Dead Money Collars

[AncientGamer65]

Hello, all.

 

I'm a modder of what I would call "medium-level" aptitude; my weak point is definitely scripting.

 

Just started playing New Vegas again, and finished a run through Dead Money. I'm one of the probably few players that enjoys the challenge of the bomb collars and their proximity detonators (I'm a nutter...I like Cazadors, too. :P ), but want to increase the time it takes before a collar'll explode. I've seen a mod on the Nexus that increases the timer from 10 seconds to 20 seconds, and I like that idea...only problem is the mod also alters a lot of other things I'd really rather not alter.

 

Hence my writing in now. Like I say, scripting is a weak point for me, tho I know how to go into the scripting using the GECK, I don't know how to modify just this particular thing. Can someone explain to me (in talking-down-to-a-child kind of terms...lol) where to go using the GECK to make this change? I'm assuming that once I have the correct script, all I'd need do is change the "10" to "20" in said script; I'm just unsure of how to get there.

 

Much obliged!

 

AncientGamer65

 

 

 

 

[dubiousintent]

There are probably more efficient ways, but here is (broadly, from memory) how I would proceed in such circumstances.

First, find the Base-ID of the collar in question. I looked for "collar" on the "Nukapedia" site and found several listed, but two in particular of interest:
* "control collar" (Base-ID: "0006C55A"), and
* "Dead Money collar" (Base-ID: "xx006E8F"; where "xx" is the mod-index of DM in your "load order").

That immediately tells me you are going to have to deal with more than just "Dead Money" scripts, but in basically the same way.

With the "Base-ID" you now need to open the GECK with the main and DM files loaded. (I would not select an "active" file until you have created the base of your mod, in which case that is the "active file".) Then search on the "Base-ID" (as the "Ref-ID"; not "Editor-ID"; or using the collar name as the "Editor-ID") to find it's record and look at the "Uses" box of that record to find specific instances where that ref is used. That should get you the names of scripts to then examine. You are wanting to look for "timers" in the scripts (see "TIP Timers" under the "Scripting" section of the wiki "Getting started creating mods using GECK" article).

Repeat for the other "Base-ID".

 

-Dubious-