Yes, Kiddies, I can not leave well enough the fuck alone.
Been modding again this morning, cause hey, my sinuses are trying to kill me again, and I cannot sleep through blinding pain.
Who needs more than four hours every 22, anyway? Slackers.
Went through and added a few dozen occlusion planes to Vault 1, in an attempt to reduce system load, and thus increase FPS. So far, so good. Will require wider testing, but it does seem to help noticeably.
Thanks to some help from my darling Angel, the sleep system has been improved yet again. The original script I wrote last night just wasn't working. The game doesn't like adding and removing items via trigger boxes, apparently.
So, she hit upon a beautiful idea.
Have the sleep packages add sleepwear in the OnBegin block. This will not only solve the problem of making the NPC's change clothes when going to bed, but it adds a solid reference to the inventory for the countermand order to conditionally display correctly!
Tested, and it works wonderfully.
That done, we started in on expanding the conditional and random responses from companions when told to sleep in the player's bed. Added some separate male and female responses, based on the player's gender. Added more responses based on player alignment, and a couple based on companion's disposition towards player.
Someone was bugging me to remove the innuendo from the dialog, but that ain't gonna happen.
1) I never assume that just because the player is a woman, they won't be interested in other women.
Not only am I a pervert, but I'm all for equality.
2) I don't know about you guys, but asking someone to sleep in my bed is not something I do unless I have an "interest" in them. The last time I had a platonic sleepover, I think I was about eleven.
3) It's the kinda guy I am. I like writing dark humor, and somewhat dirty comments.
I have to say it's interesting though, that I never specifically stated anything in the responses about sex. I used terms like "try something funny", which could also mean things like robbing them blind, or trying to sell them into slavery.
It seems the "clean text" person has a dirty mind of their own, inferring such things... teh shaaaaaaaaaaem.
Gotta take a break now, though. I need a shower, and that fucking intruder H/VAC inspector is supposed to be here "sometime this week". Nice to see complex management is still taking the playbook from the cable company.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
More Scripting
...I think I just wrote a script completely off the cuff and on a whim, to change and NPC's clothing when they get in bed, and restore it when they get up...
Must test this.
Must test this.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
RR Companions AI Overhaul
I do not come bearing pictures.
The sad truth is that the work I've been doing doesn't lend itself to screenshotting well.
What have I been doing?
Once I finished with that weapons drawing command in the companion script I sorta... got on a roll.
Between my last post, and Monday night when I uploaded the more or less finalized testing plugin, I had damn near completely changed every facet of the non-following behavior of the companion system.
Have a peek at the readme:
As of right now, the experimental features added are:
1) A new system that allows raiders to attack Vault 1, no sooner than once every game-world-cell reset. This is four days, at the default setting. Note: there are a great many mods that change this value, and I cannot control which of them you run, so the respawn rate may vary.
The attacks now default to OFF, and must be enabled via the terminal on the front desk in the Guard House.
Please bear in mind that it would be a good idea to run a guards plugin before turning the attacks on.
The attack will always consist of six raiders, whose levels vary according to that of the player. The six will be randomly chosen from a list that consists of one of each type available at that level. These include "gun", "rifle" and "melee" until level eight, when the type "special" is added to the list.
ONLY female raiders spawn (this is ME making the mod, after all).
Note also: the trigger is written so that it does NOT require the player to be activated. The attack spawn can be activated by the player, by companions, by Guards, even NPCs if they roam into the entryway for whatever reason. Essentially, anything that steps into the trigger sets it off and initiates the attack.
Raiders can, however, NOT open the door leading into the vault. I considered changing this, but found it a realistic problem for the raiders. They'll loiter around outside, throwing curses through the door until you open it.
Raiders will NOT respawn while you are in the vault. You have to leave the vault and re-enter for the cell to reset, and the raiders to attack again.
Added a set of containers in the guard house, for arming and maintaining your defensive forces. There is now an ammo can, a locker, and a med-kit on the back wall, near the monitors.
The locker contains a large list of weapons. It uses leveled lists to spawn weapons from not only the vanilla game, but also many weapon mods, if you use them. Weapon locker contents are random, and will change from game to game. They also vary based on your level, at the time the plugin is activated. Note: weapon mod-added weapons will have their ammunition spawn in the weapons locker, and not in the ammo can. I plan to rectify this in the future, at least for CALIBR compatible mods.
The ammo can will contain many, many rounds of various types of ammo. Vanilla only, at this point. Sometimes, a stealth boy or two will also spawn. I have no idea why it does this, but don't consider it enough of a problem to embark upon a bug hunt.
The ammo can, med-kit, and weapon locker DO NOT respawn, ever.
The med-kit contains stimpacks only, and is intended to be used to supply the guards/NPCs in the vault, so that they can heal themselves as they take damage.
All three containers are restockable by dialog option, outlined below.
2) What I call the "sit package". A little scripting and a package that causes any companions using the Vault1companionscript to sit down when the player does -provided they are in your party at the time.
A small thing, but it adds a touch of character and realism, I think.
Conditions for sitting: You should note, the companions can be a bit flighty about sitting their pretty little butts down. It's almost random - some will sit in certain rooms, but not others. Some will sit next to you, or a seat down, or even on another piece of furniture altogether. Others don't seem to want to sit at all, sometimes.
The ones who opt not to sit, however, will still relax and pop open a Nuka Cola; unless they're wearing a full-face helmet. Covered mouth = no drink.
3) Draw! That's right, the companions now pull their weapons when you do, ensuring they are ready to throw down at a moment's notice. They relax and put the weapon(s) away when you do, provided they are not in combat.
4) Mail order your supplies. Okay, not really. The USPS may not exist in the Capital Wasteland, but that doesn't mean you have to actually venture outside to get ammo, meds, or some basic weapons. Speak to any one of your companions, the guards, or Sunny (the bartender) to make use of their "gray area" trader contacts. You can order loads of ammunition, stimpaks, miscellaneous meds, or weapons.
Packages only appear for sale if you have enough caps in your inventory to pay for it. Caps are automatically removed from your inventory when you make the purchase.
Ammo is spawned randomly from leveled lists. More and rarer ammunition are spawned as you buy more expensive packages. Ammunition is buyable in packages from one hundred to one thousand caps.
Stimpak orders always spawn stimpaks. The wholesale rate offered by the gray area contact generally amounts to ten caps per stim, varying a bit depending on how many stims spawn. Paks are ordered in packs costing from one hundred to five hundred caps.
Miscellaneous meds are orderable from the stimpak menu. Packages include a random assortment of medicine that is usually only used by the player - things like MedX, RadX, Rad-away, purified water, and the like. Packages of miscellaneous medicine cost a hundred caps each.
Weapons are mostly useful only as spare parts, or stopgap arms for early game companions and guards. Weapons spawn from leveled lists, and are consequently in generally poor condition. Packages are spawned from lists that include mod weapons, if you run such a package, so it's a good way to get a slew of mod weapons without having to traipse all over the wasteland looting raiders. Weapons come in packages of two hundred and five hundred caps each.
Each sale menu has an "I've changed my mind" option, so that you're never forced to buy if you don't want to.
Once purchased, contents of packages are added to the appropriate container in the Vault 1 entryway guard house instantly. This is a minor point of unrealism, but I didn't want to bog down the system with a timer. COnsider it ultra-super-futuristic-rush-delivery.
5) Companion wardrobe. All companions now have their own outfits, selectable by dialog. Outfits include Pre-War Casualwear, Regulator Duster, Merc Charmer Outfit, and Leather Armor. There is also a fifth option, "I'll give you an outfit to wear." which removes all companion outfits, and auto-opens the share window. If you select an outfit after putting a new set of armor into the companion's inventory, it will override the inventory item until the next time the companion assesses its equipment, when it will automatically equip the clothing/armor with the best DR rating.
