Adding a secondary light to the Pip-Boy

[Flintlockip]

Right now I'm working on a Pip-Boy lighting overhaul that makes it into a directional light that glows from the its own screen.

And I had an idea from a comment to update it and add a secondary light on top of the original one that would act like bounce lighting that turns its self on and off at same time the as the pre-existing light does, but I'm unsure of how to do it or if its even possible.

 

Here's the mod I'm working on: https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/67472?tab=description

Edited February 13, 2023 by Flintlockip

[hereami]

Spotlight from screen is a pretty great doing. But aux light, what for, when there is hud indicator? Or maybe i misunderstand its purpose.

 

Was always curious, how head lamps are able to react at night time and turn themselves on/off even if worn by npc. Cool functionality, that street lights are missing, unfortunately. By the way, they also react to pipboy light switch, if worn by player. Deeply hardcoded or can be modified and repurposed maybe, something about light nodes and embedded into models event handlers? Again, just curious, have zero knowledge about that jazz.

[LarannKiar]

I suppose it's possible, it would work like this: you need to have a Havok Behavior (.hkx) that sends the "Pip-Boy flashlight on/off event", the Pip-Boy mesh (.nif) needs to be linked to the behavior file with "BSBehaviorGraphExtraData" (this only contains the file path), then set up a NiControllerSequence and add your light to the mesh (AddOnNode, or NiPointLight maybe).

 

Since the Pip-Boy mesh is probably linked to its respective behavior file already (as it has a working flashlight), I think you "just" need to edit/duplicate the pre-existing animation sequence. As far as I remember, the flashlight is an AddOnNode.

 

P.S.: I made a "different Pip-Boy screen and flashlight color" mod back in 2019 but I have no idea know how havok behaviors are structured.. I'm pretty sure though possible animation events are limited by the native code because havok alone can't have access to data like powered state, if you think of the buildable Contruction light. There must be a similar communication between havok and the engine to the one between the engine and the UI.

Edited January 24, 2023 by LarannKiar

[Gerren0]

I've done a lot of work with lights in Unique Scavs. I built sling backpacks with flashlights. If you want seperate activations, you need to mess with .hkx files. However if you just want to hijack the default pip-boy on button you can make a single pipboy nif and a single light nif. The trick is to have two lights in the one light nif.

[Flintlockip]

I've done a lot of work with lights in Unique Scavs. I built sling backpacks with flashlights. If you want seperate activations, you need to mess with .hkx files. However if you just want to hijack the default pip-boy on button you can make a single pipboy nif and a single light nif. The trick is to have two lights in the one light nif.

So yeah I think I just want to Hijack the default Pipboy on/off button and not mess with .hkx files. And from what I understood I need to connect the Pipboy .nif with the single light .nif, so that it would act as one.

 

But how exactly do I connect the .nifs? And make them both turn them self's off and on. Would I need to use "BSBehaviorGraphExtraData" and connect the Pipboy .hkx to the single light .nif?

 

If you could give me an example it would be really helpful. Nifskope is still new territory to me. But to be honest I might as well just learn how .hkx files work and find a way to export them to Blender and back.

Edited February 17, 2023 by Flintlockip