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Maigrets
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Posts posted by Maigrets
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Ooo! A Gothic series thread...
My favourite RPG game series of all time.I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Arcania is only a Gothic game by the last two words in it's title, ie Gothic 4, and possibly because some of the old characters from the previous games make cameo appearances. It will depend on if you're a die hard Gothic fan I guess, but this game is not a successor to any of the previous games in any shape or form.
As a fan from the very first game, except for Forsaken Gods, I and most Gothic fans am very disappointed in what JoWood have done to this series. I'm sorry to say I bought it ($80 Australian from EB Games
) despite the scathing player reviews on the games own forums, maybe hoping that they were exaggerating. Unfortunately, they weren't. Piranha Bytes, the real creators of the series, split from JoWood after Gothic 3 due to differences in the direction JoWood were taking the series. Piranha Bytes then went on to make Risen which is pretty good for their first solo outing. It's much shorter, but still has the Gothic style feel to it.Arcania is a beautiful game graphic wise, but it has none of the elements of the real Gothic games. There's no free roaming, you're blocked into paths by invisible walls and the quests are all "unlocked" as you get them. Meaning, you can't just go anywhere and pick up quests, roam the world and explore...at all, except for the immediate local area you happen to be in at the time. People are complaining about the invisible walls (already modded out) in Fallout:New Vegas, but this is ridiculous.
As a basic action adventure Arcania is OK, but I gave up before I even left the tutorial island. If I could play it as an adventure game and ignore the fact it's called Gothic 4, I might go back to it sometime but it won't be soon. There are modders doing some work on it already by editing the .xml files and if JoWood releases a full editor the community may be able to put back the RPG elements that were left out...meaning all of them. That also depends on what is hard coded and what isn't as well. A mod I did download is one that changes the camera so it doesn't zoom way out in combat so you can actually see what it is you are fighting. The combat system itself isn't really that bad which can't be said for the voice acting and lack of lip sych which is terrible.
All of the animations for alchemy, crafting, cooking, making your own weapons and armour are there, but not connected to actual game play. They are just for show. You can make a powerful sword in your inventory instead of really crafting it at the forge and anvil for example. Skill doesn't seem to play a part either in what you can create. Alchemy is basic and loot tables are such that you find high level items in the tutorial which does nothing for developing a character from a weakling shepherd to a mighty warrior.
Anyway, I imagine you can see I'm a die hard Gothic fan and I wouldn't recommend Arcania to anyone who is a fan of the series. Gothic 2:Night of the Raven was the best one of all and I even like Gothic 3, especially since the community Enhanced balanced, bug fixed version. It also has new addon packs with extra quests, added faction requirements, new weapons and armour, and a nearly entire retexture of the game among many other things. It's like a new game and even has a form of HDR now which makes the world look even better than before.
As I said it depends on player expectations of what Arcania has to offer as a game, and as a action adventure it would probably satisfy some new players, but since it is also very buggy and JoWood have a bad record of fixing these issues, many people are having huge problems even running the game at all. Apparently, the plan is to release new content via DLC's, but they may shoot themselves in the foot by doing that and not actually including the elements in the actual released game that should have been there at the start.
Of course that's all mostly my opinion and others may differ, but the Gothic community is very unhappy at the moment with JoWood.
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Thanks. Another one of the CS anomalies.
I didn't have Nifskope open at the time, but I may have at some stage.-
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I've got my body mods installed and working using omods. HGEC with Ozmo's face and body textures as well as IFT (Improved Facial Textures). Robert's Male Replacer which will need to be remastered since it has an esp, a pose mod, also remastered, and my Gothic Breton Race V2. I've added esps for Nehrim courtesy of Beana to my Race entry with instructions.
It's simple to remaster using TESGecko as long as the mod you want to use doesn't need to reference anything from Oblivion. ie locations and chests for example.
As far as the body replacers meshes and textures I just deleted the ones for the races Nehrim doesn't use, like Argonians, Khajiits, Orcs etc, although I imagine it wouldn't matter since Nehrim won't access them.
If OBMM doesn't work for you copy the default Oblivion ini from the OB root directory to the Nehrim directory. Nehrim won't use the file, but OBMM will probably want it. I found that hint on the Bethsoft forums.
