The GoG version appears not to create the Bioware registry entry required by the toolset installer to find the DAO install path; thus, you cannot install the toolset/game editor. From what I can gather, the toolset installer is looking for the HKLM/Software/Bioware/.. entry, but the GoG version does not appear to create these keys.

Has anyone figured out how to force-install the toolset?

[Win7x64, game runs, config util has been run and a valid config saved]

1. you don't need the bioware reg keys.
2. the updater is a tool and you DON'T install it
3. works just fine as is on my Windows 10 (local account) gog version game... have you got the right .net?
basic instructions =
https://windowsforum.com/threads/dragon-age-origins-comes-to-gog-com.222281/#post-676487

Who's talking about the updater? My post regards the *toolset*, which is the game editor used to create and modify game assets and savefiles. That very much IS an installed download from the Bioware website and their own forum has various threads discussing how the installer executable looks for registry keys and will simply not attempt installation if they are absent.

The described behavior exactly matches the problem I am having, and a quick perusal of the registry editor reveals that the keys mentioned in their forum posts regarding the toolset installer are *not* present. Ergo, it would appear that the toolset installer cannot be used with the GoG version.

Be careful, the bioware release notes are pretty clear about needing a registered pc copy of the game installed first to install it… of course you could legally install a pc copy of dragon age then the toolset and then install the gog-da:o so there may be a workaround in just having the key but not using it? Copywright law is such a bloody mess… have fun!

This sounds like the GOG version is not a legally installed copy :)

At least in Europe, it is your right to take any means necessary to get your legally acquired copy working without asking the publisher (Steam may be different, because you never really own a copy).
Same goes for movies, it is no problem to circumvent the drm of DVD/Bluray or write software for it to make private copies or watch them in the first place on systems not supported by the DRM software to de-crypt the datastream yet.

I would argue that the toolkit isn't part of the game itself but a mod... the gog version of the game already works (mostly... the user screenshot key don't work right) so taking major steps to get this extra mod working isn't covered imo.

any way, love the work gog does and hope it all works out.

Yeah. This is a massive letdown :( Hopefully someone finds a fix for this.

Many thanks!!

Edit: A bit different on my system. I installed DAO before the hotfix and applied the hotfix later, still I have no path string/entry in DragonAge.

Only entry there is
Name -- Type - Data
(Default) - REG_SZ - (value not set)

I do have 2 entries in Bioware (HKLM/SOFTWARE/Wow6432Node/BioWare/):
Name - Type - Data
(Default) - REG_SZ - (value not set)
Path - REG_SZ - D:\Games\GOG\Dragon Age Origins

I am going to reinstall the most recent version from the GOG site and see what difference it makes. Toolset is essential for me ;)

I had already uninstalled the game :). I reinstalled using the most recent version from the GOG site. Now I was able to edit the registry and install the toolset.

Works perfectly. Thanks.

Actually, the problem I had was not thinking to look in the "Windows on Windows" subkey, since DaO is a 32-bit program. I don't manually trawl through the registry much...it gets corrupted quite nicely without any help, as often as not. In this case, though, I can see why the original change was made and the reversion is simple, obvious and effective.

Again, thanks much.

Wouldn't have been more logical to leave the game install with the proper registry path and separately have for download an "Origin Client fix" for those that do have this issue?

And Origin should have been contacted to fix their auto-updater. It is after all an Origin Client issue to be fixed by their support team.