Comprehensive guide to fixing Anti aliasing and texture shimmering in 2018

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bloodfire32
Hi guys i wanted to create this thread to give a place for post summerset 2018 discussion of AA, texture shimmering and other graphical issues that lots of people run into but have no definitive place to find a solution. I have searched endlessly for a working fix and speaking to people in-game, many have this minor issue.

I have really enjoyed this game since starting a few weeks ago but one thing that has slightly bugged me is the 'shimmering/jagged/flickering'' effect on stairs, doors and far away floors in sunlight. Others experience the effect on grass too.

This video is 4 years old but perfectly shows the issue -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpDuxfA4DOI

There are several fixes people have described in other places and I will list them here. ( None of these have worked or have made any difference for me at all )

-Downloading Reshade or Sweetfx and using their SMAA instead of ESO's default (FXAA).
-Using Nvidia DSR (downsample resolution) to eliminate the jagged edges (very little difference for me unless on 4K but massive performance hit)
-Using Nvidia Control Panel and Nvidia Inspector to force higher anisotropic filtering and AA multisampling
-Downloading the latest graphics drivers from your card manufacturer
-Editing Usersettings and changing MIP_LOAD_SKIP_LEVELS to -3 to increase texture quality beyond ing-ame option
-Renaming Usersettings file and having ESO generate a new file which utilizes all new pushed updates (will actually give you a few FPS for free in most cases)

Now these may work for some people so i encourage those reading to give them a shot, in my case i have not been able to make a dent in this ''shimmering'' issue. I would be fine with jagged edges but even with AA turned off the shimmering continues as shown in the video above. I will edit this post with any other effective/worthwhile fixes if they are suggested. Would be great to get a ZOS response to this but lets try to solve this issue for the many experiencing it in this game.

My specs:
i7 3770K
GTX 680
16GB DDR3 ram
  • JasonSilverSpring
    JasonSilverSpring
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    Unless they add support for temporal anti-alialiasing (TXAA) I think we are stuck with the shimmering.
  • bloodfire32
    Jason do you believe that this is definitely an anti-aliasing problem? Have you had any success using nvidia inspector or any solution to fix this crawling/shimmering effect? It almost seems as if it is some kind of conflict happening with some calculation that is causing these shimmering lines on textures that should be static
  • JasonSilverSpring
    JasonSilverSpring
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    Yes, I believe it to be an aliasing problem which TXAA or TAA is used in other games to address. I have never found a way to resolve it. DSR helps a little but I still see it especially in Summerset cities with the many steps.
  • Tandor
    Tandor
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    The only place I see shimmering is in Windhelm where a few roofs shimmer. It may happen elsewhere of course, but that's the only place I've noticed it.
    Edited by Tandor on June 20, 2018 4:12PM
  • bloodfire32
    Jason you are right, I did some more looking into it and came across this video that actually perfectly demonstrates the issue, then shows what TXAA is able to do to fix the shimmering/crawling/flickering on detailed geometry -
    https://youtu.be/MyE84ydeYRY?t=22s

    Tandor try going to Riften, Summerset or Vulkhel Guard during a sunny day and slowly walk towards a bridge or some stairs, that seems to demonstrate this issue quite well. What are your and Jasons specs?

    My PC can easily run Assasins creed Origins, For Honor and other games with superior graphics to ESO and none have this crawling/flickering texture issue. I assume they use TXAA. Does anyone know if Zenimax plan to introduce new methods of anti aliasing in future or allow us to tweak values of the current one in game?
  • Tandor
    Tandor
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    @bloodfire32, forgive me but I don't propose to go searching for glitches I've not noticed before, no point in spoiling things.

