Which override folder is the best?

[SultanSaladin]

Some mods (like the famous JB Textures mod) instructions point to the override folder inside the game folder (like ...\Dragon Age\packages\core\override) and some point to the override folder in "documents" or "my documents" (depending on the windows version).

 

Well, to be on the safe side I always followed the readme instructions in every detail, thus I have mod files in BOTH override folders (and use a program called "Anti Twin" to make sure there are no dublicate files).

 

Now I wonder...

 

 

a) if every mod works in any of the override folders or

 

b) if some mods really need a specific override folder and

 

c) which of the two folders promise the best mod compatibility with the Awakening addon?

 

 

I hope someone can answer these. Thanks in advance. :)

[danscott84]

Only use the MyDocuments route and not both. Now this I know for sure on the Vista and W7 versions of windows. It's been a while since I have used XP for gaming, but I think someone suggested it used the same route. If you are putting files in both override folders you are probably causing some conflicts making the game act weird. For Vista and W7, if you currently have the files in both, remove the ones from the programs route and just use the MyDocuments route for those using the override. I am guessing about XP, so hopefully someone still using XP can answer this better than I can.

 

BTW, love your avatar. Kingdom of Heaven is one of my favorite movies. :thumbsup:

[RustyBlade]

For XP it is the same. Use the My Documents\packages\core\override folder only :thumbsup:

[SultanSaladin]

Only use the MyDocuments route and not both. Now this I know for sure on the Vista and W7 versions of windows. It's been a while since I have used XP for gaming, but I think someone suggested it used the same route. If you are putting files in both override folders you are probably causing some conflicts making the game act weird. For Vista and W7, if you currently have the files in both, remove the ones from the programs route and just use the MyDocuments route for those using the override. I am guessing about XP, so hopefully someone still using XP can answer this better than I can.

 

BTW, love your avatar. Kingdom of Heaven is one of my favorite movies. :thumbsup:

 

Thanks for your input but I'm afraid this is a bad idea. My override folder in the game folder is 2.45 GB big. I don't want this on my system partition (C:\). :no:

 

It's bad enough that Dragon Age Origins puts all the addin data (3,37 GB) on my C:\ partition, and the save files aren't that small either...

 

Oh and I make sure there are no duplicate files by using a program called "Anti Twin". It searches both override folders for duplicate files. ;) So there's no conflict at least.

 

Mhm...I guess I will partially use your suggestion anyway: I will copy all but the JB Texture files - which is the single largest part of the mods - into the my documents override folder. I know that JB Texture is working fine inside the game override folder so it can safely stay there I guess.

[Thandal]

@Salah-ad-Din; I think you mis-read the replies. Both responders suggested using the "\[user documents]\bioware\dragon age\packages\core\override" folder, (which, as I understand your post, is NOT on your system partition. Or at least, it doesn't have to be...)

 

The main reason for using that location exclusively is to prevent exactly the "duplicate files in multiple places on the system" problem that you use "Anti-Twin" to avoid.

 

There is a pretty complicated system of checks that the game programming uses to evaluate what version of a particular file to use. The [user documents] folder is always supposed to be checked LAST, and override all other possible locations, but there are reports of this not working correctly 100% of the time. Hence SOME modders give instructions to place their files elsewhere. (There is also some reason to believe that this issue might have been corrected in Patch 1.03.)

 

The best explanation of the entire process I've read was over on the Bioware Social Forums, by Qwinn, author of "Qwinn's Unoffical FixPack" (ver 2.0 is the most recent, and is pre-1.04 .) I believe it's also in the README for that FixPack. He has done the deepest digging (or at least published the most information) into how the program applies various settings and files.

[SultanSaladin]

@Salah-ad-Din; I think you mis-read the replies. Both responders suggested using the "\[user documents]\bioware\dragon age\packages\core\override" folder, (which, as I understand your post, is NOT on your system partition. Or at least, it doesn't have to be...)

 

The main reason for using that location exclusively is to prevent exactly the "duplicate files in multiple places on the system" problem that you use "Anti-Twin" to avoid.

 

There is a pretty complicated system of checks that the game programming uses to evaluate what version of a particular file to use. The [user documents] folder is always supposed to be checked LAST, and override all other possible locations, but there are reports of this not working correctly 100% of the time. Hence SOME modders give instructions to place their files elsewhere. (There is also some reason to believe that this issue might have been corrected in Patch 1.03.)

 

The best explanation of the entire process I've read was over on the Bioware Social Forums, by Qwinn, author of "Qwinn's Unoffical FixPack" (ver 2.0 is the most recent, and is pre-1.04 .) I believe it's also in the README for that FixPack. He has done the deepest digging (or at least published the most information) into how the program applies various settings and files.

 

Mhm...I'm not sure what you mean. Yes I understand that the "\my documents\Bioware\Dragon Age\packages\core\override" folder is the one everyone suggested. As as I wrote in my last post I will use this folder for all mods...but the JB Texture mod. It's too big.

 

Because naturally the my documents folder IS on the system partition. I know that there are at least two methods to move it. But I have a habbit of ruining a perfectly running system, hence I follow the good old rule: "Never touch a running system". :happy:

 

To sum it up again: ALL mods (save the JB Texture Mod) are now located inside the my documents folder. Like you and everyone else suggested.

 

Thanks again for your input. :thumbsup:

[AbrasaxDrake]

If you're worried about the amount of spaced used by JB's Mod in C:\.... \my documents\Bioware\Dragon Age\packages\core\override...Where have you installed DragonAge??

[SultanSaladin]

If you're worried about the amount of spaced used by JB's Mod in C:\.... \my documents\Bioware\Dragon Age\packages\core\override...Where have you installed DragonAge??

 

On my game partition of course. ;) My hard disk is about 700 GB big, so naturally I divided it into partitions (three to be precise). :happy:

 

I think this is common practice today. This way I can easily re-install my operating system without having to backup tons of data because it's save on another partition.

[AbrasaxDrake]

Yes you are right it is common practice. thats exactly why most of us store our Document folders on our partition. And hence why i can't understand your reluctance to move your doc folders.

 

I've been moving my Doc folder to my D: partition for years without problem so i would recomend following that path.

 

If you tell me which version of win you use i would be happy to advise on the best way to avoid your "habbit of ruining a perfectly running system" :tongue:

[SultanSaladin]

That would be much appreciated. I'm using Windows 7 Professional 64bit. Thanks in advance.