Need help modifying Loot for arrows

[kevkas]

I'm trying to reduce the amount of arrows found in loot, dead bodies, chests, etc., but I don't have experience modifying leveled item lists.

 

I see A LOT of leveled item lists when I filter-search "arrow", and I was wondering if anyone could help me understand how lists work and how to realize what each one is used for (e.g. what's the difference between a "BaseArrowFalmer75" list and a "LItemFalmerArrows" list?).

 

I already read the information regarding leveled items in the creation kit webpage, but didn't found it too enlightning.

 

The goal is to create 3 versions of a "less arrows found in loot" kind of mod (25%, 50% and 75% less).

 

Thanks :)

Edited March 14, 2012 by kevkas

[jet4571]

Leveled lists are exactly the same as an inventory in how you would mod how much of something is in it. if the amount of arrows is 15 in the leveled list and in the inventory of the item there is 1 of that list then only 15 arrows will show up. If the inventory has 2 of that list then 30 will show up. Then you have chance for none. this is a percentage 0-100%.

 

So to make less arrows as loot you would first change the amount of arrows in the leveled list. Increase the chance that none from the list will appear. and then change the number of the lists in chests.

[Sunnie]

Not sure why you want to do this, really. I can only assume you play a mage or melee type character and just don't want to "not pick up" arrows?

As an archer archtype, I tend to burn through a ton of arrows, and I have found over multiple play throughs that there's never enough arrows provided through looting and I always end up crafting my own arrows (or using the console to make them) because of it.

 

That siad, theres no global value you can can to simply reduce or increase the number you get, you need to go and edit each and every loot list that has arrows as a drop in it and edit the "Count" of that leveled arrow list in it.

 

For example:

LootBanditArrows15 pulls an entry from LItemArrowsAllRandomLoot, which has a list of all the arrows that it can randomly choose from, and each entry in that list has a count of 6. That means that when you get that drop, the engine will grab one of the arrow entries and make available the number designated in the Count field.

[kevkas]

So to make less arrows as loot you would first change the amount of arrows in the leveled list. Increase the chance that none from the list will appear. and then change the number of the lists in chests.

 

Thanks, that's a good idea of what I had in mind.

 

For example:

LootBanditArrows15 pulls an entry from LItemArrowsAllRandomLoot, which has a list of all the arrows that it can randomly choose from, and each entry in that list has a count of 6. That means that when you get that drop, the engine will grab one of the arrow entries and make available the number designated in the Count field.

 

That example is really helpful. I see there are 3 major lists that most (or all) the other lists pull from:

- LItemArrowAll

- LItemArrowAllBest

- LItemArrowAllRandomLoot

 

Say I'm focusing on making the 50% less version (to make numbers easier), if I change all entries in LItemArrowAllRandomLoot from 6 (vanilla) to 3 (half of vanilla), wouldn't that accomplish the -50% less arrow for THAT list (and all lists that pull loot from that major list)??

 

If that's correct, then I would only need to change the 3 major lists to half the count on each entry, right?

 

And after that I would have to follow what Jet4571 said: "Increase the chance that none from the list will appear. and then change the number of the lists in chests."

 

Is this correct?

 

Thanks to both for helping guys.

Edited March 14, 2012 by kevkas

[Sunnie]

Yes, reducing the Count value for each arrow entry by half will indeed be a 50% reduction.

Reducing the chance for a drop to begin with on top of that would result in a large additional reduction of dropped arrows, dependent upon the actual chance value of course.

If all you want to do is reduce the number dropped, change the Count and leave the chance none alone (the list I exampled above has a Chance None value of 85, already a small chance.

[kevkas]

Reducing the chance for a drop to begin with on top of that would result in a large additional reduction of dropped arrows, dependent upon the actual chance value of course.

If all you want to do is reduce the number dropped, change the Count and leave the chance none alone (the list I exampled above has a Chance None value of 85, already a small chance.

 

Thanks for answering so quickly xD (I'm working on this right now actually, so I keep this post open).

 

Yes, all I want is to reduce the number dropped, and also the number found in containers, dead draugrs (the already dead ones in their tombs, not the undeads that attack you I mean), and sold by merchants too.

