Requesting details about modding possibilities of skyrim's combat

[Fatom]

This is my first time posting a question, if I post this in the wrong area or something I apologize.

First of all it is better for you to understand that I have little to no experience in Skyrim modding, or any other game's modding in general.
I did occasionally use creation kit to make a few high damage swords or op spells for fun, but that's about all I ever did really.

So you can pretty much treat me as a complete beginner. Or I should say please do treat me as beginner (?

 

Summer holiday's arriving soon and I got interested to try to create a follower mod, and there are some ideas I would like to ask and see if they are possible or not.

I do know there are tutorial videos by bethesda and other modders about the general modding details, but I what I want to know is a bit more complicated,

mainly about changes that can be made on skyrim's combat

 

Details that I want to know are:
1.)Is it possible to allow normal attacks to have more animation then just the 1-2 pattern?
Vanilla skyrim's left-click normal attack is a 1-2 left-right swing combo with only two attack animations to repeat.
Is it possible to make it a longer combo or continue the 1-2 combo but with several combat animations to mix and match at random?

I know there are lots of combat animation mods available but I have not seen any that makes the combo longer with more than 2 kinds of animation.

 

2.)Is it possible for the above said changes to combat be applied to a NPC? As said above my aim is to make a follower, so the unique animations goes to the

follower.

 

3.)Is it possible to change combat AI for one specific NPC? In this situation is the follower.

 

I hope that anyone that replies would be kind enough to give me a detailed answer. If they are not possible, please tell me the details on what makes it impossible.
On the other hand if it is possible, please tell me where to find instructions/help to achieve them.
If there are already mods out there that achieves the above said changes please direct me to that mod, and maybe tell me a bit about how it is achieved if possible.

This way if they are all impossible to begin with, I can know it now and don't have to spend days of time learning to edit behavior files/creating new attack animations.

 

If you have read through this long post I sincerely thank you for your time.

[VanKrill]

All that you hope for is possible.

 

It is not easy, and some of the things you request can only be implemented via very advanced features.

 

Some that seem at first really complex, like changes in the Combat AI, and actually just CK (Construction Kit) button presses and a very short, simple esp file.

 

So, with any project, the first problem is defining the scope and requirements of the project, and DO NOT allow Mission Creep!

 

Keep It Simple Silly!, The KISS principle.

 

So, pick just one of the above items, and I'll try to guide to the things you'll need to learn to move forward.

 

-

[Fatom]

All that you hope for is possible.

 

It is not easy, and some of the things you request can only be implemented via very advanced features.

 

Some that seem at first really complex, like changes in the Combat AI, and actually just CK (Construction Kit) button presses and a very short, simple esp file.

 

So, with any project, the first problem is defining the scope and requirements of the project, and DO NOT allow Mission Creep!

 

Keep It Simple Silly!, The KISS principle.

 

So, pick just one of the above items, and I'll try to guide to the things you'll need to learn to move forward.

 

-

Thank you for your reply and encouragement.

 

Currently I am still going through school work, so I will not be start actively working on my project until the end of month.

 

Right now I am unsure as to which part to start first.

 

But if you don't mind I would like some advice on where to start, things that I must learn in order to mod those areas of combat that I want.

Maybe some tutorial videos or text that I can read to get a better understanding on what I need to do.

 

 

[VanKrill]

Well, to start with, for what you want, if you don't already use SKSE, you will have to have it, to meet your goals. Also you'll need FNIS with Spells and Creatures.

 

Then, download and play with a few of the simpler combat mods other people have made... AND TAKE NOTES! What did you like and not like about each.

 

Obviously, you'll need the CK, and do all of the basic Tutorials.

 

Next, download a few of the FNIS small added animation packs, like those for improved running with drawn bow, and take them apart in the CK, to see what they did.

 

Remember, in the CK, anything changed by the active mod has an Asterisk next to the Form Name.

[fore]

You also should try FNIS PCEA2, because that uses the same FNIS principle of "Alternate Animations" (AA) that you need when using different combat animations.

 

However I should caution you about changing different combat animations. I have done that about 1 1/2 years ago, but I stopped that project very quickly when I realized that there are not that many different attack animations available. Even for the 1hm where you find quite some few, these animations mostly look very similar. Except for the oriental swordsmanship they all seemed to be based on the vanilla attack. Just with different angles. I even interspersed with 2hm animations used as 1hm, but that you can only do under certain conditions (no spell, no shield).

