How to extract the ba2 files to Loose Files?

[BlazeStryker]

As with so many others, I'm at the point of extracting the %^&&^$%*$*%&^ing archive files to loose life various things (like the weapon and armor skins, doggos, and other Creation Club archive logjams) to play the game with as many goodies as I like.

I want to do it right, of course. I have BAE installed. That's as far as I've gone. Help me not screw up my game?

[pepperman35]

Personally, I think extracting loose files into your data directory would be a bad idea.  Generally, we want to pack files into ba2 files for performance and organization reasons.  Now, if you are getting into modding and want to use those assets then exact them preferably onto a separate drive.  kinggath explains the process in his tutorial Bethesda Mod School: Tools 101 - Custom Textures, Nifskope Setup, and Other Work Environment Tips, see Timestamp
1:40  - Extracting Fallout 4's files for easy access.

Happy modding!

[BlazeStryker]

I want the assets to take up less ba2 slots. Just the cheap/free Creation Club plugins I have take up 78 frigging archives for the love of... I have asked about maybe combining all those skins, the dogs I have, like, into combination archives. I'll add that no, FO4Edit will not let you.

I agree that ba2 files have performance impacts... they make sure you can't play if you have over 460 of the damn things.

[pepperman35]

Okay, got it.  While I have not yet tried rjshadowface's BA2 Merging Automation Tool - B.M.A.T., it looks promising for this purpose.  He has a couple of videos to explain the process.  

[NeinGaming]

If I want to merge various smallish things, I extract them all in the same folder (might make a new mod for it, e.g. MiscRobotTextures or whatever, in your case CreationClubCrap), then just use Cathedral Assets Optimizer (the pre-7 version) to pack them back up because I'm lazy (you can set it so it just creates archives and deletes things).

I want to give a mention to BSArchPro though, it's incredibly fast. For example, you can drag and drop *all* base game and all mod archives into it, and get a searchable list of alllll the files anywhere, within seconds. Although I don't use it for merging archives myself, it has that feature, too.

[fraquar]

BSArchPro.   

You don't just extract loose files just to keep them loose.   You can also extract files to merge loose files from patches (think Tactical Reload and AMD mesh fixes) back into the .BA2 files.

You don't have to, but TBH if you have a weapon you are probably always going to use then it just makes sense to "clean it up".   i.e. Integrate everything then repackage the .BA2's.

[BlazeStryker]

Something like the combined ba2 files for LarannKiar's Recruitment mods? (That one states outright you don't need to have all of those installed, the AIO ba2 set simply applies to whichever LK Recruitment mod you have. LK also states that as the requisite mods are updated or added to, the AIO mod is also updated. Just move the individual LK ba2 files aside!)

[subaverage]

Correct me if I am wrong or if it is different on next-gen, but I've read that the ba2 limit is 255 non texture ba2-files. So wouldn't it be possible to unpack non texture ba2 files only? That would have the advantage that the power consuming texture files remain compressed.

[fraquar]

Should have mentioned this earlier.

You know once you do all of this you are just going to add more mods that put you at limits wits - right?   

 

[NeinGaming]

Yes, when your load order gets wobbly you just have to add more things in the right places.

15 minutes of gameplay writing down stuff to change/make, 4 hours of derping around with Papyrus and xEdit... making the game I will never get to play because I will never stop making it is my favorite game.