My first mod (that I intend to post online) and I would like some help and suggestions on how to achieve it.

[Jules927]

Hi,

 

Here's the thing: I want to publish my very first mod and I need some help with it. I want it to be good, not a chump's mod. I am somewhat familiar with the Creation Kit's basic functions; and I have done a couple of simple mods for myself, mods that were outclassed by other mods found on the nexus shortly after their creation. Despite my tinkering with the Creation Kit, there are many things I have no idea how to achieve, althought I know them to be possible, for other modders achieved them with ease.

 

And that's the thing, I would like to learn what needs to be learned to complete my mod and since modding ressources are vague and hard to apply into modding (to me that is). I think my best bet is to find help for every step of my mod's developpement. And if some of you would like to pertake into the making of this mod, I'd be more than happy to let you join in!

 

Ok here's the concept: I know it's nothing new and somewhat touchy subject, but... I would like to implement a Slavery System to enhance one's role playing experience. Fallout 4's role playing is lacking in the evil role playing department and I would like to add to it.

 

Look I know, slavery is awful and I wish it was pure fiction, but it sadly isn't, but that's not the point. The point is: Slavery existes in the Fallout universe. It's even the main subject of Fallout 4's plot. Plot where you get to decide either to save slaves or to condamn them. And if you do condamn them, the changes that insues are quasi-inexistent. Not to get philosophical or anything, but isn't doing like nothing changed worse than to witness the consequences?

 

Enough sidetrack here's what I want my mod to do.

 

First: I would like to allow players to capture non essential npcs (raiders, gunners, residents, useless named npcs, etc...) and to turn them into slaves by equipping them with a shock collar. The now-slave npc would become essentially a settler to boss around. To add a difference I thought it would be neat if slaves costed less resources, something like half-food, half-water (still one bed). To equip the collar I would like to use Seb263's Knockout Framework (https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/27086/). For this part I'm looking for people familiar with scripting.

 

Second Idea: A Slaver Station for a raider settlement object. An object to which you can assign a Nuka World raider for them to capture, buy and sell slaves.

Something like an desk covered in papers with a couple of empty cages that would fill with idle animation slaves after a while to signify a profitable venture for your slavers.

The Slaver Station would produce Slave Certificate which you could sale for an efty amount, or to have a slave delivered to a settlement of your choice.

For the Slaver Station to "produce" slaves you would have to contribute some ressources, I'm thinking a Shock Collar and a few Caps (i.e: 1 Shock Collar+500 Caps=1 Slave).

I would also like to be able to sell already owned slaves (like the ones you captured yourself), I'm not sure how it would work, but if could it'd be neat.

For this part I'm looking for people familiar with workshop objects and scripting.

 

Third idea: The Shock Collar, a Shock Collar Detonator and Switch. The Detonator would be for exploding the slave's head and the Switch would be to shock the slave until unconscious.

I'd like an original design for both and would like for them to work only on those wearing a Shock Collar (that part I'm sure I can achieve).

Now for the Shock Collar, I think I'll have to script it to change the wearer's faction to become player friendly and settler ready, but my scripting skills are almost none. I failed the "Hello World!" tutorial and I need help scripting this thing, I have idea what to do, but can't script for s***. I'm not looking for someone to do it for me, just to teach me how to, although if you wish to do it with me, I think it would be fun!

 

So there it is. My mod. I would like any help from a simple suggestion to active consultant to developper, I'm mainly looking for tutors, but I'll take whatever I can get.

 

If you're interested, leave a comment in this thread, I'll make sure to check it every now and then to see if anybody contributed to the idea.

 

Thanks for your attention and I hope to see your feedback very soon.

 

-Jules927

[Greslin]

First, I have to commend you on your ambition. If you want to see something similar that was done back in the FO3 days, look at this:

 

https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/9497

 

Personally, I'd love to see something like FNNCQ make its way to Fallout 4.

 

That having been said.. you're trying to tackle Mount Everest in your very first hiking expedition. This is an insane amount of work for even an experienced modder (just ask the FNNCQ author), but as your first mod, it's just a surefire recipe for frustration, angst, and an abandoned mod.

 

My advice is to limit your scope to one very small component, and then work on that until it shines. Make it general purpose and not dependent on some larger overhaul framework that you have in mind for the future. Release it, get some feedback, make it better, release it again. You'll find it a lot easier to find support and possible collaboration. You'll also learn a lot more about modding that way.

[payl0ad]

First off, it's good that you have realized yourself to atomize (pun not intended) tasks. Your ideas however are still fairly too high-level for a "My first mod" project. I made that mistake by building a gameplay overhaul as a first mod and it's got some awkward rough edges. I'll have to rebuild most of it for something that I could even think about stapling MCM and HUDFramework support on. And I don't even know how to make widgets for the latter one. But I digress.