 

I'll leave the Chance None value alone, since it won't really reflect a set number in reduction (it won't actually be 50% in that case, and I prefer to work with variables I can control).

 

And how about arrows found in chests? I see a couple of lists:

- TGCacheArrows50

- TGMerchantArrows

 

Based on their names I guess they work for containers and merchants (I'll look further to find the proper lists if these aren't), but they all seem to pull from one of the major lists already: LItemArrowsAll. Can you think of a different list that's related to merchants and containers?

 

I also see this one:

- TG02MercLItemWeaponArrows

 

which pulls from BaseArrow's lists but includes a counter. I should change that one too right?

 

Sorry to ask so many questions, I'm trying to learn to work with leveled item lists but there are too many! xD

 

Edit:

Actually, I just checked and all these lists seem to have a counter different than cero, and none of the pull from the major lists:

 

LItemBanditWeaponArrows

LItemBlacksmithArrows75

LItemDraugr02WeaponArrowSublist

LItemDraugr05EWeaponArrowSublist

LItemDraugr05WeaponArrowSublist

LItemFalmerArrows

LItemForswornArrows

LItemForswornWeaponArrows

LItemMiscVendorArrows75

LItemOrcStrongholdArrows

LItemVampireWeaponArrows

 

I think I should halve the number on each of those lists too, right?

Edited March 14, 2012 by kevkas

[Sunnie]

You will need to modify the Count values for all arrow entries in every list that includes arrows, which is why I mentioned that in my initial response.

Edit: To clarify, Leveled Lists that contain loot items.

Also, be careful that you don't inadvertently mess with vendor availability of what few arrows they sell, which is pulled from lists like LItemMiscVendorArrows75, unless you want to reduce the arrows for for sale also.

Edited March 14, 2012 by Sunnie

[kevkas]

You will need to modify the Count values for all arrow entries in every list that includes arrows, which is why I mentioned that in my initial response.

 

Thanks Sunnie, I wasn't sure and I think I needed to double check xD

 

Regarding why I'm making this, it's for two reasons:

 

1) Mainly because I'm trying to learn new ways to use the creation kit (I didn't learn how to modify loot using the GECK so now I felt I should at least try to ask for help instead of giving up without even trying). I guess it's never too late to learn new stuff, and you are proof that there's always someone willing to help :)

 

2) I also wanted to see if I could increase the importance of arrow-smithing for people like us who use mods that let you craft them. I actually started a new game from scratch a couple of weeks ago, and I'm playing almost as a pure archer, so I want to see how bad (and how fast, hence the 3 versions) things could get if you don't plan ahead how many arrows you'll carry before having to go back and craft some more (or buy them). It's interesting to see what other options you character has besides it's own major skill, and it's a good way to induce the player to have a backup skill for when you run out of arrows. It also give the Hunter's Discipline a little more importance in-game, which is a perk I found pretty useless in vanilla as it is.

 

Once again, thanks for your help ;)

[kevkas]

Edit: To clarify, Leveled Lists that contain loot items.

Also, be careful that you don't inadvertently mess with vendor availability of what few arrows they sell, which is pulled from lists like LItemMiscVendorArrows75, unless you want to reduce the arrows for for sale also.

 

Ok, thx. LItemBlacksmithArrows75 seems to relate to vendors too, Blacksmiths in this case.

Edited March 14, 2012 by kevkas

[jet4571]

Once you do it a couple times you will find that level lists are not hard to do, and very easy to create all new ones for other uses. They are very handy for making things more random such as the NPC's in my housing mod. I have about 20 NPC's that are potential followers and everything in there inventory is a leveled list including the default clothing.

 

With what you are doing you could also do the same with gold, ingredients, crafting supplies, and soul gems easy enough as well as it would be the same exact process.

 

Thanks Sunnie for clarifying my post.

 

Only bad side effect of modding leveled lists is it makes any mod that changes the list incompatible. So any mod that changes the arrows level lists regardless if its adding a new arrow to it will be incompatible with your mod.

Edited March 14, 2012 by jet4571