Trade Run Caravan Mod - Is this even possible?

[CrameKnight]

Devin how do you see the items to be traded? are they Mod Tradable Goods or are they in-game items?

[Jeux]

The only solution to the majority of the problems stated already would be a new worldspace. That way we can build a DLC-sized control environment, and we build it in a way that is most convenient for this worldspace.

 

I am capable of doing so, pretty well. But as I said before, I won't start anything unless I see a foundation for this collection of "ideas", as well as other able modders who are willing to make it happen.

 

Devin, very good ideas.

[devinpatterson]

This is totally cowboy mate it would be nice to bring the mod Misty along so you can have her play a guitar during water stops.

 

I think it has real potential too :thumbsup:

 

I'm afraid I can only help with the concept since I haven't tried doing mods but since I am starting to like the idea of mods. I think I should take a time in a day to study how to do one but until then the most help I can give is concept.

 

Honestly I'll take a good story any day over simple technical skill in modding. The story really makes the adventure for me. So keep those great ideas coming, your concepts are greatly appreciated.

 

Devin how do you see the items to be traded? are they Mod Tradable Goods or are they in-game items?

 

I think we can make both work, my main concern really is if there is an entry point (for a perk) to allow the player to sell at 100% but which ever way we go, I'd like to add some items for character/flavor. . I thought it might be interesting for a npc to have gotten an old cannery going. You deliver various wasteland meats to them, they can them and pay you in the form of some of the canned goods and leftover deathclaw hides. You return to sell them at a profit. There is something funny to me about canned deathclaws.

 

Contraband is another item that can be carried by evil karma characters (and possibly unwittingly by good karma charcters ie your a mule).

 

If you start your private caravan and become successful you could see some big time contracts delivering higher security items like weapons, for important customers. Perhaps legion for evil karma, NCR for good karma and plenty of customers for neutral karma characters.

 

If the caravan travels far and wide (and you havn't killed them) I'd like it to bump into Tabitha and Rhonda (the crazy she-mutant from black mountain and her mr (mrs) handy). And frankly I don't see any problem with resurrecting FO1 & FO2's special & random encounters (giant footprint, a crashed alien ship etc).

 

Really the sky and our imagination is the limit. You may have to deliver "curiosities", just to shake things up or be lead in's for mini-quests. Say a strange, heavy crate that has unusual sounds coming from it at night. Or various robot parts for a scientist that has a secretive and unusual project in mind (or even worse ghoul parts). All kinds of oddities pass through teh wasteland.

 

 

 

The only solution to the majority of the problems stated already would be a new worldspace. That way we can build a DLC-sized control environment, and we build it in a way that is most convenient for this worldspace.

 

I didn't really see any showstoppers and I'm not sure how they would relate to a new worlspace other than the mojave boxes (but they're really not that big of a deal). But I'm not opposed to worldspaces. I'd like to have new lands to reinforce that feeling that your really traveling (instead of just walking around your old stomping grounds-the Mojave). It's just a question of work/effort and where we want to direct our energies. Making the new worldspace and populating it (even if sparsely) will still take time.

 

I remembered the name of the mod I had mentioned in a previous post, it's called Beyond the Borders - New Lands which would save us some time. We could also make a version of the mod with some morman trading posts on teh extreme western boarder of honest hearts (for those that have the dlc), where you have to brave the critters and tribals. And of course any other worldspaces will add to the impression of vast barren lands that promise riches for those brave enough to take it.

 

Devin, very good ideas.

 

Thanks, but really this is an idea that pretty much just writes itself. Plus there is a ton of historical background and stories that can be adapted to the wasteland.

[CrameKnight]

I hope we can get more collaborators for this thing.

[CrameKnight]

Just when the hero (the courier) is about to leave Goodsprings, he will be approached by an elderly fellow (maybe on his 50s) and will say something like

 

"Wait a minute Courier, I meant nothing ill but my name is Buck and I am a representative of _______ trading company here in our outpost in Goodsprings. I have seen how you handle yourself in a fight, (chuckles) you did give those Powder Gangers an impression [Old Buck is talking about how the Courier acquainted himself in the Goodsprings standoff]. I would have done the same thing too if I am as young as you lad. Look, I didn't know how someone like you ended up in a grave but whats important is you are alive and I think you are the person I just need for a job. I betcha need some caps for yourself and since you will be traveling the road to the Mojave Outpost, this should not be too hard. Would you do an old man a favor then?"

 

*It would totally depend on what kind of favor are you asking.

*I don't have the time to do anything other than to look for that person who shot me.

*Anything that concerns caps Buck.

 

(If the player decides to pass on the job, he can always go back to Goodsprings to sign up for it but, just in case he gets the job from Old Buck.

