Is it wrong to base your mod after another?

[Derps4Days]

So I want to make a custom follower, right?

The problem is, the features I want (specially changing class/combat style through a dialogue window and changing disposition/relationship so I don't have a character you can just dive into marriage with; I can't find any tutorials for these) I don't know how to do. I'm basically a noob with the Creation Kit.

 

You likely have heard of Sofia, the super advanced follower mod. I'm tempted to take the .esp and crack it open, trying to figure out (and likely copying some of it, given my stupidity with the CK) the ways to mod this thing. Is... is what I plan to do wrong? If so, can someone teach me how to add the features I want?

 

(I'm sorry if this is in the wrong subforum; it was the only one that seemed to fit the best.)

[Elias555]

You're meant to use mods to learn in conjunction with other material. Don't just copy and paste though.

http://deck16.net/post/22645519500/making-a-unique-voiced-follower-in-skyrim-part-1

[BoayGamingYT]

My World Mod has custom follower.

 

Basicly I studied in main quest going to Skyhaven Temple, I forgot the Quest name and its not "DialogueFollower" quest.

As you know Delphine and esbern can follow,wait,and dissmiss with you at any time.

 

Some people may use Global value to change attribute value for wait,follow,and Dissmis.

But I use faction, and I have to reset NPC in papyrus code at the End of Dialogue, its my own weird way :confused:

 

 

Do you mind if I can show the Tutorial here? its may takes not more than an hour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If yes.....(This pot willl edited for Several time for propper explanation)

 

[Derps4Days]

My World Mod has custom follower.

 

Basicly I studied in main quest going to Skyhaven Temple, I forgot the Quest name and its not "DialogueFollower" quest.

As you know Delphine and esbern can follow,wait,and dissmiss with you at any time.

 

Some people may use Global value to change attribute value for wait,follow,and Dissmis.

But I use faction, and I have to reset NPC in papyrus code at the End of Dialogue, its my own weird way :confused:

 

 

Do you mind if I can show the Tutorial here? its may takes not more than an hour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If yes.....(This pot willl edited for Several time for propper explanation)

 

Put it in a spoiler, please.

 

You're meant to use mods to learn in conjunction with other material. Don't just copy and paste though.

http://deck16.net/post/22645519500/making-a-unique-voiced-follower-in-skyrim-part-1

Already have that tutorial. Been following it so far, but when trying to merge a RaceMenu face, I got a neck seam and color mismatch. I know it's not part of the tut, but it's what I'm fixing right now. Vanilla faces never look quite as good versus RaceMenu's. More detail.

 

Also, yes, I know copying is bad, but I just don't understand the stuff, even after sifting through it (especially scripting, Papyrus confuses me to no end). My guilty conscience doesn't help, either...

Edited October 20, 2016 by Derps4Days

[panurgy]

Already have that tutorial. Been following it so far, but when trying to merge a RaceMenu face, I got a neck seam and color mismatch. I know it's not part of the tut, but it's what I'm fixing right now. Vanilla faces never look quite as good versus RaceMenu's. More detail.

 

Also, yes, I know copying is bad, but I just don't understand the stuff, even after sifting through it (especially scripting, Papyrus confuses me to no end). My guilty conscience doesn't help, either...

You know about Caliente's Texture Blender, right? There are some skins that are pre-blended, too, if you search, and there's a separate UNP blender based on the same tool. Not sure if the separate one is still needed or if Caliente's is all in one now.

 

To your actual question: there's nothing wrong with asking a mod author if you can use their work. Many mods came about because of people working together or using each other's projects. Sometimes you just have to ask and then give credit when you release it. Even if you do this, you'll have to put some work in to understand how it works at a basic level, or you'll end up with a horribly broken mod.

 

Also, be willing to accept no for an answer. If that happens, you'll just have to find another way.

[djjohnjarvis]

Well I am the creator of Sofia and I would say that yes you should look at what a mod author has done to make their mods do something but don't directly copy and paste without making changes, and remember that there may be better ways of doing something. For example a lot of my code for Sofia was written years ago and since then I've learned much more and I know that a lot of that early code is a bit messy through using trial and error. In fact Sofia is probably a very un-user friendly mod when it comes to looking at the inner workings so starting off looking at existing game content might be a better start. Don't just look at followers though, looking at NPC behaviour during quests can be just as helpful. For example how does that quest script add that item to that NPC? Why is it using that package?

[triptherift]

Already have that tutorial. Been following it so far, but when trying to merge a RaceMenu face, I got a neck seam and color mismatch. I know it's not part of the tut, but it's what I'm fixing right now. Vanilla faces never look quite as good versus RaceMenu's. More detail.

 

Also, yes, I know copying is bad, but I just don't understand the stuff, even after sifting through it (especially scripting, Papyrus confuses me to no end). My guilty conscience doesn't help, either...

