NellSpeed
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Posts posted by NellSpeed
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Leave off the "player"? Is it giving you an error message?
AddTopic adds a topic to the Player's list of known topics.
Only topics in this list can appear in an NPC's topic list during dialogue. Topics can also be added using the AddTopic list in the dialogue editor window.
Syntax
AddTopic TopicID
Example:
AddTopic HiddenCave
Edited because: I hit "post" too soon.
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Another quick note-- Stinky Grotto = EVIL.
But in a good way.
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You might consider keeping the current quest entry, just link it to something else-- like a trigger set up in one of the cities, so it "feels" as if the player has actually overheard Silatari being discussed, or an extra scroll found in another ruin.
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A handful of quick notes, after getting through the first stage of gameplay (spoke to the mage at the Arcane U, continuing on).
I'll note one possible problem right from the start-- I almost never do the main quest, myself, and I know I'm not the only one (for some of us, it doesn't suit the character we're playing; others are just bored by it). Linking the start of your main quest to delivering the amulet to Jauffre might discourage some players.
The safe storage chest was a really nice touch.
I'm lousy at combat, so no matter how easy it is, I'm likely to be challenged... except that I'm running through this with a companion who takes the worst of the damage.
I loved the underwater level (I won't name it here, so I won't spoil it for anyone else)-- gorgeous work! I was sorry it couldn't be more brightly lit-- and the island with the statue-- again, beautifully done.
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Are there any specific areas-- beside quest logic-- you're concerned about? (proof reading / dialogue, combat balance, lore-friendliness, etc)
I actually have a pretty good-sized block of time on my hands this weekend, and could probably give you an initial report by, say, midnight US Central time, this Monday.
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Have you tried the TGND body? It's probably not quite what you're looking for, but just in case....
SUMMARY
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The Girl Next Door began as a personal project that garnered enough interest to merit a release. The body was designed to be an average female. She doesn't have huge breasts. She doesn't have a supermodel wasp-waisted figure. She has a solid and healthy body, with a bit of extra meat here and there. It's a body that won't look out of place on NPCs in game, nor on the character whether she's a thief, a mage, a fighter, or whatever.
There are replacements for all default outfits, and some custom content (although not, AFAIK, Selene's stuff).
I like HGEC just fine, but TGND is my personal default.
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You probably already know this, but-- plan.
Plan, plan, plan. Seriously-- this will save you trouble from the start. If you have a standard system for naming variables, scripts, topics, etc, and if you have an outline of what you want to do before you even open the CS, you will save yourself MUCH time & aggravation.
Also, beware feature creep. If you keep having ideas about interesting new features or bonuses or little side-quests, think long and hard before putting them in. I found that the more I learned about scripting & building conversations & quests, the more little odds & ends I wanted to put in, and that way lies madness... not to mention difficulty in completing the core concept.
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I'm about half done with a CM companion mod with custom dialogue, mini-quests, a romance, etc, and here's one thing you may want to keep in mind: you can save yourself an incredible amount of time & frustration by planning things out before you ever open the CS. For example: figuring out a naming convention for variables, conversation, etc, will keep you from backtracking and having to fix things later on.
(Also, resist the urge to add just One More Feature. That way lies madness.)
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Thanks! :biggrin: I now have a few working versions that fire like this: 1. Fire 2. Frost 3. Shock 4. Fire 5. Frost 6. Shock, wait 3-8 seconds, start firing again. They're pretty nasty.
It's the random delay that'll make it evil. Imagine dodging past something like that, and then having it shoot you in the back. And then, coming back, thinking you have eight seconds-- except, oops! It's three! Man, I'd be irate, but it'd still crack me up.
Of course, it'd be even funnier if it happened to someone else! :whistling:
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I'm working on a purple version that will fire all of the elemental spells in sequence.
I'm not sure why, but this strikes me as being one of the funnier ideas I've heard in ages. And when I say "funny," I mean funny in the sense of the word that means "will drive players absolutely crazy as they repeatedly get blasted by various forces of nature." Definitely an awesome concept.
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Comment scripts, huh? What the heck are comment scripts? :confused:
Precisely what LHammond said-- "comment" as a verb. I wasn't very clear. :) I'm very new to modding, so my code is often ungodly confusing; I find it helps to clarify what I'm doing and why:
; Okay, first-- are we in Oblivion? If yes, set variable to 1! ; Valtierro won't be there by himself, so we'll check for the player. ; This checks for OblivionRD004 locations. Lots of code snipped because of how godawful long it is. if player.OblivionRD004Caves == 1 || player.OblivionRD004CitadelLeft == 1 set valinhell to 1 else set valinhell to 0 ; ...because we're not in Oblivion. Carry on!...okay, I do it to amuse myself sometimes, too; but my primary idea is to keep myself on task as I work my way through. That's also why I do so much planning before I actually do much of the writing. It's a lot easier to sort out the details right off the bat, instead of trying to untangle stuff halfway through. Not to mention, since I'm learning as I go along, it's easier to do things properly the first time, rather than having to go back and fix things. I've already found that out the frustrating way; in one instance, by having to remove conditions and replace them with a variable, once I figured out how to do it properly!
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If you don't already, you might also outline what you're doing before you do it. You don't need every single detail, but I find it saves me a lot of time to have a setup for naming variables, quests, etc, instead of doing it on the fly, and having to remember what's what.
And again if you don't already, comment scripts so you know what things do what. Or, at least, what they're supposed to do....
