SKYRIM : VR 2021 GRAPHICS TUTORIAL
2021 is a great year to get back into Skyrim VR!
SkyrimVR was originally not really a great VR translation from the original game regarding controls. Controls and world interaction were nowhere near the level as in example Half-Life Alyx, but in 2021 some fantastic mods have been released which makes Skyrim VR a great VR game just like Half-Life Alyx, and perhaps even better! I know that sounds hard to believe, but really try it if you have a VR headset and Skyrim VR!
I would like to point out just like Skyrim:(SE) modding, Skyrim VR is also very subjective, some people like mods/ENB's better than others. So install only what YOU want, its YOUR Skyrim VR! Only be careful for mods which require master mods in that case.
WARNING!!! THIS VR GUIDE REQUIRES A VERY GOOD PC!!! This also depends a lot on the resolution of your VR headset. The Oculus Rift S for example has lower requirements than a Valve Index or HP Reverb G2. ( Rift S has an overall lower screen resolution, while the Valve Index and HP Reverb G2 have a higher resolution.)
Recommended is at least to have a RTX 3070 or 2080ti! But even better to have a RTX 3080/3090 for the high resolution headsets!
Just like the other Skyrim and Skyrim SE guides, this guide is mostly focused on VR improvements and visuals!
End Result And Gameplay Videos
Example showcase video of the end result once you are done.
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The 2021 Tutorial
- Did you already mod Skyrim VR? Then Start clean. The best way to do this is by uninstalling everything, and start all over. You can also check out this guide. Also make sure to create shortcuts to your Skyrim:VR Steam folder, and create a folder where you will save all the downloaded mods. If you never did mod Skyrim VR, ignore this and continue.
01 System/VR/Core Mods:
- Download and install MO2 if you dont have it installed yet. (MO2= Mod Organiser 2) Select a new game in MO2, and from there Select SkyrimVR.
- I did not clean my master files for Skyrim VR like I did with Skyrim and Skyrim SE. I had no crashes at all, and it seems that Skyrim VR is even more stable for me than Skyrim SE. Did not have a single crash with 250 mods running.
Cleaning is probably recommended, so it is up to you. If you want to do it: Download SSEedit. The new versions should work for Skyrim VR. With the release of xEdit 4.0, the process of cleaning your ESMs has been simplified quite a bit. We are going to use this guide as a reference. So should work for VR, else you might need to rename the .exe file from what I have seen, but again I dont have experience with master file cleaning on Skyrim VR. You can skip it for now if you dont want to look into it or perform the cleaning.
Then download and install the following mods:
- SKSEVR (Needs to be installed in Skyrim data folder Make sure to download the VR version!!!)
- Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch
- SkyrimVR - USSEP Compatibility Patch - Not certain if this patch is 100% compatible with the new USSEP versions. SKSE VR runs fine for me for now.
- VRIK Player Avatar - If there are files in your ''overwrite'' folder after installing, just right click on overwrite folder --> create new mod. Name it something like: 'Vrik Overwrite data', activate it, and place it directly under VRIK.
- HIGGS - Hand Interaction and Gravity Gloves for Skyrim VR
VRIK and HIGGS are absolutely needed for the new Skyrim VR experience !!!
- Instant Equip VR - Instant equip feels better for VR than waiting for the animation. (So it works now just like Half-Life Alyx)
- SkyUI VR - SkyUI for Skyrim VR! (Non Nexus Page)
- VR Menu Mouse Fix - Getting the mouse cursor back in Skyrim VR menus instead of the horrible console menu experience.
- True 3D Sound for Headphones
Other tweaks which don't really have a category:
- Infinite Gold For Merchants
02 ENB And Weather selection
Please note: ENB's from Skrim SE work for Skyrim VR, but mostly they look weird or not good at all in Skyrim VR.
- First download the ENB matching or else latest version of the Skyrim VR ENB binaries here.
- Scenery ENB VR for Skyrim VR - Absolutely the best looking ENB for Skyrim VR. But only for very high end PC's!!!
Install the binaries first, then Scenery ENB. You probably know how to install ENB's by now. (So the data folder, dont use MO2)
- If Scenery ENB really drains your FPS, try an ENB like Luminous ENB VR or Skyrim VR - High Fidelity ENB By SGS (Or better, try to get a RTX 3080 ;) )
- Vivid Weathers Definitive Edition - For Scenery ENB VR. If you use another ENB, please check their recommended weather mod.
- ENB Helper VR - Some mods and patches need this file
- Skyrim:SE Weather control - For easy use of forcing weather effects instead of having to use the 'FW' commands. Did not test it out yet on Skyrim VR. Test your game after installing to make sure it wont crash!!!
03 Fixes and tweaks
From here, I will use the Skyrim SE 2021 modding guide from Dlizzio as a base, but will filter a lot of stuff since its not compatible or useable with Skyrim VR. I will copy some mod descriptions as well. Thanks Dlizzio for your guide which worked great for Skyrim : SE!
- No Edge Glow - Download No Edge Glow - Magic and Transformations in Main Files g
- Weapons Armor Clothing and Clutter Fixes
- Armor and Clothing Extension
04 Meshes and textures
(Some mods require patch files!!!check out the 2021 guide by Dizzio if you need help selecting which files to choose exactly.)
