Having been inspired, I've been scripting on a new prototype script for my personal companions. Assuming the revisions work out, most will make it into NCCS shortly thereafter.
How big of revisions are we talking about?
The script when I started was 155 lines. I just closed the NVGECK, and the new script sits at a whopping 529 lines. I more than tripled the size.
Assuming I wrote it correctly, the companions will now share XP with the player without the wheel being activated; will be able to be "disguised" by wearing certain factions armor or other outfits; and will keep track of your target to remove themselves from said faction should a fight break out - so that they won't hesitate to engage members of the faction they're cosplaying as, should one take a shot at you or things otherwise go to hell.
Must still have it, since I only had to look up two functions during the whole mess. Would've only been one; but I'm not used to using GetCombatTarget and was declaring the reference on the wrong end. I wish they'd pick a format for these things...
Anyway. Testing to begin soon; will let you know how it goes.
Edit:
Well, it took some doing. The first block of code I used caused an infinite loop of messages. The second block wouldn't parse (stupid GECK). Third time's the charm, though:
Equipped and unequipped multiple times, tried alternate armors, all worked correctly.
I do wish Obsidian had spent as much time bug-testing the game as they did fellating California. There are five factions I saw going through the GECK that the player (and now companions) can cosplay as: Brotherhood of Steel, Caesar's Legion, Great Khans, NCR, and Powder Gangers.
BoS, Legion, Khans, and Gangers all put together have seventeen outfits that disguise the player.
The NCR, by itself, has fourteen.
Also: error reporting for the script editor in the "new" NVGECK? Yeah, they still couldn't be bothered to enable it. I do just love yelling at the monitor: "WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG NOW?!"
I end up having to use Cipcis' script validator tool. It would be really nice if the author of the GECK powerup would poof back into existence, and give us a new version. I don't mean that sarcastically or condescendingly either - it really would be nice. That thing was a lifesaver when it was still compatible.
Anyhow, the new disguising seems to work; but won't be able to report companions by name, so you'll have to keep track of who's wearing what, yourself.
Sounds awesome to me. Looking forward to it. If you keep it up, I might actually start playing the game again...
ReplyDeletecolour me interested, definitely!
ReplyDeleteOkay, the cosplay code is completely written now. I'll get to testing the new XP sharing soon. As it is, I've been scripting for like four straight hours, and I've got an eyestrain headache coming on. Going to take a break for a bit.
ReplyDeleteI am happy to hear that the new scripts are working properly for you, at least so far. Still might be a while, if at all, before I bother with NV, so I'm going to be missing out on all these cool ideas you have been implimenting lately :(
ReplyDeleteWell, thankfully most of this will carry over to FO3.
ReplyDeleteSome of it, on the other hand, isn't necessary there.
For instance, the code to let a companion share XP without enabling the wheel? No need, since in FO3 I can set them to teammate and just leave it.
The cosplay stuff probably wouldn't carry over anyway, since by default the player can't disguise, either.
Combat styles and such do all carry over, as do some of the other revised code; I just haven't decided how to get it out to you guys yet - whether I want to make it a "patch" for RR, or a separate system, or just break down and update RR since no one's heard from the Xerox machine around either FO Nexus since like November...
I too had noticed the silence from the Xerox department, though I relucted to mention it for fear of tempting fate...
ReplyDeleteWAH-HA-HA!
ReplyDeleteSurely, my dear Neko, you've noticed I'm not smart enough to avoid tempting fate?
Well, however you plan on releasing it for FO3, I look forward to exploring it. I know jack about tactics, but it would be nice, for example, to have companions that know more than me. Might help avoid some friendly fire situations. And it is true that the option to disguise players doesn't exist in vanilla FO3, there is, of course, a mod for that. I haven't run it yet myself, but I thought I would mention it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, there was a similar one for Oblivion. Never was a huge fan of those mods, myself; since what you can do while "disguised" is so limited.
ReplyDeleteFONV is the same way. Nearly every member of the factions you can dress up as has what the scripts call "sniffer" units, that can see through the disguise. Sort of defeats the purpose, y'ask me.
Though of course no one ever does.