An item creation mod question.

[Solymer89]

I've never attempted to create a mod before but I can't get enough of using them. I've been inspired to create my own mod but I have a few questions that the community can clear up for me before I begin. My mod idea is to make new wearable pieces of clothing. I know the game has mages robes already but I want something more akin to Daggerfalls robes and cloaks. Something that can be worn over armor pieces while giving the benefit of another item to enchant as well as add to the look of my character (that being a Battlemage, so you can see why I'd want to be wearing robes AND armor) My goal is to add more flavor to the visuals of your character while at the same time making it a practical item through enchanting.

 

So my question is thus: Is this possible? Can "armor slots" be added to characters through modding and thus allow the creation of more items to fill that slot? If so, this may also lead me to possibly making a whole new crafting school, where one can make their own robes and cloaks! I think there should be something similar to that in the game already as most hoods and robes that are available to purchase are already enchanted.

 

I also have a sub-question regarding if this is possible. Can armor pieces change their looks? By that I mean, and using Daggerfall as an example again, can a robe with a hood be "activated" or some such so that the hood would be interchangeable between being up over your head or down around the back of your neck. Also, for cloaks, I'd like them to be able to either hang over your shoulders, or when "activated" they can be pinned to the top of your shoulders or thrown completely to your back. Those familiar with Daggerfall should know what I'm trying to get at here.

 

Thank you in advance for your replies!

[Matth85]

Is this possible

Hm... I am not entirely sure, so take this with a grain of salt, but: In Oblivion we had extra slots, like tail slot. Since we do not got the CK, and I havn't dwelled into the skeletos used, I/we might not be sure here.

 

If so, this may also lead me to possibly making a whole new crafting school, where one can make their own robes and cloaks! I think there should be something similar to that in the game already as most hoods and robes that are available to purchase are already enchanted.

Not too hard. Probably doable without the CK too. Do not ask me how though.

 

Can armor pieces change their looks? By that I mean, and using Daggerfall as an example again, can a robe with a hood be "activated" or some such so that the hood would be interchangeable between being up over your head or down around the back of your neck. Also, for cloaks, I'd like them to be able to either hang over your shoulders, or when "activated" they can be pinned to the top of your shoulders or thrown completely to your back.[/quote

Do I understand you right: You can toogle on and off cloaks and hoods, changing position on them?

If so, then with the CK - yes. Some scripting and model swapping, it would go fine.

 

Though we would need the CK to know our limits within scripting.

 

Cheers,

Matth

[Solymer89]

Is this possible

Hm... I am not entirely sure, so take this with a grain of salt, but: In Oblivion we had extra slots, like tail slot. Since we do not got the CK, and I havn't dwelled into the skeletos used, I/we might not be sure here.

 

If so, this may also lead me to possibly making a whole new crafting school, where one can make their own robes and cloaks! I think there should be something similar to that in the game already as most hoods and robes that are available to purchase are already enchanted.

Not too hard. Probably doable without the CK too. Do not ask me how though.

 

Can armor pieces change their looks? By that I mean, and using Daggerfall as an example again, can a robe with a hood be "activated" or some such so that the hood would be interchangeable between being up over your head or down around the back of your neck. Also, for cloaks, I'd like them to be able to either hang over your shoulders, or when "activated" they can be pinned to the top of your shoulders or thrown completely to your back.

Do I understand you right: You can toogle on and off cloaks and hoods, changing position on them?

If so, then with the CK - yes. Some scripting and model swapping, it would go fine.

 

Though we would need the CK to know our limits within scripting.

 

 

 

Yes that is what I was trying to say, the robes and cloaks can be toggled to different positions on the character so for a robe, one position would be with the hood up, the next would be the hood down, the next would be the hood up but the robe open, the next the hood down robe closed. You get it though and I am super excited for the CK now! Thanks so much for the fast response!

[Matth85]

Yes that is what I was trying to say, the robes and cloaks can be toggled to different positions on the character so for a robe, one position would be with the hood up, the next would be the hood down, the next would be the hood up but the robe open, the next the hood down robe closed. You get it though and I am super excited for the CK now! Thanks so much for the fast response!

 

As a followup question: How would you toogle it? A spell, or before wearing it?

There are many ways to do it. A spell might be the simplest, but would look rather akward. I mean, being lazy is one thing, but that is taking the cake!

[Solymer89]

Yes that is what I was trying to say, the robes and cloaks can be toggled to different positions on the character so for a robe, one position would be with the hood up, the next would be the hood down, the next would be the hood up but the robe open, the next the hood down robe closed. You get it though and I am super excited for the CK now! Thanks so much for the fast response!