The remove option will only affect the special companion-only clothing, and will NEVER remove items added to the companion's inventory normally.
6) Companion armory. All companions now have a set of their own weapons, selectable by dialog. Weapons include the 10mm Pistol, 10mm SMG, Sawed-Off Shotgun, and Sniper Rifle. All weapons have infinite ammunition, but are otherwise standard in rate of fire and damage. As with the armor, there is a fifth option, that removes all companion-only weaponry and opens the share window. Again, as with the armor, selecting a companion weapon via dialog will override any weapons in the companion's inventory, until the next time they assess their equipment, when the weapon with the highest damage (that they have ammunition for) will automatically be equipped.
The remove option will only affect the special companion-only weapons, and will NEVER remove items added to the companion's inventory normally.
7) Go to sleep. Selected by choosing "Why don't you lie down and get some sleep, while we have some time?" in the dialog menu. A for some reason often requested function, this option tells the companion to go to a nearby suitable bed, and go to sleep. The companion will sleep until awoken by the player. Note: this option does not remove the companion from your party.
The sleep system has already received a major overhaul. You may now order the companion to sleep in a specific bed, inside Vault 1. Choices include the player's bed, and all thirty of the NPC bedrooms.
The sleep packages have been overhauled for optimization as well, as I learned more about how they work.
Also note: with a "sleep anywhere" order, the companion will not sleep in a bed unless they're allowed to by the ownership. Example: companions can not sleep in the Megaton Common House, the Rivet City Common Room, or most NPC owned houses. A good rule of thumb is if you can't sleep in a bed, neither can they - with the notable exception of the naval cots in the Vault 1 entryway.
The sleep packages can be a bit wonky. Sometimes they terminate properly, and sometimes they don't.
Because of some lazy coding on Bethesda's part, the sleep packages don't "end" the way a travel package does. This has resulted in it being rather... problematic, to get the package removed and keep them from reverting to it the next time they're told to "stay here". Unfortunately, the packages also do not run like a normal package, and thus the conditional countermand I wrote never shows up in dialog choices.
As a (hopefully temporary) solution, I have added a trigger in the cave tunnel leading into Vault 1 that will forcibly strip any of the sleep packages from any NPC companion that is flagged as having been recruited when they walk through it. If a companion is having problems trying to return to bed whenever you tell them to stay, simply tell them to follow and walk them to the front door leading out into the wasteland, and back into the entryway. You don't have to actually change cells. You should then be able to tell them to stay with the correct sandbox package in place.
8) Relax here. Selected by choosing "Why don't you take a load off and relax here?" in the dialog menu, this is another function that I cannot see the immediate import of, but is a common request. This sets the companion to use a special sandbox package, intended to allow them to "live" in any cell outside vault 1 you care to leave them in. This option should not be used outdoors, in the wasteland, as the companion will likely wander off, and be difficult to find again without the aid of the tracking system.
This option only appears if you are in a cell other than Vault 1.
This function has its own special countermand, the dialog choice "Feel like coming with me again?", which will only appear if the companion is still running the special sandbox package. You should always use this order to cancel a relax command, rather than the generic follow command. When available, it will appear at the top of your list of dialog options.
While not its intended function, this command will also allow you to set up a "companion home" in any interior cell you care for. As long as the idle markers are there, the companions will use them.
9) Go Home. Not as often requested, but something I've wanted myself, this option - selected by choosing "Go back to the Vault and relax." from the dialog menu - will send the companion back to Vault 1, and then engage a sandbox package for them to live normally until needed again.
Note: once recruited, Vault 1 is the companions' home. This marker is not movable via dialog, and I have no plans to add a player-placeable home marker. If you want to force your companions to live in that shack in Megaton, you have to take them there yourself, and tell them to relax in that cell.
This command can be selected anywhere outside Vault 1, however the companion will move to the Vault normally, and will not teleport. Thus, it may take a day or more for them to get home, depending on where in the wasteland you are when you give the order.
10) Dialog reorder. I re-ordered some of the dialog options, in an attempt to make things friendlier, and less frustrating. Group orders and Breakup were moved down near the bottom of the list. I can't speak for anyone else, but I got tired of having breakup accidentally selected every time the damned menu lagged. Now a click during a lagging menu will most often select the resupply menu, or follow.
11) Dialog command adjustments. This one will likely be invisible to you, the end user, but it was important for those of us who create companions. The default follow command simply removed the top package from the companion's stack, as did the "stay here" command. These commands now call and remove the follow player and sandbox packages by name, so as not to screw up your package list, if you set one up on your custom companion so that they'd do more than sandbox in the vault.
12) Standard companion adjustments. Jill and Joan have had their inventories reset to use the new companion-only armor and weapons, without any "standard" items cluttering up their inventory. If you wish to change their weapon or outfit, just talk to them.
Note also: there are no group commands for sleep, relax here, or go home. This is not a bug, nor an oversight, and I have no intention of changing it.
As you can see, I did a whole mess of work. I've got to admit, I'm fairly proud of it. Provided it all works, these companions will not only be some of the most fully-featured available, but custom companions will also be easily created by the end user, oftentimes in less than twenty minutes apiece.
One of the big things about this whole mess of new features is that they all work with every companion created using the RR system, seamlessly and with no extra work on the end-user's part.
Not only is this huge for the users of Vault 1, but it's huge for me as well.
This batch of upgrades will finally bring the companion system and my own skills to the point that they needed to be to realize my full vision for my companions mod.
I can finally begin work in earnest, giving the girls the personalities, traits, equipment, and dialog that I've wanted since the beginning.
I've got no illusions that I'll finish the project in a week, but at least now I can finally start in on it and make real progress.
Once the new features are integrated into the master file, I'll bring the "base" version of my companions up to speed with the new stuff, and then start in on the in-depth version that will add personalities, quests, dialog, and so forth.
I have to say, I'm stunned, myself. Somewhere in the last three months I've become a competent modder. I wrote the script for stripping the sleeping packages from the companions free hand, without even checking the database for function references. Ditto for the clothing and weapon settings.
Never thought I'd be this guy. The one releasing big, well-featured mods that people like... always kinda figured I'd be relegated to retextures and occasionally changing a few values in someone else's work.
The sad truth is that the work I've been doing doesn't lend itself to screenshotting well.
What have I been doing?
Once I finished with that weapons drawing command in the companion script I sorta... got on a roll.
Between my last post, and Monday night when I uploaded the more or less finalized testing plugin, I had damn near completely changed every facet of the non-following behavior of the companion system.
Have a peek at the readme:
As of right now, the experimental features added are:
1) A new system that allows raiders to attack Vault 1, no sooner than once every game-world-cell reset. This is four days, at the default setting. Note: there are a great many mods that change this value, and I cannot control which of them you run, so the respawn rate may vary.
The attacks now default to OFF, and must be enabled via the terminal on the front desk in the Guard House.
Please bear in mind that it would be a good idea to run a guards plugin before turning the attacks on.
The attack will always consist of six raiders, whose levels vary according to that of the player. The six will be randomly chosen from a list that consists of one of each type available at that level. These include "gun", "rifle" and "melee" until level eight, when the type "special" is added to the list.
ONLY female raiders spawn (this is ME making the mod, after all).
Note also: the trigger is written so that it does NOT require the player to be activated. The attack spawn can be activated by the player, by companions, by Guards, even NPCs if they roam into the entryway for whatever reason. Essentially, anything that steps into the trigger sets it off and initiates the attack.
Raiders can, however, NOT open the door leading into the vault. I considered changing this, but found it a realistic problem for the raiders. They'll loiter around outside, throwing curses through the door until you open it.
