Re-packing BSA files after extraction

[AdmiralCain]

I've been experimenting with creating mods for Fallout New Vegas. I'm just starting out so it's nothing too ambitious right now, just simple things like replacing loading screens, posters, billboards, things like that. Aesthetic mods I guess you could call them.

 

In my tests I've found that using a mod manager (in this case MO2) can drastically increase load times. So I thought to get around this issue I could directly modify the files in the game's data directory while making vanilla backups.

 

So I extracted Textures.bsa using Bethesda Archive Extractor. Once I'd found the relevant .dds files I then used GIMP to make the necessary changes. I copied and pasted the new files into the extracted folder and then I needed to re-package them. But this is where I run into a problem.

 

The first program I tried was BSArch from the nexus. At first I couldn't make the command lines work but then I found a utility which added .bat files which made it a lot simpler. I created a new .bsa file, backed up the original and replaced in the game's data folder.

When I started the game from the launcher there were issues right away. For example, the HUD health meter wasn't showing correctly. The image of Vault Boy in the pip-boy stats screen wasn't showing up correctly either and there were environmental problems as I was walking around the wasteland like things appearing and disappearing or not displaying correctly.

 

I figured maybe I made a mistake when re-packing the files so I made several attempts with different structures but nothing helped. It doesn't make any sense because I haven't touched the elements that aren't working now.

 

So, I need help figuring out what I'm doing wrong. Are there any alternative programs I can use? Any help would be appreciated.

 

 

[dubiousintent]

In general you do not re-pack a modded plugin's assets (meshes, textures, sound, etc.) back into the vanilla game BSA files. The game is designed to expect "loose files" of assets found in the Data subfolders to be used instead of those in the vanilla BSA files, so mods which require the originals still have them available. That is what "ArchiveInvalidation" is used for: to tell the game engine to check for and determine which "loose files" should be used instead.

 

There are occasions where it is desirable to create a BSA file specific to your mod. However, this is intended for "new assets" and not modifications to original assets. See "TIP BSA Files" under the "Packaging Mods for Installation" section of the wiki "Getting started creating mods using GECK" article.

 

BSArch is the only tool I am aware of which currently knows about the internal differences and works with all the BSA formats of the various TES series of games. (There are earlier tools which understand something about the format of their specific games, but none with the scope and depth of BSArch.) But it is (as you discovered) command line based and batch files just enable you to be consistent in giving the correct series of command options, but do not excel in giving you guidance as to which options are most appropriate for your situation and intent. There is no substitute for reading and understanding the documentation. The author runs a Discord server where you can ask for assistance.

 

-Dubious-