Someone that finished pre-load - File Structure? : V

» Mon May 07, 2012 8:04 am

I am getting the collector's edition so no pre-load for me.

Can anyone that finished the pre-load either confirm the file formats or take a screen shot of the directory structure (main folder + data folder)

I am mainly curious to see if they are still using esm's, esp's, bsa's etc or if the extensions and file structures have changed with the new engine.

Curious for modding purposes.

Thanks

» Mon May 07, 2012 1:45 pm

Seems the same as Oblivion , and someone already extracted a nif body

» Mon May 07, 2012 1:37 pm

Looking through it the file format seems quite similar (although I know nothing about coding etc). I see many familiar types and folders, the data folder with esms and Bethesda File archives etc.

» Mon May 07, 2012 4:27 pm

Not finished my preload but I'll confirm the .bsa and .esm file types already being present.

» Mon May 07, 2012 3:11 pm

It's the same bsa and esm stuff because the engine has been the same since Morrowind; they just update it with each iteration of TES and in this case rename it the "Aurora" engine.

In the data folder you'll find skyrim - textures.bsa, skyrim - animations.bsa, skyrim - voices.bsa, etc.

» Mon May 07, 2012 8:27 am

Cool this is very good news.

thanks

If anyone that actually mods doesn't mind can you check to see if any of the current BSA extractors work? My guess is they probably won't because of the new compression scheme but we can always hope.

EDIT:

Seems the same as Oblivion , and someone already extracted a nif body

doh, skipped right over that. Do you know what they used? TESEdit, or the Fallout tools etc?

» Mon May 07, 2012 10:52 am

Nice stuff, I wont have to re-memorize where all the different files need to go when Im installing mods.

» Mon May 07, 2012 9:21 pm

It's the same bsa and esm stuff because the engine has been the same since Morrowind; they just update it with each iteration of TES and in this case rename it the "Aurora" engine.

In the data folder you'll find skyrim - textures.bsa, skyrim - animations.bsa, skyrim - voices.bsa, etc.

I think you mean the Creation Engine. Aurora is a different one not used by Beth.

» Mon May 07, 2012 4:05 pm

hm... only 63% done with pre-load... but here is a shot of the directory setup -same setup as before...
http://i.imgur.com/F4thH.png

testing with BSA commander .98.2:
http://i.imgur.com/RnOuq.png

oooohhh.. looks like we will need an update for the new compression;)

» Mon May 07, 2012 6:40 pm

I think you mean the Creation Engine. Aurora is a different one not used by Beth.

^ Yup

And the creation engine isn't just an update + a rename, they rewrote a large part (majority of the old engine) hence the upgrade. It will still feel similar but there will be plenty of new aspects we will need to learn, new scripting language etc.

» Mon May 07, 2012 5:37 pm

Amazing. Mods will be as easy to make

» Mon May 07, 2012 8:52 pm

hm... only 63% done with pre-load... but here is a shot of the directory setup -same setup as before...
http://i.imgur.com/F4thH.png

testing with BSA commander .98.2:
http://i.imgur.com/RnOuq.png

oooohhh.. looks like we will need an update for the new compression;)

eek that's kinda what I was afraid of.... Have you tried any extractors from FO:NV?

» Mon May 07, 2012 6:21 pm

Seems the same as Oblivion , and someone already extracted a nif body

AAARGH >.< / That .nif is not from Skyrim -.- I just placed it there - that i know where it is if i need it^^

» Mon May 07, 2012 6:37 am

eek that's kinda what I was afraid of.... Have you tried any extractors from FO:NV?

Just tested all of the archives with the BSA browser of FOMM 0.13.21 (from FO:NV)

Same thing, will not open... most like due to the changes in the compression ratio or archive format update...
http://i.imgur.com/EQyVv.png

EDIT: tried the http://falloutmods.wikia.com/wiki/BSA_file_format... to no avail:(

» Mon May 07, 2012 7:45 am

[img]http://i44.tinypic.com/15ga04j.png[/img]

same as oblivion, ignore the goat reference lol

» Mon May 07, 2012 6:41 am

doh, skipped right over that. Do you know what they used? TESEdit, or the Fallout tools etc?

I really dunno sorry , he had a female_upperbody on the screenie lol :tongue:

Mabe he had that mesh from another game on his desktop (near the Skyrim files) and i got confused :3

EDIT: oh Yukii it was yours lol sorry then my bad :happy:

» Mon May 07, 2012 5:46 am

There are now files like /Data/Strings/Skyrim_English.DLSTRINGS . Maybe this means that Beth have finally moved the text/dialogue out of the ESM files to simplify localization? If this is the case, modding (more concretely, localization of mods) could become significantly easier...

Also, people, don't be surprised that the files don't open. They're encrypted. (By the way, they encrypted everything, even a folder full of directx redists. They must be REALLY sure that their cipher is safe from known plaintext attacks...)

» Mon May 07, 2012 6:41 pm

Just tested all of the archives with the BSA browser of FOMM 0.13.21 (from FO:NV)

Same thing, will not open... most like due to the changes in the compression ratio or archive format update...
http://i.imgur.com/EQyVv.png

Yup that's most likely it, and I was pretty much expecting that, just trying to stay optimistic

At least the files are out there so eager programmers can start chipping away at an undated unpackers. Of course we could still luck out and maybe the Creation Kit will actually come with one .... ohhhh we can dream

hehe

» Mon May 07, 2012 12:24 pm

If you preloaded the game via steam the files are likely all encrypted anyway.

» Mon May 07, 2012 1:39 pm

I'm guessing that the 'Update.esm' file's got something to do with their new 'real-time' patching system.

» Mon May 07, 2012 2:12 pm

If you preloaded the game via steam the files are likely all encrypted anyway.

I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter whether you pre-loaded from Steam, or have a retail PC disc - the retail disc will also be encrypted until Steam decrypts it, because *every* PC version of Oblivion is really just the Steam version. I suppose it's almost certainly the case that the console (Xbox/PS3) discs aren't encrypted, but they aren't available till Friday either, are they?

» Mon May 07, 2012 5:46 am

I'm not sure if all files are encrypted or just the exe. Either way I doubt that is the issue exacting the bsa, it is something we pretty much expected, due to the new compression methods they use.

» Mon May 07, 2012 8:05 am

Anybody trying to extract bsa's or view the contents of any files are wasting their time. They will all be encrypted until release. If you don't believe me try and open up one of the .ini files, it will be a garbled mess. All steam pre-loads are like this, its nothing new.

» Mon May 07, 2012 11:20 am

Please tell me the Music subfolder in "Data" resembles that of Oblivion...
[Battle]
[Dungeon]
[Public]
etc...
I was angered beyond words that in Fallout NV I couldn't make a custom soundtrack because some third-party team decided to be lazy. I crave an immersive cinematic experience and need the ability to add my own music

» Mon May 07, 2012 12:29 pm

I'm not sure if all files are encrypted or just the exe. Either way I doubt that is the issue exacting the bsa, it is something we pretty much expected, due to the new compression methods they use.

No, everything is encrypted. It's why the BSAs don't open and even the INI files register as garbage if you open them in notepad. Oh, and there is no executable for the game (only the launcher is there). The game itself isn't part of the preload, apparently.