[DAI mods installation tutorial] (2024)

There are two mod managers for DAI:

DAI Mod manager (DAITools Suite)

- 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 June 29, 2021 by ArJed