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Grey/discolored faces

Started by zaraia , Feb 20 2012 08:27 AM

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#1
zaraia
Posted 20 February 2012 - 08:27 AM

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The faces in my Skyrim seem to react differently to lighting than the bodies. When directly facing a light source (fire indoors or at night, or rising/setting sun) they will look more or less normal, but otherwise they will look more like this:

http://i.imgur.com/BmC2u.jpg
(bug shown on a vanilla face)

http://i42.tinypic.com/a0fck6.jpg
(bug still appears on a modded face)


This is not a mod issue. It already happens on a fresh vanilla install (see first pic).

This is also not specific to one OS, I have both Windows 7 64-bit and Vista on my PC, and the bug appears on both.


Any help would be very much appreciated, this is really not very pretty :confused:.

Edited by zaraia, 27 February 2012 - 06:46 AM.

#2
zaraia
Posted 20 February 2012 - 04:15 PM

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dxdiag in case it helps:

Spoiler

Edited by zaraia, 20 February 2012 - 04:18 PM.

#3
Bethra
Posted 21 February 2012 - 10:43 AM

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I have same problem, posted on that thread on Nexus as well. I have hunted for a solution on every forum covering Skyrim. There are threads complaining about this problem everywhere so it isn't a minor thing only happening to one or two players. Various tweaks help minimally but nothing solves it. I also reloaded a clean install and restarted my game carrying nothing over and more or less the minute I changed my character I got the problem back. I didn't have the same issue on Oblivion or Morrowind and was running both of those games heavily modded so I doubt its anything I've done and my system can certainly cope with Skyrim with ease. Faces in game look awful most of the time, but are fine indoors in firelight.....guess I'll have to just play at night in game :blush: and never see any of the lovely scenery. I have written to Bethesda re the problem.
One thing does occur to me, I wonder if it's anything to do with running Windows 7 64-bit? Can't see why but maybe it isn't completely compatible.

Edited by Bethra, 21 February 2012 - 10:52 AM.

#4
zaraia
Posted 21 February 2012 - 12:13 PM

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I have same problem, posted on that thread on Nexus as well. I have hunted for a solution on every forum covering Skyrim. There are threads complaining about this problem everywhere so it isn't a minor thing only happening to one or two players. Various tweaks help minimally but nothing solves it. I also reloaded a clean install and restarted my game carrying nothing over and more or less the minute I changed my character I got the problem back. I didn't have the same issue on Oblivion or Morrowind and was running both of those games heavily modded so I doubt its anything I've done and my system can certainly cope with Skyrim with ease. Faces in game look awful most of the time, but are fine indoors in firelight.....guess I'll have to just play at night in game :blush: and never see any of the lovely scenery. I have written to Bethesda re the problem. One thing does occur to me, I wonder if it's anything to do with running Windows 7 64-bit? Can't see why but maybe it isn't completely compatible.


I'm also running Windows 7 64-bit. Had that occurred to you before or did you just notice it in my dxdiag? Perhaps that's the issue.


Faces seem to look more or less ok indoors, or when facing the sun:

[img]http://www.loverslab...nt.php?aid=6106[/img]

But basically whenever you're outside and not facing the sun, it turns into this:

[img]http://i.imgur.com/BmC2u.jpg[/img]


Also are you sure it only happens once you've changed something? To me it seems to be like that from right after character creation.

And I assume you've had no response from Bethesda yet?


[edit] btw what graphic card are you using? Perhaps you could post your own dxdiag so we can compare?

Edited by zaraia, 21 February 2012 - 12:22 PM.

#5
Bethra
Posted 21 February 2012 - 01:25 PM

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Noticed you're running 64 bit in your Dxdiag and i am as well.
Same problem with faces as you report.
Once i did a clean install it happened as soon as i went into character creation and changed my characters skin tone I think, not 100% certain on that though. As soon as I took it away from a pre-set.
Certainly happens as soon as I load a texture on every other time I have tried it. And removing the mod and deleting the texture file in the Data - which should force a reboot of Bethesda's vanilla textures - just gives me a vanilla face that is still greyed out slightly.
Only wrote to them today, I have been waiting and hoping that someone would come up with a fix or Beth would come up with a patch.
I'm using Nvidia 1536MB GeForce GTX 580 (MSI) and playing on High settings.
and yeah I'll give posting the Dxdiag a go. :)

#6
Bethra
Posted 21 February 2012 - 01:31 PM

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dxdiag

Spoiler

#7
Half64
Posted 21 February 2012 - 01:48 PM

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it could be because you are running a lower setting since you have a weaker GPU so some effects might not be showing.

