[LE] Packing together necessary files?

[Pugifier]

So I recently had a hard drive fail on me, causing me to lose a few mods I made for Skyrim among other things. I decided to remake them and post them on either the Nexus or the Steam Workshop for safe keeping, so I don't lose them again. The problem is, while I can follow a really noob friendly guide to throw together a cool follower mod, I am way out of my depth when it actually comes to understanding any of what I'm doing. And while I can tell there's something called a .bsa that I think I need to make somehow, the guides I've seen haven't really explained what that really is or how to do it without screwing around with other downloaded programs, or at least not in a way that a dummy like me can understand.

 

And so while I know that I need the files for my follower's face together with the .esp or else I'll get that grey face bug, I don't actually know anything about how to pack them with it in such a way as to actually be able to have them included when you download it from the Nexus or Workshop. So I've come here to ask for someone to explain to me as if I am a five year old... how do I do this?

[IsharaMeradin]

Create a clean directory outside of the game folders. i.e. MyMod or the actual name of your mod. The contents of this folder will be everything of your mod that will go into the game's data folder.

Copy & paste your ESP file

Locate all your other loose files required by your mod

Recreate their folder structure in the directory you created then copy & paste the files

Pack it up into a 7z, rar or zip file.

 

If you want to create a BSA instead of using loose files, you can use Archive.exe which came with the Creation Kit. You can also try using the built-in BSA packer tho there are some scenarios where it will not pack the files, typically where you've edited an existing stock file.

[foamyesque]

What's the use-case for choosing between a .bsa and a loose structure?

[Pugifier]

Create a clean directory outside of the game folders. i.e. MyMod or the actual name of your mod. The contents of this folder will be everything of your mod that will go into the game's data folder.

Copy & paste your ESP file

Locate all your other loose files required by your mod

Recreate their folder structure in the directory you created then copy & paste the files

Pack it up into a 7z, rar or zip file.

 

If you want to create a BSA instead of using loose files, you can use Archive.exe which came with the Creation Kit. You can also try using the built-in BSA packer tho there are some scenarios where it will not pack the files, typically where you've edited an existing stock file.

 

Thank you. I was able to use the first method; they're loose, which I heard some people don't like, but it'll work for me and should be good enough if someone else wants to use it too. Now I just need to finish remaking my mods and upload them.

[IsharaMeradin]

What's the use-case for choosing between a .bsa and a loose structure?

Generally, loose for when you are replacing assets but have changed them in such a way that they are not compatible with other associated files. Example: redesigned a mesh and thus it has a new UV map and your mod provides the mesh as well as textures. By being loose, you give the mod the best chances of overriding all other instances of the mesh and/or textures from other mods. Still won't prevent another mod installed later from replacing one or more of those files. But that falls upon the user to read and understand what the mods they use do.

 

Beyond that, there is a size limit to what a BSA can hold. While it is possible to load more than one BSA for a plugin, it requires editing the Skyrim.INI file or providing a plugin INI file with the necessary changes. Get two such mods and then the user has to edit the INI file(s) themselves to account for it. Thus many large mods leave their files loose.

 

Given all that a BSA is preferred whenever possible as it can easily be installed/uninstalled, activated/deactivated all without deep cluttering of the data folder and risk of leaving files behind which may cause issues later.

[foamyesque]

How does that work with, e.g., cell edits? I'm working on a mod and I've been careful to make my edits to vanilla records as minimal as possible (where absolutely unavoidable I've used scripts to do things like tweak formlists), but I have to hand-edit the objects into the world. What would you recommend?

Edited May 14, 2017 by foamyesque

[IsharaMeradin]

How does that work with, e.g., cell edits? I'm working on a mod and I've been careful to make my edits to vanilla records as minimal as possible (where absolutely unavoidable I've used scripts to do things like tweak formlists), but I have to hand-edit the objects into the world. What would you recommend?

Cell edits are all in the ESP file. Unless providing new or modified meshes/textures for the objects placed in the cells, everything done is just a modification of records rather than files.

[foamyesque]

 

How does that work with, e.g., cell edits? I'm working on a mod and I've been careful to make my edits to vanilla records as minimal as possible (where absolutely unavoidable I've used scripts to do things like tweak formlists), but I have to hand-edit the objects into the world. What would you recommend?

Cell edits are all in the ESP file. Unless providing new or modified meshes/textures for the objects placed in the cells, everything done is just a modification of records rather than files.

 

 

What about script files?

[IsharaMeradin]

 

 

How does that work with, e.g., cell edits? I'm working on a mod and I've been careful to make my edits to vanilla records as minimal as possible (where absolutely unavoidable I've used scripts to do things like tweak formlists), but I have to hand-edit the objects into the world. What would you recommend?

Cell edits are all in the ESP file. Unless providing new or modified meshes/textures for the objects placed in the cells, everything done is just a modification of records rather than files.

 

 

What about script files?

 

They can be in a BSA or loose. If you're working on a script that you know another mod also uses, then loose may be preferable. Of course, note the incompatibility between mods and let users decide for themselves. PEX files are required. PSC files are nice for those who like to 'look under the hood' but not necessary for the game to function.