Question regarding BSA files

[Citrus]

I finally found the resources I needed for my mod but, due to the terms of use, I can't just unpack them from the BSA and use them right away; I need to have a different folder structure. That means that if I were to extract the files I need from the BSA, I'd have to rename all the texture paths and, given the fact I need quite a few resources, it would be a gargantuan task. The other option is to just pack my mod with the BSA but that yields another problem: the BSA is full of things I won't be using, which means it would turn my mod into a huge download with lots of unused stuff and that is not good. What I was wondering is if there is a way of working on my mod and use the BSA, get all I need from it and then delete the un-needed (that's how you spell it?) stuff from the BSA, effectively packing my mod with the BSA, just not the original but one with the exact names of the objects (statics, doors, items, etc.) from the original.

This is somewhat of a necessity because, due to the sheer amount of things I'll be using, including activators, I would have to write down how things are paired (say, door sounds with the doors, the nifs that correspond to activators, etc.) and that would be a lot of work. Obviously, if there is no way of doing what I asked about the BSA's, I'll have to write everything down and use the Texture Replacer tool.

[Hanaisse]

First of all, read this: Using resources in your own mod. Especially the part about folder structure.

There is no getting around not renaming texture paths. It is a must when you use the correct method of folder structure. Otherwise, to do what you suggest, all those resources will just sit loosely all over someone's game. This leads to problems (as mentioned in the article) if someone wants to remove your mod in the future. If there is no logical folder structure they could remove those same resources that are used by another mod or have no method of removing these at all. It just makes sense.

It also sounds against the terms of use of the resources you want to use to just simply drop the same bsa into your mod, un-used resources removed or not.

Sorry, but this is the bane of using other resources in your mod.

[Citrus]

First of all, read this: Using resources in your own mod. Especially the part about folder structure.

There is no getting around not renaming texture paths. It is a must when you use the correct method of folder structure. Otherwise, to do what you suggest, all those resources will just sit loosely all over someone's game. This leads to problems (as mentioned in the article) if someone wants to remove your mod in the future. If there is no logical folder structure they could remove those same resources that are used by another mod or have no method of removing these at all. It just makes sense.

It also sounds against the terms of use of the resources you want to use to just simply drop the same bsa into your mod, un-used resources removed or not.

Sorry, but this is the bane of using other resources in your mod.

I see. Turns out I just wanted the easy way out when there was none . I think that what the modder meant when he stated that he wanted the BSA to be packed with the dependent mod is just to acknowledge that the resources came from it. Simple as that. My idea was just extending that to include only what i'd use but since that isn't possible, I'll stick to unpacking the BSA and creating my own resources. Thanks a lot for clearing this for me.

[donnato]

Hana, I just saw this thread and I have to say thank you. In the year and a half or so I`ve been DLing or making stuff I`ve never had the proper filing method layed out or explained quite so clearly. It has cleared up some recurring problems for me. I`m not a very organised person when it comes to stuff on my computer. That has caused the exact problems Willie speaks of. It also makes me wonder about the few tings I`ve uploaded. Thanks again for the link.

elParadon...sorry there`s no way around doing this right. It`s long and drawn out and very tedious sometimes but the reward is a mod you and others can easily use.

[_echo]

My first question is, what kind of author makes a mod with the terms saying "Get your own file paths!". That just seems silly to me...

Secondly, if your mod is going to require files from another mod, then it would be easier on everyone to just require that mod. That way you can use the files and its paths with no worries, as you are not uploading them.

[Hanaisse]

While that's certainly an alternate option, echo, forcing dependencies with your mod is not (may just be my opinion) the best way to release a mod. I'd even go so far as to say it's almost a guarantee people will bypass your mod because they can't be bothered. But, elParedon is certainly entitled to make such a choice.

This is leaving me very curious though, what resource mod has such an enormous bsa that this is such an issue?

@donnato; You're welcome.

[donnato]

Hmmm interesting question...

[Hanaisse]

Ahh, nevermind, I figured out what it is. I'm sure a lot of people will be using Sheogorad's beautiful new assets by Phitt and company (myself included).

I've just read his terms of use and hopefully, this will be much clearer.

1. You cannot repack and redistribute just the bsa with your mod.
   
2. You can, using echo's suggestion, make your mod totally dependent on the sheogorad.esm when you create your mod in the CS, while using the sheograd.bsa assets. Then tell people they must download Sheogorad.
   
3. You can unpack the bsa, move the meshes/textures/sounds, etc that you want to use into your own unique folder structure (as I suggested above) and distribute the assets that way with your mod.
   

Have fun. And if this still isn't clear, feel free to ask more questions.

[_echo]

I still think its easier just to unpack the BSA, toss the assets into your mod, that way your mod requires the BSA and nothing more. You don't need to run the mod the BSA is originally from. So its not really a dependence so much as a "assets are over here instead"

[Citrus]

Ahh, nevermind, I figured out what it is. I'm sure a lot of people will be using Sheogorad's beautiful new assets by Phitt and company (myself included).

Actually, it's that one exactly. The Dwemer tileset, or most of it. I have been waiting for it for some time before he released it (I had seem an old video of his on Youtube and it sparked my curiosity). If he wasn't going to, I was bracing myself to make a tileset, no matter what time it would take.

Nevertheless, I decided to unpack the BSA and create my own folder structure. I am doing it by hand (I know I'm crazy) because I want to select exactly which files I'll be using since I won't be using all the files from the tileset. I could have just gone with the BSA as suggested above but that would make my mod unnecessarily large.

@donnato: yes, it can be tedious. There are two ways of doing it: by hand, using Nifskope and changing the file paths one by one or using a tool called Texture Replacer. It can change the texture paths of all the files at once. I don't know how to work with it though but I prefer the method Willie describes because that way I can see what the resources look like before I add them in the CS.

Anyway, thanks for all the feedback on this. It's been greatly appreciated.