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About this mod
A set of scripts to create ba2s, merge mods, merge mods into original ba2s and create switchable texture templates.
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Merge Mods Script
The problem
In this day and age of millions of available mods for fallout 4, its very common to hit the limits of what the game can handle either in terms of limits concerning ESPs or BA2s or in extreme cases even ESLs. So, its imperative that there must be many tools available to merge these files so such limits could be pushed further out.
The idea
This script is just another one of such automations that aids you in packing multiple BA2s from other mods into a single mod, override mods with others using a load order, eliminate loader plugins and thus give you some room to breathe.
The script accepts loose files in folders as well so you can use it to create BA2s from scratch as well. It sorts and places files automatically in BA2s with appropriate configuration.
Many of options allow you to tailor every aspect of this process and even allow you to inspect the final merged template before archiving.
Features
Source Merge Script
The problem
The game essentially browses all of its own files (~500k) and the mods. It constructs a set of tables to resolve things according to the load order. This happens every time you start the game, load a save or simply go to a new area. The vast your mods are, the slower it gets and the more stutter you experience. Also contrary to common sense, once this table is constructed, the engine still is much slower to get something from a mod.
The idea
This package essentially circumvents the problem by merging your mods into the game's own archives i.e. your modded state becomes the new vanilla. It is just like playing the game with your mods but with the vanilla's smoothness.
As with many texture overhauls, they touch upon thousands of files, some even tens of thousands. All that workload capacity is effectively vacated for anything more you want to add to the game. Similarly many mods have plugins that are there only to tell the game to load the related asset archives, those are removed and you get more mod slots for reuse.
Which mods are best suited for merger?
Large scale replacement mods like texture overhauls or clothing/armour replacers. Essentially anything that is displayed on your screen in excess has the potential of being of greatest impact.
These are also very subjective like for myself even face replacers are of great impact because my settlements have settlers in the hundreds.
Features
* If package is in the same volume as the game or on an SSD.
Time Requirements
System configuration:
AMD Ryzen 5900X 12C/24T, 32GB RAM, NVMe SSD (1.5GB/s write), HDD (160MB/s write) and ~20GB in mods.
Considerations
Notes
Software Requirements
Storage Requirements
Merge Script
2-4x size of your mod archives.
Source Merge Script
Permanent requirement: 26GB source archives
Peak usage while merging: 45GB extracted source + (10GB or uncompressed size of largest mod in your merge order, whichever is higher).
Organizing Mods
The mods are picked in the alphabetic order from the mods or mods-merge folders. You must devise your own naming scheme to organize them. Simplest you can prefix the mod archive/folder names with an incrementing serial to order them.
Usage
Merge Mods Script
Installation
Merge
Source Merge Script
Installation
First Merge
Double click the Source Merge shortcut and follow instructions. (If Setup created a merge then you don't need this)
Subsequent Merges
The merge script behaves differently when there is at least one template/merge present. A menu is shown, from which you can manage your merges.
Options are available to create a new template, replace current template, switch template, remove template, and reset to vanilla state.
Check out the articles and video sections for more usage & trouble shooting instructions.
Source: Repository
The problem
In this day and age of millions of available mods for fallout 4, its very common to hit the limits of what the game can handle either in terms of limits concerning ESPs or BA2s or in extreme cases even ESLs. So, its imperative that there must be many tools available to merge these files so such limits could be pushed further out.
The idea
This script is just another one of such automations that aids you in packing multiple BA2s from other mods into a single mod, override mods with others using a load order, eliminate loader plugins and thus give you some room to breathe.
The script accepts loose files in folders as well so you can use it to create BA2s from scratch as well. It sorts and places files automatically in BA2s with appropriate configuration.
Many of options allow you to tailor every aspect of this process and even allow you to inspect the final merged template before archiving.
Features
- Create BA2s - Folders as per the load order can be merged into BA2s along with loader plugins.
- Merge Mods - Mods as per the load order will be merged into a new mod with a loader plugin of your choice. Reducing BA2s and/or any dummy loader plugins.
- Loader Plugin Selection - Optional - Loader plugin can be ESP, ESL, ESL flagged ESP.
- Loose Files - Optional - Optionally skip BA2s generation and keep loose file.
- Archive Mods with 7z - Optional - Pack mods into compressed 7z archives for use with your mod manager.
- Customizable Texture Archive Size Limit - Size limit for texture archives can be set according to your game's behaviour, generating multiple archives when required.