Raiders will NOT respawn while you are in the vault. You have to leave the vault and re-enter for the cell to reset, and the raiders to attack again.
Added a set of containers in the guard house, for arming and maintaining your defensive forces. There is now an ammo can, a locker, and a med-kit on the back wall, near the monitors.
The locker contains a large list of weapons. It uses leveled lists to spawn weapons from not only the vanilla game, but also many weapon mods, if you use them. Weapon locker contents are random, and will change from game to game. They also vary based on your level, at the time the plugin is activated. Note: weapon mod-added weapons will have their ammunition spawn in the weapons locker, and not in the ammo can. I plan to rectify this in the future, at least for CALIBR compatible mods.
The ammo can will contain many, many rounds of various types of ammo. Vanilla only, at this point. Sometimes, a stealth boy or two will also spawn. I have no idea why it does this, but don't consider it enough of a problem to embark upon a bug hunt.
The ammo can, med-kit, and weapon locker DO NOT respawn, ever.
The med-kit contains stimpacks only, and is intended to be used to supply the guards/NPCs in the vault, so that they can heal themselves as they take damage.
All three containers are restockable by dialog option, outlined below.
2) What I call the "sit package". A little scripting and a package that causes any companions using the Vault1companionscript to sit down when the player does -provided they are in your party at the time.
A small thing, but it adds a touch of character and realism, I think.
Conditions for sitting: You should note, the companions can be a bit flighty about sitting their pretty little butts down. It's almost random - some will sit in certain rooms, but not others. Some will sit next to you, or a seat down, or even on another piece of furniture altogether. Others don't seem to want to sit at all, sometimes.
The ones who opt not to sit, however, will still relax and pop open a Nuka Cola; unless they're wearing a full-face helmet. Covered mouth = no drink.
3) Draw! That's right, the companions now pull their weapons when you do, ensuring they are ready to throw down at a moment's notice. They relax and put the weapon(s) away when you do, provided they are not in combat.
4) Mail order your supplies. Okay, not really. The USPS may not exist in the Capital Wasteland, but that doesn't mean you have to actually venture outside to get ammo, meds, or some basic weapons. Speak to any one of your companions, the guards, or Sunny (the bartender) to make use of their "gray area" trader contacts. You can order loads of ammunition, stimpaks, miscellaneous meds, or weapons.
Packages only appear for sale if you have enough caps in your inventory to pay for it. Caps are automatically removed from your inventory when you make the purchase.
Ammo is spawned randomly from leveled lists. More and rarer ammunition are spawned as you buy more expensive packages. Ammunition is buyable in packages from one hundred to one thousand caps.
Stimpak orders always spawn stimpaks. The wholesale rate offered by the gray area contact generally amounts to ten caps per stim, varying a bit depending on how many stims spawn. Paks are ordered in packs costing from one hundred to five hundred caps.
Miscellaneous meds are orderable from the stimpak menu. Packages include a random assortment of medicine that is usually only used by the player - things like MedX, RadX, Rad-away, purified water, and the like. Packages of miscellaneous medicine cost a hundred caps each.
Weapons are mostly useful only as spare parts, or stopgap arms for early game companions and guards. Weapons spawn from leveled lists, and are consequently in generally poor condition. Packages are spawned from lists that include mod weapons, if you run such a package, so it's a good way to get a slew of mod weapons without having to traipse all over the wasteland looting raiders. Weapons come in packages of two hundred and five hundred caps each.
Each sale menu has an "I've changed my mind" option, so that you're never forced to buy if you don't want to.
Once purchased, contents of packages are added to the appropriate container in the Vault 1 entryway guard house instantly. This is a minor point of unrealism, but I didn't want to bog down the system with a timer. COnsider it ultra-super-futuristic-rush-delivery.
5) Companion wardrobe. All companions now have their own outfits, selectable by dialog. Outfits include Pre-War Casualwear, Regulator Duster, Merc Charmer Outfit, and Leather Armor. There is also a fifth option, "I'll give you an outfit to wear." which removes all companion outfits, and auto-opens the share window. If you select an outfit after putting a new set of armor into the companion's inventory, it will override the inventory item until the next time the companion assesses its equipment, when it will automatically equip the clothing/armor with the best DR rating.
The remove option will only affect the special companion-only clothing, and will NEVER remove items added to the companion's inventory normally.
6) Companion armory. All companions now have a set of their own weapons, selectable by dialog. Weapons include the 10mm Pistol, 10mm SMG, Sawed-Off Shotgun, and Sniper Rifle. All weapons have infinite ammunition, but are otherwise standard in rate of fire and damage. As with the armor, there is a fifth option, that removes all companion-only weaponry and opens the share window. Again, as with the armor, selecting a companion weapon via dialog will override any weapons in the companion's inventory, until the next time they assess their equipment, when the weapon with the highest damage (that they have ammunition for) will automatically be equipped.
The remove option will only affect the special companion-only weapons, and will NEVER remove items added to the companion's inventory normally.
7) Go to sleep. Selected by choosing "Why don't you lie down and get some sleep, while we have some time?" in the dialog menu. A for some reason often requested function, this option tells the companion to go to a nearby suitable bed, and go to sleep. The companion will sleep until awoken by the player. Note: this option does not remove the companion from your party.
The sleep system has already received a major overhaul. You may now order the companion to sleep in a specific bed, inside Vault 1. Choices include the player's bed, and all thirty of the NPC bedrooms.
The sleep packages have been overhauled for optimization as well, as I learned more about how they work.
Also note: with a "sleep anywhere" order, the companion will not sleep in a bed unless they're allowed to by the ownership. Example: companions can not sleep in the Megaton Common House, the Rivet City Common Room, or most NPC owned houses. A good rule of thumb is if you can't sleep in a bed, neither can they - with the notable exception of the naval cots in the Vault 1 entryway.
The sleep packages can be a bit wonky. Sometimes they terminate properly, and sometimes they don't.
Because of some lazy coding on Bethesda's part, the sleep packages don't "end" the way a travel package does. This has resulted in it being rather... problematic, to get the package removed and keep them from reverting to it the next time they're told to "stay here". Unfortunately, the packages also do not run like a normal package, and thus the conditional countermand I wrote never shows up in dialog choices.
As a (hopefully temporary) solution, I have added a trigger in the cave tunnel leading into Vault 1 that will forcibly strip any of the sleep packages from any NPC companion that is flagged as having been recruited when they walk through it. If a companion is having problems trying to return to bed whenever you tell them to stay, simply tell them to follow and walk them to the front door leading out into the wasteland, and back into the entryway. You don't have to actually change cells. You should then be able to tell them to stay with the correct sandbox package in place.
8) Relax here. Selected by choosing "Why don't you take a load off and relax here?" in the dialog menu, this is another function that I cannot see the immediate import of, but is a common request. This sets the companion to use a special sandbox package, intended to allow them to "live" in any cell outside vault 1 you care to leave them in. This option should not be used outdoors, in the wasteland, as the companion will likely wander off, and be difficult to find again without the aid of the tracking system.
This option only appears if you are in a cell other than Vault 1.
This function has its own special countermand, the dialog choice "Feel like coming with me again?", which will only appear if the companion is still running the special sandbox package. You should always use this order to cancel a relax command, rather than the generic follow command. When available, it will appear at the top of your list of dialog options.
While not its intended function, this command will also allow you to set up a "companion home" in any interior cell you care for. As long as the idle markers are there, the companions will use them.
9) Go Home. Not as often requested, but something I've wanted myself, this option - selected by choosing "Go back to the Vault and relax." from the dialog menu - will send the companion back to Vault 1, and then engage a sandbox package for them to live normally until needed again.
