[[LE] Force NPC to Sprinting]

Is there a way to force an NPC to sprint when traveling to a certain location given their stamina is above a certain percentage? AI packages at the most have a preferred max run speed, but I'd like them to sprint. NPCs sprint all the time in combat, but not outside.

[[LE] Switch Between AI Packages too slow]

Wow! It worked finally! The soldier now equips AND unequips his weapon based on if the player has their weapon equipped instantly. The part of the script which made all the difference was registering the animation events and creating an event based on those animations, which were "weaponDraw" and "weaponSheathe".

 

RegisterForAnimationEvent(Commander, "weaponDraw")

RegisterForAnimationEvent(Commander, "weaponSheathe")

________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Event OnAnimationEvent(ObjectReference akSource, string asEventName)

if asEventName == "weaponDraw"
Soldier.EvaluatePackage()
endif

 

Event OnAnimationEvent(ObjectReference akSource, string asEventName)

if asEventName == "weaponSheathe"
Soldier.EvaluatePackage()
endif

 

Thanks so much for the help, much is appreciated!

[[LE] Switch Between AI Packages too slow]

This is very helpful, I will go on to test it. Thanks!

[[LE] Increasing Speed of NPCs during AI Package]

I just realized that scripts weren't necessary for this. For anyone wondering how, I simply created a perk and some abilities/magic that modifies speed, and created a condition for the effect to only activate if the AI package condition is met or if the target was fleeing.

[[LE] Increasing Speed of NPCs during AI Package]

So I made a "Retreat" AI package that has NPCs flee to a location, and I'd like to know how I can make them go faster during this AI package. To get started, should I look into creating the script inside the AI package itself or through a quest or an object?

[[LE] Switch Between AI Packages too slow]

So it seems like I got it to work partially thanks to the EvaluatePackage().

 

The package that enables soldiers to attack enemies and draw their weapons happens almost instantaneously.

 

However, the package that disables soldiers and forces them to sheathe their weapons seems to lag behind.

 

Here's the script, and here's a video demonstration:

 

Scriptname questTestingScript extends Quest

Actor Property Commander Auto

Actor Property Soldier1 Auto

Actor Property Soldier2 Auto

Actor Property Soldier3 Auto

Actor Property Soldier4 Auto

Actor Property Soldier5 Auto

Actor Property Soldier6 Auto

Actor Property Soldier7 Auto

Actor Property Soldier8 Auto

Actor Property Soldier9 Auto

Actor Property Soldier10 Auto

Actor Property Soldier11 Auto

Actor Property Soldier12 Auto

Actor Property Soldier13 Auto

Actor Property Soldier14 Auto

Actor Property Soldier15 Auto

Actor Property Soldier16 Auto

Event OnInit()

Debug.MessageBox("The Quest Script is Running")

RegisterForUpdate(1.0)

EndEvent

Event OnUpdate()

if Commander.IsWeaponDrawn()

Soldier1.EvaluatePackage()

Soldier2.EvaluatePackage()

Soldier3.EvaluatePackage()

Soldier4.EvaluatePackage()

Soldier5.EvaluatePackage()

Soldier6.EvaluatePackage()

Soldier7.EvaluatePackage()

Soldier8.EvaluatePackage()

Soldier9.EvaluatePackage()

Soldier10.EvaluatePackage()

Soldier11.EvaluatePackage()

Soldier12.EvaluatePackage()

Soldier13.EvaluatePackage()

Soldier14.EvaluatePackage()

Soldier15.EvaluatePackage()

Soldier16.EvaluatePackage()

endIf

EndEvent

I'm wondering if there's a more efficient way to go about this besides creating an actor property for every single NPC. If there were 50-100 NPCs running this script, how much is it going to impact performance than say if the script was designed differently? I tried playing around with other events in general, but couldn't quite get around to making any of them work, particular those with parameters such as these:

Event OnObjectEquipped(Form akBaseObject, ObjectReference akReference)

if akBaseObject as Weapon

Debug.Trace("This actor just equipped a weapon!")

endIf

endEvent

 

[[LE] Switch Between AI Packages too slow]

Whats up everybody.

 

I'm currently working on a major civil war mod that adds thousands of roaming NPCs traveling in Skyrim in groups from 5-22 soldiers. One of the elements that I've added to these groups of patrolling civil war soldiers is an AI package tells the soldiers to retreat back to HQ if soldier X, Y, and Z is dead. This works as intended generally, but many times there is a noticeable inconsistent lag and the "Retreat" AI package will usually take over anywhere from 5-15 seconds after the conditions are met, which in many cases the battle is already lost and in some cases the battle happens so fast that the soldiers don't even attempt to retreat at all, causing un-necessary casualties. I want to know if there is a way to speed it up so that they retreat almost immediately once conditions are met rather than several seconds later when its too late.

 

The other thing I'm currently working on is the ability to command a group of 7-22 friendly CW soldiers (provided you are in the army). I simply made the "Leader" of the group of 7-22 as the potential follower of the player, and had the other 6-21 soldiers following the "Leader" through a follow AI package. The idea is that once the player asks the "Leader" to follow him, the "Leader's" soldiers will also follow as well. I made two follow packages with the conditions as follows:

 

 

 

1. Soldiers will IGNORE combat if "Leader" has their weapon sheathed

(When the player has their weapon sheathed, so will the follower,/"Leader" and the idea is that it also passes onto the rest of the soldiers following the "Leader", basically a command to follow and not engage soldiers, and maintain tightly packed formation. The idea is if the player and his faction come across an enemy in superior numbers and positions, this can allow the player and his army to fallback and retreat to safer/favorable ground and organize, since by default NPCs will never back down from a fight once they detect the enemy, often leading to suicide and un-necessary casualties.)

 

2. Soldiers will NOT IGNORE combat if "Leader" has their weapon drawn

(When the player draws their weapon, the follower/"Leader" will also draw their weapon, prompting the rest of the soldiers to draw their weapon and attack anything that is a threat, basically a command to start attacking. Lets say you are leading a group of 15 sword/shield legionnaires charging 15 enemy Stormcloaks, you would want them to run the "ignore combat" package first so that they DON'T break formation and DON'T scatter and maintain the tightly packed formation so that once you are close, you can draw the weapon (ordering soldiers to attack) and the advantageous positions + focused fire will win you the battle.)

 

The problem is the same as described up above, the AI Packages don't take effect until 5-15 seconds after the conditions are met, which is causing a lot of these issues to occur and making it seem like the soldiers have terrible military discipline and the slowest of reaction speeds. I'd like to know if there is a way to increase the speed at which the game checks AI Package conditions and makes them take effect immediately once conditions are satisfied. I'd also be curious if there is a way to script something like this, it would be cool if once you "Blocked", your followers/fellow soldiers will also block as well as with attacking and bashing of shields, it would make the battle more tactical/strategic and feel like you are leading a disciplined army. To get a better picture of what I'm trying to achieve, check this video out, its from another game but if you could lead the Imperial Legion like this, it would be pretty awesome. I don't have much scripting experience at all but I'd be eager to learn if this is possible.

[Confine NPCs to fight within an Area]

Is there a way to prevent NPCs from moving out of an area when in combat? I am modding forts now, and I want the archers to stay put inside their defensive walls and towers, and not for them move out of their forts where they'll be at a disadvantage.

 

I am thinking about using AI packages and Idle markers as a first step, any ideas?