 

If you are truly hellbent on doing this, your first idea is your primary target. You won't want to depend on Knockout Framework for that, but you'll want to reverse-engineer it to get an understanding of how NPC manipulation can be done and if you can design a mod around that. Maybe you can reuse the source code, ask the author. You'll have to learn Papyrus anyway. Focus on getting this single idea to work: A special clothing item (can look like whatever) that you can equip to an NPC under certain conditions to enslave them, making them a settler, just for starters.

[FlashyJoer]

The "other site" has a few VERY excellent slavery system mods, fully developed and battle tested so to speak... perhaps you can circle to those to look for ways to implement your ideas?

[TheCoolest7248]

For a first mod, I would focus on learning an aspect of creation kit. For example, if you want to do level design, pick a location you like and try to restore it to prewar or if you don't like prewar, just repair it. Learn how to used navmesh and how to do scripting. These tasks must be learned before you can tackle a monumental mod as what you are thinking of.

[pra]

For a first mod, I would focus on learning an aspect of creation kit. For example, if you want to do level design, pick a location you like and try to restore it to prewar or if you don't like prewar, just repair it. Learn how to used navmesh and how to do scripting. These tasks must be learned before you can tackle a monumental mod as what you are thinking of.

Not necessarily. If OP is better at scripting than designing, this might work out.

 

I suggest, look at how the intimidation perk works. It does something similar already. And you will definitely need a perk for actions like "attach collar". There you would probably have to add several keywords to the actor to make the whole thing (including the actor itself) permanent. You would also probably need to add a script to the actor, probably via a scripted magical effect.

 

The shock triggers and detonators you could try to implement as a weapon. It fires a harmless, invisible projectile, and only if the target is a slave, it does it's thing. Again, scripting.

 

The selling part sounds the most difficult to me. I think you would have to do something like the command menu for companions or settlers, when they ask "anything I can do to help"? Using that you select the slave. It then disappears, and you get the caps.

 

TL;DR this would require a sh*tload of scripting, but not much of level design. Do you have programming experience?

[Jules927]

 

TL;DR this would require a sh*tload of scripting, but not much of level design. Do you have programming experience?

 

None really... But that's the thing, when I try to learn something, I tend to block at stuff I don't get rather than doing it then understand why and how it works. And since papyrus scripting isn't covered in a way for me to understand, I thought looking for a scripting "tutor" would be an easier way to accomplish my goals.

Yeah I could get someone else to do it, but what would I learn from that?

 

@pra @Greslin @payl0ad My biggest concern for now is the Shock Collar. No Shock Collar, no mod... I thought I could work around scripting the thing by using simple Magic Effects to change the enslaved npc's faction for them to be considered as settlers.

But I realized, after poking around the CK, that the conditions I was looking for weren't there... So scripting looks like the only option for now, which is fine, I'm willing to learn.

 

I'll have to admit that the whole project seems like a bit much, but I think I can pace myself for it.

So I think focusing on a small part of it at a time is a good approach.

 

First objective: Making a Shock Collar which changes npc behavior on equip. I think that alone is enough for a standalone mod, right? Does this seem too much? If so, what would you guys focus on first?

 

 

@joerqc Yeah I looked at what they had on there, but franckly, the mods don't go in the direction I'd like to use...

[Jules927]

Oooh I know! I think I'll focus on the Shock Collar Switch today. Maybe make a dummy 10mm pistol with no bullets that shocks someone wearing a Collar! All I'll need after that is an original design for the Switch. Oh maybe it'll have a paralyze effect too!

Edited January 30, 2018 by Jules927

[payl0ad]

 

No Shock Collar, no mod... I thought I could work around scripting the thing by using simple Magic Effects to change the enslaved npc's faction for them to be considered as settlers.

But I realized, after poking around the CK, that the conditions I was looking for weren't there... So scripting looks like the only option for now, which is fine, I'm willing to learn.

 

I'll have to admit that the whole project seems like a bit much, but I think I can pace myself for it.

So I think focusing on a small part of it at a time is a good approach.

 

First objective: Making a Shock Collar which changes npc behavior on equip. I think that alone is enough for a standalone mod, right? Does this seem too much? If so, what would you guys focus on first?

 

Making that shock collar work seems like a reasonable first milestone. Here's to hope that you can pull it off!

[Jules927]

 

Making that shock collar work seems like a reasonable first milestone. Here's to hope that you can pull it off!

 

Thanks!