Thursday, November 10, 2011

NCCS v0.8, Live!

NCCS v0.8 has been uploaded.

Although next to no one still reads this blog, so you're probably more likely to find out from the Nexus updated file listing than here.

*V0.8: Note: The companions' backpacks have been removed in this version! Please remove all items from the backpacks before upgrading to v0.8.

Replacing the backpacks is a set of communal containers: one each for armor, general, reloading, survival, and weapons. Containers may be accessed from any companion in your party.

Sorters also added, for general, reloading, and survival. Use the appropriate dialogue commands to initiate sorting. Sorted items go into the aforementioned communal containers. A message will pop up to let you know when sorting is complete.

Added a campfire for crafting, and sleeping if you have the Home on the Range perk. Campfire will remain in its place until you leave the cell, at which point it will return to its holding location. Campfires can only be set up outdoors for safety reasons.

New containers, sorters, and portable campfire can all be accessed from the equipment menu.

Companion scripts updated again; this time to add code to spawn casings and/or spent power cells in their inventory when combat ends, to simulate recovering ammunition components similarly to how the player does. The code only functions for vanilla game weapons at the present time. A sorting option has also been added to collect the reloading components from the companions' inventories and deposit them directly into the reloading container. Companions will auto-sort their collected components periodically.

Companionscript has also been altered to keep NCCS companions from getting shelled by artillery on approach to Nellis even after the Player has made it in and made friends.

Companionscript has also been altered to allow NCCS companions to repair their own weaponry. The level to which they'll repair a weapon is limited by the companion's repair skill. Companions' repair abilities are automatic, but limited. Most companions will still benefit from your repairing their weapons periodically; but this will keep their weapons from going zero condition and breaking. Most companions' weapons will stay below 60% when they're left to repair them on their own. Companions using the new repairer class will be able to keep their weapons between 70% and 100% when their repair skill tops out.

"Operator" class and combat style added. This is a renamed copy of the combat style I use for one of my personal companions. It is not designed to "grow" with the player, but to be essentially a killing machine. Has been scaled back so as not to be overpowered, but is still extremely skilled. Because of the way the companions' scripts handle applying the "learn and grow" combat style, be sure to use the operator class and combat style together.

Repairer package added. Simply add the NCCS Repair faction to your companion, and they will gain a new dialogue option that initiates the repair menu. This new option can be found on the first dialogue level; above the system options. For the option to appear, the companion must be recruited (have had the 'join me' command used on them), but need not be in your party -- they will offer their services even when sandboxing or otherwise removed from your party; provided they have not been fired. For best results, they should also be set to the NCCS Repairer class, or another class with Repair set as a tag skill. Note also that at the moment, the repairer class does not work correctly; and for some reason is not turning in repair skill values as high as it should. Investigations as to why this occurs are ongoing. Repairer package also includes a portable workbench interface; identical to the one used by the static workbenches -- the command for which should sit just below the repair menu entry in the companion's dialogue.

Reloader package added. Add the NCCS Reloader faction to your companion, and they will gain a new dialogue option that brings up the reloading interface just like at a static press. This new option can be found on the first dialogue level; above the system options. This package operates independently of class, and can function with any class. For the option to appear, the companion must be recruited (have had the 'join me' command used on them), but need not be in your party -- they will offer their services even when sandboxing or otherwise removed from your party; provided they have not been fired.

Medic package added. Add the NCCS Medic faction to your companion, and they will gain a new dialogue option that allows for medical treatment of the player. This new option can be found on the first dialogue level; above the system options. This package operates independently of class, and can function with any class. For the option to appear, the companion must be recruited (have had the 'join me' command used on them), but need not be in your party -- they will offer their services even when sandboxing or otherwise removed from your party; provided they have not been fired. The medic companion can treat your health, limbs, radiation, and cure addictions.

Some dialogue resultscripts were repaired.

Legion and NCR companion placeholders were removed so as not to give people the impression that the factions did anything. After some recent issues with players misunderstanding the different between companion system and opposing army maker, the Legion and NCR companion options aren't likely to ever be implemented.

Also updated my premade companions pack, so that the equipment menu functions correctly with the new options, and to make use of the new packages. Artemis uses the medic package; Samantha uses the repairer and reloader packages; and Ted uses the reloader package. Rin was switched to the Sniper class and combat style.

Added much new dialogue. New dialogue responses will appear based on companion's alignment, gender, special skill packages, and more. Setting the alignment of your companions will now actually do something.

7 comments:

  1. @Nos:

    You may notice on your dashboard or whatever that I made a post here and then deleted it; I was intending to mention this release on my own blog but was so excited about it that I hit the right button but for the wrong blog. Sorry.

    That's what you get for giving me access...

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  2. Eh, no big deal. Like I said in reference to the deleted posts still being viewable other places: I almost never use the dashboard except when I want to post to both blogs in one sitting.

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  3. Having two blogs of my own now requires me to stop and think before I select one to post on.

    And not like my Mod Blog gets much viewing except from you two and my best friend, I shall endeavor to make a note of this new release on there as well. Like Comicville, the Mod Blog isn't really just for my stuff. I also got off my lazy butt and put in links to both here and Game On, as well as my best friend's blog. Thank you Herculine for giving me the idea that should have really been a "no brainer" >.<

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  4. BTW... I love the new comments. Adds quite a bit of personality to any companion. Good work, Boss!

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  5. "BTW... I love the new comments. Adds quite a bit of personality to any companion. Good work, Boss! "

    Ehhhh...

    I'm a little ambivalent on the new comments. While I like them in and of themselves... I'm afraid that they're a little too random. Companions who aren't supposed to be snarky will be; total bitches and/or bastards could end up being sweet...

    I've been thinking, a set of addable "personalities" for companions might be the way to go -- EG: Personality01 gets a set of dialogue, Personality02 gets different responses; 03 is different still, but all have access to the basic cookie-cutter dialogue, as would any companion who isn't given a personality setting.

    Trouble is, we've all seen (well maybe not all; but I sure as hell have) what happens when I start making the companion creation process have too many points 'n clicks.

    Nos will have to mull this issue a few days, and decide whether there needs to be a v0.81 that sets up personality dialogue; rather than skill and alignment-based...

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  6. "Nos will have to mull this issue a few days, and decide whether there needs to be a v0.81 that sets up personality dialogue; rather than skill and alignment-based..."

    Is there a way to do both?

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  7. Well, "personality" would keep it to sets of similar dialogue for each personality type rather than blanketly applying to all of a particular alignment... but sure. There can be both. There's no limit on dialogue responses that I'm aware of; and hell, I can condition the stuff to appear based on the day of the week it is in game. Tailoring it around different types of companions is pretty easy -- and thankfully one of the few parts of the game that works reliably.

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