Optimization - BSA or LOOSE?

[GunerX]

Following the STEP Core program most users will end up with some Optimized versions of the HDdlc and Vanilla textures.

 

Based on what I know of LOOSE vs BSA, BSA would be better right? I could be TOTALLY wrong on this.

 

Should I repack my HDdlc loose files into a BSA and have MO manage it?

 

Would this hurt the game or help it?

 

Or would this make absolutely no difference at all?

[EssArrBee]

If you repack the BSAs you need to use the archive.exe included with CK in your Skyrim folder. DDSopt and BSAopt do not do it correctly with the latest BSA version.

[GunerX]

If you repack the BSAs you need to use the archive.exe included with CK in your Skyrim folder. DDSopt and BSAopt do not do it correctly with the latest BSA version.

Good to know.

 

But is there any performance gain by doing this?

[EssArrBee]

It isn't to people with SSDs, but there is a difference if you work out the math. Also, the benefit of saving space.

[GunerX]

Well...now Im not sure if that would help me.

 

I think it would...but maybe you know more than me.

 

Here's what I've got:

 

 

40GB SSD - has Skyrim Game

1TB HDD - has MO and all Mods

 

Since MO (I am not 100% on this) virtualizes everything and shows it to Skyrim somehow, I am assuming that the HDD would benefit from the further compression, right?

[EssArrBee]

Probably, if the HRDLC BSAs are packed and put into MO. If they are in the actual data folder then probably not. 40GB is tiny though so any space you save is probably good just for that reason alone.

[GunerX]

Ok. Since I am used to using BSAopt, what should I set Archive.exe at to repack the BSA's?

[fireundubh]

BSAs also have specific flags that you should use. I made a thread somewhere here that lists all of the possible flags as well as the flags used by the core BSAs.

 

https://forum.step-project.com/topic/5111-bsa-archive-flags/

Edited August 19, 2014 by fireundubh

[EssArrBee]

https://www.iguanadons.net/Using-BAIN-and-Archiveexe-to-Package-a-Skyrim-Mod-494.html

 

Use that link or look at this from the BSA guide. 

 

https://wiki.step-project.com/Guide:BSA_Extraction_and_Optimization#tab=Creating_BSAs

[Kelmych]

The "Optimizing Vanilla BSAs" tab in the BSA guide includes the pointer to the thread that fireundubh mentioned. Perhaps this pointer should also be on the last tab.