 

"Great! what I need from you is to bring this ledger to our Mojave Outpost representative. Her name is Olivia and she is expecting this 5 days ago. What this ledger is nothing but a report about how our Goodsprings Outpost is doing so far. I would have normally given this to one of our tradesman but it has been a week now but no one is being sent here. I get a feeling there must be something wrong but so as long as you can bring this to her that's all that matters. Will you do this for me Courier?

 

*Sure, I will bring this ledger over to your colleague."

*Uhm, maybe next time, I'm sorry."

 

 

-------------------- And this will bring the player to learn about the struggles of the ____________ Trading Company in their Mojave operations. As the Courier brings the ledger to Olivia, he/she will be offered a membership to the company as an entry level tradesman. Only allowed to do a Trade Run using the most minimalist pack mule Jeux and Devin can offer.

[devinpatterson]

I hope we can get more collaborators for this thing.

 

Defintely. I have several large projects going, so any help would significantly speed up the project

 

Just when the hero (the courier) is about to leave Goodsprings, he will be approached by an elderly fellow (maybe on his 50s) and will say something like.....

 

If you wanted an opportunity to start the caravan in goodsprings early in the game (as you suggest above), we could utilize Ringo (the crimson caravan employee that is hiding in the gas station, from the powder gangers). He could follow the dialog you suggested above, very closely. Stressing that the Crimson Caravan (or CC for short) is one of the biggest caravan houses. Then you can escort him to the Crimson Caravan Company up by freesides northgate. In return Alice McLafferty will offer you a job for helping out Ringo and bringing him safely to the company.

 

If the player is well past the goodsprings quests and rescued Ringo long ago, then they just have to stop by the CC company and Ringo will wander over to them and make the same offer he would have in Goodsprings.

 

Later when you split from the CC (to form your own caravan), McLafferty will attempt to kill you and your caravan just like she did the other companies (like Cassidies Caravans). Failing that she'll try every dirty trick in the book to make the Mojave a CC monopoly and thus we have our first built in, long term villain.

 

Quetzlsacatanango has given me permission to use his mods and has many free modders resources available as well, he has pack dogs, big horners, rats and buttercups (the mechanical ponies). Tumbajumba has allowed me to use his pack molerat.

 

And I'll rig up a Yao guai and some "beast of burden bots" like Mr Handy's, protectrons etc. with packs. They can be for later levels in the mod when you'v got caps to burn.

 

That should give us a wide choice of pack "animals" for flavor/variety and strategy. For instance, dogs can't carry a lot and are susceptible to radiation, but are good fighters and move fast....for lightly loaded runs through dangerous territories. Molerats may not be able to carry as much as brahmin but don't need water, so they're ideal for the dryer routes. Yao guai, bighorners, buttercups and bots are all very powerful, but very expensive.

 

The alternate pack animals can be introduced In the early part of the mod, by requiring their use for specific missions (molerats for a desert route, dogs though white legs territories etc)

 

Later when the PC has cash to burn (and if I feel like modeling them) we can have armored pack beasts. I can add scrap meatal, street signs and other items as armor to some pack animals. It will cost caps, and decrease their carry weight some, but it could greatly increase they're protection (DT).

 

I'd also recommend unique variants of each species. For instance in my DIY caravan there is a larger/stronger bull named Black Bart that can also carry more goods. This adds more character to the game and more realism (because not all creatures of a race are exactly the same).

 

Here is an example of our resources

http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u404/devinlpatterson/cd70c1c0.jpg

 

Some other ideas I'd like your guys opinion on;

 

ride-able mounts. Would you enjoy leading your caravan from atop brahmin back (or other mount)?

 

Truck. I was thinking about adding a beat up truck running on vegtable oil (or other renewable/scavengable fuel) that can only go a few miles an hour, with steam pouring from under the hood. But it can carry a lot of cargo.

 

A deal with Caeser. A agreement reached that the legion will not impede your caravan and you can deliver to the fort and other far off legion locations. In return a tithe of your profits must be paid to Caeser.

 

Super mutant guard. A above average intellect super mutant with a drinking problem. He works as a security and/or caravan guard. Might make an interesting NPC.

 

Cattle run. A good old fashioned brahmin run. A small herd of Brahmin 9-12 needs to be driven (moved) to it's summer pastures....through fiend territory. The rancher lost several brahmin last year to fiends so he's decided to hire profesionals for the job.

[CrameKnight]

@devinpatterson

 

What I was thinking about the Introduction of the DIY Caravan Mod to the player on the onset of the game (Goodsprings) is because that small task given to him by Buck is his springboard to know about the company he represents. If it is agreeable, The Caravan company that Buck and Olivia originates from is Dayglow (San Diego). The promise of fortune in Mojave is what attracted the Company to expand their operations. As per lore, if they came from Dayglow, The Hub or Boneyard (which is where most trading companies started) it would be logical that they pass through the I-15 and logistically set up their base in the Mojave Outpost or somewhere near it. Their company just started their operation not too long ago and they have only managed to build their General Goods Store in key Outpost. The business is not going well, the traffic of goods are not flowing, their tradesman (runner) are missing one by one or is quitting the job and head back the old route or become a de facto and work for Crimson Caravan.

