SOS Performance Tuning Guide

SOS Performance Tuning Guide

This guide covers multiple methods to improve performance on the Scrolls of Schtevie modlists. These methods can be used individually or combined for maximum effect.

Disclaimer – Read This First This guide was originally assembled using Journals of Jyggalag as the reference list. While the instructions apply across all Scrolls of Schtevie modlists, some settings or results may vary slightly. The core process and steps remain the same.

Special thanks to Guurzak for originally creating and compiling these performance methods.

Who This Guide Is For

This guide is intended for:

  • Users on lower-end hardware struggling with performance
  • Users who want smoother gameplay without heavily compromising visuals
  • Users looking to fine-tune performance beyond the default profile

You can follow individual sections as needed, or combine multiple methods for maximum performance gains.

Quick Wins

Two simple changes that can improve performance without significant visual tradeoffs.

  1. Choose the Performance profile in MO2 if you haven't already. This is the foundation for all other optimizations.

  2. Set SSGI to AO Only:

    • In game, open the CS menu with the End key
    • Set SSGI to AO Only image

💡 MO2 Tip

  • Always make changes in your active MO2 profile
  • Use the Data tab (right panel) to search for files (bottom search bar)
  • Select the winning file (the one overriding others)
  • Most tools (VRAMr, BethINI) should be launched from MO2's application list

VRAMr

Reduce VRAM usage and improve performance by generating optimized texture atlases. Use this if you experience stuttering or your GPU is VRAM-limited.

Run VRAMr from MO2's application list. For full step-by-step instructions, see the SOS Tool Running Guide.

⚠️ Note on VRAMr

VRAMr replaces textures and does not typically require a full tool rerun. If you notice visual inconsistencies (especially distant objects), you may optionally rerun TexGen and DynDOLOD.

BethINI

Optimize Skyrim's engine-level INI settings for better performance across the board.

Setup

  1. Run BethINI from MO2's application list
  2. Go into Edit > Setup and configure:
    • Game path — set to your Stock Game folder
    • INI path — set to your selected profile

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Preset Selection

  1. Choose the BethINI Medium preset
  2. Check Apply Recommended Tweaks
  3. Uncheck 64-bit Render Targets

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Shadow Settings

  1. Switch to the Shadows tab:
    • Disable Ambient Occlusion — CS and ENB both handle AO on their own
    • Reduce shadow resolution from 1024 to 512

View Distance

  1. Switch to the View Distance tab:
    • Adjust the Distant Details settings per the screenshot provided in MO2

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  1. Go to File > Save, save all, and exit BethINI

AVX / SMP Optimization

Improve CPU-side performance for physics-heavy scenes using Faster SMP.

Check the specs on your CPU to determine what version of AVX is supported. If your system supports AVX2 or AVX512, you may get better performance by reinstalling Faster SMP and selecting the appropriate feature in the FOMOD.

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Potato Mode

A guided path for users on low-end hardware. Apply these steps in order for maximum performance gains, then follow up with the tools above.

Performance Profile

Select the Performance profile in MO2. This should always be your starting point before applying any other tweaks.

Resolution Scaling

If you are running at a resolution higher than 1920x1080, lowering your game resolution will make a dramatic improvement in performance.

  1. In MO2, search the Data tab for ssedisplaytweaks
  2. Open the winning .ini file at JOJ - MCM and INI Settings > SKSE > Plugins > SSEDisplayTweaks.ini

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  1. Go to line 66 and locate the resolution override line
  2. If the line starts with #, it is disabled — remove the # to enable it
  3. Set your desired resolution and save

Default behavior: If left commented out, the game uses the resolution set in SkyrimPrefs.ini (outside MO2).

SSE Display Tweaks

Enable Performance Mode in SSE Display Tweaks to reduce rendering overhead.

  1. In MO2, search the Data tab for ssedisplaytweaks
  2. Open the winning .ini file at JOJ - MCM and INI Settings > SKSE > Plugins > SSEDisplayTweaks.ini
  3. Find performancemode and set it to performancemode=true
  4. Save the file

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⚠️ Important

Make sure you are editing the correct (winning) file in MO2, or your changes will have no effect.

After completing these steps, continue with VRAMr, BethINI, and AVX / SMP Optimization above for additional gains.

Advanced Optimization Checklist

For best results on low-end systems:

Final Notes

  • These methods trade visual fidelity for performance. Expect reduced texture quality, shorter draw distances, and simplified shadows.
  • The Performance profile is designed to work alongside these optimizations — always start there.
  • VRAMr and BethINI changes persist across saves and do not need to be reapplied unless you update the list.