    I logged in just now and zoned to Windhelm, and they seem to have fixed the roof shimmer I was noticing before.
  • yurimodin
    yurimodin
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    personally I got the best results having Geforce Experience setup DSR(which I normally hate) and completely disabling AA.
  • Mystiqq0099
    Mystiqq0099
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    I think your first issue is your Graphics Card. Then follow that with your amount of Ram. Your processor, if OC, isnt really that bad all things considered, but , your graphics card has a low cuda count compared to todays more modern options. The performance you’re getting is probally as good as its gonna get until you upgrade to a 10XX graphics card. Even a 980 could give you alot better looking graphics during game play then what you currently have. But, jacking up the setting with only 16gb of memory is gonna be hard. The other thing to consider is your Onboard Graphics Card memory. If its less then 4gb, anything you do will come at the cost of FPS. Which in turn results in the shimering you’re describing.

    I know thats probably alot to swallow and a reality not often accepted. Most folks want the highest level of graphical display with very minimal hardware. The best solution is to download Nvidia’s GeForce Experience and let it do the work for you. It will autoselect the best options base on your current hardware. Whatever it suggest and adjust’s, will be the aboslute best you can have until you upgrade. Yes, you can manually adjust and juice up the graphics options, but it will at the cost of quality gameplay. FPS plays A HUGE factor in MMO’s. And more often then not will lead to lag induced underpermance on your gameplay. The trick is to balance Graphics with smooth gameplay.
  • JasonSilverSpring
    JasonSilverSpring
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    The shimmering I am referring to and that I believe the OP is referring to is not a symptom of poor performance. I think it just is more noticeable to some people than other. I notice it but it does not really bother me. But, if ESO added TXAA/TAA support I would definitely welcome it.

    I have a Titan X Pascal which is very close to a 1080 Ti and notice it. So, it is not a performance issue. A 680 is aging a bit, but ESO is far from that demanding. It is demanding on CPU though, but that does not factor into the shimmering effect.

    I doubt TXAA/TAA will be added though unless ZOS at some point does a major graphical overhaul.

    @bloodfire32, that video is a good example of this effect and clearly shows it is not a performance issue.

    I think the reason DSR helps some is that it is rendering the image at a higher resolution and then down sampling it which can sometimes help, but not fully resolve the issue.
  • NewbieOKS
    NewbieOKS
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    Hi @bloodfire32

    I recently read your thread. Just curious.

    Can you give me any tips on my NVIDIA settings whether it is already maximum or not for my rig/PC in oder to give me a great playing experience? Is the settings correct or need to be adjusted?

    Currently I am using a ASUS ROG laptop G751JY

    For ESO graphic settings, I only changed the shadows to become low, the rest are high or ultra and on condition (with exception of vsync off)

    Here attached my NVIDA current settings

    y170tfrfb26j.jpg

    ohpgd64dffua.jpg

    And what's your opinon on VOTAN ADAPTIVE SETTING and VOTAN's ADVANCED SETTING addon? I made some research in reddit r/elderscrollsonline and people recommend it for a smooth gaming experience

    Edited by NewbieOKS on June 21, 2018 2:49AM
    https://signatur.eso-database.com/17868970/signatur.jpg
    ESO-Database provides statistics for Elder Scrolls Online characters and guilds. This information is collected by the ESO-Database Client and ESO Database AddOn https://www.eso-database.com/en/ Huge thanks to @Keldor for this amazing add-on
  • Jayman1000
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    It's not possible to get rid of it. The image you see is already processed by the game, you cannot just intercept the way the game handles these grapics. To fix it you would actually have to have access to modify the engine the game is using, which is obviously not possible.

    The best thing we can do is use for example some reshade effects to mask or smooth out the baddies. Also of course playing in 4K helps a little bit too, not much though, and at a high cost to performance.
  • bloodfire32
    @Mystiqq0099 thanks for your input it is appreciated and you are right about Geforce I already use it but like @JasonSilverSpring said, in ESO for me it is not really a performance issue. I am running the game with High graphic option and 80 view distance and still get mostly steady 60 fps in towns and near 100 in the wild. The crawling aliasing lines on geometry is still there noticeable even when I crank up Nvidia DSR to 4K. Perhaps the effect is slightly lessened but the crawling still stand out and once you start noticing it, its hard to not be bothered by it especially if your hanging around in towns.