 

If the player (courier) accepts the job from Old Buck, he will found from Olivia (the Trade Master of their Mojave Expanse) that the reason why there were no tradesman being sent to their Goodspring Outpost is because of the ongoing strife between trading companies. The devious plan of Alice McLafferty to buy out or wipe out small trading companies cause a setback to the _______ Trading Company (We still don't have a name for them yet. Hehehe). Now since Olivia is short staffed at the moment, she will introduce herself to the courier and tell her what is their trading company stands for. (There might be a lot of stuff that can be done after this)

 

 

This is what I like about how you perceive the player owning his/her own trading company. Alice will eventually destroy this new Trading Company (we can still think how alice would do it to them) and since the player is still incognito to the Crimson Caravan, he will not be perceived as a threat ergo, he can either start his own Trading Company or continue what the ________ Trading Company with the guidance of Old Buck. Old Buck can be some sort of a guide as to how he/she can carve his mark as a Master Trader.

 

I really have nothing against Ringo but it looks like a Ringo is loyal to the Crimson as he is willing to be a part of a team that will go to New Canaan. He is a kind of NPC who would risk himself to new lands the Crimson haven't been yet. But I like your idea of having Cass involved in giving you an edge with the price of your goods since he is a casualty of the caravan wars. It is just about right that he help a fellow trader who had the same start as she did.

 

I hope you like it sir.

Edited August 22, 2012 by CrameKnight

[betto212]

The only solution to the majority of the problems stated already would be a new worldspace. That way we can build a DLC-sized control environment, and we build it in a way that is most convenient for this worldspace.

 

I am capable of doing so, pretty well. But as I said before, I won't start anything unless I see a foundation for this collection of "ideas", as well as other able modders who are willing to make it happen.

 

Devin, very good ideas.

 

what about rebuild the world space bigger reusing vanilla settlements and adding more space between them adding roads and desert areas to fill to develop the mod in the new road areas .

[CrameKnight]

Betto, is it okay to use the same map but just expand it a bit? Or maybe just utilized the empty space along the map. If you would look at the Proposed Outpost, you will see that the there are vast spaces surrounding them. The Trading Outlpost could just be a simple Kiosk.

[devinpatterson]

The Caravan company that Buck and Olivia originates from is Dayglow (San Diego)....I hope you like it sir.

 

I chose the crimson caravan for a few reasons. The first is because you already have Ringo's debt to teh player which lays the groundwork for joining the CC. The second is because we can save work by

by adopting the existing CC instead of developing a new company. And third because there is already an existing story line (the CC killing off competitors) that facilitates our player leaving the CC to strike out on his own and provides a great antagonist for future conflict.

 

I'm not against a new caravan per se, though. I'd suggest as a compromise we do both. It's always nice to give the player alternatives.

 

Depending on whether the player has completed heartache by the number (and how they completed it), we'll know if the CC is continuing their destruction of competing caravans and will greatly influence the story line for the new caravan company.

 

So go ahead an begin detailing and expanding your new company for inclusion in the mod & I'll do my best to incorporate it. In the mean time, I'll look up the quests script for the heartache by the number, find the releavant var's and begin working on a master quest script.

 

 

 

 

what about rebuild the world space bigger reusing vanilla settlements and adding more space between them adding roads and desert areas to fill to develop the mod in the new road areas .

 

A larger worldspace could seem very attractive because you would be able to increase travel time between stops, but the work implied would be enormous. From generating lod (which is already a massive with teh current size mojave) to essentially copying every settlement, fortification, etc. And that doesn't touch on the actual landscaping involved to fill in the new spaces.

 

There is actually a fair amount of empty space in the mojave for small settlements, watering holes, trading posts etc.

 

Are the locations too close together to provide a sense of a real road trip (even at just walking speed)? For some players, certainly, but for the majority I think it will be fine. We want to instill the feeling of distance and travel, but never at the expense of boredom. I think for most of the trips we can find that balance with teh current Mojave worldspace.

 

But we always have the option of longer caravan runs to other world spaces (whether dlc's or mods). I suspect what might be better fit, are "on rails" worldspaces for specific quests. Essentially you use lod type solutions (high canyon walls, piles of wreckage or toppled buildings, darkness, dust/fog, tree lines etc. along with collision planes) to make very small world spaces in a linear fashion from point A to point B. These give the illusion of a whole world, but only require a small amount of work to design the world in the immediate vicinity of the route.