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I look forward to watching the RELZ thread for the next week and gathering information on any technical difficulties folks have had installing and playing it, so I can be ready for as problem-free of an install as possible.
There's a PFD file on the page I linked with the install guide. There shouldn't be any problems at all really (except for people who never read docs anyway, like some mod users.)
I've installed and uninstalled the German and English versions several times without problems during testing time, and there've been no issues. It also should be totally bug free now since a few were found while the translations were being done. It's probably more stable and problem free than vanilla Oblivion itself at this stage.
I ment to ask: Maigrets, in the English version, are the voice overs still in German?Yes the voices are still in German, but I just turn them down in the options and after awhile you won't even notice. I like the sound of the voices though and they are highly professional so I have it so I can just hear it. Some words I can understand..most not..lol
I imagine if they were to replace the German voices with English ones we'd be waiting another four years and getting the high level of voice actors (over 50 of them) would be a task and a half.
I'll definitely be modding for it at some stage after I've played through properly. Texture replacers and body mods etc can be used now the same way as in Oblivion and I'm going to do that soon because the vanilla bodies and faces are just not "nice." It's been so long since I saw them I forgot how awful they are.
A bit of info translated from the SureAi forums about using the CS with Nehrim:
Using the Construction Set with Nehrim
Many are trying to do the seemingly Nehrim files from the Oblivionverzeichnis with the TES-CS open. But this is wrong.
The two files Nehrim.esm and NehrimData.esp are just placeholders with no content. To proceed you need modding Nehrim different.
For modding it needs these two files from your Oblivionverzeichnis: (I'm from the assumption that you have installed the Tes-Cs)
TESConstructionSet.exe
ssce5432.dll
The copied it simply by:
Nehrim \ TESConstructionSet.exe
Nehrim \ ssce5432.dll
From now on you can Nehrim TESConstructionSet.exe modding from Nehrimverzeichnis.
Oops! The file should not be loaded as NehrimData.esp. It is not needed for modding and could later cause unnecessary troubles. Just invite Nehrim.esm.
Edited for my own bad spelling..
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The English version of Nehrim:At Fates Edge is up for download. There seems to be some issues with the main links at the moment, but the torrent version seems to be OK according to their forums. Possibly due to the number of people waiting for it and now downloading.
http://www.nehrim.de/dataEV.html
If anyone hasn't heard of Nehrim, it's an epic total conversion made by the German community, four years in the making with an extensive main quest of 35 single quests and around 30 other side quests. It's the same size or a little bigger than Tamriel and has some of the best in game music I've heard in a long time.
I've already played quite a bit and helped with some of the English translations so I can attest to it's epic scope. New combat techniques, leveling system, new and different landscapes, and much, much more.
Details, trailers and an interactive map here:
http://www.nehrim.de/startEV.html
Although this isn't strictly an Oblivion mod it does use the engine and resources so if this is posted in the wrong place please move it.
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Is there any great problem with the "Shader Is Leaking" error or is it another thing like the furntiure nifs message whether you've used any or not? I get the furniture ones when I'm just editing a race. What does it actually mean?
A couple of years ago when I made a house mod I got this error a few times when using custom resources, and from what I was told then it's of little to no consequence. However, now I'm doing another large mod also using custom resources and get the error message several times (6 instances last night in one session) on exiting the CS and I've only just started adding new custom files.
For some reason the CS crashes now after I click "Yes" or "Yes To All" on exit where I never had crashing issues before, and only when I get this error it seems. This is with a recent install of the game and CS due to hard drive issues. That doesn't particularly bother me though. The esp is OK (backed up regularly) and everything works fine in game.
The only info I could find on the Net was people asking the same question about the shader issue, but getting no answers. I'm one of those people who has to know why everything does what it does..
I apologize if it's been asked before. I did search.
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Edit:
I just noticed the dates on the last posts. Does this count as a necro post?Mmm, I haven't seen anyone mention FOOK2, but that's my main mod. I have had very few crashes and just hit level 30 a couple of days ago coming out of The Pitt.
The main crash I seem to have is when someone, enemy or friend uses a minigun, or at least that's what it sounds like just before the CTD. I can reload the same area though with no problems.
I know overhauls aren't everyone's cup of tea, but I'm an FCOM devotee in Oblivion as well.
