[DAI mods installation tutorial] (2024)


There are two mod managers for DAI:


DAI Mod manager (DAITools Suite)


https://www.nexusmods.com/dragonageinquisition/mods/693


- base mod manager, first created for DAI, for majority of mods.


- mod format: daimod



Frosty Mod manager (Frosty Tool Suite)



- newest mod manager, supports more advanced modding features, for latest created mods.


- mod format: fbmod



- at present day, mods ratio is: 70 daimod-s / 30 fbmod-s.


- both mod managers can be used alongside AND required specific mod installation procedure.



* Modding mechanics:


- DAI modding is achieved by creating new patch with higher load priority that overwrites any base (vanilla) game files.


- Mod managers take default game files and merge them with new data from mods.


- DAI MM will create new patch with name "Patch_ModManagerMerge".


- FMM will create new patch with name "ModData"



[ Pre-installation requirements ]


0-0) Disable Origin for DAI. If you want to play multiplayer, just temporary remove mods and re-enable it.


- In short, any service will always attempt to check and restore game files integrity - that's mean erasing modded data.


- Greatly increases DAI performance.


0-1) Go to:


%DAI installation directory% > Update > Patch


- Open: package.mft


> with Notepad++



> right mouse btn click on file > edit with Notepad++


- change: Version 11 to Version 12


- save the file and close it.



0-2) Copy entire Patch folder and place it outside %DAI installation directory%


(you will need it each time you install any mod)



0-3) Create new folder to store daimods


> I recommend creating separate folder on D: (or any) drive with name DAI and store all related stuff there, including mod managers and most important, MODS folder.


- go to D: (or any) drive > create folder: MODS


- in MODS folder create sub-folders for each mod cathegory:


A Core, B World, C System, D Spells_skills, E Creatures, F NPC, G Companions, H Items, I Armor, J Weapons, K Crafting, L Shops, M Appearance, Z CFG


(Z for highest load priority - i.e. will be shown last in MM mod list).



> DAI MM loads mods in alphabethical order, to sort mods in MM load list just change the folder letter.


> ! Do not use numbers at the beginning of the folder name - MM just won't load such folders.


> Mods on the bottom of list will be loaded last AND IF there will be mod conflicts, last mod in load order will overwrite previous mod with conflicting data.


> Exclution: if two mods change the same data but in different quantities, they will be merged without problems by general load order rule:


- for example, two mods with different data, both edit the same content:


MOD A: a1, b1, c1, d1, e1


MOD B: b2, d2, f2, g2


> merged final result: a1, b2, c1, d2, e1, f2, g2


Example: armor recolors/tinting


mod a: a1, b1, c1, d1 - will recolor entire armor set (helmet, chest, boots, gloves)


mod b: a2 - will only change the color of the helmet.


result - a2, b1, c1, d1


> load mod b after mod a and you'll combine two mods perfectly.



0-4) Create separate folder for Frosty MM mods (outside MODS folder). For example: FMM MODS - store all fbmods there.


0-5) Create shortcuts on desktop (or anywhere) for folders: DAI and Update (you'll need them later).




[ DAI MM mods installation ]


1) Download and unpack DAITools Suite Loader (outside %DAI installation directory%)


1-1) Launch DAIToolsSuite_Loader.exe > click "Mod Manager", click "64 bits"


1-2) [ Download All selected ] > close DAITools SL.


1-3) Create shotcut of DAI MM's .exe on the desktop (or anywhere else):


Tools > Mod Manager > Main > Mod Manager v1.0 > DAIModManager.exe


2) Open DAI MM and set up paths - [browse]:


- MODS directory - from where mods will be loaded by MM.


> for example: D:\GAMES\DAI\MODS


- Dragon Age Path - %DAI installation directory%


- close MM.


3) Fill MODS folder with daimods! :smile:


4) Open DAI MM in main program window there will be list of mods with sorting depending how you organize your load order (i.e. folder names, A-Z).


- you can drag mods up and down to change in which priority they will be merged


> to not do this each time you'll install new mod - use sub-folders - for example: I Armor > a Armor mod first, b Armor mod second and so on).


- Edit configurable mods before merging! - this is special daimods that support user custom values (button [Configure] will appear on the right side of programm's window).


> You'll have to re-configure such mods each time you'll do re-merging.


- Enable/disable specific mods by clicking on [X]. (If mod is unchecked, it won't be merged).


5) Once you're done with preparations, press [Merge] button.


> DAI MM will create new patch with name "Patch_ModManagerMerge" in Dragon Age Inquisition /Update folder, with Version 13 in package.mft file (that mean it will have higher load priority than vanilla Patch with Version 12).


6) "Task completed sucessfully" (merge is finished) > [Close] > Close MM.


7) All set! Launch the game via DAI default exe shortcut (as usually).



