Surely that's not the cause... My gfx card is Dx10 complainant (AMD Mobility Radeon HD 3650).

I'm getting the grid effect with the shadows & it's noticeable more on rocks that anything else, Vertical lines etc etc.
Using 12.3's on my 6970, I've also re-installed the 12.2 previews & 12.1's & the issue is still there, The shadows always were always god awful but since the 1.5 update was released they're a lot worse.

It's off-putting, Just like taking off the beer goggles the morning after.

This is not the same issue. there are other forum posts for that.

I am wondering if it has anything to do with the fact the made DirectX11 windows vista compatable and now Vista shows that its useing DirectX11. I have had issues with directX 10 and 11 games since they did this. normally they just CTD unless I have a way to force DirectX 9 LIke Civilizations V

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 3/30/2012, 14:35:01
Machine name: BRYAN-PC
Operating System: Windows Vista? Home Premium (6.0, Build 6002) Service Pack 2 (6002.vistasp2_gdr.111025-0338)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: HP-Pavilion
System Model: RK572AA-ABA a1700n
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Athlon? 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 3800+ (2 CPUs), ~2.0GHz
Memory: 3326MB RAM
Page File: 2104MB used, 4769MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11 <------------------------------------- DirectX 11 in Vista? interesting.
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 7.00.6002.18107 32bit Unicode

Yes, there's nothing special to it, Vista supports DirectX 11 for quite some time now: http://www.cdrinfo.com/sections/news/Details.aspx?NewsId=26230

I have to remind you that Skyrim is a DirectX 9/10 game, does not use v11 for anything.

The real situation is that these lighting/shadow problems started after the v1.5 patches, at least to me.

Several shadow bug are (re)introduced with the 1.5 patches: there are all kind of weird lines shadow now, AO is gone, weird grass shadow things and so on.
One of the many things that were (re)introduced with the 1.5 patch And this all also with un-modded Skyrim with original INI files and so on.

I was just trying to look at all possable reasons. I have been telling Bethesda it was the new shaders they put into 1.5 but they are trying everything to insist it is not that. I also wanted to bring up I put my Nvidia Geforce 7900 GS in before I reformated my system and the Nvidia had the exact same issue. this is why I was lead to beleave that there may possably be an Issue with directx 10. ever since Vista supported 11 games that use 10 have had issues. I tried contacting Microsoft about the possablility of this and they claim that DirectX is not a microsoft product. wish I could not own a product, have it called Microsoft DirectX and own copyright to it but never have to take blame for any issues that come from it. not saying it IS DirectX just that its nice how corperations get away with crap like that. its not my fault its theres, nope its theres, nope its theres. and who gets screwed?

This is the exact same issue I've been discussing in another thread.

This chap's vid shows it perfectly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puZftjv7Dds


None of the above suggestions works and I have been completely blown off by tech support seven times in a row with cut and paste responses. Of note, the shadows also appear to be 10 times bigger than normal. What is the best way to change the shadow scale in the ini and what are the nubers normally associated with shadow scale?

I also noticed/thought about that. The shadow cast by each tree leaf normally are just a little spot, but since v1.5 they are much bigger as you can see near the video's end, as they are cast on the wall with the gate.

EDIT: Noticed that on this video's comments people are complaining about the same thing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VAHDJr9vWg

Notice : This video does not show the same issue. Raen is just posting the link to show that others are commenting about the issue we are having in the comments.

Does anyone know how to alter the shadow SIZE in any of the ini files? I see one for scale, but I am unsure if that is the one.

The issue is not the shadows are showing up large. the issue is the the scale of the shadows are no longer to the respect of the distance away from the item that is supposed to be casting it but are now projected from you. therefor you are seeing them at there largest size since your view is casting them into your view and there is no depth to that. changing any ini will not change this.

If you see shadows far away from you say from a tree or a building on the ground and you are not standing in that shadow than you do not have the same shader issue we are having. if this is the case please try to find a post about your issue so we can keep this post about one and only one issue. The video you posted shows the issue we are having but if you think about it. it has nothing to do with the size of the shadows. only how they are being projected.

If you can play the game without wanting to vomit because the shadows don't show up unless your inside the place the shadow should be projected and when you are its cast from your view not the object and spins with your character. than this is not the issue you are having.

I just got off the phone with Bethesda. This issue is one of there top focuses for the next patch. Thought this might give everyone some piece of mind until it comes out.

I have ATI HD Radeon Mobility 5870 series, and I get the same weird shadow line issues too.

That's some good news.
I can't play the game like this, can't unfocus my eyes/mind from the shadows/lighting "bouncing" all over.

Did they already know of the problem before you phoned them?

If they didn't know of it, they might not be gettin' paid! xD

Dear sweet lord I hope you're right.

And to the poster who told me to get my own thread and then said my video did show the right issue... huh? I am having the same issue as you, so relax.

Well, apparently Bethesda tests Skyrim only on über high-end computers and those of us with mid-end or low-end PCs, that can still run Skyrim pretty fine, are left to rot with graphical glitches and to report them if we want to see them fixed, which not always happens.

I'm not the first one to say this.

For example, a lot of people (me included) still complain since 11/11/2011 about not seeing any weather effects (ambient fog, wind, etc), spell effects, dragon breath effects, spider webs, smoke from fires, the flames from fireplaces (just burning ashes and hot air where the flames are supposed to be), etc and the only solution til now is to use a ENB patch.

Well low-end PC owners are kinda kicked out of the boat if they're trying to play Skyrim. Mid-spec owners, like myself, are better off. I haven't had issues with most of what you listed- except with the fire. The logs are all brightly colored and they're only smolders on the logs.

Than why are you in this post? did you just come here to tell us about how you do not have this issue? and low end users are still in the game specs. There is a fix for your issue so why not spend your time looking for it instead of offering your unwanted opinion. also to inform you I have having this issue and I have med/high specs for the game.

Castel, calm down Check post #38, he says that he also has the same shadows issue as we do.
He was referring to the missing effects issue that I and a lot of people have but he doesn't.

I would like to appologize to Shademyth for my comment. Many people have come in trying to change what this post is about to fit there needs. This is not an excuse for my comment to you. it was uncalled for and I could have reacted in a much more mature way. If I would have taken the time to look I would have realized you were in fact having the same issue. again I am very sorry for my comment.

Meh the shadow issues are varying based on what the launcher is doing, the patch and different configs. If there wasn't a post limit best would be to keep all shadow issues post 1.5 to one thread but divide and conquer seems to be the order of the day on these boards.

I do see your point but there are 20 topic running the shadows look really ugly so i cant play because its not pretty. this is for the post with serious shadow issues where they spin and dance and hand out cookie to obnoxious children that like to kick you between the legs because your to focused on trying to keep the vomit in from the virtigo happening.

No obnoxious children were hurt in the posting for this forum. (Sadly)

Ugggh vertigo...reminds me of the default FOV Skyrim offers. Well end of the day if you want to mess with shadows via the ini try setting them to read only after the changes it might fix your issue....I would say focus on shadowdistance in regards to the problem in this thread. Mine was 8000 but 1.5 changed it to 4000 seems that setting my ini as read only is the only thing that keeps the custom distance setting....aka my old default one.