Pip-boy mod question

[damiancds]

I have a good idea for the pipboy, I know, we've all got good idea's...

 

What I want to accomplish is introduce a new pip-boy (say a 2000 series or something like that)

 

I was perusing through the pip-boy mods and they all seem to be just mesh changes.

 

Now, I want to know how I should go about tackelling this thing.

 

What I'd like to accomplish

 

- new pip-boy model (complete with new meshes and everything (I'm assuming meshes is another word for skins)

- new animations (when the pip-boy comes up, slide/flip the cover

- add a new button/ reposition the old buttons for stats items, and data

- add a directional flashlight (because if the pipboy has a cover, it won't have a radiant glow for a light, right)

- add a volume changer on the outside (kinda like the stats, and items buttons) for stuff like the radio

 

now, I know i'm going to have to create a new model and everything, but what do I use?

I'm fairly good at creating geometry in 3ds max but i suck at figuring out what size i should start as

I'm also pretty sure there's going to be scripting for the external buttons and what not

 

 

 

i'm sure i'm forgetting something so i'll probably be back later with more

[spammster]

well, you prolly wanna go with something like Pip-Boy 4000 (Fallout 1 & 2 use the Pipboy 2000 and fallout 3 uses the pipboy-3000)

 

open up the geck and filter for pipboy, there you shall find 2 of them (the one for the player and the one for NPC's, the npc one does nothing, so make sure you select the one for the player) and have a look at it, you can look up the file refs and open up these so there you probably should get your sizing data (i guess it would be best to go with something the same size, makes implementing it easier)

 

to the buttons etc. i can sadly tell you nothing, i wanted to change it at some point as well, but i couldn't find the script that deals with the pipboy, so good luck to you.

[damiancds]

okay, thanks for referencing the geck, and looking into the pipboy that way. I've been looking at things and I found an extractor that let me look at the pipboy and it's textures and well, looking at the mesh/model in 3ds max (2008) everything looks fine but except the screen part, it has a thing coming out and well, i've attached an image for it. also, looking at the texture really confuses me (because it's flat and seemingly random), but the most important thing is the model right now and getting that ingame. so if anyone has any idea what that thing is/represents please clue a newb in. right now i'm at the point of sketching my design and then i'll model it. I'm also going to add an animation, but that can be the very last thing I tackle.

 

thanks for any help you can give.

[damiancds]

I've just added a sketch. I do apologize, it's about 100 kb and drawn on graphing paper, but at least it gives you an idea of what I'd like to accomplish

 

1 - Model Pip-Boy 4000

2 - Skin Pip-Boy 4000

3 - Replace radiant light with directional flashlight

4 - Have flashlight dependent on battery power

5 - Add radio signal booster

6 - design the "party" screens

7 - have all buttons work

8 - add animation for the sliding screen cover

 

Icing on the cake

- add quest for upgradable batteries

- add quest for radio booster

- add "quest" for receiving new Pip-Boy

 

Icing for the icing on the cake

- MAYBE mess with getting other mods to work with this one (like an item description one) and ideally they should at start because I don't intend to mess with screen size or anything.

 

i figure I might start modeling in two days and starting with the screen and build it around that.

 

 

Just figure i'll ask but, the screen is independant of the model correct? if i build a new model, do i have to make it anything special or is the data just an overlay? (might have to do with that model image above)

[Zumbs]

I'm also pretty sure there's going to be scripting for the external buttons and what not

You may also have to edit the files that control the menus. Many menus are edited and tweeked in DarNified UI, and uses the FOSE functions GetUIFloat and SetUIFloat to communicate with the esp portion of the mod. It may be helpful to take a look at it.

[damiancds]

Okay, right now the main step/ hurtle is creating the model, and getting it ingame correctly (but first i'm going to get some clay to model it and give me an idea of it's shaping and dimensions (it's a little difficult to make a 3d model out of 2d drawings especially when it's not complete) )

 

the only thing that'll hold me back is that protrusion from the screen area (on the model of the original pip-boy)

 

I think as of now i'm just going to ignore it and build my model without it and see what happens, unless someone can explain what it is or what it represents

 

thanks,

[ecksile]

I believe the protrusion is the mesh used for when the pipboy light is activated. If you look at the pipboy when you turn on the light you will notice a protrusion around the screen where its supposed to look like the light is most intense.

[damiancds]

Great, I now have an answer, and it makes me feel good, because i'm redesigning the light anyway. unless you meant the brightness of the screen itself, in which case, doesn't seem crucial.

 

Once I get my clay, and providing that everything goes well, I should have a model within at most two weeks

 

hooray for progress