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There are also a couple of retextures of the doctor's outfits that you might like-- female version is tank top + fatigue pants + boots + a couple of gear bags. They're two of my favorite outfits because they're so comfortable-looking compared to some of the more skin-baring options.
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Favorites, in no particular order:
Liberty Prime - Oh, man. On my first playthrough, I had no idea what to expect. When he godzillas his way through the Enclave, spouting his anti-Communist lines, first my jaw dropped, then I couldn't quit laughing. That sequence is both funny not just for the giant robot destroying everything in its path factor, but also for the not-even-trying-to-be-subtle political commentary. I actually reloaded a couple of times.
Mister Burke - I'm not impressed with him as a standalone character, but if you recruit him as a follower, some of his responses to combat are comedy gold. He goes from cold killer to, literally, crying and screaming for help-- even as he mows down his opponents.
Gob - I just felt so badly for him, starting with the "stupid joke of a body" line. I'm glad he's being modded into a full companion, so he can finally hit back.
Desmond - Yeah, he's a total jerkoff, but he's just so disgusted with everyone, he's kind of hard to resist. Plus, I don't feel guilty if he gets taken out by friendly fire; I figure it's good for his ego.
Reilly - Even though she doesn't get a lot of "screen time," I sympathized with her self-blame over her teammates' situation. That whole side quest is a great mood-lifter, given the general apathy / hostility of the Wasteland in general. Brick's fun, too.
Agatha - She has her own music channel!
Moira - Dr. Lesko, without the bad Jerry Lewis impersonation. Plus, she sympathizes with the molerats (who I think are kind of cute). But mostly because she's a disaster looking for a place to happen.
I'm having a hard time thinking of favorite female combat characters. Hmmm. I don't think Fallout has a a Mazoga (from Oblivion) equivalent, has it? I haven't tried Star Cross, yet....
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I'm finishing up with an adapation of Damsels in Distress-- two versions, one that has all-male captives in need of rescue, one with 8 male and 8 female captives. (For the record, the author has said I hope you enjoy this mod, feel free to modify and reuse anything I've done.)
However, even though the changes are purely cosmetic, I'm still a little leery of uploading without beta-testing, just in case I've managed to goof something up.
So, my actual question: Should I upload the file to TES, then ask for beta testers, or upload it to a private server, ask for testers, and upload after I've got some feedback?
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Play yourself! You can use use one of the alternative start mods-- I like the shipboard start-- and take it from there. Translate what you do IRL into what you could do in Cyrodiil. If you're into the paranormal, go with Mysticism! If you can't read enough true-crime stories, put together your own Investigator class! Can't tolerate fools? maybe you're reborn as a ranger-type, or a hermit. Use your personal flaws for a more interesting storyline. If you're hopelessly uncoordinated, stick to strictly above-the-neck skills like security. If you're angry at the world in general, isn't that what Destruction is for? Tired of being broke? Mercantile and Speechcraft may fix that fast. Speaking of money...
Start penniless, with no gear but what you're wearing-- not even a dagger or a club. Just you and your stats. That means hand-to-hand until you loot your first enemy, and having to scavenge healing supplies from the countryside. (Mod tip: Maybe save up for a bolt of cloth, then activate one of the portable bedroll mods?)
For a psychological edge-- how would you handle the reality of literally fighting for your life on a regular basis? Maybe instead of skipping from dungeon to dungeon, you spend a day or two in the local chapel, or in a quiet corner of the woods, trying to get your head together. After all, in this scenario, you don't know if you're ever going home. It makes joining a guild a very smart move, too. After all, if you use the mod above, you're either disembarking in the IC or Anvil. Imagine just popping up in London, or Moscow, or Washington DC, with nothing but your clothes, and no idea what happened. If you keep in mind that a city of either size would have hundreds of people pushing past you and each other, the idea of having SOME allies, especially fighters and mages, becomes much more appealing.
Anyway. Sorry for the novel, but I've obviously had a LOT of fun with this concept. :biggrin:
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http://finalgirl.us/BG/grace2.png
Grace Underhill, slightly scatterbrained noblewoman, who left her home to see the world, travel, see to some family business, and shop. Mostly shop, although she's pretty excited about maybe inheriting some kind of tower thing near Bruma, and getting to pretend to be a queen in this old castle that's, like, under siege or something. She's currently a 3rd level Dilettante, racing around in a state of panic in the Shivering Isles, wondering how she's going to get back home and back to spending money, gossiping, and going to parties.
Except she's loving her new dresses, and she's kind of into the giant sword and the whole hero thing, and she hasn't had her nails done in days, and it doesn't really bother her all that much....
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Vanilla: I kinda have a sneaking fondness for the IC shack. I just like the idea of having all this great gear and equipment, and actually living in the ES equivalent of a shotgun shack.
DLC: Frostcrag, especially with the Reborn mod. Even without, the view alone is amazing.
Mod: Bravil Sea Dome. I snagged it today, and honestly cannot say enough good about it. Especially fond of the double bed-- perfect for those days when your adventurer just doesn't want to get out of bed. And the portholes! And the steampunk-y waterfall! Just too much fun.
Never modded before
in Discussion
Posted
Two suggestions for you.
1) Think of something you would like to play, yourself. If you're not interested in your idea, it'll be much harder to work on it.
2) Keep it small & manageable. The forums are full of huge, elaborate mod concepts that never get done.
What existing NPCs and quests did you find interesting? What unfinished quests appeal to you?