How can I control an activator idle animation?

[BarbyFN]

The activator “TapeMachine01” (meshes\clutter\consoles\TapeMachine01.nif) is constantly looping its idle animation (named SpecialIdle[9] in NifScope). How can I turn on an off this idle animation?

 

By searching the forums I found this lines “<ActivatorRef>.Playgroup Forward 0”, or “<ActivatorRef>.Playgroup Backward 0” to change the state of some activators, but apparently idle animations requires another kind of command.

[Deleted1205226User]

A SpecialIdle is meant to play all the time by default.

To give a On/OFF state, you'll need two NiControllerSequences in the nif. One named Forward, with the reels not moving, and the other Backward with the animation.
Then You'll be able to trigger the stages via playgroup in script.

The controller sequence names and the playgroup command are related.

Edited May 16, 2014 by Guest

[prensa]

BarbyFN - Hello!

 

Pixelhate's quite correct about special idles being intended to play by default & two NiControllerSequences for on off state.

 

Though you can get away with only using one NiControllerSequence if you just want the reels to spin for a set time & stop.

 

In that case you can tweak the existing tapemachine01.nif by changing it's NiControllerSequence name from Specialidle to Forward & changing it's Cycle Type from Cycle Loop to Cycle Clamp.

 

Make a new Activator object in GECK, pointing to your modified tapemachine01.nif.

 

Attach a simple script to it like like:

 

SCN ReelConsoleScript

Begin onactivate
Playgroup Forward 1
activate

end

 

The Reels will play their set animation once & stop until activated again.

 

I actually made a reel to reel player using the tapemachine01.nif as a starting point.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Prensa

[Deleted1205226User]

On a side note, there is an unused and unfinished mesh with the reels static: tapemachineoff01, just under the working tape machine.

Open it and remove branch - 12 NiTriStrips Object02 and you have a static tape machine.

[prensa]

pixelhate - Hello!

 

"On a side note, there is an unused and unfinished mesh with the reels static: tapemachineoff01"

 

I spotted that too! :smile:

 

Just this time when checking on the animated version to double check my facts.

 

It seems to be a non animated version.

 

"Open it and remove branch - 12 NiTriStrips Object02 and you have a static tape machine."

 

My guess is that was going to be a glass plate, it's even got an alpha property already attached.

 

The only reason the block is blank is because it's got no textures set in it.

 

Interesting what left over pieces you can find packed up in the .bsa's. :smile:

 

Prensa

Edited May 16, 2014 by prensa

[Deleted1205226User]

Hi prensa, :smile:
The glass plate come to be a good thing! Thanks to the OP I have been able to add one more animated screen thinggy to my collection.
I'm tinkering with the mesh atm.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/124420405@N03/14198401485/
I'm sure there are plenty of hidden treasure still. :smile:

 

 

[prensa]

pixelhate - Hello!

 

Boy you work fast! :smile:

 

Is that static/snow animated?

 

Be nice to have some variant consoles & computer stacks.

 

"I'm sure there are plenty of hidden treasure still."

 

I'm glad Bethesda left this little things, even when unfinished, in the .bsa's. So fun finding & tinkering with them. :smile:

 

Prensa

Edited May 16, 2014 by prensa

[Deleted1205226User]

Is that static/snow animated?

 

Prensa

Yes, it is. :) The buttons are coming from a console and retain the glow/pulsating animation.

A quick test. Need to do something for the light, though.

 

Then find a real concept an screen animation to make something serious... :)

[Deleted1205226User]

In the mean time, and because I'm sorry to kind of hijack your thread, BarbyFN, I made the object that should fit your need.
Forward is the stop state
Backward is the animated state

Play a bit with the base script given by prensa, add a playgroup Backward command et voilà ! :)

http://www.mediafire.com/download/w3z7g8jqja0n3v2/tapemachineOnOff01.nif

[BarbyFN]

I was starting to think that no one would know about that and then those all answers! Now I’ll need to decide about what would be better in my case because I’m trying to not use files besides the .ESP, and editing nifs requires additional folders, so meanwhile I am using the third tapemachineR01.nif (dungeons\vaultruined\clutter), which doesn’t work, and replacing each other by disable-enable commands, its texture is a bit rusty but the disable also turns lights off so even with the pip boy light is hard to notice the difference. But more elegant solution will Prensa’s suggestion, I’ll think if it worth to add folders to my esp adding even more things.

 

A side note, I tried to use that tapemachineOFF01 before but it doesn’t appears in GECK (I checked sorting by model to be sure), also its lack of texture wouldn’t be a nice addition (unless removing that panel as Pixelhate suggested), it seems unfinished content but modders can use them as you showed us.

 

Thanks for all suggestions; they will be really useful, kudos for all.