Npc's and jetpacks

[SandMouseAnarchy]

Hi again everyone, I'm looking for a way to force an npc to use a jetpack, specifically I want the npc to search for higher ground to jetpack to and to use the jetpack to break a fall and activate it just before hitting the ground.

 

Any workarounds or ideas for this one guys?

[PhanomGames]

You mean through a scripted sequence or just on their own? Because on their own is pretty much impossible since the navmeshes don't support it. Through a sequence, you can try throwing on the jetpackactivator perk and see what happens maybe?

[SandMouseAnarchy]

Thanks for the reply Phantomgames :) I think through script would be best.

 

I'm thinking a script could identify rooftop tiles within a radius and move the npc whilst playing the jetpack animation to the roof tile,

 

For falling maybe the script could search for floor/ground tiles and activate the jetpack when the tiles get close enough.

 

I think the falling bit of the script would be simple enough, but I have no idea how the game moves npcs (probably just by navmesh ^.^) so how do virtibirds move? How does the game tell a virtibird to go from point A to point B? And how possible would it be to make an npc into a virtibird when using the jetpack animation?

[Perraine]

Well there is already a mod that removes fall damage from NPC's (can't remember the exact name tight now) Then too, companions are all essential, so even falling from the Prydwen won't kill them (just stab them with a stimpak)

 

Also all companions have access to the patented "Bethesda Follower Teleporter" - which allows them to simply teleport to your location, if you go beyond a certain distance from them and/or once they've attempted to reach you normally a coupe of times.

 

I admit it would be cool to see companions (and NPC's such as BoS Knights with PA Jetpacks) buzzing around the sky like Rocketeer's, but I doubt you could get it to work due to the above mentioned Navmeshing issues.

[PhanomGames]

Thanks for the reply Phantomgames :smile: I think through script would be best.

 

I'm thinking a script could identify rooftop tiles within a radius and move the npc whilst playing the jetpack animation to the roof tile,

 

For falling maybe the script could search for floor/ground tiles and activate the jetpack when the tiles get close enough.

 

I think the falling bit of the script would be simple enough, but I have no idea how the game moves npcs (probably just by navmesh ^.^) so how do virtibirds move? How does the game tell a virtibird to go from point A to point B? And how possible would it be to make an npc into a virtibird when using the jetpack animation?

 

That requires nav meshing which can't take jetpacks into consideration, not a scripted sequence (Where you know exactly what the NPC has to do in every situation). In addition to that, the "top" of most buildings doesn't exist, so there's nothing to stand on/no enemies up there etc.

[SandMouseAnarchy]

Ah damn, the tops of buildings don't have navmesh?

 

I wonder if an npc can be forced to jump (a large distance) by script? If so tying the jetpack animation in and adjusting fall speed etc might work?

 

Maybe if the npc can jump high enough it might just hop up on a building randomly if given a random direction to jump in?

[PhanomGames]

Ah damn, the tops of buildings don't have navmesh?

 

I wonder if an npc can be forced to jump (a large distance) by script? If so tying the jetpack animation in and adjusting fall speed etc might work?

 

Maybe if the npc can jump high enough it might just hop up on a building randomly if given a random direction to jump in?

For every NPC that hops onto somewhere you want, 50 will hop into weird areas with no nav mesh and crash the game.

[SandMouseAnarchy]

It would crash the game? Oops that wouldn't be good :/

[SKKmods]

There are two script functions you may want to play with to create a target marker at a safe landing zone from a Z height:

 

MoveToNearestNavmeshLocation() ;no error return when it fails

GetSafePosition() ;as used by vertibird grenades

 

Both of them can be unpredictable, even with apparently good navmesh. I spent hundreds of hours with them mapping every xy point in the commonwealth to procedurally generate totally random actor spawn points accounting for roofs, overpasses, multi level buildings and such crap.

 

With a target marker you can create some intermediate points (straight up Z and then across, or using a curve) and try something like SplineTranslateToRef()

[SandMouseAnarchy]

SKK50, ah really cool advice thankyou mate! I'll check all of those ideas :) I had hoped to not have to manually place targets all over the place but I suppose if it's the only workaround then it'll have to be done ^.^