#8
zaraia
Posted 21 February 2012 - 02:08 PM

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Thanks Bethra. Well our systems don't seem to have much in common except the OS, and I've heard others having more serious problems 64 and Skyrim already.

I'll still wait a bit before installing 32-bit though, hopefully Bethesda will have an answer.


it could be because you are running a lower setting since you have a weaker GPU so some effects might not be showing.


I tried running on ultra with everything at maximum, it didn't change anything, and that really doesn't seem like something a lower setting should do.

#9
Half64
Posted 21 February 2012 - 02:12 PM

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It's could be a number of things, including a driver bug and from that screenshot things look inconsistent anyway, the step textures look like totally different quality to the rocks. Are you running any mods?

#10
Tyraa Rane
Posted 21 February 2012 - 02:13 PM

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it could be because you are running a lower setting since you have a weaker GPU so some effects might not be showing.


Negatory. I have this issue, although not nearly as pronounced (you can really only see it in certain lighting conditions, or if you squint), with my character and I have everything set to Ultra except shadows. GPU is a 6970 2GB, Catalyst 12.1.

This is the best screenshot I could find of it. Again, hard to notice, since my character's rather pale by design :P, but her face is grayer than the rest of her. It's an outdoor screenshot on an overcast day / not facing the sun, which is when it's most noticeable as other people have said.

...Actually it's a bit noticeable here as well. There's a very obvious line at the neck there.

#11
zaraia
Posted 21 February 2012 - 04:03 PM

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It's could be a number of things, including a driver bug and from that screenshot things look inconsistent anyway, the step textures look like totally different quality to the rocks. Are you running any mods?


The pic in the OP isn't mine, but in the 4th post ITT I added a pic of my own:

http://i.imgur.com/BmC2u.jpg

That is a fresh install with no mods whatsoever.


Negatory. I have this issue, although not nearly as pronounced (you can really only see it in certain lighting conditions, or if you squint), with my character and I have everything set to Ultra except shadows. GPU is a 6970 2GB, Catalyst 12.1.

This is the best screenshot I could find of it. Again, hard to notice, since my character's rather pale by design :tongue:, but her face is grayer than the rest of her. It's an outdoor screenshot on an overcast day / not facing the sun, which is when it's most noticeable as other people have said.

...Actually it's a bit noticeable here as well. There's a very obvious line at the neck there.


Yep that looks like the same issue, are you also on Windows 7 64-bit?

#12
Tyraa Rane
Posted 21 February 2012 - 04:14 PM

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Yep that looks like the same issue, are you also on Windows 7 64-bit?


Yes, I am. I'll stick my dxdiag under the spoiler tag, just for kicks.

Spoiler

#13
zaraia
Posted 21 February 2012 - 04:43 PM

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Thanks Tyraa :)

As far as I can tell the OS is the only thing we three have in common.

#14
Uriel
Posted 21 February 2012 - 05:00 PM

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Try this one:

Show how to fix dark face NPC
point to NPC...open console command..type "setnpcweight 0"
then "setnpcweight 100"


#15
Bethra
Posted 21 February 2012 - 05:02 PM

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that works a little bit, but in my case it doesn't solve the problem. The problem is with my own character. I can change her weight in showracemenu, it does improve it slightly but it doesn't clear it completely.

Edited by Bethra, 21 February 2012 - 05:04 PM.

#16
zaraia
Posted 21 February 2012 - 05:27 PM

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that works a little bit .... it does improve it slightly


Really? For me it changes nothing at all. The colour is exactly the same.

Maybe the different lighting in the race menu gives you that impression, or the bug that makes you change skin colour (and lip colour) when entering it. Try using the setnpcweight command on your character, for me the only thing that changes on the screen is the body shape.

