Displaying multiple weapons on your PC

[devinpatterson]

I was Actually thinking more along the lines of a katana on the back if you think that's doable.

The armor addon weapons can be rigged just about anywhere, so no problem having it displayed on teh back (left shoulder diagonally down to right hip).

 

I realize the holster animations for it would still draw from the hip, or maybe a an animation from a rifle could be used at some point. I'm kind of going with form over function with this.

The armor addons don't have any animations, only the currently equipped weapon does.

 

When a armor addon (like these weapon based ones) is equipped it simply appears in it's location, just like it does if you equip a new (different) weapon, outfit or armor. That's not to say you couldn't force a animation when equipping an item, but that's a whole different mod with it's own set of challenges (ie we may not have the animations we need, for example).

 

I think what your describing would (katana drawn from the back) more functionally be represented by a new weapon. If that's something that interest you, it *might* be possible. There's a flag somewhere in newer weapon nifs that determines their placement instead of a parent node. I havn't been able to decode how it is done yet. It might be possible to make a new parent node backweapon and the game engine might implement it or it might completely ignore it.

 

On the other hand, if you wanted a daikatana you could use the bumper sword grip, attack animation, sheathed position (it's placement is behind the left shoulder) etc as a base, but swap the mesh of a katana (maybe lengthen the blade, as added justification for two handed use).

[mcjaggster]

Just the armor addon as you described it would be fantastic. Re-texturing the bumper sword is a great idea too that i'll have to look into. Until I sink into that though, form over function will suffice. I really appreciate your feedback on this stuff!

[devinpatterson]

Just the armor addon as you described it would be fantastic. Re-texturing the bumper sword is a great idea too that i'll have to look into. Until I sink into that though, form over function will suffice. I really appreciate your feedback on this stuff!

 

Sure no problem. I do have a couple of pistols and other requests to finish off first so it will be a little while.

 

Also I experimented with the katana. Prn has no effect, Ol_weapon has no effect, none of the blender export weapons buttons has any effect. The only thing that determines the weapon placement in FONV's engine seems to be the weapon anim type. And since I don't think we can make new weapon anim types we don't have a lot choice, if you wanted a katana sheathed on the back. I think it would have to be a scripted solution using isWeaponOut and SetWeaponAttackAnimation to swap the anim types. Two handed while sheathed will result in it being on the back (and drawn from the back as per normal), while swapping the animation types after the weapon is drawn will bring you back to a normal one handed katana, but the devil is in the details (being able to swap the anim type before the action, changing anim types while weapon is drawn etc). So this is a "in theory" thing until I get some time to experiment with it.

 

And of course you always have the option of a Daikatana or simply using the katana two handed as was it's (more) traditional use in kenjutsu.

[devinpatterson]

OK rigged up the 45 semi auto for the holster, here is a pic;

 

 

 

http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u404/devinlpatterson/FONV%20Mods-works%20in%20progress/45autoInHolster_zpsjzyivakq.jpg

 

 

 

I'll try and put together the esp/bsa soon.

[devinpatterson]

Here is the esp/bsa for the manual 45 (rigged to holster) AA, and the automatically equipped 45 (rigged to holster). Just unrar whichever you prefer into your data directory and select in your launcher of choice.

[FrankensteinDR]

Splendid. Thank you devin. :cool: You doing here really god job. :thumbsup:

Edited May 4, 2015 by FrankensteinDR

[devinpatterson]

Splendid. Thank you devin. :cool: You doing here really god job. :thumbsup:

NP :thumbsup:

 

OK so I think I'v settled on the systemic approach to use. It will be based on the player's hotkeys (for obviously, the player), but can be implemented in a limited form for NPCs (so companions and enemies can have multiple weapons). Essentially it will be hotkey 1 & 3 through 6, and will apply to 5 specific locations on the body, just like vanilla weapon locations in game (hands powerfists etc, left hip, right hip, left shoulder, right shoulder).

