seamlessly in my game.
lonas177 actually has TrueStorms patches for Vivid and some other weather mods as well, if you go with one of them.
I like the darkness with a good lighting mod. There is nothing like watching a lit up dwarven spider crawl towards you from a darkened hall. The bright side is that if Gopher becomes a vampire or a werewolf, he could always use preditor vision
I think I like the setting that you have shown in this video. The nord ruins are so much more atmospheric with darkness. As it should be! :)
I feel like the balance you have struck in this video is a good one. It's dark enough for me (personally) to almost not be able to see in dark places (which would mean using a torch becomes viable at least on the viewer side) and it is a lot more atmospheric than the vanilla lighting. So like many other people have already said, I am fine with this, you could even go a bit darker if it would strike your fancy. I sadly can't give any mod tips, seeing as it has been a while since I played and I haven't really tested a lot of them.
Edit: Also, yes there are some torches that you can pick off of walls, so keep an eye out for those. They are usually in small "wall baskets" ... sconces? ... rather than affixed to the wall via just some metal.
To answer your annotated question Gopher, there are two types of torches in Skyrim. One type is a static object, and those are vertically oriented and metal. The other type is wooden and oriented at an angle, and these you can take with you. You tend to find the wooden ones in caves/mines, but that’s not always the case. If you want to get some early on, there’s a mine just off the road between Riverwood and the Guardian Stones. I always make a point to stop off there early on just for the torches.
I would recommend Obsidian Weathers and Seasons over Vivid Weathers. In my opinion it is by far the best weather mod for SSE. But it doesn't have the amount of configuration as Vivid Weathers.
You could try ELFX without the Enhancer plugin. It improves light placement but doesn't reduce ambient lighting.
For lanterns I recommend Quick Light: www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/12633
This. Obsidian is highly compatible, lightweight, and it looks amazing. Those mountain fogs...just...wow...
I have used Dolomite Weathers from the same mod author for ages now. I am waiting for Obsidian to come out of beta...Glad to hear that you like it.
+CSharkBytes
There's nothing Beta about Obsidian.. it's beautiful, very high quality and safe to use. :)
Guys maybe you can help me. Where I can find mod load order?
Can only speak for myself of course, but as someone who has never played this game and did have some difficulty making out the last video, I still appreciated the ambiance with the existing settings. I felt your acting and character commentary were enough to keep me aware of the situation and setting. Hope that helps somewhat.
Gopher you should watch your videos on youtube so you can see how dark it looks. In the last episode there were a lot of times where it was just black and I couldn't see anything. It would be nice to see more than just pitch black, but there probably just isn't a no compromise solution (as with almost anything). Great lets play so far, I really like the character.
Some torches are simply set in sconces and can be taken. Others are bolted to the wall (i.e. the torch on the wall at 5:45)
Vivid Weathers is awesome, and I don't mind dark videos when the lighting looks as great as ELFX makes it.
The wearable Lanterns mod is pretty nice with darkness mods but I am also much happier with it now versus the first 3 eps. Stay Frosty!
I seem to remember being able to pick torches off the wall when going through some dungeons, but whether that was specific to draugr dungeons or all wall torches in the game I do not remember, wasn't much of a torch user.
The Ninjaneer
Thanks for reminding me!
The all-metal torches are fixed, and the ones set into a metal ring are active (activatable). : )
Edit: Removing lit torches to make it darker can really help with sneaking, even in the vanilla game.
Hare deLune That sounds right, the more I think about it. Again, with how I play, I never really bothered with torches before, so that's an aspect I'm a little rough on, but the sneaking aspect is something I'll definitely keep in mind going forward.
The Ninjaneer
Just remember to offload the extra torches once in a while. They can get heavy. ~_^
+Gopher some of the torches can be taken from the wall. It's not all of them (the ones that are metal can't be taken) but there are some that look just like regular torches and they can be picked up off the wall. If you are looking at weather mods one you might consider, if you haven't already, is dolomite weathers. I think it's nights are just what you're looking for.
On torches - I haven't poked around in quite some time and haven't messed with SE at all but I remember one of my must-have mods was something called Dynamic Torches. It basically made all the static torches removable which not only let you control the light, but gave you a supply of torches. It might be worth looking into and would be perfect for this LP.
I think the lighting is pretty good in this video. For a torch/lantern mod, Quick Light (which has already been suggested) is a good simple option. It's basically a super stripped down version of Wearable Lanterns, that adds a toggleable light sort of like the pip-boy flashlight. You can choose to have your light source be a belt lantern, hovering magelight, or just invisible, and there are some options for the radius/brightness.