#17
Bethra
Posted 21 February 2012 - 06:19 PM

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I enter showracemenu, alter her weight to 0, save her, exit race menu, save game, re-enter and change her back to normal weight does improve her visually a little bit in game. Not enough to make me think of it as a fix.

I wonder if we should try setting up the question about people having this bug being 64 bit players as a poll? It might get more of a statistical answer that we can use to ask bethesda for a proper patch.

#18
Uriel
Posted 22 February 2012 - 03:50 AM

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That's not a fix ofcourse. It was meant to be a temporary solution until the bug will be fixed/reason will be found.

#19
zaraia
Posted 22 February 2012 - 04:21 AM

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I enter showracemenu, alter her weight to 0, save her, exit race menu, save game, re-enter and change her back to normal weight does improve her visually a little bit in game. Not enough to make me think of it as a fix.


Well ok but that doesn't change anything for me either.

I wonder if we should try setting up the question about people having this bug being 64 bit players as a poll? It might get more of a statistical answer that we can use to ask bethesda for a proper patch.


There's another person with the same issue on nexus who also uses 64-bit. I added the poll to the thread.

#20
Tyraa Rane
Posted 22 February 2012 - 10:10 AM

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There's another person with the same issue on nexus who also uses 64-bit. I added the poll to the thread.


Thanks. I also dropped a link to this thread in the Unofficial Buglist thread, so it should hopefully get some more attention there.

I'm still not convinced it's the OS that's our issue, though. Seems like it would be more widespread then, since I imagine a majority of gamers are on 7 x64 by now.

#21
throttlekitty
Posted 22 February 2012 - 11:34 AM

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How many of your characters had some playtime before using showracemenu to alter them? I'm not convinced that the command is working properly.

And if you start a new character, is it affected?

#22
Tyraa Rane
Posted 22 February 2012 - 11:39 AM

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How many of your characters had some playtime before using showracemenu to alter them? I'm not convinced that the command is working properly.

And if you start a new character, is it affected?


I've never used showracemenu to tweak my character at all. When I get some time today I'll try starting a new character and see what happens there.

#23
zaraia
Posted 22 February 2012 - 11:42 AM

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Thanks. I also dropped a link to this thread in the Unofficial Buglist thread, so it should hopefully get some more attention there.


Thanks.

I'm still not convinced it's the OS that's our issue, though. Seems like it would be more widespread then, since I imagine a majority of gamers are on 7 x64 by now.


You think so? I don't really know what the proportions are, but I've heard other users having problems with Skyrim on 64-bit (though rather not being able to install it at all). I also would have imagined it to be a combination of factors, but I can't really see anything else that we have in common. In either case, I think the OS is at least part of the problem.

It might also be that a lot of people have that issue, but don't notice it. Initially I thought this was just ugly design, it's when I saw screens/footage posted by others that I realised it wasn't normal.

How many of your characters had some playtime before using showracemenu to alter them? I'm not convinced that the command is working properly.

And if you start a new character, is it affected?


Yes, the first link in the OP is a picture of a newly created character right after entering Helgen's Keep. No showracemenu used.

Edited by zaraia, 22 February 2012 - 11:55 AM.

#24
zaraia
Posted 24 February 2012 - 09:30 AM

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So Bethra, I assume you haven't heard back from Bethesda.

#25
Mr Reiper
Posted 24 February 2012 - 01:46 PM

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:confused: I always thought that this was a bug from ye old. Different parts for head, torso, hands and feet means the light shader that hits each individual body part equals a unique outcome for each part. Its nothing to do with the OS and was quite prominent in the Fallout games why not Skyrim too...

#26
Bethra
Posted 24 February 2012 - 02:13 PM

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So Bethra, I assume you haven't heard back from Bethesda.

Heard back but because I had mentioned I had a mod on the game they decided that it wasn't anything to do with them. I wrote back to inform them that the problem was also apparent on my game from a vanilla restart where every trace of the game had been wiped from my computer and am waiting to see if that helps them to rethink their 'nothing to do with us' response.