    I suppose at this point it is a question of is everyone actually experiencing this to some degree but just does not notice it or pay attention to it much? It seems like @Jayman1000 could be right that this is an engine issue. The video in my post #6 in this thread of TXAA being used in Neverwinter nights shows the EXACT problem in ESO, and it 100% completely solves it and makes it look beautiful and seamless completely removing ALL crawling lines. That is the perfect fix for this problem. It is just beginning to irritate me because as I mentioned earlier I run AC:Origins, For Honor, Civ6, Hellblade and other more cpu/gpu demanding games that simply don't have this issue.

    Didn't Zenimax say they were upgrading to DX12 or Vulcan at some point? Is there any update on that? @ZOS_AlexTardif

    I like the 'clean' look in ESO but i would give an arm and a leg for a bit of powerful, CUSTOMISABLE TXAA blur to smooth out the crawling whilst moving.

    I would really like to know if there is any method to achieving some effect close to that because it seems until Zenimax steps in we are stuck doing makeshift solutions because the in-game Anti Aliasing, does not actually seem to do barely anything. After switching it on and off and staring closely, it is almost not noticeable just a tiny blur on everything but zero impact on any shimmering/crawling lines. @Jayman1000 I have read some people having success injecting SMAA through reshade but not much visual difference for me. Is there a certain version recommended to try?

    Edited by bloodfire32 on June 21, 2018 11:03AM
  • MLGProPlayer
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    NewbieOKS wrote: »
    Hi @bloodfire32

    I recently read your thread. Just curious.

    Can you give me any tips on my NVIDIA settings whether it is already maximum or not for my rig/PC in oder to give me a great playing experience? Is the settings correct or need to be adjusted?

    Currently I am using a ASUS ROG laptop G751JY

    For ESO graphic settings, I only changed the shadows to become low, the rest are high or ultra and on condition (with exception of vsync off)

    Here attached my NVIDA current settings

    y170tfrfb26j.jpg

    ohpgd64dffua.jpg

    And what's your opinon on VOTAN ADAPTIVE SETTING and VOTAN's ADVANCED SETTING addon? I made some research in reddit r/elderscrollsonline and people recommend it for a smooth gaming experience

    It helps a lot with FPS by reducing your view distance when FPS drops (view distance has the biggest impact on FPS in this game). However, your game will look terrible as buildings and objects more than a few feet in front of your character won't render until you get close to them.
    Edited by MLGProPlayer on June 21, 2018 10:43AM
  • MLGProPlayer
    MLGProPlayer
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    @ZOS_AlexTardif could you look into adding TXAA as part of the game's next performance update?

    OP makes a good point, and it's about time we got some more robust AA options. I use SMAA through Reshade, but it leaves a lot to be desired (and still doesn't address the shimmering).
    Edited by MLGProPlayer on June 21, 2018 10:51AM
  • bloodfire32
    NewbieOKS wrote: »
    Hi @bloodfire32

    Can you give me any tips on my NVIDIA settings whether it is already maximum or not for my rig/PC in oder to give me a great playing experience? Is the settings correct or need to be adjusted?
    Hi @NewbieOKS thanks for getting involved, looking at your settings I would suggest clicking restore on the global settings tab and making your tweaks specifically on ESO64.exe or ESO.exe. Click on program settings then scroll the drop down and search for those two, if they don't show up, click add and manually navigate to where you have the game installed to find them.

    Honestly it seems very subjective what Nvidia Control Panel tweaks work for different people so I hesitate to say what the 'best' is. Many have said that it does not work in ESO because of the game engine so you are better off leaving it untouched and restoring everything to default. What I can say that may help is bring up your usersettings (Documents/ESO/Live) and turn HIGH_RESOLUTION_SHADOWS to 0. Whilst your there might as well change SkipPregameVideos to 1 as well. Save and exit then in game graphic options just lower your view distance to 50-70 range, Lower particle systems to 768 and supression distance to 35. Water reflection to low as well. These simple settings should maximize your performance without compromising visual quality much.

