Greater Bushbaby animal companion mod

[FuzzyBunsOfSteel]

This was just a "Hm" speculation, but I've noticed most pets or companions are on foot. I've not seen a bird or a shoulder-riding animal mod so why not this. I've weighed out the pros and cons with the basic idea. Further outlook would be greatly appreciated from more experienced modders.

 

 

This mod is acquired through a quest. The people of (something haven't decided yet) have offered the trail of tests to become one with a legendary animal they hold in sacred regard: the Bushbaby. You arrive and things happen and the bushbaby bonds with you and you are enchanted with the ability to Sense the life force of all other creatures around you, or it could be called night vision like the kajihts have.

 

Unique asset 1: This creature will ride on one of your shoulders. This is the largest Galago in the galago family for the sake of something that you can see and hold so it is about the size of a cat. You can snuggly hold it under your arm if you choose to do that. I might even put that option in there. People can make pose screenshots for other mods looking cute with their bushbaby under their arm, or nuzzling and such. That's a whole nother thing, I think though. An animation thing more than anything else.

 

Flaws:I don't know how to script that, however. I don't know if there is enough room for it to balance on the shoulder of the 3D models and about those: There are many different kinds of body mods and ARMOR! My gawwd. I suppose it could only be for specific body types or without armor. Not sure about this. I would like to have a bushbaby on my armored shoulder anyways, but some armors are a little elaborate and pointy. No nice ride there. A backpack to carry the creature in or a satchel of some type could come with the mod if you can't have it ride on your shoulder, but that would defeat the purpose of the shoulder riding concept. I have the animations for the bushbaby in my mind when it rides on your shoulder, but I know nothing about animation or rendering and I would really like to bring this mod to life myself, but not knowing anything, that could take a while. (Sighs dejectedly)

 

Usefulness: This animal isn't just to look cute.

 

Pickpocketing: Don't know how the animation would be for the game's sake, but all I can think of is when people are dead or asleep you can send your animal to pickpocket without being caught and the items show up on the screen in a message or something. Once again, no idea on how to script that, either.. To be realistic there is still a risk, but it's a lot slimmer when you send your ally to do it for you.

 

Distraction: On command you're stylin bushbaby can hop off your shoulder and fight your enemy while you run away, sneak into a restricted area, or hold them in place while you shoot or hack them with a bow.

 

Follow: Your bushbaby can follow you on foot as well as ride on your shoulder if you choose that option in some type of command menu for it.

 

Combat: When engaged, the bushbaby will automatically dismount, for it's unrealistic if it stays on your shoulder when your having and slashing and that's a big animation, clash cluster...you know what. So yeah, no. But, with your permission it can fight with you or it can flee up a tree...maybe..I don't know how to bring that to life seeing as nothing in oblivion climbs a tree. It's all on the ground or in the water.

 

Warning of danger: Being able to sense all the life around itself, the bushbaby will cry out it's native cry when an enemy is nearby, even invisible enemies cannot hide. This is another gained ability by befriending the creature, but also this is redundant to the sense life concept I mentioned earlier. I mean, if you can sense them too, what is the point of the bushbaby also doing it? I could extend the yards on which the bushbaby can sense compared to the player and that's why it has that ability also.

 

Customizable coat colors: When unpacking there are several different colored fur coat meshes that you can choose from. Only one can be included along with the ESP file and activated. I was wondering about unnatural colors as well, but I like realistic coat colors with the bushbaby and i could decide this later, but some people like a variety, I'm aware of this. It wouldn't hurt to include hot pink, purple, blue and every thing else in various colors, but it would be easier not to make so many textures.

 

Clothing: Well, I personally don't understand people dressing their poor dogs in stupid clothes because it's cute. I wouldn't do it anyways, but this is oblivion and you want a unique look for your character and so do I. I just don't know if adding clothing options to your bushbaby, such as armor, costumes, native-looking attire- masks, and enchanting items is going too far, but it could actually be it's own line of mods within itself. Just for the bushbaby mod, the whole point of being in it, is to customize with the clothing and deck out your bushbaby.... For the sake of the bushbaby not being the player, I don't know how clothing would be applied to the animal or previewed. Scripting....um yeah >> I know nothing so I feel I'm getting too elaborate if I want to do this by myself. It will be a long while lol.

 

Leveling: I don't know about this yet, it's just there to be there, but I don't think the bushbaby needs to level. It can just be there and if you know how to cheat and change it's attributes, more power to you. If you don't, well, find out XD But be warned, it's tempting. Personally, I have upped the level of enemy mods to make them hard for me on purpose in order to experiment with combo moves and spells to defeat them quicker, I just like to play in general when it comes to that.

 

Well, what do yah think? should I make it simpler? I can update it over time if I can get merely the bushbaby quest and the bushbaby itself with its commands made and just have that for a long while until I could make clothes or someone else who knows how could ask and I'll just let them have that line of contract for the original mod.

Edited February 9, 2011 by FuzzyBunsOfSteel

[Leodoidao]

The galago is a nice animal. If you want to try to model something like that, you should use something to be rigged around a troll´s skeleton, or a goblin´s one--- well, it is a primate.

 

There are AI packages for companion animal that make them follow you and fight at your side.

 

Now about the other things like the pet on the shoulder/in the backpack or changing clothes: You are talking about things that were never done before in Oblivion, it would require some hardcore scripting. I think it will be very hard, if not impossible, to do such a thing.

[FuzzyBunsOfSteel]

Wow, see I never thought about those two models. You're right, this idea is very elaborate, but my mind wonders once I get one idea. The scripting would be intense. I'd want to be paid to make this thing to learn to script so much stuff, to be honest. The galago itself is possible, but the scripting for the shoulder riding, you said, would be hard to no go. That info makes me feel better about the idea as a whole. Since I know nothing I thiiiiink I'll just stick with the galago as a following animal for now and just put that on the back burner hehe.

 

I downloaded the construction set and Blender the 3D rendering program, but I don't know how to load in those files and apply them. I'm still working with Blender itself. I know how to use the construction set to modify creatures and people by mis matching. I created my dream horse nobody else seemed to upload. The simplest damn thing: A completely black horse draft breed and standard with a long mane and tail w/o saddle and reins. It's always the stupid standard oblivion horses whom have cropped manes and tails and that drives me nuts. Nothing that looks fantasy or feral. (That had nothing to do with the Rendering program, I know, but it was bothering me for months)