theskymoves

Yes, DAO ModManager will uninstall DAzips installed with daupdater.exe; that's actually my preferred method of dealing with DAzips (install w/ daupdater. manage with DO Modmanager). It's always a good idea to check the Documents/Bioware/Dragon Age/AddIns and \Documents\BioWare\Dragon Age\packages\core\data folder for stray files from an uninstalled mod... DAO ModManager usually uninstalls mods cleanly, but stuff happens and it's better to be safe than sorry. It's usually okay to remove DAzips mid-game, but it's a case-by-case thing and dependent on what the mod does. For example, a gameplay overhaul probably can't be safely removed from an in-progress save, while a mod that just adds weapons or armor can be uninstalled with no ramifications (as long as none of the items from that mod are equipped by any characters at the time of removal). A mod that adds additional cutscenes can be uninstalled, but one that changes NPC attire cannot (unless NPCs with missing gear are acceptable)... it is truly case-by-case. DAO sabve games retain a list of any DAzip mods that were installed at the time, and ;oading a save that has had a mod removed will result in a popup warning that the mod is missing. It's usually possible to 'force load' through that warning, but again, that depend on the kind of mod that was removed. As for extracting assets from DAzips... DAzip archives can be 'unzipped' with 7Zip, which will result in a folder with a 'Manfiest' file and a 'Contents' folder (with nested 'addins' and 'packages' folders and a series of folders within those two). The mod assets are usually packaged within that folder structure in several ERF archives (ERF > Encapsulated Resource File), rather than as loose files. A DAzip mod that adds items (like KE) can generally be extracted from the DAzip archive and as a manual override, by just placing the resulting extracted folder in override. (Omit the Manifest.xml file; that isn't needed for an override.) To install just one item or a few (in case that is what you are asking), you'd first extract all the files from the ERFs (with pyGFF) and then isolate the files for the desired items. (List of file types used by DAO.) The files for an item will typically be UTI GDA MSH MMH MAO PHY DDS MET and a delivery script NCS NSS There will usually be three/four texture files (Diffuse/Normal/Specular/Tint), though there may also be an additional DSS (Emissive) if the item 'glows' (as with the Meredith greatsword). For armor/clothing items, there will be a separate set of files for each race/gender that can equip the item. There may be multiples of model/texture files, if LOD files for distance viewing are included. A MET file is not always present. Ditto the NSS script source file. If the mod includes multiple items of the same type, a single GDA will generally include information about all of them, potentially creating conflicts if other item mods are installed. I use GDApp to remove the extraneous data for any items I'm not actually installing, though in a lightly modded game that is probably not necessary. Once all the needed files are accounted for, it's just a matter of sticking them in a folder, putting that folder in the manual override, and then using the console script to deliver the item(s). It's a lot of extra work and overhead, and probably unwarranted for the average player, but I use a truly stupid number of mods and paring things down to only the things I'm actually using helps avoid conflicts and keeps my install healthy. (And me, happy.)

I've used parts of the mod since 2011, and the only issue I've ever had was the oft-reported broken script for some of the Orlesian noble armors. (I fixed that with a script available here.) Note that I now extract the mod's files and only install the items I actually intend to use, rather than installing the DAzip as-is. Back in the day I did install and use the mod 'conventionally', though. IMO, there's nothing in the mod that could ruin a PC or brick a game. It adds some weapon/armor assets (meshes, textures, UTIs), and simple scripts to deliver those items, in-game. Other issues that I see reported, like parts of the mod not uninstalling correctly, seem to be situational. I tested that in my install, by installing and then uninstalling KE, and the mod manager I use (DAO ModManager) cleanly uninstalled the mod, with no stray files left behind.

EA/BioWare did not encrypt the DLC accidentally. It was a deliberate anti-piracy measure.

A save before entering Lothering. (I think I mention that in the ReadMe. I'll check and if not, I'll add that to the description.)

KIrkwall Exports includes a port of the sword.

Uploaded an edited UTC file for Leliana here. (It's not in the mod description yet, but the download is under the Main files section.) Didn't test it in-game. (I don't have any saves near the end of the Prelude, sorry...)

I looked through the DAO modding files I still have, and I don't have anything on DLC item properties.

You can't extract from DLC ERF archives because they are encrypted. (Awakening assets are the exception to that rule.) Any discussion of the hacking tools required to 'unlock' DLC files is against Nexus rules, so the only advice anyone can give you here is 'Google it'. And the reason for the encryption is, that's how EA/BioWare made them. I'll check my old modding files and see if I have a list of property IDs from DLCs.

One other thing to try if the game is crashing would be to install it on a regular HDD, rather than on a SSD. Good luck and happy gaming!

