Creating a new worldspace and proper use of SCOL?

[pwinkle]

So guys, I'm starting work on a new mod for FO4, I'll go into details in a minute.
I'm pretty proficient with most things to do with NPCs, my 'specialty' is setting up elaborate and systematic levelled lists, I can even take a fair stab at quests and the use of X-Markers. One thing I've never really turned my hand to is world space creation, I've done manipulation of existing places, but have never started anything from scratch.

Without going too much into the hows and whys, for a part of my mod I need to construct an oil platform; which will be in its own seperate worldspace.

I would also be looking at moving it to the Commonwealth worldspace as part of a quest, which brings me neatly onto my next point... Framerate.

The oil rig that I want to build is likely going to end up being pretty substantial in size, so in order to avoid killing off everyone's computers (as my test build I done ingame at a settlement comprised of SEVERAL hundred structural elements alone), I was looking at turning the whole oil rig into a SCOL mesh.


SO!!! TLDR, my questions are:
1/ How do I set up a new world space, completely seperate from the Commonwealth, and that is just basically an open ocean cell?
2/ How would I go about turning my oil rig into a SCOL mesh when I've designed it? (And, would this actually save my framerate at all?)
3/ Can a SCOL mesh be copied into another worldspace easy enough?


Many thanks to anyone who is able to help me out.

[chucksteel]

Haven't done a worldspace in FO4 yest so I'll leave that to others.

 

Question #2, select all the statics you want in your static collection (SCOL) everything must be static! Then hit Alt + o to create your SCOL. (to break it back up into individual objects again just select it and pres Alt + U)

 

Question #3, Yes you could use your new SCOL 100 times if you want in any worldspace. Once you have created it just use the filter in the object window to find it. They work like any other static.

 

Edit: I use SCOL's a lot because once created you can scale them and it also will scale all the individual parts if broke back up. I make a lot of temp SCOL's so I can fit floors in small spaces. another thing I use them for is to create an complete building in an test interior cell. Doing this your sure to be working on the grid. One I'm happy I place the SCOL in the world which isn't always on the grid.

 

Edit #2, Once I place my SCOL in the world and get it in the right spot I will break it back up to do fine tooning.

 

Hope that helps.

[pwinkle]

Chuck,

 

That helps so much more than you could imagine man, at least now I know the keyboard shortcut to set up the SCOL

 

Some good tips there though, I never really realised that they could be so versatile, I'll definitely be using the test cell method you mentioned before I go about designing my rig in a world space.

 

Thankfully, ive figured out the world space creation (I think), I'm a bit iffy on setting the water height ATM, but that'll be figured out further down the line.

 

You mention about finishing it in the filter in the object box, would th entire SCOL then only show up as one item, or would it still be shown as all of its base parts?

 

Thanks again man

[chucksteel]

It shows as one item, example You build your Oil Rig in a test cell and then create your SCOL. It get's named just like any new form you create so if you name it "MyModOILRig_Temp" Then you just filter for that.

 

As I said you can always break them back up.

 

In FO3/NV SCOL's were nif's created by the GECK and needed to be included with the mod upload to work for others but in FO4 they are more of a group and the Ckit doesn't create a nif unless you open it's form and tell it to "Generate Nif". (In FO4 you don't need to include your custom SCOL nif's for others to use the mod properly)

 

Many of the buildings in the game are SCOL's You can Place them and then use the Key shortcut to break them back into individual parts again.

 

There are also other options for grouping forms together, "PackIn's", and "Groups". I don't fully understand how they work. PackIn's are useful because in the Object editing pallet they work like any other form and will place a bunch of loose items at one time. The odd thing is you can't use fined and replace on a form to change it to a PackIn. (I haven't tried to create one of my own and have only used the once made by the Dev's)

 

Groups are odd, you can group forms and sometimes when you select one form in the group it will select all but sometimes not. I'm probably just doing something wrong when I try them so I stick with SCOL's because Snapped item's in SCOL"s scale together instead of individually.

 

I hope I didn't give to much info and become confusing, I just wanted to let you know there were other options for grouping and placing multiple forms at one time.

[speedynl]

Thankfully, ive figured out the world space creation (I think), I'm a bit iffy on setting the water height ATM, but that'll be figured out further down the line.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKoYwbNtdx0

 

take a look at those vids

[pwinkle]

First things first, sorry about the late reply guys, busy weekend with the family and all.

 

Speedy, thanks for the link man, I'll give that one a good look through she I get to transferring my rig to a world space.

 

Chuck, it was pretty heavy man I won't lie. It's all good though, I've given it a few read throughs and what you're saying makes sense. I probably won't use it all right now, but it's definitely good stuff to know, especially the packins, I'll take a look at them in a bit more depth when I've got the basic build in a better shape.

 

Thanks for clearing up the SCOL issue though man, that's good to know that I don't necessarily HAVE to include the SCOL mesh in whatever I upload. It's all good information though, especially what you said about breaking up and recombining the mesh, I'm planning to have a 'raiderfied' version and a clean version, which I'll build off the base version.

 

I'll likely be giving you a shout sometime again soon, when I want to build the interiors. If you're willing to give me a few tips on how to bring it all up to scratch with a few of the fancy extras and all

 

 

Thanks again guys, appreciate it

[damanding]

You'll definitely want to use the already existing packins for stuff like lighting or complex items of many parts such as elevators. Packins have their own sub list in the category window so you can browse and see what packins are available. Just keep in mind that once it's dropped in the render window all the pieces are not actually linked so to move them as a group you have to select every piece.

[ThreeKidsInATrenchcoat]

It shows as one item, example You build your Oil Rig in a test cell and then create your SCOL. It get's named just like any new form you create so if you name it "MyModOILRig_Temp" Then you just filter for that.

 

As I said you can always break them back up.

 

In FO3/NV SCOL's were nif's created by the GECK and needed to be included with the mod upload to work for others but in FO4 they are more of a group and the Ckit doesn't create a nif unless you open it's form and tell it to "Generate Nif". (In FO4 you don't need to include your custom SCOL nif's for others to use the mod properly)

 

Many of the buildings in the game are SCOL's You can Place them and then use the Key shortcut to break them back into individual parts again.

 

There are also other options for grouping forms together, "PackIn's", and "Groups". I don't fully understand how they work. PackIn's are useful because in the Object editing pallet they work like any other form and will place a bunch of loose items at one time. The odd thing is you can't use fined and replace on a form to change it to a PackIn. (I haven't tried to create one of my own and have only used the once made by the Dev's)

 

Groups are odd, you can group forms and sometimes when you select one form in the group it will select all but sometimes not. I'm probably just doing something wrong when I try them so I stick with SCOL's because Snapped item's in SCOL"s scale together instead of individually.

 

I hope I didn't give to much info and become confusing, I just wanted to let you know there were other options for grouping and placing multiple forms at one time.

 

How do I edit an SCOL from someone else's mod?

 

Specifically, the APC in "APC - Mobile Home On The Move". The APC mesh is really bad and I can just make a new one in Blender that fits the requirements. But the existing SCOL is really messy and ugly.