 

As a followup question: How would you toogle it? A spell, or before wearing it?

There are many ways to do it. A spell might be the simplest, but would look rather akward. I mean, being lazy is one thing, but that is taking the cake!

 

I have thought about that and seeing as I myself use a controller on the PC the only thing I could think to do is (again, not even sure this is possible) adding a function to an already equipped piece that is capable of being toggled. This is not the best example but in Daggerfall you merely had to click on your character portrait where the robe/cloak was and this activated the toggle. Seeing as the menu has nothing of the sort the only thing I can think of is adding the function to the robe/cloak itself. Right now in vanilla when you have an item equipped already and select it, the item is removed. A possible way around that would be having the items go through their different toggles and making the unequip function part of that list of toggles.

 

Although I must admit I love the spell idea lol!

Edited December 7, 2011 by Solymer89

[Matth85]

Hm... If the scripting is as limited as in Oblivion, the portrait thing might be hard. You would probably need to mod the interface itself, or do some "real" coding, as in C++.

Though it would be a neat idea to have it like that.

 

What I could think of is a "rat" item. Basically a random item that you hotkey, and would then loop through what you want. But that would make it hard if you had a robe with a cloak and a hood, as you'd have to loop through it untill you got the right. Unless you had 2 items where 1 looped through the robe and another the hood.

We'd also have to deal with the constant "X unequiped, X removed", unless the cloak were disconnected and used as a static model. That way the only thing required is a "Disable" and "Enable" script.

 

As you see, this is not too hard, but there is a few ways to tacle it :)

 

Cheers,

Matth

[Solymer89]

Hm... If the scripting is as limited as in Oblivion, the portrait thing might be hard. You would probably need to mod the interface itself, or do some "real" coding, as in C++.

Though it would be a neat idea to have it like that.

 

What I could think of is a "rat" item. Basically a random item that you hotkey, and would then loop through what you want. But that would make it hard if you had a robe with a cloak and a hood, as you'd have to loop through it untill you got the right. Unless you had 2 items where 1 looped through the robe and another the hood.

We'd also have to deal with the constant "X unequiped, X removed", unless the cloak were disconnected and used as a static model. That way the only thing required is a "Disable" and "Enable" script.

 

As you see, this is not too hard, but there is a few ways to tacle it :)

 

Cheers,

Matth

[Solymer89]

Well I will be avoiding any kind of coding as that may make this project a bit too much for me to handle. I'm glad to find out that these things are possible however!

[Matth85]

Chances are you'll need to script either way. It all depend how complicated you want it, and what features the scripting language gives us.

If you want to do as little as possible, and want toa void the annoying equip/unequip message, I reccomend either one of these:

A) Spell with an enable/diable function.

B) Item with an enable/disable function.

 

Basically the concept is:

 

You got the robe, the hood and the cloak. they are all one piece of equipement, but they are 3 different meshes. You then got different poosition for both the cloak and hood. You then disable/enable untill you get the desired position.

Very simple, but might encounter a bug here and there.

 

More advanced is the portrait deal, but that is more advanced than I'd try for!

 

I wish you good luck!

 

CHeers,

MAtth

[Solymer89]

Chances are you'll need to script either way. It all depend how complicated you want it, and what features the scripting language gives us.

If you want to do as little as possible, and want toa void the annoying equip/unequip message, I reccomend either one of these:

A) Spell with an enable/diable function.

B) Item with an enable/disable function.

 

Basically the concept is:

 

You got the robe, the hood and the cloak. they are all one piece of equipement, but they are 3 different meshes. You then got different poosition for both the cloak and hood. You then disable/enable untill you get the desired position.

Very simple, but might encounter a bug here and there.

 

More advanced is the portrait deal, but that is more advanced than I'd try for!

 

I wish you good luck!

 

CHeers,

MAtth

 

Thank you kind sir! I know that there will be some coding and this will afford me an opportunity to learn some of the language! I'm going to be keeping the portrait idea on the backburner and see if Bethesda institutes any "official" upgrades to the UI. The other major issue I'll be keeping my eye on is the controls of both the keyboard/mouse and the controllers. I've found a mod that increases button functionality on any controller beyond the default. The mod added something like double the available amount of functions/hotkeys. If I can pick up on what was changed in that mod I may be able to code a completely new function to be used solely by these items! Or I could be talkin out me bum here. We shall see!