"Addict" Trait

[DanteWrath]

The idea for this is simple enough, but as I have no modding experience, I don't know how easy (or even possible) it would be to implement.
I think this trait could provide an interesting new way to play the game (especially if combined with some existing mods, and even more so if it could be made compatible with CAM).

The trait would do two things:
The positive - An increased chem duration (maybe as much as 50%?)
The negative - Whenever the player enters withdrawal from a particular chem, they'll automatically use more of that chem if they have it in their inventory (and of course if possible, would also use that chem immediately if they loot it while already suffering from its withdrawal).

The above is the main request and I'd be happy enough to see this alone, but I also did want throw out the idea that this might work best if the cost of curing addictions was also increased drastically, such that the player is incentivized to purchase chems instead of seeking the help of a doctor.

Another possible way you could expand upon this would be with the addition of perks, here's just a couple of examples that come to mind:
"I Don't Need Help" - Chem duration slowly increases over time, but is reset if the player gets their addictions treated at a doctor (If this is possible, it'd actually render my previous suggestion about incentives moot).

"Attentive Addict" - Increased chance of finding chems as loot.
"Don't Hold Out On Me" - Merchants sell more chems.
"A God's Pity" - When suffering from withdrawal, the player has a small chance to randomly 'find' (i.e. have added to their inventory) the associated chem, or a dose of fixer.

Thanks for reading, and in advance for any responses.
Also, if you're not a modder but have ideas for more perks that could be used to make an 'addict' build more interesting or fun, feel free to suggest them.

Edited April 7, 2020 by DanteWrath

[Mktavish]

The positive - An increased chem duration (maybe as much as 50%?)

 

Increased Chem duration ??? what kind of fantasy role play are you trying to push on us :ohmy: LOL :laugh:

 

But seriously I would put chem duration in the negative effect category and lower it. Thereby making them as the player , just naturally want to use more of it.

But since it does need positives to being addicted , how about enhancing the effects (magnitude) depending on what it is. Or even start introducing effects that are not available until the addiction level has increased to X level.

 

For some story addition to it , how about have it ultimately lead to an intervention scenario ?

And the cure , depending on addiction level , requires going to a rehab clinic , that's sort of a side game in itself.

With the "Wait" feature turned off , :pinch: hehe. Just doing mundane stuff , but maybe an opportunity to study lore? Complete with group session scenario's running multiple npc conversation dialogues.

 

I wonder if you 2 ought to get together on a mod project ?

... this thread https://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/8551283-attempting-to-create-an-alcoholic-flask/

[DanteWrath]

 

Increased Chem duration ??? what kind of fantasy role play are you trying to push on us :ohmy: LOL :laugh:

Haha you're right, that's definitely the more realistic way to do it and certainly what you'd want for a true addict roleplay.

Having it work that way did cross my mind, I ultimately decided to suggest the inverse because I felt like the constant depletion of chems would need to be offset to maintain their usefulness.

I haven't done the math, but I also imagine you'd go through massive stacks of chems quicker than you'd realize even with vanilla duration.

To be fair though I didn't consider the possibility of increased chem magnitude, if that's possible it'd definitely make for an interesting build.

 

In an attempt to come up with a headcannon to explain my version, I have realized a potential middleground.

Instead of the addict trait itself having any effect on chem duration/magnitude, it could instead give access to two mutually exclusive perk trees.

One would be a "High Tolerance" perk, and would have a description like "You've built up a tolerance and can now take larger doses of chems, increasing their effectiveness, but you also need to take them more often to avoid withdrawal".

The other would be a "Minimal Dosage" perk, and would have a description like "You manage your addictions by rationing your chems, making them last longer, but they also have decreased effectiveness".

 

That other mod you linked is rather similar, only focused purely on alcohol.

I'd feel bad hijacking their thread, but I it can't hurt to point out the similarity and drop a link to this one.

 

Edited April 7, 2020 by DanteWrath

[Mktavish]

Not sure ... but I think you are missing my suggested mechanic of ... increasing addiction level through more use.

Which then unlocks features of the chems ... and yes we could make it render crazy like incrementally , but in reality buffed more. It's merely a matter of what the screen play renders to the player (observer)

Behind the scenes matters not , like said actors fighting , or just chilling having coffee behind the scenes of the player view. The geck is an erector set to make on screen things happen.

Worrying about offscreen things is a rabbit hole best not explored if published mod is the goal.

[Mktavish]

Well not that being practiced with the geck tool isn't a good thing (most times)

But that without the vision and direction of what the player is suppose to see.

Using the geck for all it's possibilites can lead to fracktured ends not getting the mod render DONE !

 

Initial vision and idea is very important to having said idea rendered game side.

[Mktavish]

And so you know ... your idea off the top of your head is an awesome start .

So don't lose it on the journey through the tools to make it render.

[DanteWrath]

You're right, I did miss that you thought the effects should be incremental, that would definitely make the duration issue less of a problem, as it might not become that intrusive until later in the game when you have the caps to compensate.
I also didn't say before but I think the whole intervention idea would be a great way to do it, as I said I wanted to make it more difficult to cure addictions and having you require a quest (which might not even be something the player themselves could trigger alone? Like maybe they'd need a companion to push them towards getting help) to do so would achieve that goal while providing an interesting new aspect to the game.

Thanks for taking an interest in this idea :happy:
I will actually take a look at some GECK tutorials myself, I think it's unlikely I'll figure anything out faster than those with prior experience, but if I do I'll let you know.
Otherwise, I'll think on the story aspect, potential perks and the like and will let you know if I come up with anything that might interest you.

Edited April 8, 2020 by DanteWrath

[Ewendoun]

Hi there,

 

Your suggestions are interesting, I will try first to achieve the flask project, then try to extend it to withdrawal effects on alcohols. Also, I am in parallel working on the creation of a still (there is as I wrote one in the game datas), but also maybe on a scientist set to create drugs like a workbench, a bit as the one we got at the beginning in Doc Mitchell's house, but a real kind of drug workbench.

To be honnest, I understand what you want to do and I say why not, I won't be too complicated to change some settings, seeing how it works on some other mods or thinking deeply about it, linked to chems. For example I already see how to increase duration of chems effects, but not the incremental aspect -not yet - of drugs and withdrawal effects. But as said, I will work on it on a second way, seems doable.
We could also imagine like autoinjector stimpacks, auto consumable drugs or an object that inject/ make consume drugs/chems each time needed, even if this could be less usefull in my opinion.

Thanks a lot,

Ewendoun.

[DanteWrath]

Thanks for getting back to me on that, of course I understand you need to prioritize your flask project.
That you've considered this is all I could have asked for :happy:

Edited April 8, 2020 by DanteWrath