Better Battles request.

[dwellufool]

Heyo, I've been battle crazy lately.

 

Adding NPCs and the like in random places and hosting my own mini battles, but they tend to be jumbled messes as it is with most mods aiming for larger battles. I think a mod that proposes a new battle system is in order for anyone of a higher-end skill in modding.

 

Because my skill modding in general is mediocre, I can't seem to get anything right with my idea myself aside from the idea.

 

With a new larger scale battle system there are many ideas to be had, one I have been trying for is a reduced friendly fire damage, and a bit better NPC sensibility (if this is even possible).

 

By that I mean NPCs won't jumble in one line to the enemy, and end up hitting one another, but will spread out and try to surround the enemy. Of course pre-setting them in such a manner they automatically do this would be acceptable as well if it were and open area they fought in.

 

Archers should have increased range and possibly line up? Draw into some formation and take longer ranged blind-fire shots at opponents. This adds a little more medieval realism to me.

 

Friendly fire is still there, so mis-firing could harm their own troops, and possibly require that archers only fire in this way in the initial charge so the melee forces on their side won't be harmed and revert to their old "get so close you probably screwed yourself over" range.

 

Siege weapons would be nice but that might be best for another mod >.>

 

The combat system would stay the same aside from scripting (if it's even called that in Oblivion).

 

These little things could allow for larger battles, and instead of just a random battle I'm thinking these battles would layer over battles in the game itself such as the main quest of the original Oblivion.

 

Of course, adding too much would crash the game for people with lower-end computers, and probably have a lot of conflicts, however the battle places of the main quest seem fair enough to be out of reach of conflict with other mods.

 

The numbers might be from 10 (the initial) to 25-40 (the modded numbers) for one side, and possibly greater, lesser, or equal on the other. My own computer handles these fine but there's always the issue with combat and generally stupid NPCs. As well as NPCs I spawn in varying in level, such as 4 imperial legion soldier would decimate 6 marauders, so maybe even out the numbers. This may not even be an issue in main quest battles, it'd make sense if they were preset in a way that the battle was even or favored your side based on difficulty.

 

Summary: Add larger battles to main-quest (possibly off-quests) and attempt NPCs to be scripted to do formations or get surrounds on an enemy instead of the common jumble of friendly fire.

 

If there's any feedback to be had, questions, or the like, please do ask. I check back frequently. Thanks! :D

[David Brasher]

The general consensus seems to be that this cannot be done on a universal scale. The game engine was not designed this way, and modders can't do much about the things that are hard-coded into the game.

 

You might have good success if you did a whole bunch of scripting and AI work and carefully choreographed one specific battle. You could have custom-made scripting and AI for each individual actor that was involved. All this would only apply to this one battle that would not have the problems you list, and the battle would be about the same every time you played it. The game is set up such that you can't easily fix all the AI everywhere in all possible battles. Goals would have to be much more modest.

 

Many machines cannot handle having more than 15 actors in one place, so such a mod would only be for the people with really expensive or customized computers.

 

But a big battle that worked well would be cool.

[1timeuser12]

I use the mods MCA 6.1, Protective Guards, Daedric Guards (called Daedric Gurads), Hostile Attackers 3.0 and Friendly NPCs in Morrowind. Whether in villages towns, cities or the wilderness, I love the random attacks by villains as well as the watching random NPC skirmishes. I can gather up to six villains by running around the countryside then lead them back to town so as to start a fight with the guards then, I just collect the leveled loot from the bodies, which I use to finance my character's training. Are there any such mods like these for Oblivion? Edited December 2, 2010 by 1timeuser12

[dwellufool]

Thanks David, placing them prior to a battle in a horizontal line to the opponents line has worked nicely. I'm just dabbing into scripting (only scripting I am any good at is for SCII -.-)

 

I mentioned that some computers couldn't handle it I assume, my computer isn't cutting edge but I've tested it to see where I started to get too much lag. Normally, it's at about 40 NPCs (20v20) that I get noticeable lag running on high graphics. I guess the best bet might be capping 30 or giving fair warning the mod is meant for x specs, listing the recommended minimum.

 

I'll keep trying at it myself, as well trying what 1timeuser said and getting mods that allow me multiple companions, as well as a mod that has the oblivion gates spawning x2 the normal amount from their gates.

 

Thanks guys, still open to ideas and comments on what's possible and impossible, and maybe someone who's good that's willing to do it so I don't have to learn all of this. -.- I'm trying regardless. :P