Note: once recruited, Vault 1 is the companions' home. This marker is not movable via dialog, and I have no plans to add a player-placeable home marker. If you want to force your companions to live in that shack in Megaton, you have to take them there yourself, and tell them to relax in that cell.
This command can be selected anywhere outside Vault 1, however the companion will move to the Vault normally, and will not teleport. Thus, it may take a day or more for them to get home, depending on where in the wasteland you are when you give the order.
10) Dialog reorder. I re-ordered some of the dialog options, in an attempt to make things friendlier, and less frustrating. Group orders and Breakup were moved down near the bottom of the list. I can't speak for anyone else, but I got tired of having breakup accidentally selected every time the damned menu lagged. Now a click during a lagging menu will most often select the resupply menu, or follow.
11) Dialog command adjustments. This one will likely be invisible to you, the end user, but it was important for those of us who create companions. The default follow command simply removed the top package from the companion's stack, as did the "stay here" command. These commands now call and remove the follow player and sandbox packages by name, so as not to screw up your package list, if you set one up on your custom companion so that they'd do more than sandbox in the vault.
12) Standard companion adjustments. Jill and Joan have had their inventories reset to use the new companion-only armor and weapons, without any "standard" items cluttering up their inventory. If you wish to change their weapon or outfit, just talk to them.
Note also: there are no group commands for sleep, relax here, or go home. This is not a bug, nor an oversight, and I have no intention of changing it.
As you can see, I did a whole mess of work. I've got to admit, I'm fairly proud of it. Provided it all works, these companions will not only be some of the most fully-featured available, but custom companions will also be easily created by the end user, oftentimes in less than twenty minutes apiece.
One of the big things about this whole mess of new features is that they all work with every companion created using the RR system, seamlessly and with no extra work on the end-user's part.
Not only is this huge for the users of Vault 1, but it's huge for me as well.
This batch of upgrades will finally bring the companion system and my own skills to the point that they needed to be to realize my full vision for my companions mod.
I can finally begin work in earnest, giving the girls the personalities, traits, equipment, and dialog that I've wanted since the beginning.
I've got no illusions that I'll finish the project in a week, but at least now I can finally start in on it and make real progress.
Once the new features are integrated into the master file, I'll bring the "base" version of my companions up to speed with the new stuff, and then start in on the in-depth version that will add personalities, quests, dialog, and so forth.
I have to say, I'm stunned, myself. Somewhere in the last three months I've become a competent modder. I wrote the script for stripping the sleeping packages from the companions free hand, without even checking the database for function references. Ditto for the clothing and weapon settings.
Never thought I'd be this guy. The one releasing big, well-featured mods that people like... always kinda figured I'd be relegated to retextures and occasionally changing a few values in someone else's work.
Friday, September 25, 2009
RR Companions; Weapon Check
Turns out was an engine error.
Loaded the new script up, and nailed it on the first try.
Damn I'm good, some days.
Loaded the new script up, and nailed it on the first try.
Damn I'm good, some days.
RR Companions; New Bug?
Maybe, maybe not.
Got that raider attack stuff done, and selectable via terminal command so people aren't stuck with it.
For the record: I had always intended on such a system, I just hadn't planned to start in so soon.
But, when the bitchz0ring in my general direction about ruining the peaceful vault life for people and their whores (no, I'm not kidding. One of the complaints was that it endangered the mod-added prostitutes who had been set to work out of the vault) I just put off the rest of my work and went ahead and added the system.
Reset the attacks to default to disabled, and have to be enabled manually. So no one can complain - at least legitimately.
That done, tested, and pronounced "working", I set about some other ideas I'd had for the companion script.
One of which is to make the girls draw their weapons when the player does. Like the sitting thing, this is a small feature, but I feel important for realism's sake.
Made the mods to the script, saved, and fired it up.
Didn't work. No big deal, I've had that issue before. I try a half-dozen other permutations of the code, only to find none work.
Fire the game up again, and have my digital avatar sit down, to test the sit package and see if the modified script is still working at all.
...it wasn't.
Fuck.
So I replace the new version of the file with an older one.
Still doesn't work.
Fuck! What have I broken now?
Go all the way back to the original version of the plugin - one that I know works not just for me, but for everyone.
Still nothing.
Great, so it's not my coding; FO3 has just had a clusterfuck in its AI engine again.
Not sure whether to be thrilled or annoyed.
Start a new game, and low and behold, it works again.
So now I get to start the new coding process all over again, and see if it was my code that b0rked the engine, or something it did on its own.
And oh yeah, I get to do it with no money, no item stash, and back at level freaking two.
Then again, this sort of thing is to be expected from time to time.
One thing you have to bear in mind is that while the average player of one of my mods may have switched the plugin(s) on and off a half dozen times, I've got three versions of the companions mod, two alternate guards, four experimental features... and that's not counting interim testing versions that I play with seeing whether features are viable or not.
I switch back and forth between these things a lot. Probably the better part of a hundred script changes since starting the last game. It's to be expected that something was going to get its wires crossed eventually.
Oh well, maybe on a new game, the weapons check will work right. After that, we're on to following in casual clothes versus armor.
As much as I hate scripting, I really must be a masochist.
Got that raider attack stuff done, and selectable via terminal command so people aren't stuck with it.
For the record: I had always intended on such a system, I just hadn't planned to start in so soon.
But, when the bitchz0ring in my general direction about ruining the peaceful vault life for people and their whores (no, I'm not kidding. One of the complaints was that it endangered the mod-added prostitutes who had been set to work out of the vault) I just put off the rest of my work and went ahead and added the system.
Reset the attacks to default to disabled, and have to be enabled manually. So no one can complain - at least legitimately.
That done, tested, and pronounced "working", I set about some other ideas I'd had for the companion script.
One of which is to make the girls draw their weapons when the player does. Like the sitting thing, this is a small feature, but I feel important for realism's sake.
Made the mods to the script, saved, and fired it up.
Didn't work. No big deal, I've had that issue before. I try a half-dozen other permutations of the code, only to find none work.
Fire the game up again, and have my digital avatar sit down, to test the sit package and see if the modified script is still working at all.
...it wasn't.
Fuck.
So I replace the new version of the file with an older one.
Still doesn't work.
Fuck! What have I broken now?
Go all the way back to the original version of the plugin - one that I know works not just for me, but for everyone.
Still nothing.
Great, so it's not my coding; FO3 has just had a clusterfuck in its AI engine again.
Not sure whether to be thrilled or annoyed.
Start a new game, and low and behold, it works again.
So now I get to start the new coding process all over again, and see if it was my code that b0rked the engine, or something it did on its own.
And oh yeah, I get to do it with no money, no item stash, and back at level freaking two.
Then again, this sort of thing is to be expected from time to time.
One thing you have to bear in mind is that while the average player of one of my mods may have switched the plugin(s) on and off a half dozen times, I've got three versions of the companions mod, two alternate guards, four experimental features... and that's not counting interim testing versions that I play with seeing whether features are viable or not.
I switch back and forth between these things a lot. Probably the better part of a hundred script changes since starting the last game. It's to be expected that something was going to get its wires crossed eventually.
Oh well, maybe on a new game, the weapons check will work right. After that, we're on to following in casual clothes versus armor.
As much as I hate scripting, I really must be a masochist.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Redecoration Update
After getting the new version of the RR Companions Vault Experimental Features plugin uploaded ( http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=3644 ) I set about some updates to my Redecoration Mod that I had been wanting to make.
Created 44 new posters, to break up the incessant gray of the vault. Mostly scenery type things. I had considered going low brow and doing half naked (or more) anime girls or the like, but it seemed a tad childish.
So I figured, what would people want to look at when living in a metal-lined hole in the ground for their entire lives?
Pretty scenery of days gone by.
Converted a mess of my photos from the Portland trip last month into appropriate files, and made them into wall hangings. Turned out pretty good, actually.
