[CONCEPT] S.O.C.K.S+ Settler Overhaul, Characters, Kids, Skills +

[TeamBacon]

 

 

My skills are making posts and vomiting out obscure ideas. Oh, and I guess making UI icons.

 

Also, AARGH SO MUCH INFORMATION TO ADD TO THE MAIN POST. Just a tad duanting. I'll get on to it, I swear!

 

... or maybe, I should throw up a website and start listing info on there instead. But that'd just waste more time, because I'd spend an entire week on the layout before getting any actual work done. EET MUZT BE PERFEKT.

 

 

Trying to organize all my information on my team website is one of the biggest time sinks in the modding process... That being said, if you can properly put together detailed ideas in a highly organized way, then your level of contribution is higher than a lot of people who want to be 'mod directors' and have people do all the work for them.

 

If you can make a highly detailed design document and put the groundwork in place, it would be a big help to some future modder who wanted to make something similar. And I am sure a lot of people are interested in more dynamic settlements.

 

I find it refreshing that you aren't just posting up a wishlist and asking people to work 'for' you. I think if you go about it in a way of 'I am offering my services of organizing complex information and running a team website' I think you could get a team together for such a task.

[DwellerBenthos]

I'd be on board for any mod that allows settlers to be renamed or to somehow show if they have been assigned to a task, or are just wandering around being useless. The way it is now, you pretty much have the only option to give them specific clothes so you at least know if they have a job or not. But knowing which farmer is in charge of which crops, etc., would be a great addition.

[Athanasa]

I find it refreshing that you aren't just posting up a wishlist and asking people to work 'for' you. I think if you go about it in a way of 'I am offering my services of organizing complex information and running a team website' I think you could get a team together for such a task.

 

Aaaah, good idea. "Seeking Mod Team" or something? Put a bulls*** vastly exaggerated positive spin on my abilities, yeah?

 

Sadly, I don't know how to run WordPress (I've mutilated a couple of designs, nothing more) - I just know raw HTML and CSS.

 

EDIT: Or, a better idea for the whole thing might to get one of those free hosted BB forums. At least that way I can't spend a month on the design before breaking Wordpress. At least then I don't have to try to manage messaging databases (which I've never done before in my life). I assume there's some limited ability to customise the designs, too.

 

EDIT 2: D'you think this entire idea would be better as ONE GIANT MOD, or constructed as various mods broken down? It might be easier to get people to help make small mods than one giant thing. And that way, you could also 'publish' the small mods one at a time to gain peoples interest (and more modders to help)?

 

Separate Mods:

• Settler Names - Gives the settlers People Names
• Role Icons - Puts icons by Settler names based on their job
• Raider Attacks Reworked - The whole thing changing how settler attacks works. (+Edition: Ties in with Fallout Food Storage)

 

... the more I think about it, the better the idea of various 'small' mods seems. And there could always be a "bundle" mod option?

 

 

 

EDIT / IDEA 3:

 

 

[HELP NEEDED] Settlement Mod Adoption Service

I walked the streets of Nexus, looking 'round about.

People wanting Settlement mods, no GECK to help them out.

I gathered these ideas, I put them in a bag.

I made them neat and tidy, so they wouldn't look to bad.

Upon the side of the Forum Street, I made these mods a stall.

Tarted up and wrapped in bows, a delicious moddy sprawl.

I covered them with notes, joined them to ideas,

But the only word that rhymes with this is apparently 'spears'.

So I'll stop with this lyrical facade, and just say what I want to say.

There's a load of mod ideas here, I've made them nice and neat.

I'd be lying if I said there weren't bigger plans, but for now, let's start small.

 

I've put together various mod ideas and features people would like in their game based around Settlements, then broken them down into individual mods when possible. Problem is, we have no idea how to make them. I had combined it all into a massive "overhaul" mod, but then someone pointed out it was pretty daunting. So, the sensible idea seemed to be to make multiple mods, each broken down to specific roles.

For the more 'out there' ideas (or ones I haven't seen many, many times), I've given idea credit. Sorry to everyone that suggested labelling settlers in some way based on their role - I'd fill an entire page if I tried to credit you all.

 

 

Small Mods for Adoption

 

Settler Naming

Give your settlers randomly generated names from a list, according to gender.

