Tombstone Trouble...

[durham1984]

Hello, I am currently trying to create a mod that enables all of the tombstones in ICPalace area to be read. To do so I have created activator objects that I have attached a simple script to. The script works just fine on the object except for one thing... when I select the nif I want (Namely the ones in the architecture/imperial city folder, I only get half of the tombstone! I realize there are top/bottom sections, but I was curious if there is any way to get the full stone in one go, or if I could simply attatch the script to already existing stones. Any help much appreciated :thanks:

 

EDIT: Basically what would be even better is if it wer possible to attach a script to static items even though there is no readily visible option. Thanks again =)

[socksftw]

I'm not an expert, but it seems like you are correct in making the activators. Like you say in your post, I think it would be alot easier to take a look at existing stones, finding out what they use, and using that for your activator.

 

Like I said, I'm not an expert, but I hope it helps ;)

[durham1984]

Thanks for the reply! Yep it is working good and I am guessing the only way to do it is to create an activator and unique script for each one... and them manually place the activator on top of a new static base... *GROAN* 20 down about 500 to go hehe.

[socksftw]

Well, don't give up, and send me a PM when it's done ;)

[Vagrant0]

Essentially, what you would need to do is create a different activator for each stone which uses the same mesh as the existing tombstone, and then replace the existing object with that activator. As you are no doubt aware, this means creating alot of scripts and alot of activators. This is why something like this does not currently exist, and why nobody has really tried, it's too much work to be worthwhile in any context. You cannot attach scripts to statics, only activators. You only need to make one piece of the stone an activator though.

 

Other solutions might be possible if you can figure out how to put an activator without any visible components, just collision, around the stone (or just infront), and then attach a script to that activator, but you still end up needing to make a ludicrous amount of unique activators.

 

You might be able to reduce the number of unique activators and scripts slightly if you can figure out a way with conditions to figure out which stone is being activated. Something like

begin onactivate
set self to getself
if self == <stoneref01>
Message "<whatever>"
elseif self == <stoneref02>
Message "<whatever>"
elseif self == <stoneref03>
Message "<whatever>"
elseif self == <stoneref04>
Message "<whatever>"
elseif self == <stoneref05>
Message "<whatever>"
elseif self == <stoneref06>
Message "<whatever>"
elseif self == <stoneref07>
Message "<whatever>"
endif
end

So that you can just make use of the same activator in multiple locations, but differentiate between them by giving them unique persistent references... However the downside to this is that it creates ALOT of persistent references within the world which can lead to performance issues.

 

Ultimately, on a large scale, this idea just isn't practical. It would be one thing if you were making almost all of them have generic messages "this tombstone is too worn to read" or something to that effect, and only had a few which said anything different, but even that would probably be too much work to be worthwhile.

[durham1984]

Thanks a lot Vagrant0 and you are exactly right... A TON of individual scripts are going to be needed not counting the TON of individual activator's. So far I have around 50 of each using the following numbers:

 

ACUSTOMTombstone01

ACUSTOMTombstone02

Etc...

 

That is the Activator Item Names. The Scripts are as follows:

 

ACUSTOMTombstoneScript01

ACUSTOMTombstoneScript02

Etc...

 

With the actual small snippet of code looking like:

 

Scriptname ACustomTombstoneScript02

 

Begin OnActivate

 

MessageBox " (Custom Epitaph here)"

 

End

 

Also for the names I have been using Silgrad Tower's Name Generator. The Only problem I have run into are the ICObelisk02 Nifs which I cannot seem to find a nif under activators that match it (Correction, find a nif period). That and the ICObelisk03 Stones are very tall and you have to look nearly straight up to see them. I have been hand placing eich stone using a static base and an activator top, on 90% of them so far all is well, there are maybe 3-4 that have a very slight hairline crack where I can't quite get em lined up. Will keep you all updated on the process. While it will definitely be a large task, I am doing it because it will be my first mod, and I haven't seen one like it as of yet. Socksftw Will send that PM when it gets done =) Thanks you two for the replies.