    And as for Votans, its more useful if you are struggling for a few extra FPS and you are very close to maintaining 60. If your game is fluctuating FPS in big amounts then it will probably not be worth using.

    @MLGProPlayer is spot on with his analysis of Votan adaptive settings.
    @ZOS_AlexTardif could you look into adding TXAA as part of the game's next performance update?

    This would be so massive for so many people!
    Edited by bloodfire32 on June 21, 2018 10:56AM
  • NewbieOKS
    NewbieOKS
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    Hi @NewbieOKS thanks for getting involved, looking at your settings I would suggest clicking restore on the global settings tab and making your tweaks specifically on ESO64.exe or ESO.exe. Click on program settings then scroll the drop down and search for those two, if they don't show up, click add and manually navigate to where you have the game installed to find them.

    Honestly it seems very subjective what Nvidia Control Panel tweaks work for different people so I hesitate to say what the 'best' is. Many have said that it does not work in ESO because of the game engine so you are better off leaving it untouched and restoring everything to default. What I can say that may help is bring up your usersettings (Documents/ESO/Live) and turn HIGH_RESOLUTION_SHADOWS to 0. Whilst your there might as well change SkipPregameVideos to 1 as well. Save and exit then in game graphic options just lower your view distance to 50-70 range, Lower particle systems to 768 and supression distance to 35. Water reflection to low as well. These simple settings should maximize your performance without compromising visual quality much.

    And as for Votans, its more useful if you are struggling for a few extra FPS and you are very close to maintaining 60. If your game is fluctuating FPS in big amounts then it will probably not be worth using.

    @MLGProPlayer is spot on with his analysis of Votan adaptive settings.

    This would be so massive for so many people!

    @bloodfire32
    I tried to modify but you are right, it seems NVIDIA doesn't allow for manual overwrite on FXAA for a specific software (enclosed below)

    CuPm2YR.jpg

    Btw @MLGProPlayer @bloodfire32 @ZOS_AlexTardif

    Below is a print screen I got from a thread in r/eldercrollsonline and the main topic we were discussing is about the difference between "New High Resolution Landscape on the Left vs Older Low Resolution Landscape on the Right"

    https://reddit.com/r/elderscrollsonline/comments/8rkb36/new_high_resolution_landscape_on_the_left_older/?utm_content=title&utm_medium=user&utm_source=reddit&utm_name=frontpage

    N8uEQyW.jpg

    The location is pinpointed at the edge of Malabar Tor.

    Gold Cost (from the Dark Brotherhood DLC) with Super High Resolution and high detail rock surfaces, and Malabar Tor (old Tamriel base zone) on the right side with the low poly style

    There lots of comment and many players are hoping and expecting a re-master/overhaul of the base zones to be the same level with the DLC zones and new chapter zones.

    Expectations are add post processing effects:
    • more advanced anti aliasing
    • motion blur (as an option)
    • high resolution textures
    • Bloom
    • increase render distance
    • underwater zones

    Edit: to add reddit r/elderscrollsonline thread website link
    Edited by NewbieOKS on June 21, 2018 11:28AM
    https://signatur.eso-database.com/17868970/signatur.jpg
    ESO-Database provides statistics for Elder Scrolls Online characters and guilds. This information is collected by the ESO-Database Client and ESO Database AddOn https://www.eso-database.com/en/ Huge thanks to @Keldor for this amazing add-on
  • bloodfire32
    @NewbieOKS try opening up your Usersettings and change MIP_LOAD_SKIP_LEVELS to -3. That will increase the detail of any textures if you have a few FPS to spare!

    Anybody else have any workaround for the aliasing issue?
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