Anyway, this is my current load order. It's small since FOOK2 has just about everything else..
[X] Fallout3.esm [X] Lings.esm [X] Anchorage.esm [X] ThePitt.esm [X] BrokenSteel.esm [X] PointLookout.esm [X] Zeta.esm [X] Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch.esm [X] CALIBR.ESM [X] FOOK2 - Main.ESM [X] FOOK2 - [DIK] DLC Improvement Kit.ESM [X] DCInteriors_ComboEdition.esm [X] Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch - Operation Anchorage.esp [X] Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch - The Pitt.esp [ ] Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch - Broken Steel.esp [X] Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch - Point Lookout.esp [X] Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch - Mothership Zeta.esp [X] CASM.esp [X] DCInteriors_DLC_Collectables.esp [X] FOOK2 - Main.esp [X] FOOK2 - [DIK] DLC Improvement Kit.esp [X] FOOK2 Main [Hotfix].esp [X] FOOK2 DIK [Hotfix].esp [X] The Groovatron.esp [X] The Groovatron_DLC_Anch_Addon.esp [X] The Groovatron_DLC_Pitt_Addon.esp [X] The Groovatron_DLC_PL_Addon.esp [X] Inhabitable Hole 2.0.esp [X] 2nd Home at Tenpennys [Engl].esp [X] 1alexscorpionsnipergear.esp [X] Desert Theme - FV.esp
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Amazing bird!
And....for Horror movie buffs... You've probably seen it before but I just found it among my clutter of bit's and pieces I keep for no real reason.
HORROR MOVIE SURVIVAL GUIDE
* When it appears that you have killed the monster, *never* check to see if it's really dead.
* If you find that your house is built upon or near a cemetery, was once a church that was used for black masses, had previous inhabitants who went mad or committed suicide or died in some horrible fashion, or had inhabitants who performed necrophilia or satanic practices in your house move away immediately.
* Never read a book of demon summoning aloud, even as a joke.
* Do not search the basement, especially if the power has just gone out.
* If your children speak to you in Latin or any other language which they should not know, or if they speak to you using a voice which is other than their own, shoot them immediately. It will save you a lot of grief in the long run. NOTE: It will probably take several rounds to kill them, so be prepared.
* When you have the benefit of numbers, *never* pair off and go it alone.
* As a general rule, don't solve puzzles that open portals to Hell.
* Never stand in, on, above, below, beside, or anywhere near a grave, tomb, crypt, mausoleum, or other house of the dead.
* If you're searching for something which caused a noise and find out that it's just the cat, *leave the room immediately if you value your life.*
* If appliances start operating by themselves, move out.
* Do not take *anything* from the dead.
* If you find a town which looks deserted, it's probably for a reason. Take the hint and stay away.
* Don't fool with recombinant DNA technology unless you're sure you know what you are doing.
* If you're running from the monster, expect to trip or fall down at least twice, more if you are of the female persuasion. Also note that, despite the fact that you are running and the monster is merely shambling along, it's still moving fast enough to catch up with you.
* If your companions suddenly begin to exhibit uncharacteristic behavior such as hissing, fascination for blood, glowing eyes, increasing hairiness, and so on, get away from them as fast as possible.
* Stay away from certain geographical locations, some of which are listed here: Amityville, Elm Street, Transylvania, Nilbog (God help you if you recognize this one), the Bermuda Triangle, or any small town in Maine.
* If your car runs out of gas at night, do not go to the nearby deserted-looking house to phone for help.
* Beware of strangers bearing tools such as chainsaws, staple guns, hedge trimmers, electric carving knives, combines, lawnmowers, butane torches, soldering irons, band saws, or any device made from deceased companions.
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my lion rocks! he cleared out all the imperial legion all by himself. now i just need to make a goblin buddy that has a nice sword and shield and all will be good.. thanks, i'd always wanted to know how to do this.
Sorry I haven't been back. I'm glad you found my tutorial useful.
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I've just finished reading the first two books in The Rain Wild Chronicles by Robin Hobb. Epic novels about dragons, but with a twist. I had a tear in my eye at the end of the second book which was just released this year so I hope there's going to be another. Her whole series of novels are brilliant.
