Original Mod Author: Arisu
Compiled by: ianpatt (SKSE)
Fixed by: Arisu, Greatwalrus, Silverglade

Thread #2, because Arisu deserves all the credit he/she can get.

Original Thread #1: http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1321657-tesv-acceleration-layer-offers-cpu-optimization-massive-possible-performance-increases-now-in-skse-plugin-format/

People are already reporting serious performance increases, up to and beyond +20 FPS on High/Ultra in cities (people going from low 20s to high 40s, etc.), and can improve performance on both high-end and low-end machines This optimization is for your CPU as the now-famous Arisu explains:
For those wary of downloading this plugin because it was made by an unknown author, don't worry, it was actually ianpatt (one of the main developers of SKSE) who actually compiled the plugin from source provided by the original author of the optimization code.

Direct Download Link (Fixed Version): http://www.4shared.com/zip/KiMt19go/TESVAL_v13100_fixed.html?

Nexus Download Link (Fixed Version): http://www.skyrimnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=4387

Main Thread: http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1322545-rel-tesv-acceleration-layer-thread-3/

SKSE Thread with download link: http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1321294-wipz-skyrim-script-extender-skse/

To use SKSE, just download it and place it in your main Skyrim folder, then run Skyrim using "skse_loader" which is included with SKSE. The plugin goes in Skyrim\Data\SKSE\plugins (a folder which won't exist if you've never used SKSE, so you'll have to make it).

Note: If using the skse_loader crashes for you on WIndows Vista/7, right-click it and use "Run as Administrator". Works for some, even when it shouldn't.

This has a good chance to fix/reduce people's problems with various "kill areas" which destroy their FPS. (Best way to test this plugin is by going to Markath)

Note: Currently must be compiled for a specific version of Skyrim, so only 1.3.10 compatible right now.

Hopefully Bethesda will learn something from this source and release their own patch by the end of 2012!

Note: To check if SKSE is working, bring up the console and type in: getskseversion

Edit:
Note: The new version fixes the problems below and has been confirmed! (was using an incorrect function call)

I wonder if he put this on Nexus yet, it deserves all the glory and attention it can get!

Yes, apparently ysne58 got permission from both Arisu and ianpatt (hopefully) and put it here: http://www.skyrimnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=4387

I'm about to play some more.

I've never really had FPS issues, but I'll post if I notice any significant changes.

Sweet. Watch the endorsemants fly off the charts in a week

FPS 15 -> 18, standing if front of Markarth house and looking towards guard tower.
This on Windows XP and slightly outdated hardware (meaning there could also be other constraints impacting FPS).

Also, I tried drafting a couple of general comments on the current level of PC optimization. However, I was unable to make them open and honest as well as matching my own criteria of "acceptable for publication", even if I seriously tried.

Just like my Markarth test, nothing major. But, as I also said, I don't really have FPS issues to begin with.

I got a +12FPS in Markarth. Now it doesn't drop below 40 when exiting Understone Keep.

The lowest FPS I can dig out in markath is 47 (originally it was 31) that's Looking for the worst possible place that gives me a 15fps boost! THANK YOU MODDERS I LOVE YOU!!!

I'll say again: This raised the bottom-end a solid 25-30% for me, general heavily taxing views like the classic plateau to tree in white run is the biggest benefactor.

Great mod, would love to see these optimizations (among other compiler ops!) get integrated into the core game engine for PCs.

This gave me a 20% increase in fps in the bad areas.

In the main thread in Mods they're talking about more optimization (this mod was only made by Arisu in a day after profiling relatively briefly). So we may see new versions of this plugin going forward that have additional CPU optimization.

This, is perhaps a great day in PC gaming, when multiple 3rd parties can make a game rediculously better. I think the next step is to have Bethesda officially implementing these things. LOL then again this is nothing that new.

The thing is some guy should not have to spend a huge amount of time reverse engineering the whole game because bethesda forgot to compile the game right. I mean I am a programmer although on the mainframe, and something like this is pretty inexcusable when your selling millions of copies of a commercial quality game. That being said we certainly are missing a lot of info on this so they might have a perfectly good reason for why these optimizations were not made. Not inlining critical functions is something you learn in your first couple introductory c++ classes so they definitely knew this.

I think the issue might also stem a bit from the lack of a DEMO? How is it that I can play Skyrim once right after it comes out and notice so many things. It might be better for them to open up more to the public in order to make a better game.

Before everyone goes off on the wrong direction, a few clarifications: Arisu (mod author) made this code in about a day, but this doesn't necessarily mean that it was a grievous oversight on gamesas's part.

As it has been explained before, situations like this can happen when the game just fails to compile...and believe me, big projects WILL do this A LOT, and adding more people can INCREASE the chance of this happening...so they turned off various optimization flags and see if it compiles after that, and it worked. After trying to add the optimization back in it could have failed to compile again and again, until they finally decided to live with it. Over the course of several iteration of the project the unoptimized code was marked stable and became standardized. (This is only one possible scenario out of many)

We also don't really know what other effects this change may have. It really should have none except speeding things up, but the way Windows and DirectX handles itself is pretty darn dirty, so there could be side-effects. A few people, I've counted 2 so far out of many, many who reported great findings, are reporting longer load times and we have yet to isolate why (it's most likely not this plugin specifically, something else on their system). Additionally, this code may cause additional problems on weird system setups we never knew existed, but gamesas's Compatibility Lab does.

Like the Large Address Aware flagging, time will tell if this is truly an optimization that should be patched into the main game.

I vote we make Arisu one of the Divines! It might start another great war, but worth it.

I have 20 FPS looking down from Dragon's reach both with and without this mod. I can't tell a difference anywhere. After 10 minutes of playing there doesn't appear to be anything negative happening either, so I guess I'll keep using it for now. I'm quite possibly GPU limited I suppose...

Dell XPS 1730M laptop
Core 2 Extreme @ 3.0 GHz
4 GB DDR2 667
GeForce 8800M GTX w/SLI (turning off SLI causes a huge performance dip so it's definitely working)
Windows 7 64 bit
output to 1080p Plasma TV display

I put this in the NeoGAF thread. Definitely a thumbs up. Especially in cities. I've already increased my OC to 4.7ghz and saw a few fps increase but this mod make significant gains for me in my 2 tests.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=33690367&postcount=7573

I tried testing the bridge in Riverwood but saw little difference. Perhaps it's the dedicated cities you have to transition into that benefit more. Not sure if the increase outdoors is as profound but to be honest, the cities have always been the most taxing areas in the game so this mod is a Godsend.

Wait, maybe I'm not doing this right...




What plugin is being referred to here? Is it one of the files? If so which one?

I have no TESVAL.dll if that's it...

TESVAL.dll is the SKSE plugin. You need to install SKSE to run the plugin.

SKSE and the optimization mod are two different downloads/mods.

Nevermind, I found it.

Btw, installing SKSE is as simple as dragging those files into my directory, right? There's no actual installer?

Still getting 20 FPS looking down from Dragon's reach, no change.

Did you put the .exe and 2 .dll files in the Skyrim directory (NOT the data folder). And in the data folder, you made a folder called "SKSE" and inside that folder make one called "Plugins" and but the optimization mod in there?

Are you running skse_loader to launch Skyrim?