Also did a couple of aircraft, and a set of instructional posters for the classroom. My favorites from the rules of gunfighting, and a couple basic informatives. Warriors of tomorrow need all the help they can get, I figure.
No issues with the pictures, but it'll still be a bit before there's an upload - I'm also working on tiling the floor in the player's bedroom and museum with black marble. It takes awhile, and there are some clipping issues I'm still trying to work out.
Also went through and replaced ALL the couches in the vault with my new, midnight-blue textured ones. That 1956 puke green was getting on my nerves.
Created 44 new posters, to break up the incessant gray of the vault. Mostly scenery type things. I had considered going low brow and doing half naked (or more) anime girls or the like, but it seemed a tad childish.
So I figured, what would people want to look at when living in a metal-lined hole in the ground for their entire lives?
Pretty scenery of days gone by.
Converted a mess of my photos from the Portland trip last month into appropriate files, and made them into wall hangings. Turned out pretty good, actually.
Also did a couple of aircraft, and a set of instructional posters for the classroom. My favorites from the rules of gunfighting, and a couple basic informatives. Warriors of tomorrow need all the help they can get, I figure.
No issues with the pictures, but it'll still be a bit before there's an upload - I'm also working on tiling the floor in the player's bedroom and museum with black marble. It takes awhile, and there are some clipping issues I'm still trying to work out.
Also went through and replaced ALL the couches in the vault with my new, midnight-blue textured ones. That 1956 puke green was getting on my nerves.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Alive
Yeah, yeah, I'm still here.
Didn't wipe, and pull a disappearing act. I was burning out, and took some time off to avoid the urge to delete it all.
Spent some time playing hardcore mode CoD4, and Galactic Civilizations 2.
I love conquering the entire galaxy in a brutal reign of terror and woe.
But, I'm feeling better and (somewhat) less angsty, and less prone to tell the whole world to go sodomize itself... so back to the GECK mines with me, I suppose.
Now if I could just remember how I had that attack script plotted to work...
Damn it, must remember to take notes before vacationing...
Didn't wipe, and pull a disappearing act. I was burning out, and took some time off to avoid the urge to delete it all.
Spent some time playing hardcore mode CoD4, and Galactic Civilizations 2.
I love conquering the entire galaxy in a brutal reign of terror and woe.
But, I'm feeling better and (somewhat) less angsty, and less prone to tell the whole world to go sodomize itself... so back to the GECK mines with me, I suppose.
Now if I could just remember how I had that attack script plotted to work...
Damn it, must remember to take notes before vacationing...
Friday, September 11, 2009
Uploaded Files
Did some up-a-datin' this morning, since my decent sleep was apparently a one time thing.
Stupid body, adapting to soporifics.
Anyhow.
As a listed co-author with editing/uploading rights to the RR Companions Vault, I decided to do exactly that. Uploaded three optional files.
1) A plugin that reduces the following distance on all companions to 150, from default 300. ttomwv said he didn't care for distances below two hundred. On the flip side, my testing has shown greatly improved performance at 150, even with four companions.
So... I decided to give people the choice. It's a separate .esp plugin file, that modifies ONLY the follow distance, and nothing else.
2) A new, stripped down version of my tracking system, that covers only Jill and Joan, for people who don't use my companions mod.
Strange, strange people that you are.
Also added an updated version of the full tracking system that added tracking capabilities for Jill and Joan, and access to the system from the Overseer's Office, as well as the Player's Bedroom.
3) Another small plugin, so aptly named "Experimental Features", which contains exactly that: experimental goodies that I feel are far enough along for wider testing. At the moment it only contains the sit package, but will be expanded later. Similarly, when the sit package is tested and verified to be working half-assedly well, it will be removed from the plugin and incorporated into the main master file.
You can find all three new files in the RR Companions Vault file entry: http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=3644
The new version of the full tracking system can, of course, be found with my companions mod: http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=8090
Stupid body, adapting to soporifics.
Anyhow.
As a listed co-author with editing/uploading rights to the RR Companions Vault, I decided to do exactly that. Uploaded three optional files.
1) A plugin that reduces the following distance on all companions to 150, from default 300. ttomwv said he didn't care for distances below two hundred. On the flip side, my testing has shown greatly improved performance at 150, even with four companions.
So... I decided to give people the choice. It's a separate .esp plugin file, that modifies ONLY the follow distance, and nothing else.
2) A new, stripped down version of my tracking system, that covers only Jill and Joan, for people who don't use my companions mod.
Strange, strange people that you are.
Also added an updated version of the full tracking system that added tracking capabilities for Jill and Joan, and access to the system from the Overseer's Office, as well as the Player's Bedroom.
3) Another small plugin, so aptly named "Experimental Features", which contains exactly that: experimental goodies that I feel are far enough along for wider testing. At the moment it only contains the sit package, but will be expanded later. Similarly, when the sit package is tested and verified to be working half-assedly well, it will be removed from the plugin and incorporated into the main master file.
You can find all three new files in the RR Companions Vault file entry: http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=3644
The new version of the full tracking system can, of course, be found with my companions mod: http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=8090
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Mod Authoring?
"Hi Nos,
I got the description page updated. Were both listed as authors now. And I added you as a user with edit rights."
...how in the hell did this happen?
Don't get me wrong... I'm flattered to be asked to help out, and I've got some stuff to add, yeah... but I was just trying to add a mess of gun-totin' half naked women to the wasteland...
Oh, well. What're ya gonna do?
No updates on the companion front at the moment. I spent yesterday's modding time doing some texture work, and have a new version of the V1 Redecorated mod to upload, here shortly.
Would've uploaded yesterday... but I was clinically dead most of the day. Took a fistful of some herbal sleeping pills I found at GNC last night to try and line things out. Not going to call them an unequivocal success as I must've woken up ten times... but I did keep going back to sleep for almost twelve hours, so it must've done something.
Once I get that uploaded, and make sure I didn't fuck anything up in the process, I think I'm going to start in on some more AI mods. Got a hankerin' to add a home marker system to the companions.
Still need to do a tracking system mod, too. Said I'd make a smaller version that just covered the included two companions with the RR Vault, for people who don't use my companions. Fortunately, I have templates for that sort of thing... and it'll be a ten minute job.
I got the description page updated. Were both listed as authors now. And I added you as a user with edit rights."
...how in the hell did this happen?
Don't get me wrong... I'm flattered to be asked to help out, and I've got some stuff to add, yeah... but I was just trying to add a mess of gun-totin' half naked women to the wasteland...
Oh, well. What're ya gonna do?
No updates on the companion front at the moment. I spent yesterday's modding time doing some texture work, and have a new version of the V1 Redecorated mod to upload, here shortly.
Would've uploaded yesterday... but I was clinically dead most of the day. Took a fistful of some herbal sleeping pills I found at GNC last night to try and line things out. Not going to call them an unequivocal success as I must've woken up ten times... but I did keep going back to sleep for almost twelve hours, so it must've done something.
Once I get that uploaded, and make sure I didn't fuck anything up in the process, I think I'm going to start in on some more AI mods. Got a hankerin' to add a home marker system to the companions.
Still need to do a tracking system mod, too. Said I'd make a smaller version that just covered the included two companions with the RR Vault, for people who don't use my companions. Fortunately, I have templates for that sort of thing... and it'll be a ten minute job.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Modding Ideas
Damn you, ttomwv.
Now that you've got me going, I must have a dozen ideas to try out. Going to have to break down and make some notes, before I forget...
The irony being that I hate scripting so very much.
Oh, well. Necessary evils and all that.
Now that you've got me going, I must have a dozen ideas to try out. Going to have to break down and make some notes, before I forget...
The irony being that I hate scripting so very much.