Terry Pratchett is another favourite. I never get sick of the Discworld. I love the British humour. It's so sad he has Alzheimer's Disease and there probably won't be any more.
Years ago I used to hang out for every book by Piers Anthony, especially the Xanth series. They are tongue in cheek, funny, full of puns and not meant to be taken seriously, but after 30 or so novels it gets to be the same after awhile.
Stephen King and Dean Koontz used to be on my top 10 list but they've both lost their edge I think. The last few novels by both didn't grab me at all.
Other than those anything by David Gemmell, Terry Brooks, Clive Barker, China Mielville and most other fantasy and horror authors.
I confess I haven't read Terry Goodkind yet, but I do have a couple of his books. From what I've read on the Internet the TV series didn't do them justice so I must get around to reading them.
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I wasn't aware of that, thanks Arthmoor.
I only found that bit of info ages ago when I was using the Cheydinhal Petshop mod, not long after version 7, I think, was released with the problem. I haven't used it since though.
I'll edit my post to say not to use with an existing save.
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CHEYDINHAL PETSHOP DIALOGUE FIX
EDIT: Please note as Arthmoor mentions below this doesn't work on an existing save with this mod having been active.
I see this question asked a lot and it's rarely answered. I found this solution posted on a forum years ago, but I don't know when or where or who, so thanks to the poster for the solution.
I've changed a few lines of the original text to correct some spelling and clarify a few things. The Cheydinhal Petshop mod accidentally changes the global setting for how long NPC speech is delayed before it plays.
The default setting is 5 and it seems to have been changed to 35. Because of this it seems like the NPCs aren't speaking, although they continue on with their animations and other AI.
There shouldn't be any reason for the change to Global settings and if so it should only be for the mod's own NPC's. So this is how to fix it.
The issue here is there is no good way to remove a change made by a mod once it's already been done. If you delete it or revert it to the correct setting as though it had never happened the record is still there, you just can't see it any more. Plus, this adds another unwanted change to the mod.
What you need to do is make the game IGNORE the change totally. It's very easy to do and doesn't require any advanced CS knowledge.
SOLUTION
1. Load the Construction Set. Go to the File then Data menu. In the window that appears you will see a list of mods much the same as when you use the game launcher. Or if you have no other mods it will be Oblivion ESM and this mod you're wanting to fix.
2. Select the Cheydinhal Petshop.esp. You don't need to put a check in the box. Just highlight the name. Next, click the "Details" button at the bottom of the window, and wait a few seconds.
3. A new window will appear with the list of records and settings changed by the selected mod (in this case, Cheydinhal Petshop). Click the 'Type' column header at the top of the window twice to sort the records alphabetically by type to easily find the record you're looking for.
4. Scroll down until you can see the settings of type GMST. There are only two, and you can see in the EditorID column that one is sCantEquipGeneric (not the one we want to change), and the other is fAISpeechDefaultMult (this is the problem record).
5. Select the GMST record called fAISpeechDefaultMult so that it is highlighted in the window, and press the Delete button on your keyboard, above the arrow keys. You will get a message that "You have chosen to toggle ignore one or more records..."
What that basically means is if you do this it will be as if the selected changed record does not exist (the game will completely ignore it). This is exactly what we want, so say OK.
6. Close the Details window, which will take you back to the Data files window, with the Cheydinhal Petshop esp still selected.
Put an X in the check box next to it, then click the 'Set As Active File' button (to tell the CS that this is the file you want to edit), then OK to load it into the CS.
7. When the file is loaded, you don't need to do anything except SAVE the esp by going to File/save. You can then exit the CS.
8. After all that it would be a good idea to keep a backup of the fixed esp for future reference so you don't need to do it again at some point.
I hope this is helpful in some way to anyone having NPC dialogue issues and they are using this mod.
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Dark Elf says to me: What hole did you crawl out of?
Me: The one you're about to fall into!
Agarmir as I walk past him: Ayyy!
Me: Nord's. How uncouth. You'll pay for that! Ayiiieee!
Me sneaking around Skingrad trying to avoid Glathir, but not succeeding
Glathir: Psst! Over here!
Me: Are you psychic! I was invisible, go away.
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I haven't been through the whole thread yet but one of my favourite all time game characters, Gex Gecko, from years ago is on the first page...
Lock and load, little lizard!...
