Most Skyrim players get into modding to overhaul the base game’s graphics, which aren’t aging particularly well. Bethesda’s pro-modding stance has paid off, as content creators have churned out some of the most amazing graphical mods ever made, particularly when it comes to the environment. By installing a few of these mods, Skyrim undergoes a radical visual transformation.
In fact, some of the best mods are absolutely mind-blowing, changing everything from the grass, to tree models, and even the structural makeup of the environment. There are plenty of reasons to replay Skyrim today, and modding the game’s environment is one of the most enjoyable.
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DynDOLOD
• Legendary version | Special Edition version
Many Skyrim gamers are intimidated by DynDOLOD because of its interface and a misunderstanding of what it does, but it’s a relatively straightforward process. DynDOLOD stands for “dynamic distant objects LOD,” which creates stand-ins for the various trees, structures, and other items strewn throughout the environment.
The objective is to virtually eliminate pop-ups of these items as the players moves forward. By default, Skyrim cannot draw in these items over vast distances, and this can seriously destroy any sense of immersion. Generating proper LOD in Skyrim is the key to achieving beautiful visuals and enthralling immersion that completely enhances the game. DynDOLOD has recently been updated to version 3, with a separate Resources pack (for Legendary and Special Edition) that should be downloaded alongside it.
Origins Of Forest – 3D Forest Grass
• Special Edition only
It can be difficult to pick the right grass mod for Skyrim, but it’s wise to opt for one that blends realism and graphical quality with performance. Origins of Forest is one such grass mod, and it’s a relatively new player in the grass mod game. It also happens to be one of the best looking of the bunch.
This 3D grass mod overhauls the forest floor with spectacular grass models and textures that give off a sense of realism rarely glimpsed with other mods. It was designed to work with the famous Jedi Trees mod, but that’s not a hard requirement. Adding this to the load order guarantees a vivid, lush new Skyrim that feels lore-friendly.
Folkvangr Grass
• Special Edition only
Folkvangr is another brand new grass mod released in January of 2021 that brings modern visual clarity to Skyrim. The level of beauty and depth in this grass mod is difficult to put into words, and can only be glimpsed in pictures, or – better yet – during play.
It can (and should) be used in conjunction with both Origins of Forest and Jedi Trees in order to create the most stunning and realistic version of Skyrim up to this point. The mod offers several different, highly detailed, and gorgeous grass types that bring high fantasy beauty to Skyrim in a way that nobody could have ever imagined.
Enhanced Landscapes
• Special Edition only
This mod peppers Skyrim’s landscape with a variety of different objects in order to spruce up the visuals, and make the province feel more authentic and historical. It directly affects forests, city outskirts, mountains, and other areas of the game with extra clutter, and a few careful landscape edits.
Everything feels lore-friendly, which is important for those who want a more immersive experience. The mod is also compatible with DynDOLOD to create even better and more beautiful long-distance visuals, making Enhanced Landscapes a definite must-have.
The Great Forest Of Whiterun Hold
• Legendary version | Special Edition version
The area near Whiterun is essentially a large open valley with practically no tree cover to speak of, and that’s a missed opportunity. This mod aims to fix that by installing a massive (to put it mildly) forest smack dab in the middle of the open area. The result is a gorgeous forest that players can get lost in as they explore.
Not only does this add to the visual splendor of Whiterun, but it also encourages players to venture off the road, perhaps with a Skyrim companion or two at their side. It’s a lot harder to find caves, ruins, and other key areas of interest, which is part of the fun. Those who use the Campfire mod will love the feeling of camping out late at night too.
Jedi Trees
• Special Edition only
Tree mods are nothing new, and they vary in scope and purpose. Some seek to enhance the vanilla trees, while others overhaul the entire system with new 3D models and textures. Jedi Trees is one of the newest, and most amazing tree mods to come out in some time, and it’s largely considered one of the reigning champs.
The mod brings a level of depth, clarity, and high resolution to Skyrim’s trees that should technically be impossible for a game this old. When combined with other mods like Folkvangr grass and Origins of Forest, it can turn Skyrim from an average-looking adventure game into something straight out of the Lord of the Rings films.
Ancient Land
• Legendary version | Special Edition version
There are a ton of mods that add brand new locations into Skyrim, but this particular mod prefers to inject various new objects into the environment for the sake of immersion. More architecture is added into the game in the form of ancient ruins, statues, and watchtowers, making Skyrim feel thousands of years old, with a history and culture to match.
The mod adds a level of depth to the outside environment and gives players new things to see. There are no quest add-ons or anything of the like, but that’s not the point. It is designed to make Skyrim feel more realistic, allowing players to get lost in the beauty of the game.
Blended Roads
• Legendary version | Special Edition version
Skyrim didn’t become one of the best PC games of all time simply for its gameplay. Environment modders have done yeoman’s work to overhaul some of the ugliest parts of the game, including Blended Roads, which is a must-have when it comes to graphical detailing and fidelity. It overhauls the texture blending and implementation of the various roads and paths in Skyrim, eliminating seams and other eyesores that can pop up.
Special Edition users might want to install the Blended Roads Redone SE file, offering higher fidelity textures up to 8K. This ensures that the roads in Skyrim will look their absolute best at all times. As always, be sure to keep an eye out for compatibility patches in order to work with other mods.
Convenient Bridges
• Legendary version | Special Edition version
Convenient Bridges was first released for “Oldrim” back in 2014 in alpha format, but a Special Edition beta version was ported shortly thereafter. Both offer a sense of historical immersion by implementing a series of makeshift bridges into Skyrim, which adds a lot to the experience.
The bridges themselves have either been cobbled together with wood planks and a few nails, or they’re the result of natural phenomena, such as collapsed ruins and trees. Not only does this make it easier to get around Skyrim, but it also adds to the feeling of adventure, which is a double-win.
Majestic Mountains
• Legendary version | Special Edition version
There are many mountain mods for Skyrim, all of which overhaul the drab, clunky, and unattractive rockfaces in the game. Majestic Mountains is one of the most downloaded, and for good reason. It’s a must-have for many of today’s most seasoned Skyrim modders.
The mod itself offers several different choices of mountain type, including a light and dark version. It also integrates well with DynDOLOD to generate better-looking distanced visuals. Special Edition players should also install Better Dynamic Majestic Mountains to fix a visual bug in the game.