Credit: Many, many people

 

Settler Role Icons

Add an Icon (like the Legendary Star or High Level Skull) to Settlers names, with an icon showing what their role is in the settlement.

Credit: Identifiable settlers idea to many people

 

Tracy http://i.imgur.com/ypjW5lh.png

Alex http://i.imgur.com/bmgQNWm.png

Dennis http://i.imgur.com/YUDiWt2.png

 

Child Settlers - Already Exists

Children rarely spawn as settlers for Settlements. (Functionality: Have children provide a happiness boost?)

Credit: jenthecopycat (Mod)

 

Basic Self Defence

Settlements do not auto-fail if you're not there to defend them.

 

Works on a dice roll type mechanic. Your settlements defences (turrets, guards) give your settlement a flat defence score. Attacking raiders 'roll dice' (RNG), and how close their result is to your defence score determines how much damage they do. If they roll above your defence score, your base is wiped out, Vanilla style. If they get close, some of your settlers die / awe wounded, but not all. If they're miles off, nothing happens to your settlement. Somewhere in between, and you only get a few wounded / dead settlers.

 

Ideally, this makes investing resources into base defenses actually worth something, so you don't have to repeatedly go back and babysit it.

 

Raider Attack Rework

Raider attack functions as a 'chance', which builds up over time. Talking to guards alerts you to the rough attack chance based on 'local raider activity', an immersive way to inform the player. Being chance, this information is indicator of RNG likelihood. The 'attack dice' is rolled maybe once a week or every few days. Each time the dice rolls for "not attack", attack chance goes up (increase depends on settlement stuff).

 

Raider Attack Prevention

Similar to the above, but it could function as a standalone. Settlements have 'X' amount of raider camps nearby them that could raid them. Keeping all the 'feeder' raider camps near your settlement as 'cleared' means you have no chance of being raided, as they're all dead. This means you can pro-actively prevent raids, rather than having to sit and wait. Ideally, this would integrate with the above idea as well.

 

Variant / Extra Settler Roles

Variations on the default settler roles.

Cook: Provides a multiplier to food production from farming. A placeable cooker object in the "Resource - Food" section. More useful in bigger settlements.

Radioman: Boosts defence by monitoring raider radio frequencies. Placeable from the "Defense - Guard Post" section as a radio on a desk. (Like the Minuteman at the Castle) Maybe provides advanced warning of settlement attacks through radio interception?

Repairman: Resources, Misc. This settler goes around repairing stuff in your base (one object a day?) using workshop supplies. How you don't have to go back to repair turrets after they successfully defend against Raiders without you!

 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2015 by Athanasa

[SirTwist]

I know this will be both on topic, and off, but please allow me to ramble on a little. I'm going to probably throw out a whole bunch of various ideas, at some point, beyond what I already wrote. Like Athanasa, I'm more of an ideas person than anything else. However, I can learn how to do things, and even willing to do so. I believe that some of our problems are that we are bottle necked in that we don't, yet, have a creation kit. That, right there, more than anything else, can be the limitation to the whole mod idea. However, if we can get a group of people together, and not just throw ideas around, but also make some mods, we should. I think we have a really good idea of what we would like to see, and perhaps even implement in the game. If we could attract even a couple more modders into the group, we may stand a chance. With that said, what can I do to help out? I'll keep thinking of ideas, and when someone can, they can show me what is out there, and how to get things working.

 

One other thing I can do is write. I may not be fast, but I can write, as you all can obviously tell. I think if we use one of the free BBS forums, we could knock out ideas in a short time. I am more of a free thinker, and idea, person, but I can at least look at things, and let you know what not just I see, but others, as well.

 

This totally off topic, but it is a point I like to make. I love, absolutely love, Mod Organizer for Fallout New Vegas, and even Skyrim. I went so far as to not just use mods, but also to merge a number of mods together. I think that Merge Plugins, I believe 1.9, the one you integrate into either FNVedit, or TES5 edit, is the absolute best. (Unless the mod author has upgrade the stand alone, and you don't have to rely on the master's to make it work, which I do think is the case.) With that said, if we do make a series of mods, we could do this in a few ways. Here they are.

1) One huge mod that could be either directly used, or set up in a FOMOD menu.

2) A series of medium weight mods, FOMOD, that you can pick and choose what you want, or don't want.

3) Each mod in it's own package, for people who want them like this to pick and choose pieces and parts.

