How to install Norbyte's Script Extender

Unsure how to install Norbyte's Script Extender? Don't let it stop you from experiencing D:OS2 mods by reading the simple installation steps in this guide!

Introduction

Found a mod you want to use which requires Norbyte's Script Extender? Want faster loading times for modded playthroughs? Do you want to earn achievements whilst playing modded games?

If the answer to any of the above questions is "heck yeah!", then you'll want to install Norbyte's Script Extender.

What is the Script Extender?

Norbyte's excellent Script Extender is an add-on which allows modders to access more game resources which were previously unavailable for use. It allows modders to create exciting new mechanics and abilities to provide some new spice to play with.

As well as providing modders with some cool new tools to play with, it also speeds up load times for modded games significantly. It allows the game to load mods more efficiently, so gone are the days of waiting forever to get into the game! Additionally, the extender also enables achievements for modded games by default, meaning you aren't penalised for playing the game with mods.

In short, it's awesome.

Do I need to update the Script Extender?

Nope! The Script Extender fetches any pending updates when you open the game, meaning you don't ever have to worry about being on the wrong version.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, please make note of the following:

• The script extender may only be installed on a Windows machine. Mac is not compatible due to it's OS architecture.
  
• The script extender was built for the Definitive Edition of the game. It will not work on the Classic edition, so please do not install it in the Classic directory.
  
• If you're playing a multiplayer game with a mod which requires Norbyte's Script Extender, all of the players in your game must have the extender installed.

With that out of the way, let's begin! It's dead easy and there are only 2 short steps involved.

Method 1: Manually installing the Script Extender

This section details the steps involved to install the Script Extender manually through GitHub. The steps are very quick and straightforward, however, if you are seeing some difficulties please try installing via Method 2.

Step 1: Downloading the Extender

First, we need to download the Script Extender. Head to this GitHub page[github.com].

Once on this page, have a quick read of the content under the Installation header. DO NOT download the files under the Assets header.

Simply click the "click here" link in the Installation section and save the .zip folder to a suitable location.


Once downloaded, extract the DGXI.dll file from the .zip folder. This is the only file you need to use to enable the Script Extender.


Now we have downloaded the Script Extender file, we need to move it into the right folder. Let's move onto the next step!

Step 2: Installing the Extender

We have now downloaded the Script Extender .zip and extracted it. Great! One more step and we're done.

Next, you will want to head to wherever you installed Divinity Original Sin 2 on your computer. If you installed the game using Steam, it will be in inside your steamapps folder, e.g. \steamapps\common\Divinity Original Sin 2\.

NOTE: this is VERY important. To install the extender successfully, it MUST be installed into \Divinity Original Sin 2\DefEd\bin and NOT \Divinity Original Sin 2\bin\.

Open the DefEd folder. (\Divinity Original Sin 2\DefEd)


Then open the bin folder (\Divinity Original Sin 2\DefEd\bin)


Then place the DXGl.dll file from the extracted .zip folder in here. It may ask you to replace an existing file, and if so press Yes.


Done! You have now installed the extender in its entirety. Easy peasy!

Method 2: Automatic installation via LaughingLeader's Mod Manager tool

For those of you who don't know, LaughingLeader has produced an exceptional tool to aid with mod management in Divinity: Original Sin 2. It can be used to save and share mod load orders, reorder mod load orders, view mod requirements, and can install the Script Extender.

Step 1: Download the Mod Manager tool

First, we need to head over to this project page[github.com] to grab the Mod Manager.

Once the page has loaded, you should be presented with a helpful readme section if you scroll down the page a little.

In this section, you'll want to first install the Microsoft .NET Framework if you don't have this installed already. Most machines will have this installed already, but if you are unsure, you can check your programs list in the control panel to see if it's there already.

Then, you'll want to click the "Grab the latest release" link. This will begin the download for the application as a .zip file.


Once the .zip file has finished downloading, you'll want to extract it into a location you'll remember:


Now we've got the Mod Manager downloaded, we can move onto the next step!

Step 2: Installing the Script Extender using the Mod Manager tool

Now that we have extracted our files, double-click the DivinityModManager.exe file to open up the tool. You may get the following Windows security prompt. This is perfectly fine and you'll see this with a lot of personal projects on GitHub. Simply do the following to proceed:


Next, go to Settings -> Preferences and a new window will appear:


In the new window, you'll need to set three fields:

• Game Data Path -> This needs to be set to wherever your Divinity Original Sin 2/DefEd/Data folder is located.
  
• Game Executable Path -> This needs to be set to wherever your Divinity Original Sin 2/DefEd/bin/EoCApp.exe file is located.
  
• DOS2 Workshop Path -> This needs to be set to wherever your SteamLibrary/steamapps/workshop/content/435150 folder is located on your machine.
  
  Once you have populated these fields, hit the Save icon in the top left of the Preferences window. Then, close the window.
  
  Next, on the main program window, click Tools -> Download & Install the Script Extender. A dialog box will appear, in which you simply need to click "Yes" to begin the installation:
  
  After a few seconds, the installation will be complete. Easy peasy!

How can I tell that the installation was successful?

To check you have done everything correctly, open up the game and watch the loading screen before the Main Menu appears. You should see the following at the top of your screen.


As of v49 of the Script Extender, you can now also see the version number in the bottom-right corner on the game's title screen. NOTE: This only appears after you activate a mod which requires the extender in the mods menu:

Closing Thoughts

With that out of the way, we're done! Easy peasy, right?

If something didn't make sense or you aren't sure on anything, please do comment here to get some assistance.

Huge thanks to Norbyte for working tirelessly to expand the potential of the modding community for Divinity Original Sin 2 - you're awesome!

Hope you've found this guide helpful, and good luck out there Sourcerors!
- Odinblade

[Mirimes]

I wanted to add my 2 cents to the solution for reenabling achievements posted: if you use the mod manager, go under settings>preferences and then go to the script extender tab, you just have to flag "enable achievements" and then press the button "Save Osiris... .json" and voilà you have all the settings you need

[Mozek]

Everything works, used the solution below from a comment. Achievements work with mods and gift bag things.

[Bog]

Can i turn off auto update/update search? because of this extender you can't play the game if you have no internet connection

[1Stalk]

Check solution message below, it works just fine, thanks bro

[v.]

Can confirm, method 1 still works.

[『 キラツネ 』🌸]

FOR ANYONE WHO IS NOT GETTING ACHIEVEMENTS, I HAVE FOUND A SOLUTION! (If you could add this to the guide so it isn't buried under other comments it'd be greatly appreciated <3)

The issue is that osiris extender isn't generating a config file, and for some reason, the newer versions don't have the achievement enabler turned on by default, so all you have to do is:

1. Create a text file in DefEd\bin
2. Make the ONLY text in that file be "{"EnableAchievements":true}" (without the external quotes)
3. Save this file as "OsirisExtenderSettings.json" (make sure the file extension is .json and NOT .txt)
4. It should work! If it doesn't, double check the newly created file and make sure you don't have any other achievement unlocker mod installed, I had the achievements mod from nexus creating an incompatibility that prevented me from getting achievements at all. Enjoy circumventing the dumbest restriction in the game!

[huhanka bleba]

It doesn`t work to me. Can`t get any achevements with mods

[tempy]

does it still work for achievements, mine doesnt seem to allow me to get them anymore

[UNKNOWN]

I can't upgrade the version from V5.0 TO V5.9

[fgondwe92]

:( any chance this will be usable on MacOs?