For weathers, big +1 from me for Obsidian Weathers. By far the most meticulously made weather mod for SE. Excellent exterior lighting, fantastic cloud cover and fogs, well balanced. It doesn't have the variety of Vivid or CoT, but every single weather it has is masterfully made.
I think ELFX dungeons footage that you shown here had a perfect balance of watchability/atmosphere. I could still see walls and objects in the dark even on youtube video, but it felt pretty realistic.
You can take most torches from the wall, Gopher. Not the ones in the Ratway but in most dungeons. There are quite a few in Embershard Mine you can take.
I liked the darkness in the Ratway, and I'm one of the ones that was complaining about darkness in the Forest livestreams. I wouldn't go all that much brighter than this.
In some dungeons with ELFX you can find draugrs only by their glowing eyes. Kinda spooky sometimes...
EXACTLY ❤❤ I mean, it has been 3 years already and I'm still playing skyrim , watching gophers' videos and replying to old comments 😂
You can take torches off the wall. Well, at least in certain cases. I always grab a few from the walls in Embershard Mine near the beginning of the game, for instance.
I like the ambiance shown in this video. The level of darkness makes things that are supposed to counter low lighting level more valuable.
It makes getting night vision feel powerful and useful. Torches, both yours and NPC's, feel more immersive.
I wouldn't be upset if the majority feels otherwise, as long as it's darker than vanilla I'd be happy.
Gopher - the Quick Light mod might be what you’re after - it works just light the Pip Boy light but produces a lantern on your belt. Very convenient. You can also adjust its intensity.
There are some torches that you can take off the walls. Not the ones that are in the Ratway, but there are ones like in Embershard Mine that you can take off the wall. The difference seems to be that the ones you *can't* take are parallel with the wall and usually metal while the ones you *can* take are at an angle and are wood.
I've used Vivid Weathers for a long time, and it has absolutely become my favorite weather mod
Torch when you need it, Hide when you don't!
On weathers, I use Vivid Weathers in FO4 and it is just LOVELY. Except for snow coming through the walls...
If you ever opt for an ENB, Re-engaged has a setting specifically for nights, days and interiors with elfx compatibility. Just saying in case you ever get there. Also compatible with VWs
yes you can take torches from the wall, but only from certain ones where they have activateable torch sconces. Also from a little more light in certain areas, i would suggest Claralux more and brighter lights. For weather im thinking you would love dolomite.
Hey Gopher, Use Vivid Weathers. The look in game is just beyond anything that came before. One of the best things it does is the snow. It just looks so much more realistic than the default vanilla snow when it falling or you get in a storm. The rain is also allot better. Being able to change the lighting on the fly in a case such as your is a must, and this is the only real way to do it.
Oh, and yes, you can grab torches from the walls in certain areas. The big steal torches you had in the above video are not the ones you can grab and take with you, at least I think the metal ones are fixed, but the more wooden ones you find in caves and mines and some of the Nord ruins do have removable torches and you can take then with you.
Configuration wise, Vivid Weathers works really well and it's one of it's best selling points. The new weathers are really neat, and definitely give the game atmosphere.
My vote is, when choosing the lighting for an episode go a little brighter. Most of us seasoned LP watchers use our monitors brightness to set the mood we want. Some want to see everything and some what to be surprised. When your video is too dark YT really pixelates the hell out of it. JMO
"Some want to see everything and some what to be surprised. " - What about the player themselves? Let's not forget that a big part of the viewing experience is not just seeing the players actions, but seeing/hearing his reactions/experience. If the player is bored or disconnected, no amount of lighting (or darkness) will make the experience fun to watch.
Vivid weathers is definitely a good start for weather. I started with that but eventually moved on to NAT.
Vivid weathers, enb .330, Natural Vision ENB (special vivid weathers version), Darker Nights, True Storms (both with patches for vivid) and ELFX Enhancer as the last loading mod in my load order pushed my SSE to a visual level where I really cannot tell if I still prefer my 250+ plugin-Oldrim. Breathtaking. I just dont know how good it would work for you gopher, because of the youtube-compression and lighting issues, but in general this combination is just fantastic. I can highly recommend it to anyone.
I don't mind the darkness level you had down in the ratway, I play with hardcore so watching the level above is no issue, if you can't see then I can't complain, love the series so far :)
I love the lighting mods! And I think lanterns seem more Leonard than torches!
