Installing Mods with Steam version

[pikosauce1201]

Hello.

 

While I have seen other topics asking this question and there were replies to them, I simply don't understand.

 

when I try to activate the mods, I get an error that tells me it can't find a specific path. That path being: users/Administrator/documents/bioware/dragon age/settings/addins.xml

 

 

but the Dragon's Age Ultimate Edition i purchased is through steam, and it's path is not what I typed above, it's Program Files (x86)/steam/steamapps/common/dragon age ultimate edition/packages/core

 

That's the only path I have, I have even tried searching for a bioware/dragon age/settings.addins.xml path with no results.

 

 

What am I not understanding about how to get this done.

 

 

(also, in case it makes a difference, I am using the Nexus Mod Manager (fully updated, which I use for at least 4 other games)

 

 

Thank you for any and all replies.

[Thandal]

Ok, there are two different sets of folders involved here. What makes it much more comlicated than it needed to be is that Bioware used the EXACT SAME STRUCTURE AND NAMING for both sets.

 

One is for the game's actual "program files".

That one can take a number of different paths, depending on the install medium.

 

The basic, retail disc, WinXP install would place these folders under:

"C:\Program Files\Dragon Age..."

 

A retail disc, Win7/64-bit install would place them under:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Dragon Age..."

 

A Steam install would place them under:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steamapps\Common\Dragon Age..."

 

An EA/Origin install would place them under:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin\Origin Games\Dragon Age..."

 

But as a player using (almost any) mods, YOU CAN IGNORE THOSE FOLDERS.

 

As a player, you are interested in the set of folders under your user profile.

 

On a WinXP system this is: "C:\users\<username>\My Documents..."

So on a WinXP system you'd be looking for the folders under:

"C:\users\<username>\My Documents\Bioware\Dragon Age..."

 

The most commonly referenced folder for mods is the "\override" folder.

 

On a WinXP system this is:

"C:\users\<username>\My Documents\Bioware\Dragon Age\packages\core\override"

 

In the case of the mod you mention in your post, the path that should have been listed would have been:

"C:\users\<username>\My Documents\Bioware\Dragon Age\settings\addins".

 

But for folks with the UE, that's still not quite right. With the UE, BioWare placed all the DLC (which is what the "addins" folder is for) under "\Program Files..." instead of under the user's profile where it used to be. However, the only types of mods that use the "\addins" folders are (or should be) pakaged as ".dazip" files, so you should probably be using DAUpdater (or DAO-ModManager, or DAModder) to handle those instead of trying to do so by-hand.

[darkmanifest]

I use Dragon Age Ultimate Edition on Steam. Mods don't do anything to your game installation folder (which is Program Files (x86)/steam/steamapps/common/dragon age ultimate edition/packages/core), they're supposed to route to your My Documents folder, and almost all of them do so automatically. If your mods aren't doing that by default, that means the Bioware folder was created somewhere the mods can't find it, and I can't tell you where that might be without knowing how your drive is set up, what version of Windows you're using, or if you're using an Administrator account. Find your Bioware folder (that's where your saves go), and you'll find the filepath the mods need to use. Though why they can't find them automatically is a mystery to me; that should happen no matter how your drive is set up, unless you simply don't have a My Documents folder at all.

[pikosauce1201]

Yeah, I don't know what to make of all this.

 

I even downloaded the DAO specific modder tools, and even they keep coming back with the same error that the Nexus Mod Manager comes up with.

 

Answering a couple questions I do know of.

 

1. I am using Windows 7 (64bit) Home Edition

 

2. I am using the Admin account

 

3. I have no idea how to determine how my hard drive was formatted (bought this computer assembled and tested by the company I purchased it from)

 

 

I attempted also to just install everything manually, but several of the mods I was trying to use, say I have to use DAO modmanager for a step in the manual install process and thanks the error I can't even accomplish it this way.

 

This is the path I found with the Bioware folder:

C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\BioWare\Dragon Age\Packages\Core\Override

 

and I do see at least 2 mod folders within (even though the managers kept throwing errors at me about not being able to find a part of the path).

 

 

I'm not sure what I need to do here? Can I somehow manually recreate the appropriate needed path that both the game and the mod managers will recognize and accept?

 

 

thanks for the continued help.

[Thandal]

@pikosauce1201;

 

We really need to know the exact mod(s) you're talking about to be able to provide more than generic advice. :ermm:

 

Mods for DAO can take several different forms, each needing their own handling. The NMM understands most, but not all of them (It can place many sorts in what it thinks is the right location, but you have to tell it what that is when you first install it.) DAMM understands most including its unique ".override" format, but not ones packaged as ".zip" files. DAM understands most, but not ".override". And DAUpdater only understands ".dazip" files.

 

Further complicating things is the fact that (as noted in my previous post above) the UE moved the location of the "\addins" folder from under the user's profile to under "\Program Files".

 

So helping you means we have to know exactly which mods you're trying to install.

 

==============

 

NOTE FOR FUTURE REFERENCE: It's probably not worth trying to fix now, but whoever set-up your machine probably should have named that account your using ("Administrator") something else. It really makes things confusing when trying to sort out issues that involve needing actual "System Administrator" privileges verus issues that are specific to the individual user account involved.