Now I want to dig out the game and play it! -
Interesting...did you know that Fenrir the wolf has Personality 90?
I've been using that for my companion critters, and they fight just fine, and enemies attack them with extreme prejudice.
In fact i was considering trying to figure out if i could keep enemies from fighting them instead of me.
It's a little weird to be standing in a narrow hall, and have a bandit squeeze past you, ignoring your attacks, so he can attack your pet that's just starting to round the corner.
Yes, I'm quite aware Fenrir has a Personality of 90 since Sher Ja, my first mod was based on him as it says in my tutorial.
However, even after giving my creature the exact stats as Fenrir I had all sorts of complaints about him not fighting, OR that enemies were ignoring him and it happened to me as well. I released something like four versions until I got it working correctly by removing the custom combat style and more importantly the custom factions and making him player owned. I was almost ready to give up until I finally hit on a solution that works.
Fenrir is scripted with OBSE and has his own combat style which I found to be unnecessary for my creatures. He also has his own Faction plus others that aren't really necessary either, but may be the reason why his Personality doesn't cause problems.
The way I do it works and no-one complains, in fact the many 1000's of people who downloaded my companions when they were at Tesnexus and PES have been very happy with them, so I'm also happy with it. The only thing of importance I've been asked to do is make animations so my Pet Foxes will roll over so their belly can be scratched. I really doubt that will happen.
You are of course welcome to use whatever Personality setting you like if it works for you, but not using this tutorial.
Otherwise, be prepared to have issues especially when using overhaul mods and others that add new and altered factions, like FCOM or OOO and MMM on their own, which are an essential to me, or I wouldn't even be playing the game.
Disposition for creatures is determined by the personality setting and faction, either towards others or visa versa unlike NPC's.
http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/Category:Creatures
http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/Category:Factions
As far as the age old problem of enemies always going for your companion or horse first, I don't think anyone has fixed that yet. I may be wrong but last time I asked about it on the Beth forums, only about 6 months ago, that's the answer I got from experienced modders.
BTW...In case anyone asks why I don't use Menus --I find them immersion breaking, I don't like or use NPC companions and I like them simple in a game I mod more than play these days.
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UPDATE:
This is the updated script with the sneak function as well as adding the summon spell when activating your companion that I'm now using for all my companions. With this script it's not necessary to make an object to hold the spell. It's directly added to the companion and when activated it will be added to your spell book. It also means you have to find the companion before getting the spell so if it's wandered off you need to look around.
If you choose to use this script for the sneak function, but wish to still have an object for the spell you must remove the part of the script referring to the summon spell.
The sneak function does work. If you are sneaking you can get right up to an enemy before the companion will react, and then only when you are detected or you attack first. Then he will enter combat mode. I've tested this extensively before releasing my updates and I know it works. I never noticed whether the sneak eye remains lit when sneaking with the companion, and I don't think there's much I can do about it anyway. I also don't add Chameleon because I don't think it's necessary. However, you can add the Chameleon shader via the script only when sneaking if you wish.
NOTE: This relies entirely on your sneak skill so if it's low and you are detected in a dungeon full of vampires expect havoc.
In the updates to my companions I also altered the Healing Ability as described in the main tutorial. They are detailed in my readme texts, but it's your choice in that regard.
scn AASherJaScript ref rEnemy short doOnce ref GetSelf ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; begin OnActivate if IsActionRef player SetIgnoreFriendlyHits 1 if doOnce == 0 Player.addspell AASherJaSpell set doOnce to 1 endif if (GetSelf.GetForceSneak == 0) && (player.IsSneaking == 1) GetSelf.SetForceSneak 1 elseif (GetSelf.GetForceSneak == 1) && (player.IsSneaking == 0) GetSelf.SetForceSneak 0 endif if LionFollow == 1 set LionFollow to 0 Message "'Sher Ja, wait for me.'" elseif LionFollow == 0 set LionFollow to 1 Message "'Sher Ja, come with me.'" endif EvaluatePackage playGroup Idle 1 else activate endif end ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; begin OnStartCombat ;make sure not to attack friends after accidental hits. set rEnemy to getCombatTarget if GetShouldAttack rEnemy == 0 && Player.GetShouldAttack rEnemy == 0 StopCombat StopCombatAlarmOnActor playGroup Idle 1 return endif end
Thank you for reading. Please ask if there are any questions.