Mr Reiper - Slight differences in shading is one thing and yes i noticed it slightly in Oblivion, was fairly easy to ignore, after all a character who goes round critter bashing for half her life is going to have a slightly more weather beaten sunburnt face but that is nothing to what we are seeing now. Sickly grey green faces that make our characters look like they have been drowned - totally spoils the game from my point of view (or rather from 3rd person view) .
I wouldn't mind that so tremendously but because the effect on all the NPC's in the game seems to have carried over from my previous game (even though I removed absolutely everything from steam apps and the ini files and reloaded both steam and the game from scratch) its difficult to even enjoy being in a town or city and looking at these NPC's. I'm going to have another go at removing everything and starting again, will run diagnostics and ccleaner once the game is uninstalled etc try to remove every trace of the game before restarting it and see if that helps at all.
Bit sad about it really but I have played the main quest and the civil war quest through once so haven't really lost anything by having another go - just wish that the game didn't have these buggy issues and I could just enjoy it without spending more time trying to fix problems than actually playing it.

#27
zaraia
Posted 25 February 2012 - 01:23 PM

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OK it's definitely not an OS issue, I just tried running it on another partition on the same machine I usually use, except with Windows Vista installed.

Exact same problem.

#28
puddumper
Posted 25 February 2012 - 03:31 PM

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My game looks fine. Clean shadows and textures indoors and out. From the picks i'm thinking maybe a conflict of some kind. That is shadows are CPU generated and not finding their way to the GFX card to be properly renderd.

I did 2 picks. 1 is low settings and no DCL. The other is Ultra with DLC. Both are with the face in the shade. Good shadow rendering from low to Ultra.

low setting
http://cloud.steampo...40F4A2329A05C4/

ultra setting
http://cloud.steampo...CEE49FA55F0E26/

edit... this pick shows how the grey should look at noon time... The body does not have a grey base like the face. No need realy.
http://cloud.steampo...041062F88016F5/

In this pic. Look at under the arms. You can see where the gray could show through. You can see how the grey is used as a base. It shows up in around the neck. Also a little under the cheek bones.

With the all grey face pic's. Seems the only color you get. Follow's the HDR or bloom path. Its not just the face missing a big chunk of color. Its the whole game.

Edited by puddumper, 25 February 2012 - 08:22 PM.

#29
zaraia
Posted 25 February 2012 - 07:09 PM

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My game looks fine. Clean shadows and textures indoors and out. From the picks i'm thinking maybe a conflict of some kind. That is shadows are CPU generated and not finding their way to the GFX card to be properly renderd.

I did 2 picks. 1 is low settings and no DCL. The other is Ultra with DLC. Both are with the face in the shade. Good shadow rendering from low to Ultra.

low setting
http://cloud.steampo...40F4A2329A05C4/

ultra setting
http://cloud.steampo...CEE49FA55F0E26/


Yup, that's the way it should look.



I was about to delete the poll since as I said it doesn't seem to be OS related after all, but I have to say I'm a bit surprised at the unanimous result. Does really everyone use 7-64?

#30
puddumper
Posted 25 February 2012 - 08:43 PM

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Yup, that's the way it should look. I was about to delete the poll since as I said it doesn't seem to be OS related after all, but I have to say I'm a bit surprised at the unanimous result. Does really everyone use 7-64?


47% of the player base on Steam uses windows 7 64bit. Just loaded up my old Might and Magic yesterday. Windows 98 ME. Runs great.

Not all Windows 7 64 bit is the same. Pro and Ultra come with full support for all windows OS 32 bit to 64 bit. I had Morrowind, Oblvion, and Skyrim running at the same time. Wanted to see the ram amount for each game and see if maybe they would have some conflict with each other. No conflicts.

They ran perfect. All 3 theme music running at the same time. Pulled 7.3 gigs of ram total. Each provided a clean fresh 32 bit ( 340K) OS by the Windows 7 64 bit OS. Morrowind used about 245k of ram. Oblivion 540k. Skyrim 1.56 gig. Hehe could be TES VI could be around 4.5 gigs.

Edited by puddumper, 25 February 2012 - 08:52 PM.

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