 

However some weapons can go in more than one location. Pistols, grenades and compact smg's can go on either hip, the same for small melee weapons (like combat knives). Two handed melee weapons, launchers and rifles can go behind either shoulder. One handed melee weapons can go on either hip and will probably (possibly) go on either shoulder. This allows the player to have multiple weapons of the same type, and I think that's important since themed characters will probably need that. All told this comes out to about 8 times as many models as simply allowing one location based on weapon animation type, but I think it's worth it for the flexibility. For most models, changing teh rigged location is pretty quick once the model is already made.

 

There will be some exceptions. For example two launchers crisscrossed on the back breaks immersion, and a backpack weapon will probably forbade any other weapons on the back.

 

This should allow up to 5 weapons (including the equipped weapon) to be displayed at the same time on the player's person. Later I may use some of the other body slots to allow weapons to be placed in locations other than FONV's default spots, but that's not something I'm particularly concerned about.

 

I'v started to write up the script but I'd like any feedback before I sink too much time into it. I'll try and optimize my workflow to start producing models much more rapidly in the near future. What I'd like to have is feedback for this system. If anyone hates it and wants it done another way, I'd like to hear your alternate suggestions, or comments on the above system if you want something tweaked.

[devinpatterson]

P.S. I may also make provisions for peeps that don't like the standard orientation of weapons. Most commonly I'v seen this in regard to the rifles slung across the back. Some do not like the diagonal angle running from the shoulder to the opposing hip and would prefer a more vertical placement.

[MarchUntoTorment]

I'd really like to see this happen! That sounds incredible if you're willing to make it happen, Devin. Your current method sounds great - you'll need to use GetWeaponAnimType (I think that's the name of the function?) to determine where the weapon is usually located, though.

[devinpatterson]

you'll need to use GetWeaponAnimType (I think that's the name of the function?) to determine where the weapon is usually located, though.

I'm not currently using GetWeaponAnimType or GetWeaponType

 

Essentially I check the hotkey to see the baseform it contains and equip a equivalent AA if it's available. There are other factors (if the hotkey item is currently equipped, backpacks affecting back weapons etc), but that's the core. The baseId is dropped in a var and compared against GetHotKeyItem regularly to see if there is a change (a new item has been hotkey'd), if so then the old AA is removed and once again a equivalent AA is equipped.

 

This allows what I believe is the most flexibility for displaying the widest variety of items. Some items simply aren't going to look good or make sense in some locations (rifle on hip, or pistol behind the shoulder), but limiting the mod to only the default locations will (IMHO) prevent it from reaching it's potential. Often times themed characters will have multiple weapons reflecting that theme. For instance a cowboy archetype will have a lot of firearms, a Ninja archetype a lot of melee weapons, and allowing only one anim type in each location means those player's might only have a couple of items showing. Take the Ninja for example, if s/he is using mostly melee your looking at two weapons types (1handed melee and two handed melee) and I don't want that character limited to only showing two weapons.

 

Long story short, my models won't be limited by GetWeaponAnimType. Some weapons are still limited by their nature (pistols only on hips, rifles only on back....but even that may change in the future to some non traditional locations), but at least it won't be a *single* location for each weapon type (minimum of two). And some weapons, like one handed melee could be in any of the four locations (either hip, across the back behind either shoulder). The exception being powerfists/gloves type weapons which are on the hands. And there will be other non-weapon hotkey items too, like stimpacks, binoculars etc. The key concept that I'm shooting for is to allow a player to display the most amount of weapons/items as would practically make sense in the game world.

 

So our example ninja could have 4 melee weapons (combination of up to 2 two handed, or up to 4 one handed) displayed as well as a glove/gauntlet/fist (not sure how ninja-ish that is, but I'm sure there could be a light armor zap glove that would fit the ninjitsu theme without being bulky and cumbersome).

 

As I mentioned in the post above, it is about 8 times as many models to make variants of, and package in a BSA that will be 8 times as large.....but I think it's worth the extra time and effort.