How do I have my mod take effect after a set amount of time?

[Stratomunchkin]

Hey guys, I'm ready to upload an alpha of my "Primm ...ing with Life"-mod, but one problem remains:

 

How do I have my mod take effect after a set amount of time?

 

The point is, the changes of the mod are supposed to take place a set amount of time after Primm has gotten a new sheriff (I'm thinking 14 days). Ingame, that should be enough time to explain the changes to Primm (new settlers, new buildings, etc.).

 

How do I script and implement this? Is this even possible?

 

 

Edit:

 

a) The necessary script would most likely be needed to be applied after the stages 110/120/130 of the quest "My Kind Of Town" (GECK ID: nVPrimmDeputyConv) in the "Result Script" box.

 

b) The global variable is GameDaysPassed?

Edited October 31, 2011 by Stratomunchkin

[Quetzlsacatanango]

Try a separate quest, with a quest script that goes something like

short    days

Begin GameMode

if <whatever the primm quest variable is where the sherriff is set> == <whatever the variable is set to in that instance>
    set days to gamedayspassed
endif

if days > 0 && gamedayspassed - days >= 14
    startquest myprimmquest
    stopquest thisdummyquest
endif 

End

 

Salt to taste.

Edited October 31, 2011 by Quetzlsacatanango

[Quetzlsacatanango]

Taking your ninja edit into account, you could put

 

startquest mydummytimerquest

set mydummytimerquest.days to gamedays passed

 

in the result script box of those quest stages and get rid of the first if/end block in my example script.

 

Then your dummy timer quest would run for 14 in game days, kick off your primm quest, and kill itself.

[Stratomunchkin]

I'll see if I can get this running, thanks Q. But before that one question still remains: How do I call on the .esp? :blink: What you've outlined sure helps me with the timer, but wouldn't I need to somehow address the actual .esp in the script? Because none of the numerous changes I've made are quest relevant/related, and the content of that .esp - the changes - should come to bear after these 14 days. How do I make it so that ingame the "Primm Change.esp" is loaded after that time? How do I call that one up/adress it?

 

I apologize if I'm just being thick here, but scripting really isn't my strong suit.

[Quetzlsacatanango]

That's not how it works. The esp is loaded when the game starts. The contents of that esp will be your changes to the result script of the quest nVPrimmDeputyConv, your new dummy quest with its script, and then your new Primm quest.

 

Your dummy quest + script will handle the waiting and kicking off as outlined above.

[Stratomunchkin]

I'm sorry, I just don't get it. And I apologize in advance if what I'm writing here sounds snappish; that's not how it's meant. It's just the result of me not knowing a damn thing about the issue at hand. A large part of that is due to my scripting understanding being as refined as a brick, but maybe we're also talking a bit past each other here.

 

The mod adds:

~ a dozen NPCs

~ a dozen brahmin

- several houses

- a Crimson Caravan outpost

- makes significant changes to some existing houses

- a blacksmith & a food vendor

- makes minor changes to some of the terrain

- adds trenches and guard towers

- adds patrol & idle markers

 

How now can all these be affected by the change since there's no global "load .esp contents at point X" variable? Wouldn't they all need to directly reference the script or be quest items? How would that even work with terrain changes?

The contents of that esp will be your changes to the result script of the quest nVPrimmDeputyConv, your new dummy quest with its script, and then your new Primm quest.

 

Your dummy quest + script will handle the waiting and kicking off as outlined above.

Yes, BUT HOW?

 

I have no idea what I need to put into the result script. I have no idea what to put into or how to write the new quest. And I have no idea as to how what you've outlined above references/needs to reference (?) the changes the mod is supposed to make.

[Quetzlsacatanango]

All of your new refs (NPCs, creatures, Houses, etc) should be set to 'initially disabled'. Double click on any ref and you'll see the tick box at the bottom.

Initially disabled means what it sounds like. They will be disabled until they enabled, meaning when you walk around Primm before your quest is engaged, you won't see the new stuff.

 

So you go about your business with your primm quest->

When it hits the stages in your OP, it kicks off the timer quest, running the script I laid out above->

After 14 game days, the timer quest kicks off your quest->

Your quest enables all your new stuff (search forum or geck wiki for "enable parent" to help you with this part), either all at once or in stages, however you set it up.