 

I want to add that there should be in settlements, as well as a workshop, a terminal (one at each settlement) that I can get on, and get more details of each settlement, aside from what the Pipboy tells me, and be able to make changes in somethings. Others can either be by caravans, or having to go yourself. There is a job board that tells you who is doing what, or if they are even assigned to a job. The terminals provide a count of settlers, and overall jobs, but only active settlers/overall settlers.

 

One other thing before I go, does anyone else really like the prefab buildings, or not? Or am I one of the few people that think they look like some one threw them together. Started off sober, but about halfway through got really drunk, and just slapped the rest together?

[bOMKHA]

I really like the Idea, this is a smart overhaul for the actual system, And I like the concept of settlers having XP and outside jobs, RNGenerated names, perks, everything just look like a great enhance to game experience and I really hope you'll make this out, I 'm learning modding for now, but later I coud propose you my help to make your mod!

I'll add a suggestion: For guard posts, what about choosing at 3rd stage between laser minigun and rocket launcher? It could be a nice way to keep your settelement aesthetic up if you don't want technologic-like weapons to keep your walls safe, don't yall think?

Edited December 31, 2015 by bOMKHA

[Athanasa]

I know this will be both on topic, and off, but please allow me to ramble on a little. I'm going to probably throw out a whole bunch of various ideas, at some point, beyond what I already wrote. Like Athanasa, I'm more of an ideas person than anything else. However, I can learn how to do things, and even willing to do so. I believe that some of our problems are that we are bottle necked in that we don't, yet, have a creation kit. That, right there, more than anything else, can be the limitation to the whole mod idea. However, if we can get a group of people together, and not just throw ideas around, but also make some mods, we should. I think we have a really good idea of what we would like to see, and perhaps even implement in the game. If we could attract even a couple more modders into the group, we may stand a chance. With that said, what can I do to help out? I'll keep thinking of ideas, and when someone can, they can show me what is out there, and how to get things working.

 

One other thing I can do is write. I may not be fast, but I can write, as you all can obviously tell. I think if we use one of the free BBS forums, we could knock out ideas in a short time. I am more of a free thinker, and idea, person, but I can at least look at things, and let you know what not just I see, but others, as well.

 

This totally off topic, but it is a point I like to make. I love, absolutely love, Mod Organizer for Fallout New Vegas, and even Skyrim. I went so far as to not just use mods, but also to merge a number of mods together. I think that Merge Plugins, I believe 1.9, the one you integrate into either FNVedit, or TES5 edit, is the absolute best. (Unless the mod author has upgrade the stand alone, and you don't have to rely on the master's to make it work, which I do think is the case.) With that said, if we do make a series of mods, we could do this in a few ways. Here they are.

1) One huge mod that could be either directly used, or set up in a FOMOD menu.

2) A series of medium weight mods, FOMOD, that you can pick and choose what you want, or don't want.

3) Each mod in it's own package, for people who want them like this to pick and choose pieces and parts.

 

I want to add that there should be in settlements, as well as a workshop, a terminal (one at each settlement) that I can get on, and get more details of each settlement, aside from what the Pipboy tells me, and be able to make changes in somethings. Others can either be by caravans, or having to go yourself. There is a job board that tells you who is doing what, or if they are even assigned to a job. The terminals provide a count of settlers, and overall jobs, but only active settlers/overall settlers.

 

One other thing before I go, does anyone else really like the prefab buildings, or not? Or am I one of the few people that think they look like some one threw them together. Started off sober, but about halfway through got really drunk, and just slapped the rest together?

 

Damn, sounds awesome. I never touched merging stuff. As for the terminal idea... I knew there was something I'd forgot to put into the post. I seem to have already roped someone in from somewhere else too.

 

As for BB forums... I do have my own website I could MAYBE host one on (I think GoDaddy allows you to download plugins), assuming I'm not at my storage limit or anything. I'll take a look at it today. But having somewhere to idea-dump is always great.

 

Plus, that means I could probably make sure that it doesn't have adverts and all that crap in the forum.

 

 

 

I really like the Idea, this is a smart overhaul for the actual system, And I like the concept of settlers having XP and outside jobs, RNGenerated names, perks, everything just look like a great enhance to game experience and I really hope you'll make this out, I 'm learning modding for now, but later I coud propose you my help to make your mod!