- Keep Optimized Source Mods - Optional - For faster later merges.
- Inspecting Merged Template - Optional - Enable this option to inspect or modify the merged template before packing.
- High Performance - Utilizing high IO capabilities of SSDs and multiple CPU cores to reduce time requirements from hours to minutes.
- Repair Mode - The included setup script can be run to repair the package structure and rebuild configuration, if you have changed/upgraded hardware.
Source Merge Script
The problem
The game essentially browses all of its own files (~500k) and the mods. It constructs a set of tables to resolve things according to the load order. This happens every time you start the game, load a save or simply go to a new area. The vast your mods are, the slower it gets and the more stutter you experience. Also contrary to common sense, once this table is constructed, the engine still is much slower to get something from a mod.
The idea
This package essentially circumvents the problem by merging your mods into the game's own archives i.e. your modded state becomes the new vanilla. It is just like playing the game with your mods but with the vanilla's smoothness.
As with many texture overhauls, they touch upon thousands of files, some even tens of thousands. All that workload capacity is effectively vacated for anything more you want to add to the game. Similarly many mods have plugins that are there only to tell the game to load the related asset archives, those are removed and you get more mod slots for reuse.
Which mods are best suited for merger?
Large scale replacement mods like texture overhauls or clothing/armour replacers. Essentially anything that is displayed on your screen in excess has the potential of being of greatest impact.
These are also very subjective like for myself even face replacers are of great impact because my settlements have settlers in the hundreds.
Features
- Templates - Make templates out of your favourite texture combinations with near instantaneous switching. *
- Handling Extra Assets - Extra assets not found in source are packaged into a merged mod.
- High Performance - Utilizing high IO capabilities of SSDs and multiple CPU cores to reduce time requirements from hours to minutes.
- Efficient Space Usage - The package merges mods when files exceed a 10GB limit whenever possible.
- Repair Mode - The included setup script can be run to repair the package structure and rebuild configuration, if you have changed/upgraded hardware.
* If package is in the same volume as the game or on an SSD.
Time Requirements
- HDD - 4+ hours for new installs, 3+ hours for merges
- SSD - 20+ minutes for new installs, 15+ minutes for merges.
System configuration:
AMD Ryzen 5900X 12C/24T, 32GB RAM, NVMe SSD (1.5GB/s write), HDD (160MB/s write) and ~20GB in mods.
Considerations
Notes
- Systems with HDD or less than 8 physical cores will benefit tremendously from suspending any anti-virus/anti-malware applications.
- Do not click and drag inside the script window. The action pauses the process instantly or in stages so that you can copy stuff from the window. Also if the name of the window changes with Select as prefix, it means that it is in the paused state. You will then have to press Escape key to resume.
- The script leaves one physical CPU core free for your convenience. So if you have 64 cores available, it will try to use 63 of them.
Software Requirements
- 7zip v21+ (Download)
- BSArch (Download) - Download the xEdit 7z archive and get the "BSArch.exe" from inside it.
- PowerShell v7+ (Download)
Storage Requirements
Merge Script
2-4x size of your mod archives.
Source Merge Script
Permanent requirement: 26GB source archives
Peak usage while merging: 45GB extracted source + (10GB or uncompressed size of largest mod in your merge order, whichever is higher).
Organizing Mods
The mods are picked in the alphabetic order from the mods or mods-merge folders. You must devise your own naming scheme to organize them. Simplest you can prefix the mod archive/folder names with an incrementing serial to order them.
Usage
Merge Mods Script
Installation
- Extract the package somewhere, preferably in a SSD volume.
- Move the downloaded BSArch.exe to the dist folder in the package.
- Double click Setup shortcut and follow instructions to setup the package.
Merge
- Double click the Mods Merge shortcut and follow the instructions.
- If all goes well then a MergedMod.7z or an archive with whatever name you specified for the plugin, will be created inside the folder where you have the tool.
Source Merge Script
Installation
- Extract the package somewhere, preferably in a SSD volume.
- Move the downloaded BSArch.exe to the dist folder in the package.
- Double click Setup shortcut and follow instructions to setup the package.
First Merge
Double click the Source Merge shortcut and follow instructions. (If Setup created a merge then you don't need this)
Subsequent Merges
The merge script behaves differently when there is at least one template/merge present. A menu is shown, from which you can manage your merges.
Options are available to create a new template, replace current template, switch template, remove template, and reset to vanilla state.
Check out the articles and video sections for more usage & trouble shooting instructions.
Source: Repository