Oh, well. Necessary evils and all that.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Companions Mod, RR 4.8 Compatibility
Just got done testing after redoing the script mods, and resetting the packages.
Seems like everything works fine. I was worried for a moment, when I tested the new package... nothing happened. Then I realized that the girls won't drink with helmets on (duh).
I also find it immensely amusing to see someone sit like that in a hundred and fifty pounds of armor.
Resetting the follow distances to 150 seems to be a good idea. The girls stay close to me, but aren't constantly stepping on me or in my way.
Not tested heavily by any means at this point, but thus far I'd say it works.
Had one incident of the follower not following.
Was inside Evergreen Mills Bazaar, on that ramp leading up to the Madame's rooms. My money says navmeshing issue, and the AI lost its damned mind. That's a complex little area, full of protruding terrain and clutter that stops them.
Simply waiting an hour fixed it, and she caught up to us.
This same area causes problems with companions nearly every trip through.
Have not, as yet, tried out the teleporting system. Although to see it in action, something generally has to go massively wrong with a follower... so it may be awhile before I do.
Suppose I really should run some tests with six or so companions, instead of the two to three I normally roll with.
Seems like everything works fine. I was worried for a moment, when I tested the new package... nothing happened. Then I realized that the girls won't drink with helmets on (duh).
I also find it immensely amusing to see someone sit like that in a hundred and fifty pounds of armor.
Resetting the follow distances to 150 seems to be a good idea. The girls stay close to me, but aren't constantly stepping on me or in my way.
Not tested heavily by any means at this point, but thus far I'd say it works.
Had one incident of the follower not following.
Was inside Evergreen Mills Bazaar, on that ramp leading up to the Madame's rooms. My money says navmeshing issue, and the AI lost its damned mind. That's a complex little area, full of protruding terrain and clutter that stops them.
Simply waiting an hour fixed it, and she caught up to us.
This same area causes problems with companions nearly every trip through.
Have not, as yet, tried out the teleporting system. Although to see it in action, something generally has to go massively wrong with a follower... so it may be awhile before I do.
Suppose I really should run some tests with six or so companions, instead of the two to three I normally roll with.
Nos' RR Companions AV Preview
So, before deciding to hold off on uploading the new versions, I had already taken some screenshots. Got them uploaded this evening, and as a combination teaser/please-don't-kill-me-bribe, I'll link them for you here.
One showing the height differences, between some of the girls. Much like real people, three of the four wouldn't look at the damned camera.
After some gentle cajoling, they cooperated. It's little eccentricities and annoyances like these that make me like NPC companions. All the randomness of a real person, without the whiny, nasally bitching of a twelve year old with a girl's voice.
Since the Alternate Guards file uses my companions mod as a master, I decided to do a version of it that puts the guards into the new races, as well. Now they, too, will have different cup sizes and shaving habits. Combined with height settings, it really makes them seem unique.
Here, in addition to height-demonstrations, you can also see my only complaint with the Type3 package - that being that the textures, under the right light, look almost glowing. Is weird, and I haven't found a fix for it... still, is a hell of a lot better than I can texture, so y'know...
This is actually one of my favorites from the new version of the mod. I call it "The Staredown", although stare-up would be just as accurate.
Kate is a shorty cutie, standing right around five feet, or a bit less. Maeva, of course, makes Amazonians look short, topping seven feet. I about fell out of my chair laughing when I turned around from screenshotting Alma, to see Maeva and Kate in a silent staring match.
The aforementioned shot of Alma, working at her computer in the clinic. That girl seems to do nothing but work in the clinic. I may have to mess with her package loadout to see if I can't make her a bit more fun...
Another of the new guards. I should note: the skin textures aren't that blue-y-purple. Vault 1 uses primarily fluorescent lighting, and I run a pip-boy light mod that changes it to a blue-ish LED type light, rather than the vanilla incandescent white.
Three of the new guards, doing their thing at the choke-point leading out to the front door.
I've had ideas about scripting an occasional raider attack, so that the guards actually have something to do. Someday, perhaps.
Engel, and one of the new guards. I can just hear: "...What in the hell do you want, blondie?"
Maeva and Charlotte, who you can see if a tall girl, herself. Not as tall as Maeva, though.
Used one of myself as a baseline, this time. You can see Engel in the background, bored, and Maeva wondering what in the holy hell I'm doing.
This is another one that makes me rather proud. Maeva, modeling some Type3 adjusted clothing. Normally, wouldn't be anything outstanding, but the outfit has lots of alpha that lets the skin tone show through. Lookit that work... not even a neck-seam. Damn I'm good, some days.
Work, of course, continues. I recently got hold of a whole mess of Type3 clothing, and I think I'm going to have to put together a little fashion show.
...Even if Engel will hurt me for asking her to wear that bikini...
One showing the height differences, between some of the girls. Much like real people, three of the four wouldn't look at the damned camera.
After some gentle cajoling, they cooperated. It's little eccentricities and annoyances like these that make me like NPC companions. All the randomness of a real person, without the whiny, nasally bitching of a twelve year old with a girl's voice.
Since the Alternate Guards file uses my companions mod as a master, I decided to do a version of it that puts the guards into the new races, as well. Now they, too, will have different cup sizes and shaving habits. Combined with height settings, it really makes them seem unique.
Here, in addition to height-demonstrations, you can also see my only complaint with the Type3 package - that being that the textures, under the right light, look almost glowing. Is weird, and I haven't found a fix for it... still, is a hell of a lot better than I can texture, so y'know...
This is actually one of my favorites from the new version of the mod. I call it "The Staredown", although stare-up would be just as accurate.
Kate is a shorty cutie, standing right around five feet, or a bit less. Maeva, of course, makes Amazonians look short, topping seven feet. I about fell out of my chair laughing when I turned around from screenshotting Alma, to see Maeva and Kate in a silent staring match.
The aforementioned shot of Alma, working at her computer in the clinic. That girl seems to do nothing but work in the clinic. I may have to mess with her package loadout to see if I can't make her a bit more fun...
Another of the new guards. I should note: the skin textures aren't that blue-y-purple. Vault 1 uses primarily fluorescent lighting, and I run a pip-boy light mod that changes it to a blue-ish LED type light, rather than the vanilla incandescent white.
Three of the new guards, doing their thing at the choke-point leading out to the front door.
I've had ideas about scripting an occasional raider attack, so that the guards actually have something to do. Someday, perhaps.
Engel, and one of the new guards. I can just hear: "...What in the hell do you want, blondie?"
Maeva and Charlotte, who you can see if a tall girl, herself. Not as tall as Maeva, though.
Used one of myself as a baseline, this time. You can see Engel in the background, bored, and Maeva wondering what in the holy hell I'm doing.
This is another one that makes me rather proud. Maeva, modeling some Type3 adjusted clothing. Normally, wouldn't be anything outstanding, but the outfit has lots of alpha that lets the skin tone show through. Lookit that work... not even a neck-seam. Damn I'm good, some days.
Work, of course, continues. I recently got hold of a whole mess of Type3 clothing, and I think I'm going to have to put together a little fashion show.
...Even if Engel will hurt me for asking her to wear that bikini...
Scripting Mods, Continued
In addition to the sitting thing (which was WAY more of a pain than you would think for such a small thing...) I've also been toying with the Vault1companionscript settings to try and increase reliability.
Specifically, the "follower stops following the player at random" thing, which has plagued the companions since the script was first ported from Oblivion.
I have ideas... but a scripting virtuoso I ain't.
Still, I played with some settings, and worked on my ideas, and I think I'm making progress.
Lowered the follow distance from 200 to 100. This drastically lowered following problems... but also made Maeva try to stand on my foot the entire time. Little frustrating. I plan to reset to 150 and see if that's an acceptable compromise.