 

The neck seam is because you have a mismatch between the weight of the head in the facegen and that of the body, which is set in the esp file. The different color head and body can be caused by several different issues - but it's probably a tint and/or texture mismatch. I'm guessing that when you did the merge, you overwrote the link to the tintmask and possibly the head texture as well. You will need to crack the nif file open in Nifskope to check the texture calls.

[Derps4Days]

 

Already have that tutorial. Been following it so far, but when trying to merge a RaceMenu face, I got a neck seam and color mismatch. I know it's not part of the tut, but it's what I'm fixing right now. Vanilla faces never look quite as good versus RaceMenu's. More detail.

 

Also, yes, I know copying is bad, but I just don't understand the stuff, even after sifting through it (especially scripting, Papyrus confuses me to no end). My guilty conscience doesn't help, either...

 

The neck seam is because you have a mismatch between the weight of the head in the facegen and that of the body, which is set in the esp file. The different color head and body can be caused by several different issues - but it's probably a tint and/or texture mismatch. I'm guessing that when you did the merge, you overwrote the link to the tintmask and possibly the head texture as well. You will need to crack the nif file open in Nifskope to check the texture calls.

 

Oh shoot, that's probably it. I don't remember opening Nifskope when I did it, just NPC Nif Merger (NifMerge). I haven't made a custom NPC in ages, which is why I likely forgot. Oops... Thank you for reminding me; I was about to ask how to get Caliente's Texture Blender working with the custom .nif/.dds/.tga of mine. O v O;;

Might as well do it again from scratch, since all I have is basic follower functions, which is all pretty simple to add back.

 

EDIT: Welp. I re-checked the tutorial I've been using, and Nifskope just exists to... exist? I dunno, it just tells me to add lines and not how/what to use Nifskope (for). The last time I got this to work, I didn't replace the face textures because I wasn't using tints on the cheeks or nose or anything.

 

...Also, uh... where do I check the texture calls? I just have a untextured head...

Edited October 22, 2016 by Derps4Days

[NexusComa]

"you should look at what a mod author has done to make their mods do something but don't directly copy"

 

You can't create custom code or mods until you understand fully how things are really done.

Some programmers just have a flair about how they do things that can be very insightful ...

 

Morally as long as you are using it to learn from I don't see the harm (just my option).

But I wouldn't recommend copying anything other then the technique. As in doing the work

you not only learn it but remember it ...

 

Only problem is simple codes/mods get very complicated quick.

By completion may in fact be very hard to understand as several

things have been added as final touches. You may find it hard to

pick out the original technique used.

 

The other thing is this ...

"For example a lot of my code for Sofia was written years ago and since then I've learned much more and I know that a lot of that early code is a bit messy"

You never want to copy code word for word rather focus on techniques and review many codes/mods. You will begin to see the core of "how it's done" that way ...

Armed with your new found points of view and techniques you now can begin your code with a much fuller understanding of "how it's done".

 

99% of the time your code will not look anything like any of the others. It will be a hybrid if you will - With a blend of all you've learned.

I've always said "A great programmer is nothing with out their bag of techniques". Knowing how to program is only a small part of programming.

Being able to program concepts is the real key to being a great programmer (in my opinion).

Edited October 22, 2016 by NexusComa

[Derps4Days]

"you should look at what a mod author has done to make their mods do something but don't directly copy"

 

You can't create custom code or mods until you understand fully how things are really done.

Some programmers just have a flair about how they do things that can be very insightful ...

 

Morally as long as you are using it to learn from I don't see the harm (just my option).

But I wouldn't recommend copying anything other then the technique. As in doing the work

you not only learn it but remember it ...

 

Only problem is simple codes/mods get very complicated quick.

By completion may in fact be very hard to understand as several

things have been added as final touches. You may find it hard to

pick out the original technique used.

 

The other thing is this ...

"For example a lot of my code for Sofia was written years ago and since then I've learned much more and I know that a lot of that early code is a bit messy"

You never want to copy code word for word rather focus on techniques and review many codes/mods. You will begin to see the core of "how it's done" that way ...

Armed with your new found points of view and techniques you now can begin your code with a much fuller understanding of "how it's done".

 

99% of the time your code will not look anything like any of the others. It will be a hybrid if you will - With a blend of all you've learned.

 

I've always said "A great programmer is nothing with out their bag of techniques". Knowing how to program is only a small part of programming.

Being able to program concepts is the real key to being a great programmer (in my opinion).

I guess so. Sorry for sounding so eager to copy (or at least, it sounded like it to me).

But hey, I got the neck seam and color mismatch fixed, so that's a start~ I just have to take things one at a time and not obsess over adding things that require basic knowledge that I don't have.