16 replies to this topic

[Eskiath]

Hello all you good people, I've made a lot of progress this past week working my way through STEP and am finally at the point of installing mods. What I have done so far: I've installed the utilities I need I've downloaded all the mods (229 in total, not counting updates and add-ons, phew) I've renamed them like this: "F - 08a - Skyrim Realistic Overhaul" "F - 08b - Skyrim Realistic Overhaul Dawnguard" "F - 09 - HD Miscellaneous Items" And so on and so forth. I've unpacked the archives, deleted files that needed deleting, and repacked them without compression because the guide suggests to make it so. Installing mods has been pretty painless. Section D was a piece of cake. Section E on the other hand has a minor problem. This is where BCF files come into play. I download them via the links in the STEP guide. I put them in the "Bain Converters" Folder, and assuming that Wyre Bash likes it's files to be named identically, I rename the BCF files to correspond with the archive that it is supposed to function with. That means that the BFC for the High Quality Map is named "E - 06b - High Quality 3D Map Normals Original" because that is what I named my archive. I go to "Convert" in the context menu within Wyre Bash but "Apply" is greyed out. Is this a serious problem? If I just select the options in the "subpackage" window in Wyre Bash then I should get the same results even without BCF files, no? Then again, I'm not entirly sure what options to select, always. For Skyrim Optimization Project for instance I selected both "Data" and "Core" on a hunch, but if this was the correct thing to do I don't know. Is there something I might be doing wrong? Could the files that I have downloaded recently, due to updates that may have been released, no longer be compatible with the BCF files supplied via the guide?

[EssArrBee]

Okay you should not rename the original file until after the conversion. Leave it whatever name it had when you downloaded it. Some of the BCFs will create the new file with proper names anyways.

[Eskiath]

Good idea. I will try this with the next file that needs a one and see if that fixes the problem. Should have thought of that myself, really :) Thanks.

[Eskiath]

Ok. That sort of worked, and then again, maybe not.

First of all, I could apply the BCF to the mod. The option in the menu was available. I could APPLY, and things happened.

But I got an error message:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "bash\basher.py", line 11365, in Execute
    if not self.converter.hasBCF:
AttributeError: 'InstallerConverter' object has no attribute 'hasBCF'

And then ended up with two packages listed in Wrye Bash, marked here with a red box outline. (I hope it's not a problem, but my Wrye Bash is mostly in German)

https://i.imgur.com/pITCFhy.jpg

These two files are not identical. The top file has the moon sizes listed as ESP files in the Esp/m Filter. The lower file has the same options, but lists them in the Subpackage window instead.

I assume that this is not the desired outcome?

[EssArrBee]

The top file (grey one) is the original file and you can hide it or delete it if you want, since it is small. The bottom file with the white box means it is now in complex BAIN format and you can just pick which ever box you want for the moon size tweak. We recommend x.5, but it is mainly a preference issue.

[Eskiath]

I've tried it a couple of times times, with others files, and what you describe is the method that I have adopted for the most part. The instructions do give an alternative for how to install packages manually for some files, it seems. I never did manage to have a wizard, only results like above, where I can pick options in a side window. This is less than ideal with something like the Greatsword Sheaths & Scabbard mod, where the options you can pick make little sense, at least initially. 00 Basic 00 Basic DB 00 Basic DG 00 Default 00 Default DB 00 Default DG and so forth. I don't suppose there is a thread that is about selecting these options manually? Or what about the Wrye Bash alternative, the Mod Organizer. If I screw this up and have to start over, would you discourage attempting to use the Mod Organizer instead?

[EssArrBee]

Wrye Bash is still really good at what it does, but development for it kinda slowed as no one wanted to go in and convert CBash over from Oblivion to Skyrim for the bashed patch to get better. MO is pretty active in development and switching over is annoying, no way around that. Between those two I wouldn't say there is a wrong mod manager. The biggest difference is that you can set up profiles for different mod lists in MO since it uses a virtual directory instead of putting mods in the DATA directory. A lot people who mod constantly (AKA the STEP Team) uses MO and WB together. As for the wizards I think you need to look for the little wand in the corner of the box. Usually it is for white boxes and you'll see the little wand, right-click and select wizard.

[Eskiath]

Yeah, that little wand never made an appearance. But it's alright. I worked my way to the end checking subpackages manually and gave my poor HD6850 a severe beating. Deactiving the High Definition DLC helped some, but no, not nearly enough. I'm going to have to rethink my approach. :) I'll be starting over, with just the essentials, in a couple of days. Thank you again. You have my gratitude for trying to help me. Feel free to mark this solved.

[costi]

 First post here, so first of all, Hi everyone! :)

Now back to the topic at hand - I have the same problem with some mods as the OP. The BCF archive is in the "BAIN Converters" directory, name is the same as the mod, but the "Conversion->Apply" option is greyed out.

The mods I have a problem with are (below are the exact filenames):

2G_012_G_Real_Ice_BAIN-v3.0-5388.7z
2G_012_G_Real_Ice_BAIN-v3.0-5388-BCF.7z

2G_015_Terrain Bump Landscape Normals - Performance-37950-1-4c.7z
2G_015a_Terrain_Bump_Landscape_Normals - Performance-37950-1-4c-BCF.7z

2G_018_Visible Windows Medium v1_2-6971-1-2.7z
2G_018a_Visible Windows Medium v 1_2-6971-1-2-BCF and BAIN Wizard.7z

2H_009_Coverkhajiits_1024x1024-5941-1-0.7z
2H_009a_Coverkhajiits_1024x1024-5941-1-0-BCF.7z

I've tried playing with the filenames but it did not help, I can't get Wrye Bash to recognize the files. Funny thing is, other mods work and I'm using the same naming convention all the time. Any ideas what I can do to make it work?

[EssArrBee]

Don't rename the files ahead of time the BFF will rename the original file. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[costi]

This has helped partially, I stil can't get the BCF for Terrain Bump and Visible Windows to work, despite re-downloading both files without touching the filenames. EDIT: same thing happens with Enhanced HD Dragon Bones. I've downloaded "1k v1_6a all options".

[GrantedAccess]

Hi All, I have the same problem (without renaming the files) with the same two mods, terrain bump and visible windows. Can you please confirm the related BCF's still work, and if yes, what do you think the issue could be? P.S. this is my first post, so let me take the opportunity to thank the whole STEP community for what they do.

[Kelmych]

Visible Windows BCF needs 2 files (it also needs Reduced Night Glow as mentioned on the Nexus page); I fixed the STEP mod page to also note this. The baseline version of Enhanced Dragon Bones is 1K, but the BCF needs the 2K version (it says this on mod page in the BCF name but it's a bit cryptic) I have "Terrain_Bump_Landscape_Normals-BCF.7z" in my Bain Converters folder and "Terrain Bump Landscape Normals-37950-1-4b.7z" in the Bash Installers folder, and the conversion works fine for me.

[GrantedAccess]

I'm using the performance version of terrain bump, which has a different name. Will try to download the normal version and let you know. Will look after visible windows again as well.

[Kelmych]

You can get the same effect as the BCF if you eliminate the two textures mentioned on the mod wiki page when installating with MO (if you use it) or by deleting these two textures before installation.