if you're following the development of the Benny companion mod...

[Quetzlsacatanango]

I am not one for giving un-asked-for advice but here is some anyway:

When I was making the Reunited (DLC companions) mod, I found it worked much better to make copies of the vanilla formIDs instead of working with the existing NPC, mostly due to how much it simplifies the AI packages. So essentially you would have a copy of the Benny NPC that you are working with, instead of the original.

The only downside is that mods that do things like edit Benny's appearance would need a patch to apply to your companion mod.

 

btw, add one vote to basic first, quest later.

My vote might not mean much though, since always march directly into The Tops and shoot him.

[geekminxen]

I am not one for giving un-asked-for advice but here is some anyway:

When I was making the Reunited (DLC companions) mod, I found it worked much better to make copies of the vanilla formIDs instead of working with the existing NPC, mostly due to how much it simplifies the AI packages. So essentially you would have a copy of the Benny NPC that you are working with, instead of the original.

The only downside is that mods that do things like edit Benny's appearance would need a patch to apply to your companion mod.

 

Thank you for your unasked-for advice! I am serious about not knowing what I'm doing and will take any and all help gladly. If it weren't for Llama helping me and basically holding my hand to walk me through everything at this point, I'd be in trouble. :/ The Benny I'm working with is a copy who is enabled after the vanilla Benny escapes the Fort. I'm trying not to interfere with the vanilla NPC too much just in case it would add problems. Glad to hear that's a sound move. :)

 

btw, add one vote to basic first, quest later.

My vote might not mean much though, since always march directly into The Tops and shoot him.

 

HA! I thank you for the vote, anyway. And who knows? Maybe some playthrough you'll decide to let him live. ;)

[DeZako]

Actually I have an idea for the quest, seeing that you dont despise unasked-for advice ^^ You remember this guy in the tops? The second in command (cant remember his name)? I dont know why, but i was fond of that guy. He seemed a good guy. So how about making the quest so Benny wants to apologise for his past behavior, and that the quest can have two outcomes: 1º making Benny reunite with the Tops crew, earning you an extra companion, the guy i prevously mentioned, and 2º making Benny cut his bonds to the Tops, nd making him hostile to anyone in that family?

Im a fan of multiple-outcomes quests <3

[geekminxen]

Actually I have an idea for the quest, seeing that you dont despise unasked-for advice ^^ You remember this guy in the tops? The second in command (cant remember his name)? I dont know why, but i was fond of that guy. He seemed a good guy. So how about making the quest so Benny wants to apologise for his past behavior, and that the quest can have two outcomes: 1º making Benny reunite with the Tops crew, earning you an extra companion, the guy i prevously mentioned, and 2º making Benny cut his bonds to the Tops, nd making him hostile to anyone in that family?

Im a fan of multiple-outcomes quests <3

 

Hey, I love that people are trying to help me make a good mod.

 

I think you're thinking of S*censored*. Your idea is interesting, imo; I don't know what dialogue I would have to splice together for the conversation they might have, but depending on how lenient the player is, I'm sure there are ways around it. I'm going to keep this in my notes, and when I start on the quest part I'll dissect S*censored*'s dialogue files and see if there's enough material to make him a companion.

 

I really like the Chairmen-- I think being part of a pack of them roaming the Mojave and kicking everyone else's butt would be cool. :)

[Felddoon]

I've always felt Benny could be a more dynamic character than is reflected in the original game. In fact, he's probably my favorite character for whatever reason. I suspect you could really make an interesting quest with him, considering he probably had his hands in all manner of illicit business before you ran into him.

[DeZako]

Hum, now that i see it it could be complicated, wht with the guy having voie actors and that... forget about the second companion being the guy i said, maybe someone important in the chairmen, but that until Benny shows up has kept him/herself in the shadows, working as an advisor for Benny, or something like that. Not going to limit you in there :D

Anyway, as a secondary sidequest, as Felddoon suggested, maybe have him randomly ask you about a "favor" he needs to get done, favor meaning all sorts of not so legal activities.

Edited November 2, 2011 by DeZako

[geekminxen]

@Felddoon and DeZako,

 

I was always intrigued by Benny's offer to hire the courier to do "special missions" for him and the Chairmen-- cool as they are, they've obviously had to struggle to get as far as they have and I'm sure there's all sorts of potential for backstory there. But I am not great at coming up with quest stuff, so please, feel free to keep suggesting things! Any and all help is truly appreciated. :) And DeZako, I had the barest outlines of a quest in mind and had already planned on adding a character like you describe-- a Chairman who's a mover and shaker, but doesn't show up until you take Benny on as a companion. This new character would be the liaison for the quest, being unhampered by preexisting dialogue and all. Great minds thinking alike there, I suppose! ;D

[Felddoon]

@Felddoon and DeZako,

 

I was always intrigued by Benny's offer to hire the courier to do "special missions" for him and the Chairmen-- cool as they are, they've obviously had to struggle to get as far as they have and I'm sure there's all sorts of potential for backstory there. But I am not great at coming up with quest stuff, so please, feel free to keep suggesting things! Any and all help is truly appreciated. :) And DeZako, I had the barest outlines of a quest in mind and had already planned on adding a character like you describe-- a Chairman who's a mover and shaker, but doesn't show up until you take Benny on as a companion. This new character would be the liaison for the quest, being unhampered by preexisting dialogue and all. Great minds thinking alike there, I suppose! ;D

 

 

In my opinion, judging by the political landscape of New Vegas, I suspect Benny and the Chairmen's first goal would be getting out from under Mr. House. Benny also was obviously a big advocate of a "Free Vegas." Quests would likely involve forming/co-opting caravans for import/export, perhaps shoring up problems from Benny's past (maybe some old enemies are looking for him from his tribal days?) Cleaning up some of the suburbs of New Vegas, since assuming Benny is somewhat of a throw-back to the Vegas mobsters of the 50s, he wouldn't like the filthy culture springing up right outside the gates of the North Strip.

 

Specifically, I believe Benny would likely try to expand his influence. Not to shut-down the other casino's as that would be counter-productive to the Vegas image, but to kind of put the Chairmen in the position Mr. House held. Perhaps the quest would be to get the Lucky 38 back up and running? While this is out of the scope of the mod, if Benny were real, from a business development aspect his first priority would be getting some sort of relatively safe transportation system running between population centers. At very least schedule convoy's to bring business in from outside the Mojave.

[tnu]

that's already been done in Run The Lucky 38

[geekminxen]

that's already been done in Run The Lucky 38

 

And well beyond my capabilities! But @Felddoon, I was already thinking along some of those lines, particularly looking into the Chairmen's past. :)