 

But maybe in the meantime there are some new combat animations which makes that a little more diversified.

 

A similar script example on how to use AA for weapon specific combat animations you can find in the FNIS download (FNISACweaponScript_EXAMPLE_SCRIPT.psc).

 

To do these things I described you need 3 things:

1. Construction Kit CK
2. Papyrus scripting language http://www.creationkit.com/index.php?title=Category:Papyrus
3. FNIS Modders' documentation (in the FNIS download section)

[VanKrill]

I would add, if you want to add something really interesting to the combat, you need to get some of the youtube Slow Motion, Mixed Martial Arts videos, and really study what is envolved in real life combat.

 

New Moves would certainly be a cool addition to Skyrim, but WHAT new moves.

 

I've always liked the idea of used combos which envolve kicks to force an opponent back and offguard position, to be followed by weapon strikes.

 

Or possibly the trick of, when knocked down, as you rise, you grab a handfull of dirt to toss in the eyes of the opponent.

 

Or Joint and Nerve limb manipulation...

 

Or trips and leg sweeps...

 

The point is, in real Sword vs. Sword Combat, only competition fencing limits the combat to sword moves.

 

To add things like Leg sweeps, you're going to need the SKSE ability to scan for struck keys, to catch the trigger command, and then have some sort of animation, or fragment of an existing animation, which is played by both attacker, and if successful, the response of the toppled opponent.

 

 

That means Scripted Attacks... which is the ugly cousin of Scripted Spells, and much harder to implement.

 

Scripted attacks is not something we see allot of in any current skyrim mods. Because of the fast timing, you must be an expert scripter for pull it off.

 

I am a beginner scripter. Hell I just finally figured out using a Controller Quest Reference Alias to pass actor target info between scripts.

 

https://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/954101-call-on-variables-in-other-scripts/

 

And it is very poorly documented. And it is full of odd quirks in the implementation.

 

So... only a brave soul ventures into these mod goals.

 

-

Edited May 3, 2017 by VanKrill

[Fatom]

I have been trying to follow tutorials on how to create animations, and I am following the one from xp32 and aeon http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/15238/?

But I seems to already be stuck at the setup stage, which is to use hkxcmd exe to export skeleton_female.hkx,I only get the message (No Animations found. Skipping 'Animations\*.hkx')

If anyone knows what causes the issue please inform me

[fore]

To run hkxcmd I usually use a .bat file (x-xml.bat) with the command which converts all hkx files found in the current directory tree and puts the xml files into a corresponding tree called "xml".

d:\hkxcmd.exe convert -v:xml . xml

I have a copy of hkxcmd.exe on d:\.

 

Note that there is an hkxcmd bug. If you use the command above, hkxcmd will give the first file it converts the ".hkx" appendix (instead of ".xml", like the others). You have to rename that file manually.

[Fatom]

To run hkxcmd I usually use a .bat file (x-xml.bat) with the command which converts all hkx files found in the current directory tree and puts the xml files into a corresponding tree called "xml".

d:\hkxcmd.exe convert -v:xml . xml

I have a copy of hkxcmd.exe on d:\.

 

Note that there is an hkxcmd bug. If you use the command above, hkxcmd will give the first file it converts the ".hkx" appendix (instead of ".xml", like the others). You have to rename that file manually.

Sorry but I do not have the knowledge to understand what you mean. Like file needs to rename to what

 

in the xp32 and aeon tutorial I am following I am stuck at the part here:

 

1. TYPE: hkxcmd exportkf "skeleton_female.hkx" "Animations" "Animation-KF" <---- here

2. TYPE: hkxcmd.exe convert -v:TAGXML "Meshes" "Animation-TAGXML" <---- this runs fine

5. TYPE: hkxcmd.exe convert -v:XML "Meshes" "Animation-XML" <---- this runs fine

[fore]

What do you mean by "I am stuck"?

 

The tool usage says the following, if that's more clear. Instead of single .kf and animation hkx files you can provide folders that contain multiple files.

Usage: hkxcmd ConvertKF [-opts[modifiers]] [skel.hkx] [anim.kf] [anim.hkx]
  Convert Gamebryo KF animation to Havok HKX animation
  If a folder is specified then the folder will be searched for any projects and convert those.
<Options>
  skel.hkx      Path to Havok skeleton for animation binding.
  anim.kf       Path to Gamebryo animation to convert (Default: anim.hkx with kf ext)
  anim.hkx      Path to Havok animation to write