Interestingly, the switch to 100 had the quite unintended side-effect of eliminating the spawn bug, that caused companions to materialize inside a wall next to the door, when you enter a new cell.
Hopefully the setting of 150 will preserve that part.
Kicker is, I saw earlier that ttomwv has released two new versions of the RR Companions Vault while I was taking a break, both of which mod the aforementioned script.
So... I have to re-add my changes to the new version, and test it all over again.
Not sure what complications the new teleporting feature is going to cause. Knowing my luck, it'll break something...
Specifically, the "follower stops following the player at random" thing, which has plagued the companions since the script was first ported from Oblivion.
I have ideas... but a scripting virtuoso I ain't.
Still, I played with some settings, and worked on my ideas, and I think I'm making progress.
Lowered the follow distance from 200 to 100. This drastically lowered following problems... but also made Maeva try to stand on my foot the entire time. Little frustrating. I plan to reset to 150 and see if that's an acceptable compromise.
Interestingly, the switch to 100 had the quite unintended side-effect of eliminating the spawn bug, that caused companions to materialize inside a wall next to the door, when you enter a new cell.
Hopefully the setting of 150 will preserve that part.
Kicker is, I saw earlier that ttomwv has released two new versions of the RR Companions Vault while I was taking a break, both of which mod the aforementioned script.
So... I have to re-add my changes to the new version, and test it all over again.
Not sure what complications the new teleporting feature is going to cause. Knowing my luck, it'll break something...
Monday, September 7, 2009
Scripting Success!
Got the package work done this morning, and at least passably tested, and it mostly works.
Some screwy behavior, yet.
I've found that not all the girls are willing to sit in any given room. It's almost random; like it's up to their choice. Like some of the other oddities in their behavior I've caused, I think it adds a bit of personality and realism to the girls, so I'm not too upset over it.
Some interesting things I noticed:
Depending on which seat you take - even in as little as ten feet of difference - the companions may well change their mind about sitting.
A lot of it depends on the individual companion. For instance:
Engel will take a seat at the bar at the Muddy Rudder, but not in Moriarty's. Sitting on the couch in front of the Megaton common house, she may sit down next to me, or may opt to lean up against the wall next to the door and look stoic. She also sat down next to me in front of the pool in Vault 1.
Melody is quite fond of sitting next to me on the couch overlooking the pool in Vault 1, but won't sit down in the player's bedroom.
Maeva wouldn't sit in the Muddy Rudder or Gary's Galley, but if I sit on the aforementioned couch overlooking the pool, she goes all the way through the lounge, and back three bedrooms before sitting down. Apparently she likes that room. She was also willing to sit in the Brass lantern and Rivet City's common room.
Interesting thing regarding the Brass Lantern: Maeva would sit, but Engel apparently hates the place, as she'd walk out and wait for us outside.
Ellie and Melody both took seats at a table in the Vault 1 cafeteria when I sat down at the bar.
You can see here Melody stole the only other chair in Red's Clinic, Big Town.
As always, there are a few more pictures in the Picasa folder that I didn't link. You may want to dig around a bit.
Some screwy behavior, yet.
I've found that not all the girls are willing to sit in any given room. It's almost random; like it's up to their choice. Like some of the other oddities in their behavior I've caused, I think it adds a bit of personality and realism to the girls, so I'm not too upset over it.
Some interesting things I noticed:
Depending on which seat you take - even in as little as ten feet of difference - the companions may well change their mind about sitting.
A lot of it depends on the individual companion. For instance:
Engel will take a seat at the bar at the Muddy Rudder, but not in Moriarty's. Sitting on the couch in front of the Megaton common house, she may sit down next to me, or may opt to lean up against the wall next to the door and look stoic. She also sat down next to me in front of the pool in Vault 1.
Melody is quite fond of sitting next to me on the couch overlooking the pool in Vault 1, but won't sit down in the player's bedroom.
Maeva wouldn't sit in the Muddy Rudder or Gary's Galley, but if I sit on the aforementioned couch overlooking the pool, she goes all the way through the lounge, and back three bedrooms before sitting down. Apparently she likes that room. She was also willing to sit in the Brass lantern and Rivet City's common room.
Interesting thing regarding the Brass Lantern: Maeva would sit, but Engel apparently hates the place, as she'd walk out and wait for us outside.
Ellie and Melody both took seats at a table in the Vault 1 cafeteria when I sat down at the bar.
You can see here Melody stole the only other chair in Red's Clinic, Big Town.
As always, there are a few more pictures in the Picasa folder that I didn't link. You may want to dig around a bit.
Scripting again...
So, I had reminded people in my Companions Mod's comments section that endorsements are a great way to motivate me to get off my dead ass and work on the new features.
I come back from my little break, to find an endorsement and a reminder to get off my dead ass and work on the new features.
Never let it be said that the squeaky wheel does not get the oil!
Got the GECK open now, working on a small-ish feature that will make the companions sit when the player does, provided there is an empty chair nearby.
Had toyed with it before, but scrapped the modifications after they didn't want to work right. Never figured out whether it was my scripting call or the package that wasn't working.
Wrote it in again just now, and tested... scripting call works fine, but package needs work.
How do I know this?
I forgot to add a check to make sure the companion is in the player's party.
Sat down, nothing.
Stood up, and it added the followplayer package to all ten companions, nine of whom were just chillin' in the Vault, and not in my party. They all became followers.
So, I know the script works, at least. Now just to figure out how to package it to make them sit the hell down.
Update:
Tested again with an "eat" package instead of a "use item at" package. Works!
...Slight problem? I appear to have set too high a radius, as the companion went almost fifty yards away before finding a seat she liked, despite the fact that there was one open right next to me.
Gotta try lowering the radius, I think...
I come back from my little break, to find an endorsement and a reminder to get off my dead ass and work on the new features.
Never let it be said that the squeaky wheel does not get the oil!
Got the GECK open now, working on a small-ish feature that will make the companions sit when the player does, provided there is an empty chair nearby.
Had toyed with it before, but scrapped the modifications after they didn't want to work right. Never figured out whether it was my scripting call or the package that wasn't working.
Wrote it in again just now, and tested... scripting call works fine, but package needs work.
How do I know this?
I forgot to add a check to make sure the companion is in the player's party.
Sat down, nothing.
Stood up, and it added the followplayer package to all ten companions, nine of whom were just chillin' in the Vault, and not in my party. They all became followers.
So, I know the script works, at least. Now just to figure out how to package it to make them sit the hell down.
Update:
Tested again with an "eat" package instead of a "use item at" package. Works!
...Slight problem? I appear to have set too high a radius, as the companion went almost fifty yards away before finding a seat she liked, despite the fact that there was one open right next to me.
Gotta try lowering the radius, I think...
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Burnout
As in, I'm suffering from it.
Files ready for upload, but not uploaded.
Fighting down the urge to nuke it all and pull a vanishing act.
I'll probably get around to uploading, eventually.
Files ready for upload, but not uploaded.
Fighting down the urge to nuke it all and pull a vanishing act.
I'll probably get around to uploading, eventually.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Prep Work
Spent a decent portion of the morning trying to get the new versions of my companions mod ready for upload.
No, I didn't mistype; there are now three versions of it.
One is the normal version that's been up for download a couple months now. One is the same, but with the new bodies, and rebalanced faces.
I had to change the faces, as kicking over to the custom races reset the default facial features underlying the changes I had made, and they didn't look good anymore.
Third version is the new bodies, but with the improved AI I've been working on.
Second two versions are fine. I had some master file issues to work out, but that's minor detail work, and went by easily enough.
Now I'm left with the original version... where the faces don't look right. I've been playing with the new AV variant of the mod for close to three weeks, and in that time have tweaked faces over and over, getting them just right. Going back, looking at the old ones showed just how far I took it.