 

On most systems that main account you're using would have been named something that you chose for yourself.

 

Whenever you're reading through instructions or descriptions you'll have to remember that you have an administrator account which just happens to be CALLED "Administrator". In certain cases, even though you've logged-on to that account you'll still have to use the "Run as Administrator" functionality (and Windows won't be talking about your account name!) And one could always make an account on a Windows box with that name that doesn't have administrator priviliges. So keep the difference in mind. :thumbsup:

[pikosauce1201]

Ok, So, strangely (or not depending on perspective) There was an update process of some kind, when I opened NMM today, some of the mods that were giving me problems previously were titled as being updated, and now some of those have installed.

 

 

The ones still giving me problems though are:

 

Hsli Sexy mage robes

http://dragonage.nexusmods.com/mods/1342/?tab=3&navtag=%2Fajax%2Fmodimages%2F%3Fid%3D1342%26user%3D1&pUp=1

 

Specific File: Hsli Sexy Mage Robes All in One 2_55

 

 

The Phoenix Armory for Females

http://dragonage.nexusmods.com/mods/1660/?tab=1&navtag=%2Fajax%2Fmoddescription%2F%3Fid%3D1660%26preview%3D&pUp=1

 

Specific File: The Phoenix Armory v1_0e

 

 

The Winter Forge

http://dragonage.nexusmods.com/mods/122/?

 

Specific File: Lastest release

 

 

The Artifacts Of Souls And Swords

http://dragonage.nexusmods.com/mods/1162/?tab=2&navtag=%2Fajax%2Fmodfiles%2F%3Fid%3D1162&pUp=1

 

Specific File: Soul Calibur Awakened

 

 

Thank you for the clarifying information and continued help.

 

 

 

[Thandal]

The Nexus Mod Manager (NMM) is still very much a BETA version and can't (yet) deal with certain complexities of some DA mods.

 

Three of the four mods that are "still giving you trouble" are packaged as "dazip" files, which as I've noted twice now need to be placed in the "\addins" folder that the UE placed a DIFFERENT location than any other versions. (NMM expects that folder to be under the user's profile, but for the UE it's under "\Program Files".)

 

And the last, HSLI's stuff, is a ".override: file designed for DAMM (DAO-ModManager).
See the Description:

 

Changes:
...
2. Now requires DAO Modmanager for installation and configuration.

...

 

So you'll just have to install those mods the old fashioned way:

... by following the instructions the author(s) provided. :thumbsup:

[pikosauce1201]

ok, Maybe I am just confused.

 

 

I don't have to load my game using a single mod manager program?

 

 

See, (and this might have just been newbie error) the first game I ever used a mod manager for was Fallout New Vegas (I Think) and even though I got a retail box, I it somehow ended up via steam.

 

For whatever reasons, I could never get my mods to load, unless I launched the game from the mod manager itself. So since then, I've been under the impression that I need to launch stuff from a single manager (because launching from 2 or 3 different ones would likely just launch the game 2-3 times).

 

 

So, just making sure whats going on here?: I can load the mods using any number of different managers, and they will still be there no matter how I launch the game?

 

and 1 other question.

 

I downloaded DAMM via the download with manager link, So NMM downloaded the DAMM, but I don't understand how to then use the DAMM for the specific mods that need it. (I tried activating DAMM, like I would do with mods, but came back with a similar error about not being able to find a part of a path)

 

 

( I really apologize for my obvious lack of "getting it", please bare with me) Thank you.

[Thandal]

Ok, FNV (and Skyrim, and I presume all Bethesda games from now on) will require Steam to activate and update it. Doesn't matter where you got your copy of the original bits: Steam itself, retail disc from Gamestop, through Amazon, etc. To be legal you must have a Steam account and activate/register it there.

 

Not so with Dragon Age. (At least not so far. But BioWare does seem to be moving in that direction, only using the EA/Origin client instead.)

 

But regardless of the DRM mechanism, Dragon Age (the game itself) does not know or care about "mod managers". It also doesn't care about "load order", at least not the way BethSoft games do. So, for example, you could install and use all FOUR managers (NMM, DAMM, DAM, and the built-in DAUpdater) and they would all play nice with the game and with each other. And you don't have to use ANY of them to launch the game and still have all your mods work. :thumbsup:

 

(But when you say "they will still be there", I presume you mean the mods you installed using each of them. In which case, yes. DAMM is the only one that can make changes "in media res".)

 

As for "not getting it", see this article: Using Dragon Age Mods for Dummies, and this download: DAO-Modmanager Manual.

[pikosauce1201]

 

 

As for "not getting it", see this article: Using Dragon Age Mods for Dummies, and this download: DAO-Modmanager Manual.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe computers are too complicated for me lol, but I cannot seem to get files onto DOA modder itself, and I did try to get the manual but, I cannot figure out how to open it in my browser as the description says to do.

I'm not even given an option in right clicked popup menu for that, and the suggests on my browser's support site like Ctrl+O or Dragging the File into my browser did absolutely nothing.

I am using Chrome for my browser. this might be an issue, but I have never had anything but problems using IE or Firefox....So, perhaps there is still a way to get it to work on Chrome....but I am at a loss.

Edited July 22, 2013 by pikosauce1201