DA2 Resources

[HollownessDevoured]

So I have been playing a bit with some resources like the gffeditor and I seem to be able to get DAO: Awakening things to DAO but DA2 crashes game upon loading. I think I remember reading once it if because DA2 is a newer generation of files types but clearly so people have gotten DA2 and even Inquisition items to DAO but I was wondering how. Unless it is some advance reverse engineering hacks or something like that, but I am at a loss.

 

Also I noticed a lot of mod resources that basically cover what other mod resources are missing (Loincloth Fashion, Kirkwall Exports and Back to Ferelden for example or Inquisition Mage Armour and Elven Adept Robes are the one item Keeper's Robe is just the two different gender view variations), so this seems to lead to a lot of female only or male only models when both male and female are available. Is there untangling issues when porting files from DA2/DAI to DAO? I'd love to fix this if possible.... if possible X /

Edited April 1, 2022 by HollownessDevoured

[theskymoves]

So I have been playing a bit with some resources like the gffeditor and I seem to be able to get DAO: Awakening things to DAO but DA2 crashes game upon loading. I think I remember reading once it if because DA2 is a newer generation of files types but clearly so people have gotten DA2 and even Inquisition items to DAO but I was wondering how. Unless it is some advance reverse engineering hacks or something like that, but I am at a loss.

 

Also I noticed a lot of mod resources that basically cover what other mod resources are missing (Loincloth Fashion, Kirkwall Exports and Back to Ferelden for example or Inquisition Mage Armour and Elven Adept Robes are the one item Keeper's Robe is just the two different gender view variations), so this seems to lead to a lot of female only or male only models when both male and female are available. Is there untangling issues when porting files from DA2/DAI to DAO? I'd love to fix this if possible.... if possible X /

 

Are you trying to directly import DA2 assets into DAO? If so, you generally can't do that. (Likewise, DAI assets, since you also mentioned those.)

 

Some textures can be brought into DAO, but the Normal maps will be off... they should be converted to the correct DAO format first. (There used to be a converter utility to 'automate' that process... not sure if that is still available or not.) The speculars will usually need to be tweaked as well. (A lot of DA2 textures have a strange 'plastic-y' appearance when brought into DAO, IMO.)

 

DA2 meshes also need to be ported/converted before they can be used in DAO. I'm not a 3D modeling person, so I can't be more specific than that... I just know that the model assets from the games are not interchangeable or comparable.

 

Some DA2 models only exist in one gender or race in that game, and porting them to another game would require quite a bit more work than just porting the one model. That's why you'll often see ported items without the full range of gender/race. And modders sometimes only port what they are interested in, so even if an item does exist in both male and female versions, the modder will ignore the other gender's version.

Edited April 1, 2022 by theskymoves

[HollownessDevoured]

 

Are you trying to directly import DA2 assets into DAO? If so, you generally can't do that. (Likewise, DAI assets, since you also mentioned those.)

 

Some textures can be brought into DAO, but the Normal maps will be off... they should be converted to the correct DAO format first. (There used to be a converter utility to 'automate' that process... not sure if that is still available or not.) The speculars will usually need to be tweaked as well. (A lot of DA2 textures have a strange 'plastic-y' appearance when brought into DAO, IMO.)

 

DA2 meshes also need to be ported/converted before they can be used in DAO. I'm not a 3D modeling person, so I can't be more specific than that... I just know that the model assets from the games are not interchangeable or comparable.

 

Some DA2 models only exist in one gender or race in that game, and porting them to another game would require quite a bit more work than just porting the one model. That's why you'll often see ported items without the full range of gender/race. And modders sometimes only port what they are interested in, so even if an item does exist in both male and female versions, the modder will ignore the other gender's version.

 

 

I had a feeling it was something like that. And yes, I did notice some ported item looked off, like Flemeth's DA2 robes almost look like they have a sheen, I'd love if I know how to 3D model to make it look more like it belongs in DAO. If I know more I'd love to do some leg work on interweaving resources but it might be above my pay grade. Maybe I'll see if I can find that converter if it still exists see if there is any chance I can do small things.

 

Mostly I was hoping for MOR files, though there is limited editing of MOR files I have been having fun adding Awakening MOR files to DAO to add to it like Easter Eggs (see if I can't get a Easter Egg Hunt Mod up of MORs on NPCs for Easter for fun).

[HollownessDevoured]

Oh and by the way I have been really enjoying some of your mods! TSM The Grumpy One, TSM Broken Circle 'Anders' and TSM More Believable Fade Wardens (Daveth and Jory) especially :D

[theskymoves]

 

 

Are you trying to directly import DA2 assets into DAO? If so, you generally can't do that. (Likewise, DAI assets, since you also mentioned those.)

 

Some textures can be brought into DAO, but the Normal maps will be off... they should be converted to the correct DAO format first. (There used to be a converter utility to 'automate' that process... not sure if that is still available or not.) The speculars will usually need to be tweaked as well. (A lot of DA2 textures have a strange 'plastic-y' appearance when brought into DAO, IMO.)

 

DA2 meshes also need to be ported/converted before they can be used in DAO. I'm not a 3D modeling person, so I can't be more specific than that... I just know that the model assets from the games are not interchangeable or comparable.

 

Some DA2 models only exist in one gender or race in that game, and porting them to another game would require quite a bit more work than just porting the one model. That's why you'll often see ported items without the full range of gender/race. And modders sometimes only port what they are interested in, so even if an item does exist in both male and female versions, the modder will ignore the other gender's version.

 

 

I had a feeling it was something like that. And yes, I did notice some ported item looked off, like Flemeth's DA2 robes almost look like they have a sheen, I'd love if I know how to 3D model to make it look more like it belongs in DAO. If I know more I'd love to do some leg work on interweaving resources but it might be above my pay grade. Maybe I'll see if I can find that converter if it still exists see if there is any chance I can do small things.

 

Mostly I was hoping for MOR files, though there is limited editing of MOR files I have been having fun adding Awakening MOR files to DAO to add to it like Easter Eggs (see if I can't get a Easter Egg Hunt Mod up of MORs on NPCs for Easter for fun).

 

 

Each of the three DA games use a different character creation system, so there's no way to 'port' from one game to the other. You'd have to remake the character using the DAO CC or tooset. (Did some of that myself, back in the day, as a lark... ended up using it in my 'Improved Shartan' mods.)

 

For DA2-to-DAO normal map conversion, there's DarthParametric's DA Normal Map Conversion Photoshop Actions. I preferred to use a standalone utility called 'DA Normal Map and Height Map Converter (DAO & DA2)' by Skuid. That seems to have gone down the memory hole, though, as it was hosted on the old Bioware Social Network site. That was what I used for this set of textures converted from a DA2 mod.

[theskymoves]

Oh and by the way I have been really enjoying some of your mods! TSM The Grumpy One, TSM Broken Circle 'Anders' and TSM More Believable Fade Wardens (Daveth and Jory) especially :D

Ahh! That's very kind of you!

[HollownessDevoured]

Ok this is all good to know really awesome textures, and I am actually in the middle of a redress nobles of Ferelden overhaul, and this would help greatly!