Someone who actually knows how to script, give us a hand

[TheStrictNein]

So, I'm trying to write a mod that allows you to start the 'I Fought the Law' quest by pickpocketing Lieutenant Hayes for the Military Orders. Now, I got it so that Hayes has the orders in his inventory at game start, and I changed the conditions in the VMS02Quest script so that it only checks if you have the orders, and then allows you to move onto the correct stage. However, I cannot get the quest to pop. I'm really bad at this but really want to create this mod. How do you set up conditions for a quest starting? Is it through dialogue or a script or something? I just don't understand.

[Jojash]

May we see the altered script? I think I know what you've done, but I'd like to make sure before I offer any advice. After all, it wouldn't be particularly helpful if I started advising you to do something with a script you've never even opened or something! :)

[Quetzlsacatanango]

You will only get a message on your screen if the stage that is set causes an objective to be displayed.

[TheStrictNein]

I'm getting nowhere. To be fair, I did try to brute force all of this, based on what little I know, and Fallout is a bloody complicated game to mod. I don't even know where any of the dialogue topics to actually start the quest are. I kinda muddled through Hayes' dialogue and found the dialogue option I wanted to start the quest, but I've got no idea how to make it do that. And I don't think anything I've done to the script will have actually done anything except mess up a working quest. Dammit, I shoulda just requested for this to be made, no way I'm good enough to make something like this

 

Edit: I don't want to the quest to start through dialogue, I want it to start when the Orders are picked, which should add 'I Fought the Law' to the Pip-boy, which should then allow you to ask about the orders using the same dialogue options that would be used in the quest anyway. Essentially starting from Objective 36, but using a new stage and objective, for when you get the note. The quest should then move onto stage 40

[Jojash]

I'm getting nowhere. To be fair, I did try to brute force all of this, based on what little I know, and Fallout is a bloody complicated game to mod. I don't even know where any of the dialogue topics to actually start the quest are. I kinda muddled through Hayes' dialogue and found the dialogue option I wanted to start the quest, but I've got no idea how to make it do that.

 

You don't need to do anything with the dialogue. Possibly it'll be a little jarring with Eddie, assuming you've not spoken with him previously, but that's hardly a huge problem.

 

I don't want to the quest to start through dialogue, I want it to start when the Orders are picked, which should add 'I Fought the Law' to the Pip-boy, which should then allow you to ask about the orders using the same dialogue options that would be used in the quest anyway. Essentially starting from Objective 36, but using a new stage and objective, for when you get the note. The quest should then move onto stage 40

 

Alright, the way I would do that would be to open up "VMS02QuestScript" and change line 19 from "if player.GetHasNote VMS02MilitaryOrders && GetStageDone VMS02 30" to just, "if player.GetHasNote VMS02MilitaryOrders". This ought to change it so that when you have the note, the quest will start at stage 35. Good luck! :smile:

Edited October 4, 2013 by Jojash

[TheStrictNein]

 

I'm getting nowhere. To be fair, I did try to brute force all of this, based on what little I know, and Fallout is a bloody complicated game to mod. I don't even know where any of the dialogue topics to actually start the quest are. I kinda muddled through Hayes' dialogue and found the dialogue option I wanted to start the quest, but I've got no idea how to make it do that.

 

You don't need to do anything with the dialogue. Possibly it'll be a little jarring with Eddie, assuming you've not spoken with him previously, but that's hardly a huge problem.

 

I don't want to the quest to start through dialogue, I want it to start when the Orders are picked, which should add 'I Fought the Law' to the Pip-boy, which should then allow you to ask about the orders using the same dialogue options that would be used in the quest anyway. Essentially starting from Objective 36, but using a new stage and objective, for when you get the note. The quest should then move onto stage 40

 

Alright, the way I would do that would be to open up "VMS02QuestScript" and change line 19 from "if player.GetHasNote VMS02MilitaryOrders && GetStageDone VMS02 30" to just, "if player.GetHasNote VMS02MilitaryOrders". This ought to change it so that when you have the note, the quest will start at stage 35. Good luck! :smile:

 

 

I tired that, no change. Quest still doesn't start when the note is taken

[Jojash]

Sorry, I've been an idiot! The quest isn't running when you lift the notes, so the script doesn't run. The way I'd get around this would be to make another quest which will check if Hayes has the note, and then if he does not, it will start "VMS02". To do this, just make a new script, call it whatever seems appropriate and then, if you like, you can just paste this,

 

scn (Your Script Name Here)

begin GameMode

	if PrimmHayesREF.GetHasNote VMS02MilitaryOrders != 1
		StartQuest VMS02
		StopQuest (Your Quest Name Here)
	elseif GetQuestCompleted VMS02
		StopQuest (Your Quest Name Here) ; In case it can be finished without taking the orders.
	endif
end

 

in. (Or you can write it yourself, this just seems easier.) After that, create a new quest, attach this script to it, and make sure that "Start Game Enabled" is checked and it ought to work. :smile:

Edited October 4, 2013 by Jojash

[TheStrictNein]

Thank you for your help, the file is up now