Starfield Mod:Archive2

File Extension: .BA2

Archive2 is a utility used to create new Starfield Mod:Archive Files. It is included with the download of the Starfield Mod:Creation Kit from Steam. It is located in the Starfield game directory under the Tools folder: ...Steam\steamapps\common\Starfield\Tools\Archive2.

If you've used Archive 2 for Fallout 4, then the archival process is identical with a few exceptions.

Window

Archive Settings

Archive 2 has 3 settings: General, DDS, XboxDDS

General Settings

General Settings are for anything other than textures. Video Files and Initialization Settings cannot be archived.

It is recommended to use external geometry when creating meshes, especially for Xbox. Internal geometry is invisible on Xbox.

Archive Suffix: - Main, - Main_Xbox

Example: MyCoolModName - Main.BA2, MyCoolModName - Main_Xbox.BA2

PC Texture Settings

See Microsoft Documentation on Block Compression.

Archive Suffix: - Textures

Example: MyCoolModName - Textures.BA2

Xbox Texture Settings

Xbox Textures must be converted by Asset Watcher. They are completely different than PC textures, and cannot be automatically archived by the Creation Kit.

Archive Suffix: - Textures_Xbox

Example: MyCoolModName - Textures_Xbox.BA2

Command Line

As with the previous version of Archive 2, the help command will print out usage information. Starfield's Archive2.exe appears to be identical.

Archive2.exe -?

Usage: Archive2 <archive, files/folders> [<arguments>]

 archive        Specifies the archive to open (for extracting/opening an
                archive).
 files/folders  Specifies the files and folders to open (for making an
                archive, comma-delimited).
 arguments      Zero or more of the following:
  -sourceFile|s=<string> - quotes required if spaces are involved
   Sets the source file to find contents to archive
  -outputOrderingFile|o=<string> - quotes required if spaces are involved
   Sets the output file of the file paths written to archive
  -excludeFile=<string> - quotes required if spaces are involved
   Sets the file that lists files not to archive
  -create|c=<string> - quotes required if spaces are involved
   Tells archiver to create an archive with the specified name
  -extract|e=<string> - quotes required if spaces are involved
   Tells the archiver to extract an archive to the specified folder
  -root|r=<string> - quotes required if spaces are involved
   Tells the archiver what path to use for the archive root (instead of
   looking for a data folder)
  -format|f=<General|DDS|XBoxDDS>
   Sets the archive format (default - General)
  -compression=<None|Default|XBox|LZ4>
   Sets the file compression settings (default - Default)
  -count=<unsigned int>
   Sets the archive count to make (default - 0)
  -maxSizeMB|sMB=<unsigned int>
   Sets the maximum archive size in megabytes (default - 0)
  -maxChunkCount|mch=<unsigned int>
   Sets the maximum number of chunks to use in a file (default - 4)
  -chunkAlign|cha=<unsigned int>
   Sets the number of bytes to align the start of each file to (default - 1)
  -singleMipChunkX|mipX=<unsigned int>
   Sets the X component of the minimum size a mip should be to have its own
   chunk (default - 512)
  -singleMipChunkY|mipY=<unsigned int>
   Sets the Y component of the minimum size a mip should be to have its own
   chunk (default - 512)
  -nostrings
   Does not write a string table to the archive
  -quiet|q
   Does not report progress or success (only failures)
  -tempFiles
   Tells the archiver to use temporary files instead of loading chunks
   into memory. Slower, but reduces memory usage
  -cleanup
   Cleans up chunk temp folder on launch (do not use when multiple copies are
   running)
  -includeFilters=??
   A list of regular expressions for file inclusion.
  -excludeFilters=??
   A list of regular expressions for file exclusion.
  -?
   Prints usage information.

Notes

• This page's basic layout and general wording are borrowed from the Fallout 4 Creation Kit Wiki to keep it informative and looking similar. Borrowed under CC BY-SA 4.0