- Skyrim Realistic Overhaul Part 1
- Skyrim Realistic Overhaul Part 2
- Skyrim Realistic Overhaul Part 3
- Skyrim Realistic Overhaul 1.8 Update
- Skyrim Particle Patch for ENB
- Static Mesh improvement Mod - SMIM - Quality Addon
- Skyrim Textures Redone - SkyHaven
- Skyrim Textures Redone - High Hrothgar
- Unofficial Material Fix - High Poly Project Patch
- Blended Roads and Cleaner Bridges
- Majestic Mountains - Darkside
- Cathedral - Improved Mountain LOD and Z Fight Patch
- Better Dynamic Majestic Mountains
- Better Dynamic Snow and Blended Roads Integration
- Better Dynamic Snow - Patches
05 Main Mods
- Immersive Sounds – Compendium
- Skyrim 3D Trees and Plants - Download Skyrim 3D Trees and Plants in Main Files, and Download Skyrim3DTrees and Plants 3dLOD Resources in Optional Files <<<YOU MUST INSTALL THIS FOR 3D LODS TO WORK
06 Overhaul mods
- WICO - Windsong Immersive Character Overhaul
- Beards
- Bellyaches Animal and Creature Pack SSE
- Glorious Doors of Skyrim (GDOS) SE
- aMidianBorn Book of Silence SE
- Vanilla Weapon Replacer SSE - please dont forget the patchup
- Elven Weapons for Silence SE
- Ebony Weapons for aMidianBorn Book of Silence Users
- Falmer Weapons for aMidianBorn Book of Silence users
- Ancient Dwemer Metal - My patches for SMIM Dawnguard Dragonborn
- Ancient Amidianborn Dwarven Armory
07 Even more textures!
- JS Shrines of the Divines SE
- RUSTIC WINDOWS - Special Edition
- ETHEREAL CLOUDS - Special Edition
- RUSTIC CLOTHING - Special Edition
- PELTAPALOOZA - Special Edition
- RUSTIC SOULGEMS - Special Edition
- RUSTIC CLUTTER COLLECTION - Special Edition
- RUSTIC COOKING - Special Edition
- RUSTIC FURNITURE - SPECIAL EDITION
- RUSTIC DRAGON CORPSE - Special Edition
- RUSTIC DEATH HOUND and GARGOYLE - Special Edition
- RUSTIC ELDERSCROLL - Special Edition
- RUSTIC SPRIGGAN - Special Edition
- RUSTIC AZURA'S STAR - Special Edition
- RUSTIC FROSTBITE SPIDER - Special Edition
- RUSTIC DAEDRA - Special Edition
- RUSTIC AMULETS - Special Edition
- RUSTIC DRAGONS - Special Edition
- Frankly HD Dragonbone and Dragonscale - Armor and Weapons
- Frankly HD Imperial Armor and Weapons
- Frankly HD Thieves Guild Armors
- Frankly HD Dawnguard Armor and Weapons
- Frankly HD Nightingale Armor and Weapons
- Rudy HQ - More Lights for ENB SE - Soul Gems
- Rudy HQ - More Lights for ENB SE - Chaurus Eggs and Sacs
- Rudy HQ - More Lights for ENB SE - Glowing Mushrooms
- Rudy HQ - More Lights for ENB SE - Bthardamz
- Rudy HQ - More Lights for ENB SE - Moths
- Rudy HQ - More Lights for ENB SE - Deathbells and Nirnroots
- Rudy's More Lights Deathbell and Nirnroot For 3D Trees and Plants
- Ennead Banners
- Ennead Banners - RUGNAROK Patch
- SKELETON
- FALMER
- MAMMOTH
- GIANT
- DRAUGR
- SABRECAT
- TROLL
- HAGRAVEN
08 Particles and patches
- Voltage
- Arctic - Frost Effects Redux
- Bright Waterfall Fix for ENB
- FleshFX
- CleverCharff's Photorealistic Ash Pile
09 Misc Mods
- Landscape Fixes For Grass Mods
- Quality CubeMaps - HD Cube Maps
- Business Ledger HD Retexture
- OH GOD BEES SE - More Bees-More Hives-HD Textures
- HD Stone Quarry and Clay Deposit SE
- CC's Enhanced Ore Veins SSE Edition
- Mammoth Cheese Retexture - 4k and 2k
- RUSTIC EAST EMPIRE COMPANY SIGNAGE
- Windhelm Enhanced - HD 4k Metalwork
- Nordic Tent upgrade by Pfuscher
- Unreal 4K-8K Mammoth Skeleton ReTexture
10 After the main Skyrim 2021 Modding Guide mods you installed , the other mods I do recommend installing. They work fine with Skyrim VR and look amazing!
Texture / other overhauls:
01: Underground - A Dungeon Texture Overhaul
02: Gecko's Nordic Ruins Textures
03: Gecko's Dwarven Ruins Textures
04: CC's HQ Mines Redone
05: Farmhouse Door 3D
06: Farmhouse Floor 4K retexture
07: Archery Target Retexture 2k and 4k added
08: Training Dummies Retexture 4k and 2k
09: JK's Skyrim - Warning, JK Skyrim all in one gives me a CTD in Skyrim VR!!! Please directly test your Skyrim VR after installing! If you have a CTD, uncheck mod. Not sure if it is for my instance only.
10: CleverCharff's All In One 4k Pack
11: Folkvangr - Grass and Landscape Overhaul
12: Origins Of Forest - 3D Forest Grass
NPC's and Hair:
No body or animation mods in this tutorial since I personally dont care too much about it, and a vanilla body offers the best compatibility with clothing/armor mods. Of course feel free to install any body / animation mods you like! That said, I however absolutely recommend the below mods to be installed, since they are just too good not to install. Also body mods like CBBE and UNP work fine just like Bodyslide.
02: Bijin NPCs SE
03: Bijin Wives SE
04: Seranaholic by rxkx22 - Ported to SSE by bchick3 and elrizzo
Done for now! Have fun!