SSE Good tutorials/resources for spell modding?

[SevenBlue]

I'd like to make a spell that functions as a distraction like throw voice, but I have not idea where to start as I've never seriously tinkered with spells before. Does anyone have any good resources for making that type of spell?

[cumbrianlad]

I've never really looked at throw voice. I've just done some digging and it's a really unique one and more complicated than other dragon shouts.

 

I'd take a look at DarkFox127's tutorials on spells first, to get familiar with the basic mechanics of making spells.

 

Then I'd look through everything relating to 'ThrowVoice' in CK. Here is what I've found...

 

 

Basically, the thing is set up to place an 'Explosion' at whatever object the cursor is on, as long as it's within 250 feet of the player. It's not an explosion in the normal sense, so no flashes, bangs and damage. The explosion form is just used to place an 'Activator' on the same spot. The activator ('VoiceCastMarker') has a small script on it that tells the game to play a 'Topic' at the activator's location.

 

Still with me? I said it was a complicated one!

 

That 'Topic' is held in the miscellaneous section of the quest 'VoicePowers'. Each line is marked as random, so that the player 'says' a randomized line: I love the lines! The 'Sound Level' in the explosion form is set to very loud, so I'm guessing that dictates how loud the voice is.

 

What I'm also guessing is that the enemy NPCs simply react to any voices, because I can't see any mechanism to affect NPCs in the area. That may not help you, depending just what sort of spell you want to make.

 

Things like bone-chimes ('TrapBoneAlarmHorizontal and TrapboneAlarmVertical') have a script on them that uses the function 'CreateDetectionEvent'. This is what the NPCs react to, not the actual sound made by the chimes.

 

Whatever you do with the spell, I think you'll need to add the perk 'Quiet Casting' to the player using the event 'OnEffectStart' and remove it again in an event 'OnEventFinish'. If you don't and the player hasn't got that perk, the enemies could detect the player, not the distraction. Using Throw Voice too close to an enemy can let them detect the player, unless they have that perk which also affects shouts. Casting a spell will do the same thing. I woundn't try to use anything to add the perk when the spell is equipped, or else all their spells will be silent.

 

[SevenBlue]

Groovy, thank you very much!

[cumbrianlad]

No problem, mate.

 

You've set yourself a big task!