Trouble is, the GECK's facegen is less than stellar.
It loves giving women five o'clock shadows, and has a nasty habit of putting the weirdest blue, patchy textures on faces that aren't bronze-tanned.
Naturally, I like my wemmenz pale and purdy, so this is all kinds of pain in my ass.
Still, I soldier on. I've just about got it all unfucked now, and just have to take some updated screenshots.
No, I didn't mistype; there are now three versions of it.
One is the normal version that's been up for download a couple months now. One is the same, but with the new bodies, and rebalanced faces.
I had to change the faces, as kicking over to the custom races reset the default facial features underlying the changes I had made, and they didn't look good anymore.
Third version is the new bodies, but with the improved AI I've been working on.
Second two versions are fine. I had some master file issues to work out, but that's minor detail work, and went by easily enough.
Now I'm left with the original version... where the faces don't look right. I've been playing with the new AV variant of the mod for close to three weeks, and in that time have tweaked faces over and over, getting them just right. Going back, looking at the old ones showed just how far I took it.
Trouble is, the GECK's facegen is less than stellar.
It loves giving women five o'clock shadows, and has a nasty habit of putting the weirdest blue, patchy textures on faces that aren't bronze-tanned.
Naturally, I like my wemmenz pale and purdy, so this is all kinds of pain in my ass.
Still, I soldier on. I've just about got it all unfucked now, and just have to take some updated screenshots.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Update Complete
Well, there you go.
Posts on most of my mods thus far, with appropriate easy links added to the sidebar for your browsing convenience.
Now, I'm going to go do something that does not involve staring at an LCD.
Posts on most of my mods thus far, with appropriate easy links added to the sidebar for your browsing convenience.
Now, I'm going to go do something that does not involve staring at an LCD.
6x Custom .44 Magnum Revolver
This one is actually unreleased.
I decided one day that I wanted to add a bit more utility to the .44 Magnum revolver, since I was packing it in lieu of a sniper rifle.
Nothing too outrageous, though. No God-Mods.
I did some digging through other weapon entries in the GECK, and selected one that looked about six power - the practical upper limit on a handgun. I copied the "field of view" value - since the GECK doesn't use anything so straightforward as a power setting for scoped weapons - and inserted it into a new weapon that was cloned from the standard scoped revolver.
A little testing, and viola, it was done.
I decided to make it a full custom job, ala a S&W PC piece. Upped the accuracy a bit, made it immune to jamming, and upped the value accordingly. Didn't touch damage - after all, it's still the same ammo. Set it for sale at Flak & Shrapnel's:
No technical problems that I'm aware of, I just never got around to uploading it. I didn't find a similar entry in the Nexus database, but I wasn't sure how well it would go over, and eventually forgot about it doing other mods. I still leave it running, and will probably upload it someday.
Hell, if you want it uploaded, comment. Even one request will probably get it uploaded in short order.
Edit: 12-26-09: This weapon has been integrated into the RR Companions Vault, and can be bought from Chloe. Didn't see the need to release it as a standalone.
I decided one day that I wanted to add a bit more utility to the .44 Magnum revolver, since I was packing it in lieu of a sniper rifle.
Nothing too outrageous, though. No God-Mods.
I did some digging through other weapon entries in the GECK, and selected one that looked about six power - the practical upper limit on a handgun. I copied the "field of view" value - since the GECK doesn't use anything so straightforward as a power setting for scoped weapons - and inserted it into a new weapon that was cloned from the standard scoped revolver.
A little testing, and viola, it was done.
I decided to make it a full custom job, ala a S&W PC piece. Upped the accuracy a bit, made it immune to jamming, and upped the value accordingly. Didn't touch damage - after all, it's still the same ammo. Set it for sale at Flak & Shrapnel's:
No technical problems that I'm aware of, I just never got around to uploading it. I didn't find a similar entry in the Nexus database, but I wasn't sure how well it would go over, and eventually forgot about it doing other mods. I still leave it running, and will probably upload it someday.
Hell, if you want it uploaded, comment. Even one request will probably get it uploaded in short order.
Edit: 12-26-09: This weapon has been integrated into the RR Companions Vault, and can be bought from Chloe. Didn't see the need to release it as a standalone.
RR Companions Vault Bedroom Redecorated
http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=8457
One of the later mods I've done, this one is a simpler and less overreaching redecoration of the Player's bedroom in Vault 1.
I used RR Refurbished for awhile, but not only was it a strain on my aforementioned low end CPU, it was also... not me. I'm not really a fireplace and hunting lodge kinda guy.
Besides which, Refurbished got too into changing everything for my taste.
So, if Refurbished was the mod equivalent of tearing your home back to the 2x4's and starting anew, I wanted my mod to be the equivalent of what you do when you move into an apartment: you throw down a few rugs, arrange the furniture, unscrew a few of the fifty-seven overhead lights so you don't have to wear sunglasses indoors, and call it livable.
Vault 1 Redecorated Image Folder
As you can see, most of what I did was minor. I moved lockers and tables, freeing up floor space; added an alternate set of lighting, replaced the bed with something less sterile, and left guns laying all over the damned place. I hung up a couple swords and some armor, three combat knives... pretty similar to how my actual bedroom is decorated, actually.
If I could have found a Heavy Metal calendar and some camouflage netting in Fallout 3, they'd be hanging up too, believe me.
I also put in a dinner service for two, which seems a bit pointless at the moment, but will possibly eventually be used in my main companions mod... maybe. I confirm nor deny nothing!
I will say that some of the denizens of Vault 1 seem to like sitting at the little dinner table, and my girls keep stealing my damned bed.
Also added new lights to the pool. I figure, hey, if ttomwv is going to go to the trouble to script the women to get naked when swimming in the pool, the least I can do is add some flood lights so we can really appreciate the view... right?
Yeah, I'm a perv. Like we didn't know it already.
Haven't decided whether the project is finished or not. While I don't want to make it a huge re-envisioning... I think there are a few things that could still stand to be better.
One of the later mods I've done, this one is a simpler and less overreaching redecoration of the Player's bedroom in Vault 1.
I used RR Refurbished for awhile, but not only was it a strain on my aforementioned low end CPU, it was also... not me. I'm not really a fireplace and hunting lodge kinda guy.
Besides which, Refurbished got too into changing everything for my taste.
So, if Refurbished was the mod equivalent of tearing your home back to the 2x4's and starting anew, I wanted my mod to be the equivalent of what you do when you move into an apartment: you throw down a few rugs, arrange the furniture, unscrew a few of the fifty-seven overhead lights so you don't have to wear sunglasses indoors, and call it livable.
Vault 1 Redecorated Image Folder
As you can see, most of what I did was minor. I moved lockers and tables, freeing up floor space; added an alternate set of lighting, replaced the bed with something less sterile, and left guns laying all over the damned place. I hung up a couple swords and some armor, three combat knives... pretty similar to how my actual bedroom is decorated, actually.
If I could have found a Heavy Metal calendar and some camouflage netting in Fallout 3, they'd be hanging up too, believe me.
I also put in a dinner service for two, which seems a bit pointless at the moment, but will possibly eventually be used in my main companions mod... maybe. I confirm nor deny nothing!
I will say that some of the denizens of Vault 1 seem to like sitting at the little dinner table, and my girls keep stealing my damned bed.
Also added new lights to the pool. I figure, hey, if ttomwv is going to go to the trouble to script the women to get naked when swimming in the pool, the least I can do is add some flood lights so we can really appreciate the view... right?
Yeah, I'm a perv. Like we didn't know it already.
Haven't decided whether the project is finished or not. While I don't want to make it a huge re-envisioning... I think there are a few things that could still stand to be better.
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