Quaid's Modding Questions

Hey all. I decided to start a thread where I can ask my questions instead of constantly starting a new thread with every question. :lol:

Next up: I've got a shop keeper and I have him linked to a chest for his inventory. Since I didn't like the 'pre-generated' inventories of the game, I set the chest to 'empty', and then filled it with items I want it to carry. It works fine to start, but after a night cycle, the chest (and shopkeepers inventory) are empty. I assume it is because I marked the chest 'empty', and after the night cycle it 'replenished' itself TO empty! Any way around this?

Another: I modified a weapon to do more damage, but when I look at it in game it describes the original damage range. I assume this can be changed in a .mes file, but I haven't found it. Suggestions?

 

Since I've made custom inventories the same way you did without problems, I can only assume that you started with an Arcane chest.
If so, get rid of it. They act weird.
Go down the container list to the empty chest, edit it to the design you want, then add the items. Add set for substitute, notify NPC, or lock it. You should be good to go.

The effect list I believe you're looking for is gameitemeffect.mes which would be in the Arcanum.dat/mes folder.

Just checking here -

When you set your weapon to cause more damage, did you set the values by clicking on the damage window in the edit pop-up?

When you modified the weapon, did you bring up anything in the effect DSCR slot of the editing window? That's where gameitemeffect.mes displays it's values.

And finally, did you click OK on the edit box or the little black X to exit edit? OK will save your changes - the X will not.
(I don't how many times I've made that mistake.)

 

I think it was the Arcane Chest that was doing me in. Have you found an easy way for the chest to replenish itself over time?

I was only changing the weapon damage in the pop-up. I knew I was missing something. I'll need to try your suggestion and then monitor it. I'm sure it will work.

 

If you are manually adding items to a chest there is a way to attach a timed script to create objectX at certain intervals inside the chest, but according to TONGyaBASS, they are a real pain to work with.
Unless you are really good at scripting, manually-loaded inventories are considered not replenishable.

However - With invensource.mes (Arcanum4.dat/rules) you can create a custom inventory that works just fine. Get the description.mes from Arcanum3.dat/mes and you'll have the codes you need to set up the listing for your merchant or treasure chest.

Be careful not to overload your merchant. This thread contains a prime example of how easy it is to do so: http://terra-arcanum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=13435

BTW: the first pair of numbers - i.e. Elven Trader: 500,2000 - determines how much gold your merchant has to make purchases.

 

rroyo - Okay, so if I'm understanding you correctly I'll need to undat Arcanum and then look at the code for creating a custom inventory? I'll make a note for when I continue with the filling of merchant's chests.

Now I'm having an issue with NPCs wearing 'rags'. They will appear to wear any clothing I drag and drop on them EXCEPT rags. How am I supposed to create an honest to goodness bum if they will only wear tuxedos and civil war uniforms? :lol:

 

Make them go without clothing.
That way, they're bums AND nudists, all at the same time.

 

UnDATing Arcanum: To get to the original files, that's the best way to go.
I unDAT-ted Car-Arcanum so I could not only view Troika's creation, but see how ChrisBeddoes modified the game.

If all you think you'll need for your mod is a few odds & ends, here's an idea - grab a copy of A:WIP. No need to install it; just use it for "spare parts". Most of the files you'll want or need for a mod is easily accessable. One thing in particular though - The inventory mes is a modified version of the merchant inventory hack.

If you choose to go this route but still want the original Invensource.mes, drop me an e-mail and I'll sent to you.

The rags: The rags seem to only work for the half-ogres. I think that's all they're made for.
Like you, I do wish Troika had made them work with mid-sized NPCs as well.

 

@Grossenschwamm: Oh! Filthy, smelly nudists! Now why didn't I think of that? Who needs weapons when you have smelly nudity at your disposal!

@rroyo: Thanks. I'll just make my 'bums' half-ogres.

Right now I am working on a number of different aspects of my mod at once. I've laid down the major areas and filled them in. Now I am creating descriptions and some minor NPCs. I will keep working my way up until it is a rough 'whole'. Then I will begin systematically debugging and 'cleaning' the areas up.

My focus right now is dialogue (which is easy) and more specifically quests (which is a bit more complicated). I already have bartering and training down.

BTW, I like your quote rroyo: "If you can't go through a problem, go over it, under it, or around it." So very true!

 

Sorry for the double post - but like I said originally I'm just gonna post any of my modding questions in this one thread.

1) How far apart have you gotten 'Day Stand' and 'Night Stand' to work (in tiles)

2) I have a human guard that I just want to stand in place. His Day and Night Waypoints are disabled. All of his 'Wanders' flags are disabled. His Day Stand and his Night Stand are linked to the exact spot I want him to stand in. The only flags that are checked are 'see through' and 'shoot through'. He is as vanilla as I could make him. Any idea why he moves at times? Could it be tied to his 'human guard' attribute?

 

I seem to have missed this post the other day.
And enough time had passed to avoid the double-post rule. You're safe.

For the day and night stands, I was successful in getting a halfling to travel a full sector, but as a rule I've only used this for merchants who needed to travel to and from bed.

And I have no idea why your guard won't stay put. As a rule, when you place a character somewhere, that's where they will stand unless you click Wander or set a waypath.
Odd.

Have you tried replacing him with another?

 

I found the answer to my guard problem. There was a small item hidden behind a wall, and the greedy little guard would leave his post to get it! I deleted the item and now he stays where he is supposed to!

 

Gonna have to put guards on the guards!

 

@rroyo - too true!

Question: Anyone uncovered how the script of Virgil automatically starting dialogue at the beginning of Arcanum is done? I thought maybe attaching the dialogue script to 'First Heartbeat' or 'Heartbeat' might do it, but I haven't had any luck.

 

Can't help you there, Quaid. I have no idea how Virgil gets going.
It's probably encoded in character creation sequence. Final line: Call script 1324 at line 1.

 

No prob about Virgil. If you can't go through a problem... ;-)

I know how to get custom portraits for the PC in Arcanum. I know how to setup portraits for NPCs (ex. NPCbob.bmp).

Question: How do you link the portrait to the NPC so they have it in game?

 

Real easy:

In WorldEd, right click on the NPC and choose edit.
Near the bottom, on the left side is a listing for portrait.
Type in the new number (ex: {1001}{NPCbob} = 1001) and save.

Bob now has his very own portrait.

 

Thanks for the info, but I still can't get it to register.

I have the info under data/portrait (where my PC portraits ARE working)

and I have a userport.mes file with the following:

{1500}{NPCbob}

and in the same folder I have a portrait (64x64, 256 bmp) with the name NPCbob.bmp

My NPC has the number 1500 typed into his 'portrait' slot in WorldEd Edit.

I have also tried both data/portrait and just portrait folders inside my module folder (as opposed to the arcanum folder). I can't seem to find the right combo.

 

Huh -
The only time I've had that problem was when I typed in ( ) instead of { }.

Beyond that, I have no idea.

 

Hmm... What is the exact location I need to have the files so there is no mistake?

 

Given that you've tried the obvious places; In Arcanum they put the portrait folder inside the Arcanum3.dat/rules folder.

Try it inside your rules folder. I really don't know what else to tell you.

Since I'm modifying the main game, I was able to park it in the Arcanum5.dat without any hassles. But you're making a new mod.

BTW: I looked around last night to see if anyone else had added new portraits, but only Sinbad had done so, and his is in New Folder/portrait.
Check it out, maybe you can figure out how he got it to work.