[LE] Quick Question Re: DLC BSA Scripts

[Feralkyn]

So, I know that if you're editing one of the DLCs in CK, you would need to extract the BSA to get at the scripts.

 

If I ONLY want to edit dialogue, however, do I need to unpack the BSA/scripts? CK fires warnings about being unable to validate/backup the fragments, but will it still search the BSA for them and correctly fire them in-game, or will the dialogues lose their links and cease to function/progress quests?

 

To clarify, I am just editing dialogue content, not the quest progression or anything like that.

 

Thanks!

Edited February 22, 2020 by Feralkyn

[IsharaMeradin]

Script wise the CK does not use the PEX files found in the BSA. To access DLC scripts you need to copy / move the appropriate PSC scripts from the DLC sub-folder within the Scripts > Source folder that was created when extracting the scripts.rar or scripts.zip file. The CK uses a single directory to read source files and cannot look into any sub-folders. Each DLC's source scripts should be moved into said directory (by default it is Scripts > Source for original Skyrim and Source > Scripts for Special Edition). If you use a mod manager with virtualization, you could set up the DLC source scripts as "mods" and tell the mod manager to load them in the same order as their respective plugins. But you'd be forced then to start the CK from the mod manager.

[Feralkyn]

Thank you, I do realize the CK cannot pull from the BSA--but if I do need to extract now I know how. But to clarify, what i'm asking is whether I need to do this if I am only editing dialogue--will it break the dialogue-triggered scripts if I do not, or will the game still find them in the correct spot during gameplay?

Edited February 23, 2020 by Feralkyn

[IsharaMeradin]

That I cannot answer as I have rarely touched dialog and have always had the DLC PSC scripts copied into the main source folder since the majority of my mods were script based.

 

It should be fairly easy to test, however. Just use a separate plugin that you can throw away afterwards. Make some dialog changes especially on those that you are concerned about and see what happens in-game. If nothing goes wrong, then you need not worry and can toss out the test plugin and make the changes proper in your actual mod.

[Feralkyn]

Righto, thanks. I'll post here for others once I know. Your answers are appreciated!

 

Update - I'd def. recommend unpacking the scripts first.

 

You CAN do without, but have to click through errors and then delete Quest changes in CK (Data -> Details with your .esp selected). Since quest changes and dialogue changes are tracked separately, if it DOES throw a script error you needn't lose your dialogue changes; you can delete references to the quest changes and it seems that Dialogue changes remain in place. But the extra effort isn't really worth it if you're doing a large number of quests.

I found this out through a few broken Vanilla quests--ex. RiftenFreeform21's script was somehow given RiftenFreeform12's, so rather than removing journals from your inventory for Toying with the Dead, the quest tries to look for health potions to heal Wujeeta... And changing the dialogue for 21 in the CK then throws the script error and marks the quest as changed. (Pulling the code over from my SSE files and replacing the script, then deleting the quest-change mark, fixed both issues).

 

A warning: if you're using the Details tab to remove changes, be SURE to only remove the ones with the QUST (or whatever it is) type, and not DIAL, or you will lose the dialogue changes instead.

 

I have not tested all this in-game yet but so far, the quest changes are removed from CK while the dialogue remains between CK loads so it seems good to go. Will update -if- it turns out not to be the case.

Edited February 25, 2020 by Feralkyn