Skyrim Mod Questions Options

[Renee]

But what if the mod author doesn't provide the loose files?

In this case, David Brasher (mod author) did provide them. I was not aware of this at first.

BSA Browser is a good program that I've used for cracking BSA's. It should work for all Bethesda games except ESO. It does come in handy searching for suspected missing textures and meshes. When I was playing Skyrim, I used BSA Browser a lot to grab armor and weapon resources to make custom arms and armors.

Oh nice, do you have a link? I've never broke open a BSA before, but tegeus-Cromis did one time for me, for Kvatch Rising. I don't understand. Why do modders try using .BSAs if they seem to have problems like this?

Like I said, the mod author for Vigilant of Stendarr Quests did provide a .BSA, but I didn't realize he also left an archive full of loose files as well. The installation instructions said nothing about this though, so for about 5 years I've been wanting to try this mod, but had no idea why it didn't work.

Granted, I'm still learning about modding, even though I've been PC gaming for 7 years now, I don't know everything.

This post has been edited by Renee: Feb 16 2021, 03:44 PM

[ghastley]

Is it possible for scripts to be installed into a BSA file?

I am asking because I have Vigilants of Stendarr Quests, which has some problems with stages not setting and just generally, some stuff works, some stuff obviously does not work. "Come speak to me when you're ready" the mod's main NPC says. So I do this, and there's no new dialog. My character waits, my character sleeps, my characters goes outside and waits. Sometimes, all this waiting/sleeping will cause missing dialog to suddenly show up.

So I go into the mod's .esp file and notice all of its scripts are missing. In its Papyrus Script boxes, it'll say ; CODE NOT LOADED over and over. But no scripts! The mod has a BSA file though, so I wonder if they're stored in there. Never torn a BSA apart before, but i know it's possible.

Two answers here:
1. Yes, the .pex files can be included in the .bsa archive.
2. But when the CS is trying to load them, it's looking for the .psc ones. Papyrus SCriot files get compiled into Papyrus EXecutables when you hit the compile.save buttons. depending on where you're doing it. You don't have to include the .psc files in a working mod (although most authors do so). And the .bsa could have them, but in the wrong place,depending on how the archive was built. Even Beth could get it straight, with DLC source in subfolders where the CS doesn't look.

[Renee]

Ha, that's interesting. Go figure. Yes, that is one thing which I remember... at first I thought the David Brasher team simply forgot to install any scripts. So I began trying to write my own (setstages and such) but then I also realized that some other gamers posting on that mod's page seemed to have no problems getting it to run. David Brasher is a name I know from Oblivion, I've got about a half-dozen of his mods in OB, so I feel I can trust his work.

But when I was trying to write my own scripts, I do remember the CK kept complaining bout missing .PSCs (maybe it was missing .PEXs ... something like that). I still don't really get why BSAs are used then (except by Beth themselves) but at least I solved my own problem.

This post has been edited by Renee: Feb 16 2021, 09:32 PM

[ghastley]

The main reason for mod authors to use .bsa files is that get loaded in the same order as the .esp's so things all overwrite together. Load oder can be swapped around until things work, but with loose files, install order is what matyers, and that's a lot more work to correct. Having something like Wrye Bash helps with that, nut it's still more work that adjusting load order.