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| = Performance Problems =
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| This section is intended as a place to list performance problems and tips, especially those related to scripting.
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| == Gamemode Scripts ==
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| Avoid using gamemode scripts wherever possible. Use quest scripts if you can, or try to find ways to put as much of the script work into OnLoad, OnEquip, and ScriptEffectStart blocks as possible.
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| If you need to use a GameMode block, use an 'if' test or a flag so the code will only run when necessary. For instance, if you need to run an item script whenever the player hits a switch, place this on the switch:
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| <pre>scn YourSwitchScript
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| short Working
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| begin onActivate
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| set Working to 1
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| end</pre>
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| and this on the item:
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| <pre>scn YourItemScript
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| begin GameMode
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| if YourSwitchScript.Working
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| ...
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| endif
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| end</pre>
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| == CPU-Hungry Script Functions ==
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| Generally, scripts have little affect on FPS, especially compared to graphics. However, if run every frame there are a few functions that will cause a noticeable (>1) drop in FPS:
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| # [[GetSecondsPassed]]
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| # [[GetNumItems]] (OBSE)
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| # [[GetInventoryObject]] (OBSE)
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| # [[GetFPS]] (OBSE)
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| #* However, you can run this every few frames without a drop. This is most useful as an alternative to '''GetSecondsPassed''' as ((Number of frames passed) / GetFPS) approximates the amount of time passed.
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| # GetDistance
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| #* I have tested the others above, but not this one. However, I have seen it mentioned several times that GetDistance is a CPU heavy function, so I'm including it here.
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| #*--[[User:Haama|Haama]] 17:54, 10 September 2007 (EDT)
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| Note that for all of these, they are incredibly fast functions. Even the slowest, GetInventoryObject, can be run 1000 times and the next frame will come up in less than a second. They will only cause problems if run them constantly (every frame or so).
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| The main problem with CPU-hungry scripts comes from Oblivion's "brick-wall" for FPS and script processing. Scripts won't touch FPS until you hit a certain limit, and then even a few extra small scripts can start dropping FPS.
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| See [[Code Optimizing]] for more details (in planning/progress).
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| == AI Overload ==
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| If you use advanced AI on a lot of NPCs or creatures, the game may start to suffer from so-called "AI overload", causing NPCs and creatures to fail to process their AI as you approach them. This can do nasty things like giving roadside bandits a lobotomy -- they just stand around and do nothing as you approach.
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| Creatures that are swimming seem to put an extra large burden on the system, possibly because the pathfinding is trickier in the water?
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| == Low-Level Processing ==
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| Avoid low-level processing for as many creatures and NPCs as possible. Use the "No Low Level Processing" option to keep them from processing their AI unless the player is in the same cell.
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| = Obscure Problems = | | = Obscure Problems = |
Revision as of 13:55, 14 September 2007
Troubleshooting Introduction
This is a collection of articles on troubleshooting TES IV problems -- gotchas, common mistakes, CS bugs, etc. The basic ideas and topics were originally discussed in this ESF thread.
These topics could be organized in a lot of different ways, but for now we can start with a simple list.
I've created it as a category so we can add more specific topic articles in the category.
What follows is essentially a long list of some common mistakes and their effects on players and/or the CS. Please suggest more ideas if you can.--Dev akm 17:56, 20 February 2007 (EST)
Obscure Problems
These issues don't occur very often, and we don't even really know what causes them, but they hurt nonetheless.
Pathgrid CTDs
Does anyone really know why the pathgrid CTDs happen? The last thread about it I remember didn't find a solution.
This is an older problem that plagued both UL and OOO for a while. Basically, changing pathgrids is risky and requires a lot of testing to avoid CTD issues. I didn't find any surefire solutions for this either. Does anyone know if this topic has been written about in any more detail than the introductory Path Grid Generation article and Path Grids (simple)?
Black Screen Bug
This is the Infamous Nvidia + HDR Black Screen Bug.
This bug can usually be fixed by the mod-creator. It is usually caused by problems in a custom mesh. This can happen if the mesh creator forgot to assign a valid material to part of the mesh. It can also happen if you have an opaque texture assigned to a transparent portion of your mesh. It can even sometimes be caused by a standard shader like the GhostEffect.
It can also usually be solved by updating the tangent space of certain mesh nodes in a .nif file. NifSkope has a spell to do this.
Once you've narrowed down which .nif is causing the problem, simply open it in NifSkope, right-click each NiTriStrips/NiTriShape node and select Mesh -> Update Tangent Space. This works most of the time.
Related Articles
Helpful Programs
TES4Edit
Wrye Bash
TES4Gecko
Subcategories
This category has only the following subcategory.
Pages in category "Troubleshooting"
The following 11 pages are in this category, out of 11 total.