* Warnings, errors in merge process.


> Warnings - one mod overwrite another.


- can be ignored, unless you want specific result whe combining mods - then change load priority and do merge again.


> Errors - some data cannot be found/not exist.


- ignore. Some mods are created for older Patch versions - that means files were renamed/removed/relocated since this mod was created. In this case, mod changes simply won't be applied and used in game.



* Adding new mod


Add new mod in MODS > MODS sub-folder > Merge.


- in general, when you do merging-s, each time MM will overwrite existing data in Patch_ModManagerMerge folder.


> it is advisable to delete "Patch_ModManagerMerge" folder (each time) before installing new mod and then make new merge - in this case, this step will guarantee 100% mods compatibility and work reliability.




[ FMM mods installation ]


1) Download and unpack MM (outside %DAI installation directory%)


> (optional, if FMM not work for some reason) FMM folder:


copy all files except Prereqs folder to %DAI installation directory%


1-1) Create shotcut of Frosty MM's .exe


1-2) Set admin properties for FMM:


FrostyModManager > right mouse btn click > Properties > Compatibility > Run as admin > Apply.


1-3) Launch FMM > Select configuration > [New] > select DAI exe > select DAI > [select]


2) Open FMM and click [import Mod(s)] > select fbmod >> mod will be added to the left side list.


- left list - "Available Mods" - is all imported mods list - it will show all mods you add to FMM.


3) Select mod > double click on it or click [Apply Mod(s)] >> mod will be added to the right side list.


- right list - "Applied Mods" - is current mods list, mods that will be installed and used in game.


> "Conflicts" tab will show data conflicts for "Applied Mods"


- Enable/disable specific mods by clicking on [V]. (If mod is unchecked, it won't be merged).


4) Once you're done with preparations, press [Launch] > [OK]


> FMM can be closed once you load the main menu.


> FMM will create new patch with name "ModData" in /%DAI installation directory%.


5) All set! Launch the game via FMM > Launch.


> FMM > [Launch] - will launch Vanilla DAI (or DAI with DAI MM) + FMM mods.


(Vanilla shortcut - will launch DAI with DAI MM mods only (without FMM mods)).



* FMM mods structure


fbmod - mod file.


archive - fbmod required file - old FMM version mods consist of two parts fbmod + archive (newest version consist of only fbmod).


fbproject - source file - for modders.



* Adding new mod


Add new mod FMM > Launch.


- in general, when you do merging-s, each time MM will overwrite existing data in ModData folder.


> it is advisable to delete "ModData" folder (each time) before installing new mod and then make new merge - in this case, this step will guarantee 100% mods compatibility and work reliability.




[ Dual MM mods installation ]


The general idea is to apply FMM's mods changes on top of DAI MM Patch.


1) Install all DAI MM daimods;


2) Move Vanilla Patch folder from Update folder;


3) Rename "Patch_ModManagerMerge" to "Patch"


4) Install all FMM fbmods;



- DAI MM will merge data with vanilla Patch only, so you'll have to rename "Patch" back to "Patch_ModManagerMerge" and move vanilla Patch back to Update folder to make DAI MM merge with new mod or as listed above delete modded Patch and just repeat renaming each time - it is more reliable way to ensure that all mods will be installed properly.


- Combining similar daimods and fbmods:


same rule as for the daimods:


DAIMOD: a1, b1, c1, d1, e1


FBMOD: b2, d2, f2, g2


> combined merged final result: a1, b2, c1, d2, e1, f2, g2



Infinite Fade Step - fbmod + Step-by-Step - daimod


Example result: a1 + b2 for Infinite Fade Step and Step-by-Step mods - infinite duration + no cooldown Fade Step spell.



* Adding new mod


[ FAST dual MM mods installation ]


1) Rename "Patch" to "Patch_ModManagerMerge"


2) Move vanilla Patch to Update


3) DAI MM > [Merge]


4) Move vanilla Patch from Update


5) Rename "Patch_ModManagerMerge" to "Patch"


6) FMM > [Launch]



[ IRONCLAD dual MM mods installation ]


1) Delete Patch and ModData


2) Move vanilla Patch to Update


3) DAI MM > [Merge]


4) Move vanilla Patch from Update


5) Rename "Patch_ModManagerMerge" to "Patch"


6) FMM > [Launch]



* Importing/converting DAI MM mods to FMM


- FMM can load daimods and treat them as fbmods and use their data BUT it won't work realy well at all - especially texture mods (expect graphical artifacts and other glitches, not to mention other unpredicted bugs).


- FMM does not support configurable daimods.



To test mods for compatibility - open mods with Notepad++ (right mouse btn click on mod file > edit with Notepad++).






Edited by ArJed

[DAI mods installation tutorial] (2024)
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