Modding dragon age origins

[JamesRaimes]

I successfully added 50 of all tomes and drake scales to Bodahns shop, last night. It's a big mess so I don't know what actual step did it. It's probably best to regard this as a proof of concept.

I have several override folders with editted store_camp_bodahn.utm files (PC version) sitting around in different directories. I also tried a modified designermerchants from the PC version (though the dao toolset can't read the ps3 .erf files). I tried adding tomes, drake scales, and specialty books to bodahn using the override folder. I tried adding just tomes through designermerchants.erf, but to both bodahn and the quartermaster in ostagar. I also uninstalled and reinstalled the game files.

My epilogue save didn't see a damn bit of difference with bodahn so I started a new character. The quartermaster had nothing new, but when I finally got to Bodahn outside lothering, he had the tomes and drake scales. He had the assassins specialty book, but no others (including the ones he's supposed to have). My override folders are set up like this

override->store_camp_bodahn.utm
override->toolsetexport->store_camp_bodahn.utm

The override folders themselves are stored in

modules->single player->override
packages->core->override
packages->core->data_tools->override
packages->core->data_tools->packages->core->override
packages->core->data_tools->modules->single player->override

Then I have a single store_camp_bodahn.utm sitting directly in data_tools. I just kept adding files and testing with my epilogue save. It didn't even occur to me that Bodahns entire inventory might be read from the save game to keep track of what was bought and sold. Also, you only need to find the right place to stick the files... it wasn't working so I kept adding more. I think the best place might be in modules->single player->override but my save is past the point of no return (I anxiously saved ASAP) and I don't feel like starting another character to test just yet.

I don't know if the modified desighermerchants.erf file will cause problems, but who knows. It's likely not needed since that was for ONLY tomes and didn't work on the quartermaster. Someone with more dedication and organizational skills than me can clean this up. Since these are game files, I can't upload them here. I got an infraction for that, once but I've laid it out as best I could.

[JamesRaimes]

Alright, a little bit more information. The override directories are just like the PC version. Packages/core/override and modules/single player/override. Make your alterations on the PC version and just move the entire override folder to your PS3 version. I put them both on my external HDD in the game folder and in the installed game data. I've managed to edit the inventories of the ostogar quarter master, bodahn, and the quartermaster in the circle of magi. I haven't found any side effects, yet. I've also been able to change prices and set stacked items as infinite. If you've already been to a merchant and then make changes, it will not show up.

I haven't been able to get mods that go in the Addin folder to work, so just the override ones. You could probably change the entire players starting inventory, if you want. But yeah, this opens the door to a lot of fun tweaking. You should be able to change dialog, scripts, item stats, relationship points, chest contents, exp earned, and just about anything else you can imagine. If you don't have access to a PC version, I don't know if any mod sites would have mods for specifically the override folder. I mostly just see addin mods.

modules->single player->override->toolsetexport->modified file
packages->core->override->toolsetexport->modified file

[fonglee]

There's a ton of mods that use the override folder, just check Dragon Age Nexus - Dragon Age mods and community

Will be very interested to see if they work but seeing as I only have it for PC, I can't test.

[hirokitanaka]

I successfully added 50 of all tomes and drake scales to Bodahns shop, last night. It's a big mess so I don't know what actual step did it. It's probably best to regard this as a proof of concept.

I have several override folders with editted store_camp_bodahn.utm files (PC version) sitting around in different directories. I also tried a modified designermerchants from the PC version (though the dao toolset can't read the ps3 .erf files). I tried adding tomes, drake scales, and specialty books to bodahn using the override folder. I tried adding just tomes through designermerchants.erf, but to both bodahn and the quartermaster in ostagar. I also uninstalled and reinstalled the game files.