 

 

EDIT^Vagrant0 Version 1 is up and... Not a LUDACRIS amount of activators... A Freakin ridiculously LUDACRIS amount of activators hehe. Took about 250 scripts, 250 static hand placed bases, and 250 hand placed activators :P Check it out. Still need to aline a few stones a bit better, and come up with more unique activators, but :shrug: It will get there :) Later!

 

Tombstone Epitaphs, V1.0

[jonesjoshuar]

Thanks a lot Vagrant0 and you are exactly right... A TON of individual scripts are going to be needed not counting the TON of individual activator's. So far I have around 50 of each using the following numbers:

 

ACUSTOMTombstone01

ACUSTOMTombstone02

Etc...

 

That is the Activator Item Names. The Scripts are as follows:

 

ACUSTOMTombstoneScript01

ACUSTOMTombstoneScript02

Etc...

 

With the actual small snippet of code looking like:

 

Scriptname ACustomTombstoneScript02

 

Begin OnActivate

 

MessageBox " (Custom Epitaph here)"

 

End

 

Also for the names I have been using Silgrad Tower's Name Generator. The Only problem I have run into are the ICObelisk02 Nifs which I cannot seem to find a nif under activators that match it (Correction, find a nif period). That and the ICObelisk03 Stones are very tall and you have to look nearly straight up to see them. I have been hand placing eich stone using a static base and an activator top, on 90% of them so far all is well, there are maybe 3-4 that have a very slight hairline crack where I can't quite get em lined up. Will keep you all updated on the process. While it will definitely be a large task, I am doing it because it will be my first mod, and I haven't seen one like it as of yet. Socksftw Will send that PM when it gets done =) Thanks you two for the replies.

 

 

EDIT^Vagrant0 Version 1 is up and... Not a LUDACRIS amount of activators... A Freakin ridiculously LUDACRIS amount of activators hehe. Took about 250 scripts, 250 static hand placed bases, and 250 hand placed activators :P Check it out. Still need to aline a few stones a bit better, and come up with more unique activators, but :shrug: It will get there :) Later!

 

Tombstone Epitaphs, V1.0

oblisks nifs are architecture/imperialcity first one is ICObelisk01

directory location:

meshes/architecture/imperialcity

 

have fun

[durham1984]

Thanks a lot Vagrant0 and you are exactly right... A TON of individual scripts are going to be needed not counting the TON of individual activator's. So far I have around 50 of each using the following numbers:

 

ACUSTOMTombstone01

ACUSTOMTombstone02

Etc...

 

That is the Activator Item Names. The Scripts are as follows:

 

ACUSTOMTombstoneScript01

ACUSTOMTombstoneScript02

Etc...

 

With the actual small snippet of code looking like:

 

Scriptname ACustomTombstoneScript02

 

Begin OnActivate

 

MessageBox " (Custom Epitaph here)"

 

End

 

Also for the names I have been using Silgrad Tower's Name Generator. The Only problem I have run into are the ICObelisk02 Nifs which I cannot seem to find a nif under activators that match it (Correction, find a nif period). That and the ICObelisk03 Stones are very tall and you have to look nearly straight up to see them. I have been hand placing eich stone using a static base and an activator top, on 90% of them so far all is well, there are maybe 3-4 that have a very slight hairline crack where I can't quite get em lined up. Will keep you all updated on the process. While it will definitely be a large task, I am doing it because it will be my first mod, and I haven't seen one like it as of yet. Socksftw Will send that PM when it gets done =) Thanks you two for the replies.

 

 

EDIT^Vagrant0 Version 1 is up and... Not a LUDACRIS amount of activators... A Freakin ridiculously LUDACRIS amount of activators hehe. Took about 250 scripts, 250 static hand placed bases, and 250 hand placed activators :P Check it out. Still need to aline a few stones a bit better, and come up with more unique activators, but :shrug: It will get there :) Later!

 

Tombstone Epitaphs, V1.0

oblisks nifs are architecture/imperialcity first one is ICObelisk01

directory location:

meshes/architecture/imperialcity

 

have fun

 

 

Oh I found the Obelisks, unfortunately 02 and 02B Are not in there by default :P