I noticed that it was quite dark, especially in the room with the traps(and I couldnt see them), but I didnt mind. I thought it was a mod you already had and I just missed it because I didnt pay attention.
Vivid Weathers is definitely my suggestion. The darkness looks pretty good to me. The traps are nearly invisible on the video and I like that.
Vivid weathers is good. That is the only weather mod I use. Coupled with RLO it can make nights way too dark though and you may need a mod to make torches brighter. I thought the darkness was fine. You were in a sewer and it is supposed to be dark. If you had a torch it would have been fine. Some torches can be taken from the wall.
I think the lighting is really nice! You've got the atmosphere you're looking for, and it's a simple matter to get a light source you can carry.
Leonard can probably buy a torch at a general store, too.
Lastly, some wall torches are static objects, while others can be taken. I don't know how Bethesda decided which should be static and which shouldn't be, but I always felt that if there are any non-static torches, all of them should be non-static.
Gopher: "I really couldn't miss much if I took long enough". Aww, don't sell yourself short Gopher, we're all sure you can still miss tons! We believe in you! :D
I like it to be modded darker than vanilla, pretty much to this point now.
Important is to use a lightsource, specifically a lantern. Igniting and stashing a torch every 2 min is not realistic.
closing a lantern is fine. Also consider running around well lit attracts enemy eyes, too.
Nights outside are good close up, could be less visibility further away, but that's difficult, as you said.
I love playing with elfx hardcore. Can't tell you how many times I have screamed because a draugr or spider or something pops up out of no where. I love how dark it makes the game
The way you have ELFX is perfect. And I would use one shade darker for Darker Nights.
Also wonders of weather performance mode for the rain splashes, surprising how immersive it can be
I really like what the lighting mods do. They do wonders for the atmosphere and add whole new gameplay elements. Light spells go from completely irrelevant to extremely relevant, you're often forced to sacrifice combat capability to wield a torch, and so on. The appeal might be lost on some of those that haven't tried it themselves, but I personally think episode 4 looked pretty much perfect.
Do you remember Isolation? THAT was dark and we still were happy to watch it. Anything else is a child play to me.
Not that I want that level of light, god no, but ELFX we can handle.
Potion mod that includes the khajiit night vision effect as an option. I don't know one, but I'm pretty sure it exists. Plus it more or less fits Lenny's apparent interest in Alchelmy
@Gopher Could you add mod order load? And could you change your description (what was added and what removed) ?
for lighting up the darkness may i suggest wearable lanterns (pretty handy) spells emit light (makes for example fireball cast light wile holding it in your hand) or quick light (kinda FO4 style hold button to activate torch/lantern/spell) all options that are super handy if your game is very dark.
It was a little too dark in the last video, but I did appreciate that you lured the enemies into the light so we could actually see what was happening. I presume visibility will be a moot point when you have a steady supply of torches/lanterns.
Wow, I need this in my playthrough, this looks gorgeous :)
I've actually spent the last few days playing around with different weather lighting mods, and the best combo i found for me personally was vivid weathers with ELFX using the enhancer and exteriors modules (NOT weather). One of the bonuses of vivid weathers is that you can use the MCM to change the brightness of both interiors and nights seperately, so you could tweak it to work with your playthrough (although bear in mind it doesn't actually change brightness values, it just uses shaders). I also use the effects module from RLO because it makes smoke and candles look REALLY nice and it synergises with ELFX really well.
EDIT: You may also want to check out Everlight - Torches of Skyrim if you're looking for a torch mod www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/16043
I can confirm Vivid Weathers looks amazing. There are video comparisons online FYI. Also it is configurable (no other weather mod is)
Thank you for actually caring about the viewer's experience. SorcererDave doesn't seem to give two shits in his new Oblivion let's play.
Yes! Vivid Weathers (use with Lanterns of Skyrim) is a Godsend. and use it with ELFX (core file only) and Wearable Lanterns.
Some dungeons like Embershard Mine have removeable torches but not all. I don't know about the Ratway.
I thought episode 4 looks beautiful, very atmospheric and very watchable. I watch on a TV that's across the room and I saw everything fine.
