Things you wish you'd known when starting out

[KazFoxsen]

Just wanted to start a topic for stuff you struggled with starting out (or are just figuring out if you're new like me) that seems so simple or obvious in hindsight that would likely not be in a tutorial/wiki entry. For instance:

 

1. Zoom works much faster in the render window if you click on something in your cell. Also, pressing C to toggle specific views doesn't work unless something is selected.

 

2. If you copy an NPC to make a new one, don't forget to delete the AI packages. Tried programming a vendor, and all she'd talk about was gambling. Turns out an NCR citizen chatter package was the culprit. :(

 

Your turn!

[Floatsup]

If you do any scripting recommend this product. Free, and free is kewl.

 

Notepad ++

 

That right there is a nice little tool to help scripting out. Or for that matter anything code based.

 

Cheers

[rickerhk]

If you do any scripting recommend this product. Free, and free is kewl.

 

Notepad ++

 

That right there is a nice little tool to help scripting out. Or for that matter anything code based.

 

Cheers

 

And here's a cool text highlighter to go with it :

http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=10322

[angelwraith]

these are all DUH! type problems that got me stuck at some point or another:

 

dont divide by 0

sounds simple enough but ive found on multiple occasions broken scripts because a variable was being used as a divisor and it somehow get set to 0

for instance i had a script that was dividing by the players xangle.. but when moveto was called on the player xangle shows as 0 for a split second. crashy crashy.

 

if you move something with script you have to give the game a second to update its 3d before attempting any further script having to do with its new location.

that one had me stuck for a week and a half in FO3

 

if you need multiple unique references that are all copies of 1; its is MUCH easier setting multiple objects to persistant and named if you set the first one to persistant, make your copies off of that one and do the name work in the cell object window rather than the render window. select the object, use F2 paste your name edit the number and hit enterpress down to do the next reference you need in that sequence and repeat.

 

if variables reach astronomical numbers the game starts to have problems this is especially the case of location variables.. if a location variable is huge it can actually cause player lockup in game.

 

onequip block does not work when equip caused by script (hate that one, lead to MANY headaches)

 

ill try to think of more...

[KazFoxsen]

When it comes to the white body mismatch problem (when you create an NPC and the head is fine, but the body is pale regardless of race (or peach and red for ghouls)), in my (limited) experience, clicking on "can be all races" seems to only work if you are modifying an existing NPC. If you made a new one, this doesn't work. Changing the .ini file didn't fix this either.

[PaladinRider]

If you want to set a parent ref of several objects, (say 100 slot machines) it is much easier to highlight them in the object window, right click, and set enable parent than to do it individually... :wallbash:

[Demeggy]

Save, save, and save again.

 

And backup.

[rickerhk]

Don't make any reference names that begin with numbers.

[davidlallen]

Navmeshes will be buggy unless you convert esp to esm.

 

Don't lower terrain in the main worldspace, it will leave the old LOD showing through. You can't rebuild LOD in FNV geck.

 

Do use a string prefix for all your objects so you can filter them ("aaa" if you want). But as rickerhk said, don't use numbers.

[KazFoxsen]

 

Do use a string prefix for all your objects so you can filter them ("aaa" if you want). But as rickerhk said, don't use numbers.

 

Uh oh. I figured with NPCs starting with 188, it wouldn't be a prob. What happens?