Difference between revisions of "Creating your Own BSA files"

So, first you'll need to create your .bsa. Simple enough.

So, first you'll need to create your .bsa. Simple enough.

2. Inside this folder place all the folders you would need for your mods files (i.e. textures\MyMod\)

2. Inside this folder place all the folders you would need for your mods files (i.e. textures\MyMod\)

3. Now put your mods files where they need to be. Remember do '''NOT''' place your .esp in this directory. It should NOT be compressed into your .bsa file

3. Now put your mods files where they need to be. Remember do '''NOT''' place your .esp in this directory. It should NOT be compressed into your .bsa file

4. Now, open up BSACommander and click "Pack"

4. Now, open up BSACommander and click "Pack"

5. Where it says "Archive Name" click "..." and navigate to your Data folder. Type in the '''NAME OF YOUR .ESP FILE (without the .esp extension) and click save. If you do not use the same name as your .esp file, you will need to register the .bsa file in your .ini file, which is a pain.'''

5. Where it says "Archive Name" click "..." and navigate to your Data folder. Type in the '''NAME OF YOUR .ESP FILE (without the .esp extension) and click save. If you do not use the same name as your .esp file, you will need to register the .bsa file in your .ini file, which is a pain.'''

6. Where it says "Source Dir" click "..." and find the folder where you made in step one. Click on the folder and click okay.

6. Where it says "Source Dir" click "..." and find the folder where you made in step one. Click on the folder and click okay.

7. Now make sure "recursive sbdrs" and "compress" are checked

7. Now make sure "recursive sbdrs" and "compress" are checked

8. Now where the two colored boxes are, click each question mark and click apply (one after the other).

8. Now where the two colored boxes are, click each question mark and click apply (one after the other).

9. Change the compression options if you want (default works for me) and then click "pack."

9. Change the compression options if you want (default works for me) and then click "pack."

Viola. You've created your first .bsa. Boot up Oblivion and make sure it works. There might be a problem with your textures not showing up in game (as it is with mine when I used this method). After a bit of research I figured out that in the .nif file, the texture property's path shouldn't have any "/", but instead "\". If you're having problems with your texture, after putting everything in a .bsa, after you check to make sure your tree is set up right, make sure you used "\" in the .nif file.

Viola. You've created your first .bsa. Boot up Oblivion and make sure it works. There might be a problem with your textures not showing up in game (as it is with mine when I used this method). After a bit of research I figured out that in the .nif file, the texture property's path shouldn't have any "/", but instead "\". If you're having problems with your texture, after putting everything in a .bsa, after you check to make sure your tree is set up right, make sure you used "\" in the .nif file.

1. Get the aforementioned program (binpatch)

1. Get the aforementioned program (binpatch)

2. Open up your command prompt and navigate to the "bin" directory of your new BINPATCH folder (created when you extract the download).

2. Open up your command prompt and navigate to the "bin" directory of your new BINPATCH folder (created when you extract the download).

3. Type

3. Type

replacing oldfile, with the original file's name, newfile with the new file's name, and patchname, with what you want the patch to be called. Make sure you type the FULL path name. (i. e. C:\Program Files\...)

replacing oldfile, with the original file's name, newfile with the new file's name, and patchname, with what you want the patch to be called. Make sure you type the FULL path name. (i. e. C:\Program Files\...)

4. Push enter and take your patch file and distribute it saying that people should only use it if they are upgrading, otherwise they should download the full .bsa.

4. Push enter and take your patch file and distribute it saying that people should only use it if they are upgrading, otherwise they should download the full .bsa.

5. The created executable is rather self-explanatory. The consumer simply clicks "browse" to find the old .bsa file and then clicks apply. All done. Pretty simple, no?

5. The created executable is rather self-explanatory. The consumer simply clicks "browse" to find the old .bsa file and then clicks apply. All done. Pretty simple, no?

Now isn't that nice? Patch files are much smaller than the full .bsa and will allow you to distribute quick changes...quickly (hehe).

Now isn't that nice? Patch files are much smaller than the full .bsa and will allow you to distribute quick changes...quickly (hehe).