You should look at some texture replacers. For clothing I would suggest 'Rustic Clothing' from Gamwich- makes the vanilla clothing a lot nicer and this would be perfect for Lenny's fashion musings.Also 'Peltazoola' would add some variety to the hides Lenny is forced to sleep on :PI would recommend most of Gamwich's Rustic mods. They all improve the look of the world no end and would be perfect for a character like Lenny who likes to be aesthetically pleased.
vivid weathers sounds like a solid idea... i may even try that in my SE
I'm using Vivid + Wet and Cold + True Storms. You'll need the unofficial patch, but these mods do complement each other spectacularly well. The great thing about Vivid is that it allows you to configure inside/ouside darkness separately. And I find that Vivid does its "darkening" of spaces a lot cleaner than Darker Nights.
Needs a Mod what adds a small creature that creeps up on you and shouts "Blarghhree" then runs away.
I personally use Climates of Tamriel with dark nights and fog. I've never tried vivid weathers. Looking forward to the episodes :)
Some torches can be removed from their sconces. These are the ones that are made of wood and look like the hand held torches you can carry because that's exactly what they are, just mounted in the wall.
The metal fixture torches, like those in this video, are not removable. For an example of a place with removable torches, check Embershard mine right by the 3-standing stones and Riverwood.
I think with as many hours we all have in this game we don't mind not seeing everything.
+1 for Obsidian Weathers. Obsidian + ELFX + Rudy ENB is the best lighting combo I've yet found.
And since youre all about outfits theres 2 more mods you should try: Rustic Clothing for proper fancy outfits, and Bandolier, because Lenny seems to like utility belts.
Theres also Fantasy Soundtrack Project which adds a ton of great sounding and perfectly fitting music.
Vivid weathers is great, even has its own water? Not sure about that but being able to change lighting on the fly is handy. Been a while since I ran SSE but I think the MCM was working last time I tried it.
I think the lighting is fine. It doesn't add any undue strain on the eyes when watching. Also you can remove wooden tourches from the walls but not the ones made from metal.
sometimes the only way to add something, is to take something away. i enjoy the way these look, the dungeons that is, adding a focus points to ends of hallways and shadows to slink through i think will be interesting. the outside is pretty well lit, so not to different.
Take a look at Obsidian Weathers and Seasons. From what I can tell, many folks do recommend it over other weather mods.
i use Vivid Weathers in conjunction with True Storms and Minty's Lightning (it can hit you), it makes it more heavy downpours and beautiful skies as you go along, all in all it is a good mod
Vivid Weathers is by far my favourite weather mod, espacially for the outdoors. It works extremely well with several ENB which are tailored around Vivid. However, I still prefer ELFX for the indoors. It just provides so much more atmosphere with the lighting and the smoke.
the lighting looks great to me i wouldn't change it and try True Storms weather mod it looks great and i like when your in buildings you can hear thunder a rain
Well, you know it always comes down to what is best for you. But, if I may recommend a weather mod to use would be Obsidian Weather or Natural Atmospheric Tamriel ( NAT). Both are amazing and I'm often debating between the two. I tend to lean more towards NAT but, Obsidian I feel is just as good. Obsidian is hands down the most popular on my NVT ENB page though.
You can take some torches from the walls, but not does in the ratway. If they look like the ones you can carry, you can take them
I like the darkness. I'll admit that there were times I had to strain to see what was happening but it was still nice considering I like skyrim being dark when I play.
Aha! I'm not the only one, at 2:12 you can see broken shadows from fireplace. I have the exact same thing in some inns and I have no idea how to fix it. Does anyone know?
An enb would be nice . I use re engaged with elfx and have found the perfect balance of light and dark. Oh and I use obsidian weathers with re engage's preset for it .
I think the darkness level you’ve got in episode 4 is perfect for a “Let’s Play”.
Oh, the torches!
The all metal ones are fixed and the ones set into a metal ring are active (activatable). : )
6:03 Some are static objects, but a good amount of them can be taken from walls. Yes, I realize you are probably aware of this by now.
Vivid Weathers is a personal favourite. That said, I think vanilla SE looks really good -- Vivid is perfect for giving it a nice colour balance. Imaginator gives you some nice options as well.
Night darkness was a concern going in for me and I think that while medium darker nights is acceptable for exteriors, I really can't see enough in the interiors. If you're going to play around with torches and light sources that's cool, but it won't be much fun if I'm just watching you plough ahead in complete darkness without any idea what's going on.
Most places, the torches can be pulled from their sconces and used.
As for weather mods, I suggest Obsidian or Dolomite as they seem to be the best regarded ones currently on SE.
Honestly, I was completely comfortable with the inside darkness. If your want light then you would likely want "Wearable Lanterns", and/or "Kagrenac's Wisp's". They are supremely helpful to me in my modded play through.