No. The engine memory leak hasn't been addressed by BioWare. (The most recent patch for the game was 1.05, in 2011, and at that time was represented as being the final patch.) There are, however, some other things that can be done to mitigate the instability of the game. Using a Windows compatibility mod (like Windows XP SP3 or Windows 7) can help. Avoid hi resolution 'retexture' mods; the engine cannot handle them. (mods with heavy background scripting can also be problematic.) Turning off any overlays programs (such as the EA/Steam/GOG in-game features, or screencapping programs like Fraps) will help. Forcing the game to use DirectX 9 can also help, as can developing a habit of saving periodically and reloading that save before continuing. And some folks swear by limiting the number of cores the game runs on. I do all of the above, sans the core limit, and my game runs without any issues whatsoever... a steady 58-60 FPS, no crashing, no lag, with approx. 100 DAzip mods installed, and close to 8GB of files in my override folder... not sure if that qualifies as tonnes of mods, though.

I have a file that added a shield to Gilmore... I'll package it up and upload it ASAP. (Edit: Uploaded here.)

The value in EquippableSlots is arrived at the same way as for determining what item slots are required for an ItemSet bonus to take effect. There's an explanation of how to calculate the number for a set bonus in this tutorial, basically, you add together a unique value assigned to the desired item slots. I'm not sure what GDA sets out the values to be used, but they can be found in the EquipSlots tab of the BITM_base.xls source spreadsheet, installed by the toolset. And they are: MELEE_MAIN 1 MELEE_OFFHAND 2 RANGED_AMMUNITION 4 CHEST 16 HEAD 32 BOOTS 64 GLOVES 128 CLOAK (not used by game) 256 RING1 512 RING2 1024 NECK 2048 BELT 4096 BITE (not sure what this is) 8192 shale shoulders (cut) 16384 SHALE_CHEST 32768 SHALE_RIGHTARM 65536 shale leftarm (cut) 131072 DOG_WARPAINT 262144 DOG_COLLAR 524288 Quick example of how it works: if you wanted an item type to be equippable in the Ring1, Ring2, and Dog Collar slots, you'd add 512 + 1024 + 524288 = 525824 The value you'd then enter into the GDA EquippableSlots field for the item type would be 525824 If you look at the vanilla bitm_base.GDA file, you'll see some examples of the calculation method in use. The EquippableSlots value for longswords, daggers, and maces (which can be equipped in both the main and offhand slots) is '3', or 1 + 2 The value for Rings is 1536 (512 + 1024),as they are not restricted to one slot or the other.

Can you link to the mod, please? I'm not seeing a KS Hairs for Companions for DAO, just one for DA2. :ermm:

To 'manage' override mods, in terms of installing/uninstalling them, can be accomplished by using a mod manager, like DAO ModManager (requires the creation of proprietary '.override' archives), DAModder (can handle zip/7zip, and maybe RAR), or a general manager like NMM or Vortex. That won't help with determining what mod takes precedence when there are conflicting files, though. DAO uses a primitive 'load order' system to accomplish that. Files in the override folder have priority over DAzip installed mods. And then the override folder itself is subject to a load order of sorts: the folders within the override folder load in reverse alphabetical order from Z-to-A. The game engine is supposed to load the first instance of a file name, and ignore any subsequent files with the same name… in theory, at least. The reality is that sometimes the game will ignore multiple identically named files in override - especially NPC morphs and GDAs - and revert to vanilla. T he game will load the folders in override using a simple alpha-numerical reverse order system, with the last folder in 0-9 A-Z being the one that gets priority. (Always put override mods in there own folders... loose files in override can't be 'managed' at all) So if your override folder has subfolders called Acme Mod Best Mod Ever Change That Thing NOW My DAO Mod Really Cool Mod the game will give them priority in the reverse order: Really Cool Mod My DAO Mod Change That Thing NOW Best Mod Ever Acme Mod with the files in Really Cool Mod being the ones that the game uses, and conflicting files from the other mods being ignored. Now, if you prefer the changes from Change That Thing NOW, you can 'prioritize' that mod just by changing the name of the folder, so it falls later in the alphabet. The most common prepend is 'zz_' or the like, but other letters can be used to fine-tune the order... and using that technique, the mods can be reordered as aa_Really Cool Mod My DAO Mod zz_Best Mod Ever zzz_Acme Mod zzzz_Change That Thing NOW with the order that the game loads them being the reverse; zzzz_Change That Thing NOW having priority over aa_Really Cool Mod. Having said all that, it really is best to avoid mod conflicts, rather than trying to work around them with 'load order'.

In my install, they are in one of the subfolders of Origin Games\Dragon Age\addins\dao_prc_ep_1; it may differ depending on the source of the game (EA/Origin, Steam, GOG, physical media...).