Trying to make a new armor please help

I m trying to make some sort of robotic armor that is very powerful but also works as some type of transportation but i need help on how to create it . Basic idea is that it improves st. but also runs on tracks like a tank so it improves speed dramaticaly.And posibly some sort of extra storage compartment for those extra heavy automatrons!!!

please help on this if anyone can.

 

wow. nothing like starting small, eh?

Where do I begin? Yes, it is possible to create armor that will help you speed along tracks. But keep in mind it'll be like arcanum--you'll get a blackout effect and teleportation. If you want to make the PC rocket down a given set of tracks with a trail of flame behind them to simulate the armor carrying them, I am afraid it wont work. :smile:

Now then. This transportation feature of the armor--it should only be activateable at tracks, right, to preserve the effect you are trying for? In this case, we need a tile script at the begining and end of each of the tracks (or simply at the ends of the track facades you place, if you dont feel like making tracks all over your world map). This script will test a) whether or not he PC has the armor, and will b) let the player select a destination. First thing first: Go to gameoname.mes, and give the armor an internal name and a number. WRITE THIS NUMBER DOWN, as we will make frequent reference to it later. Give it a nice cool sounding name in gamedesc.mes also. Now, on to step two, where we get into the actual scripting.

IF player [obj] has item named [num],
THEN dialog 1
ELSE do nothing

What this does is tests to see if yiou have the armor, whose internal number (remember it?) you will put in the [num] part.

Why Dialog? Simply put, it makes the interface for both of you (the player and the modder) easier. Dialogue should go somewhat as follows:
{1}{Your armor, senseing its approach to the tracks, begins to transform into a carriage of sorts. Your destination?}{Your armor, senseing its approach to the tracks, begins to transform into a carriage of sorts. Your destination?}{}{}{}{}
{2}{City A}{}{1}{}{0}{-2}
{3}{City B}{}{1}{}{0}{-4}
{4}{Nevermind}{}{1}{}{0}{}

The negative numbers in the result field will call on the appropriate script command. All told, your script should look something like this:

0 If PLayer [obj] has item named [num]
THEN dialog 1
ELSE do nothing
1 Return and RUN default
2 Fade and teleport line (City A coordinates)
3 Return and SKIP default
4 Fade and teleport line (City B coordinates)
5 return and SKIP default

The teleport line should be fairly self-exaplantory, as usual I am writing these replies from my job and am therefore unable to walk you through step by step what they say since for some anal reason the bank wont let me install arcanum on their computers

That should, by and large, get you started on making the armor into a train. Now then, for strength adjustment:

A new script! Yeah!

0 Stat [num]: adjust by [num]
1 return and run default

Using your lovely worlded manual, look for the stat number of strength, fill it in for the first blank number, adn then fill in the desired modification on the second blank! That was easy right? Now, attach that script to the armors weild on script attachment point.
WE'RE NOT DONE YET!

0 Stat [num]: adjust by [num]
1 return and run default

This time, ont he second number blank, put a NEGATIVE modifier, the exact oppossite of your postitive on the top. This will reset the PC's strength to what it was before they wore the armor, to prevent someone from putting the armor on and off to boost their strength to the high heavens, or negate the penalty for removing it. You would attach this negative script to the armor's WEILD OFF attachment point.

As far as giving you extra inventory or storage space... I dont think that's possible, unless you make the armor a container, but that has "confuse the hell out of, and as a result, crash Arcanum" written all over it, so I dont recommend trying it.

Does this help? Let me know if any more of it can be elucidated upon to help you out. I hope it gives you a start.

Best of luck, and just post again if you need help
Ruelz

 

Thanks for the info however i cant find the files you refer to *.mes* and second the tracks i refered to were like built in tank tracks not something for railroad tracks.[/quote]

 

I get the nagging suspicion that you are using worlded 1.0.7.4 Not a bad version in it's own right, but it's a lot easier to help you out if you use 1070. You can download the old version of worlded from DArk Underlord's homepage, or the terra arcanum site.

The mes files will be in C:\sierra\arcanum\modules\yourmodname.

As far as tank tracks, I am confused then about what you need. Is there an example of soemthing like this in arcanum I could compare it to in order to help you out?

 

The tank tracks themselves would just be a graphic. What you really need is to simply¹ increase the movement speed but not the combat speed!



¹ I say simply, but it'll probably be a real bitch, if it's possible at all.

 

Oh. OK. I just didn't understand what you werre asking for. Sigh. All that wasted time and knowledge. I thought you wanted armor that would act literally like a train in Arcanum that you could use to travel back and forth. But hey! If anyone ever DID want something like that, there's how! :grin:

As far as increasing actual speed while on tracks, I would only be able to recommend something like laying down the tank track graphics, and then overlaying them with a tilescript that would, for the time you are standing on them, cast the spell of fire that speeds you up immeasurably, or increases your speed stat (dex) while on the tracks.

If that's more what you;re looking for, tell me, and I will post how to do it. But I want to make sure this time before I go into another two page explanation.

Peace
Ruelz

 

Bingo RULZE that is exactly what i want to do . but you still dont think there is anything i could do for more storage space on the tracks? :grin:

 

do keep in mind that my style of modding is more what one would call a "tinkerer" and less what one would call a certified expert, so the advice I am about to offer, while functional, will take a lot of work and there is probably a better way.

You would have to surround the tracks with interspersed tile scripts, unless I am much mistaken. The ones on either side of the track would have the script "Cast unresistable spell" and whatever the code is for the spell that negates all other magic on a person.

Stick with me. This gets confusing.

On the actual tracks, dispersed regularly, you're going to have a tilescript with a condition and an action:
IF player has body spell (Whatever the code is for the first fire college spell, the one that ups speed. Check your manual, as always!)
THEN do nothing
ELSE cast goto line 1
If player has obj (internal item number of the armor)
THEN cast unresistable spell "Speed me up Scotty"
ELSE do nothing.

What is the logic behind this? Essentially, when the player characer steps onto the tracks and runs along them for a few feet, a speed-up spell will take effect. when they leave the tracks, the spell will instantly be negated, returning them to normal.

Now, if you want to do this the MORE fun way, you can exchange "cast a spell" for the more direct "Set player stat number to number" script, and up their dex to 99 so that they REALLY scoot.

Let me illustrate the desired effect. You have tracks on the ground, and will lay the scripts around it like so. X = the disenchant/turn off the effect scripts, and O = turn on.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
O O O O O O
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Don't skip on the turn off commands, since you know someone, somewhere, out there, will find the one hole you leave and play your mod with a modified 99 dex.

Does this make sense? In my disclaimer above, I said there would probably be an easier way. However, i cant think of one other than this, not one that thoroughly covers every aspect of the idea.

And no, i still dont think you could add extra storage space, although a neato idea would be to add some kind of container/scenery along the tracks, that the player had a key for...or set them up so that the armor acted as the unlocking agent. What do you think of that idea?

As always, hope I helped
Ruelz

 

Nothing like keeping the steam up... Reminds me of this great mod i made for NWN... ohhhh, goooooooooood times......