My epilogue save didn't see a damn bit of difference with bodahn so I started a new character. The quartermaster had nothing new, but when I finally got to Bodahn outside lothering, he had the tomes and drake scales. He had the assassins specialty book, but no others (including the ones he's supposed to have). My override folders are set up like this

override->store_camp_bodahn.utm
override->toolsetexport->store_camp_bodahn.utm

The override folders themselves are stored in

modules->single player->override
packages->core->override
packages->core->data_tools->override
packages->core->data_tools->packages->core->override
packages->core->data_tools->modules->single player->override

Then I have a single store_camp_bodahn.utm sitting directly in data_tools. I just kept adding files and testing with my epilogue save. It didn't even occur to me that Bodahns entire inventory might be read from the save game to keep track of what was bought and sold. Also, you only need to find the right place to stick the files... it wasn't working so I kept adding more. I think the best place might be in modules->single player->override but my save is past the point of no return (I anxiously saved ASAP) and I don't feel like starting another character to test just yet.

I don't know if the modified desighermerchants.erf file will cause problems, but who knows. It's likely not needed since that was for ONLY tomes and didn't work on the quartermaster. Someone with more dedication and organizational skills than me can clean this up. Since these are game files, I can't upload them here. I got an infraction for that, once but I've laid it out as best I could.

First of all let me say props to you for being 1 of the first people to successfully mod this game on the ps3. That being said, could you perhaps release more detailed instructions on how to mod this game? Did you make your mods yourself or did you download them? What kind of file extension were they? Did you put the same mods in more then 1 override folder? Did you have override folders on the ps3 or did you create them? Did you mod the pc version 1st? Do you think you could have performed your mod without having the pc version? I tried downloading a couple of mods, and creating override folders, and I put both mod files in both override folders, but nothing happened. I too want to mod this game, so any further advice would help.

[JamesRaimes]

Yeah, sorry about that. It was all just a bit of a jumbled mess. I used my own files, I didn't use any downloaded mods. Every mod I looked at seems to go in the addin folder, which adds content to the game like new items, spells, etc. I couldn't get them to work. The override, however, does exactly as the time implies and is used to edit pre-existing game files. All the files I played with were .utm, which I extracted from the PC version of the game with the toolset. The toolset can not read the PS3 files, but the PS3 can read the extract PC files.

It's really just like modding the PC version. I'm sure there are a lot of resources for that, I just blindly played with things. I had to make the override folders myself, or rather, simply copied the entire folder from the toolset on PC. There are two different override folders, since the files in Modules are different than the files in Packages. If you mod a file that's originally stored in modules\single player\data then you would put the modified file in modules\single player\override\toolsetexport. It's probably enough to only have the override folders in the installed data (with FTP or comegenie's file manager) but I also put them in my game folder.

The best advice I can give is read up on modding the PC version, it will probably prove to be a lot more insightful than me.

[hirokitanaka]

Alright, a little bit more information. The override directories are just like the PC version. Packages/core/override and modules/single player/override. Make your alterations on the PC version and just move the entire override folder to your PS3 version. I put them both on my external HDD in the game folder and in the installed game data. I've managed to edit the inventories of the ostogar quarter master, bodahn, and the quartermaster in the circle of magi. I haven't found any side effects, yet. I've also been able to change prices and set stacked items as infinite. If you've already been to a merchant and then make changes, it will not show up.

I haven't been able to get mods that go in the Addin folder to work, so just the override ones. You could probably change the entire players starting inventory, if you want. But yeah, this opens the door to a lot of fun tweaking. You should be able to change dialog, scripts, item stats, relationship points, chest contents, exp earned, and just about anything else you can imagine. If you don't have access to a PC version, I don't know if any mod sites would have mods for specifically the override folder. I mostly just see addin mods.

modules->single player->override->toolsetexport->modified file
packages->core->override->toolsetexport->modified file

Thank you for your timely reply. I cant wait until im, not drunk to try this myself. I guess im going to have to give in and "buy" the pc version to mod the ps3 version. Can you help me by perhaps telling me which files you modified and which programs you used to get at the file?

[Ar-Kane]

did anyone ever get anything useful working for this ... if so can you upload it.
I've tried several mods from the nexus and haven't gotten anything to work.

[llagreatone]

Is it possible to hex edit this game...

[llagreatone]

Has anyone been able to mod/hack or hex edit this game?

[Yildirim007]

BUMP!

Has anyone gotten any mods working for DA:O??? If so let us know!