 

I'll add a suggestion: For guard posts, what about choosing at 3rd stage between laser minigun and rocket launcher? It could be a nice way to keep your settelement aesthetic up if you don't want technologic-liking weapons to keep your walls safe, don't yall think?

 

Sounds good too. If it's possible to 'rip off' the animations for Miniguns, then... Oh, I don't know what I'm talking about. Just mutilate the existing MiniGuns off Vertibirds until things are made?

Edited December 30, 2015 by Athanasa

[Nickanator8]

I have a few other ideas you could add to this fantastic mod suggestion.

 

First idea

Settlers need 8 hours of sleep in order to work at full capacity and can work for up to 8 hours a day without penalties. When setting up what a settler will do in the management UI also have a place to set up their shift schedule. That way you need a constant rolling supply of guards for 24/7 defense.

 

This would also allow you to schedule meal times and recreational times so you don't have entertainers entertaining an empty room or people eating in the mess hall while the chef is sleeping (for immersion's sake).

 

I think another nice addition would be an option to access a settler's inventory through the management UI and add/subtract things through your settlement inventory. This makes the UI a complete one-stop-shop so the moment you assign a settler to a job they look the part and have a full daily routine planned out for them.

 

Second idea

If happiness drops below a certain threshold (say 40%) then lower level settlers have the option of defecting to raiders around the area. This will in turn give the raiders small bonuses when attacking you because they have inside information about your settlement.

[Athanasa]

I have a few other ideas you could add to this fantastic mod suggestion.

 

First idea

Settlers need 8 hours of sleep in order to work at full capacity and can work for up to 8 hours a day without penalties. When setting up what a settler will do in the management UI also have a place to set up their shift schedule. That way you need a constant rolling supply of guards for 24/7 defense.

 

This would also allow you to schedule meal times and recreational times so you don't have entertainers entertaining an empty room or people eating in the mess hall while the chef is sleeping (for immersion's sake).

 

I think another nice addition would be an option to access a settler's inventory through the management UI and add/subtract things through your settlement inventory. This makes the UI a complete one-stop-shop so the moment you assign a settler to a job they look the part and have a full daily routine planned out for them.

 

Second idea

If happiness drops below a certain threshold (say 40%) then lower level settlers have the option of defecting to raiders around the area. This will in turn give the raiders small bonuses when attacking you because they have inside information about your settlement.

First Idea:

Oooh, I still haven't added the bloody armory idea to the OP. GAH. Or maybe I did? Whatever. Too tired to think. For the schedule... it might end up being a lot of hard coding for very little mechanical gain? I spend loads of time in settlements, but I'm always building rather than watching my settlers. As for the Armory idea... I was thinking (and others have suggested) a box where you just dump all your armor. Or maybe dump it in the Workshop inventory. Then your Settlers take the armor out, picking the best stuff first (priority to guards and scavengers). Sort of like Dwarf Fortress and arming the militias there.

 

Second Idea: I love it. A reason to keep the peasants settlers happy, and a realistic repercussion.

 

 

To Do List:

• Work out the vanilla daily crop production for food values
• Make an Excel document of FO4's foods
• Build an airport
• Harass people through PMs
• Make the website shiny
• Transfer my mental burbling from forums to the website
• Slim down the original posts to not scare people
• Check I wrote up the Armory part

Edited December 30, 2015 by Athanasa

[SirTwist]

This came to me a while ago, but been busy with other stuff to really put it down. I have an idea. If this can work, it maybe the best of all worlds, if not then we can work around things. I was thinking we would offer one huge mod, that you unpack, and just use it. The other is break it up into tiny pieces, and you pick and choose. The third way, and really a good one if I do say so myself. We put the mod into a FOMOD file, and then let people pick and choose from the menus what they want, or don't want.

[Athanasa]

This came to me a while ago, but been busy with other stuff to really put it down. I have an idea. If this can work, it maybe the best of all worlds, if not then we can work around things. I was thinking we would offer one huge mod, that you unpack, and just use it. The other is break it up into tiny pieces, and you pick and choose. The third way, and really a good one if I do say so myself. We put the mod into a FOMOD file, and then let people pick and choose from the menus what they want, or don't want.

 

Third way makes the most sense. I have no idea how you do it, but it seems the best. I guess also provide some of the more 'standalone' files for people, too.