5 replies to this topic

[mikegray]

Hi guys!

 

I'm active in Skyrim gaming and modding, but I'm taking a while off to discover the Dragon Age world. I'm really enjoying my first run through DA:O, so, naturally, I want to mod it!

 

I run the game on a pretty sweet rig: i5 2500k @ 4.5, 8g RAM, multiple SSDs, Radeon r9 290x, Dell u2711 at 2560 x 1440.

 

I've installed the following mods/hacks:

- 4GB patch 

- JB3 (base module + JB3Narmor and JB3Nenvironment)

- Improved Atmosphere (I installed Beta 2 ENTIRELY - I figured I'd just accept that modder's vision and run with it.)

- Combat Tweaks

- Dialogue Tweaks

- Character Respecialization (cause I messed up!)

- Sleep until Dawn (cause it looked cute!)

- The Icons Project (added after I noticed I was missing a few ... )

 

For such a small load of mods, I just downloaded manually to an extra folder and used DAUpdater.exe to install. Everything slid in just fine.

 

However, even though I only have two of the extra JB3 modules installed (yeah, I read the readme!), I still get considerable instability when I try to use it - particularly (it seems) when I'm around mages. For example, I wasn't able to make it through the Mage Asunder level without a crash - until I backtracked, moved my JB3 folder and re-started the level.

 

That's a pity, cause, really, JB3 is the only one of those mods I REALLY want. With a screen the size of mine, a little extra pretty sure is nice!

 

So ... what would you guys recommend?

Edited by mikegray, 27 January 2014 - 02:40 PM.

[Thandal]

The two mods most likely to cause problems when used with other mods are...

 

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(Wait for it...)

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"Improved Atmosphere", and "JB3 Textures".

 

IA for other reasons, and JB3 for the reason you're experiencing.

 

There are other HD texture mods for DAO that don't seem to have this problem.  You might look at HDR Textures.

 

(IA, unfortunately, is hopeless.  Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow.  But you will encounter a game breaking problem if you use it with any other mod that changes certain items, animations, body models, or scripted actions.)

[mikegray]

Oh, shoot!

 

Being a veteran of Skyrim modding (i.e., having laid waste to countless savegames!) I always preach "safer modding" to Skyrim newbies. But it looks like I messed up on my first attempt with this  game. 

 

So ... uh ... having already wedged IA into my current savegame, would you happen to know which of my OTHER mods are going to have problems with it? Or is it all of them?

 

Or, is it possible to get IA (or certain parts of it) OUT of the savegame without making a mess of things? IA seems t be designed so that you don't have to use all of its modules. (Though I'm not too clear baout how to get them out once they're in ... )

Edited by mikegray, 28 January 2014 - 11:17 AM.

[Thandal]

It's totally possible to remove IA.  What may not be possible is to remove all the impacts it had on your saves. 

 

Due to the way the Eclipse game engine works, certain elements are baked-in to your saves and remain there even if the mod that created them is gone.  In some cases, that doesn't matter, (e.g. a chestplate made of non-vanilla material might suddenly be "invisible", along with the character's body, for as long as the item is equipped.)  But other changes have impacts on the game-play itself, and result in the save not even loading if IA isn't installed.   Even "Force Load" won't get some of those saves to be playable.

 

It doesn't hurt to try.  Remove it and see.  If your save will load, great!  If not, chose the next earlier one and try again.  Rinse-Repeat.  You can always stick it back in if you want to try to finish that game. (But see my earlier warning about the dangers of doing that!.)   Only you can decide if it's worth the effort, or if it would be better to start over. 

 

I chose "Start Over" when I removed IA from my install, but I'd already played through many times before then anyway. 

[mikegray]

Heya!

 

I just wanted to say thanks for your advice. Some RL stuff got in the way, and I haven't had much time to play (and play with) DA:O, but having now arrived in Denerim, it's pretty clear that I'm borked - getting crashes all over.

 

I had initially removed JB3 and kept on playing, thinking I was going to be OK. Got a few crashes, but I figured that was just life with mods. Now that I'm in Denerim it's clear that I need to get my IA issues worked out better and re-start Denerim (at least). (Unless I want to play the game with half the people in their skivvies ... ) I'll ask more specific questions in the IA thread. (There seems to be a more recent "fix" download for IA ... I'm hoping that it'll solve the crashes without having to restart.)

 

For now, thanks again!

Edited by mikegray, 01 February 2014 - 02:41 PM.

[Thandal]

Good Luck!

 

Keep us posted.