Loose files trumps BSA files...right? : V

» Wed Dec 18, 2013 2:30 pm

I unpack the vanilla scripts into my Data folder so I can work with them in the CK (mostly to study them and grab bits of them for various reasons).

But that means that mods such as the Unofficial patch with edited Bethesda scripts will not take effect in my game as my loose scripts will trump the mod BSA...right?

So I will need to unpack the scripts from such mods into my data folder in the right order (unpack them per my load order).

I read a few post that say Loose files DO NOT trump BSA files. And I have read others that say indeed the loose files win.

So I am a little concerned.

But that seems wrong to me, I mean it makes more sense that the loose files would trump. Did this maybe change over the game updates and that is why some posts make opposite claims?

» Wed Dec 18, 2013 6:59 am

In the old days, it was true that a bsa would trump a loose file, but that was changed with one of the patches.

Yes, you would need to extract the bsa files of any mod that makes a change to a vanilla script.

I extracted the vanilla scripts to a separate folder. That way, if I want to look at a particular script, I can copy it over temporarily. Since my script folder is pretty clean, it's easy to spot these stragglers after I'm done with them and just delete the. I use bsas for all mods I use to keep my folder clean. Even if the mod comes with loose files, I package it up.

» Wed Dec 18, 2013 12:15 pm

I'd like to know in what order does one BSA trump another?

» Wed Dec 18, 2013 12:34 pm

Yes, loose files always trump BSA files as of Patch 1.4. Anyone using a patch older than that is either crazy or is pirating the game so I wouldn't worry about that

As for what order BSAs get loaded in, it's whatever order their associated parent ESP files are set to load in. This was also fixed in Patch 1.4. Prior to that it was a crap shoot just like the older games.

» Wed Dec 18, 2013 2:57 pm

And remember that the game is only looking at the .pex compiled versions, so if you're just wanting to look at scripts to hunt for examples you shouldn't need to uncompress anything. The .psc source files are downloaded with the CK in source form. The only ones you might want to uncompress are the ones supplied by mods like the USKP.

» Wed Dec 18, 2013 8:28 am

Thanks Arthmoor I'd suspected but wasn't sure, pre 1.4 would have been hell.