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CONTINUED:
CREATE THE ITEM TO HOLD THE SUMMON SPELL
If everything is working correctly we can go ahead and create the object that contains the spell and the spell itself.
**If you have Shivering Isles installed be careful about using items from the expansion unless you plan to use a creature and object from SI. Items, objects and spells etc from SI are usually prefixed with SE. If you plan to release the mod using SI items make sure to add that to the readme.
From the OBJECT LIST choose an item from the ITEMS list which will hold the Summon Spell script. It can be virtually anything, for example a gemstone or a bone which I used for Sher Ja or a shoe which I used for a dog companion. As long as a script can be added, it will work.
***Be careful about using Quest Objects as you must be sure to remove the tick from Quest Item first otherwise it will interfere with the related quest.
Once you've decided what you will use, double click to open the item's Form. As described above for Leo, give the item a unique ID and a name that will be displayed in the game. When prompted to create a new item, click YES. Leave the item for now. We have to create the Summon Spell before we can add the script to it.
CREATE THE ACTUAL SUMMON SPELL
In the OBJECT Window got to Magic/Spell. I usually make a Summon Spell a Lesser Power because it's easier to find if you have a lot of spells like I do. Otherwise it can be a basic spell.
Right click on any spell and select NEW.
Give your spell a unique ID and a name which will appear in your spell book. Select the type of spell eg Lesser power. Select Script Effect Always Applies.
Remove the tick from Auto Calculate. This negates the Magicka cost of casting the spell unless you want it to have one. Close the Spell Form and reopen it. This saves your changes.
Right Click in the text field on the right and select NEW. From the Effect List select Script Effect. The Range is on SELF because we are casting the spell on ourselves. There is no need for a duration for this spell.
Leave the Script and Effect names for now. Choose the school of magic, eg Conjuration and a visual effect if you want one. I sometimes choose Command Creature for my companions, but this is better for Summoned Creatures only rather than constant companions. It's up to you though.
Remove the tick from Effect is Hostile. Again, close the Form and reopen it.
Now we add the script. In the text field it will say Script: NONE. Right click and select EDIT.
Click on the "..." next to the Script drop down box and a Script Editor window will open the same way as when we created the companion.
Select NEW from the menu and copy and paste this script into the blank box. Make sure to choose MAGIC from the drop down box on the right.
scn SummonSherJaScript Begin ScriptEffectStart AALionref.moveto player, 100, 0, 0 End Begin ScriptEffectFinish End
Give your script a unique name. It should have Script at the end as shown. Change AALionref to the Editor Reference you made when you placed your creature in the world. Save your script and close the Script Editor. Click OK to close the Effect Item Box and OK again to close the Spell Form. This saves the information. The distance in the script is sufficient so that it won't land on top of you but a few feet away. Once again open your spell and the Effect Item Box. Select the script you just made from the drop down list. Give the effect a name in the Effect Name field, eg Summon Creature or Summon "It's name." Now the script will show in the text field of the Spell Form. You can click OK to close it now.
ADD THE SUMMON SPELL TO YOUR ITEM
Find your item in the ITEM list and open it's Form. Add this script to it the same way as we added the previous scripts. This one must be an OBJECT script.
scn AASummonSpellScript short doOnce begin OnActivate if doOnce == 0 Message "Friendship will be your reward" Player.addspell AASherJaSpell set doOnce to 1 endif activate end
Once again give it a unique name and add it to your item the same way as the previous scripts.
You can add a message as shown, which will show in game at the top left of the screen when you take the object. You will also receive a message to say the spell has been added to your spell book. If you prefer not to have the message in the script you can delete that line, but make sure not to leave the line blank. Move the next line up.
Click OK to close and save the information.
Place the item in the world the same way as you placed your creature. Drag the name of the item into the Render Window and place it wherever you like.
***Save your esp and now test it to make sure everything works as intended.
EXTRA NOTES
Your companion will start to wander as soon as you enter the cell where you placed him. If he has wandered off, just pick up your item containing the Summon Spell to bring him to you.
Activate him to make him Follow and again to make him Stay. He will take care of the rest.
I usually create a Healing Ability Spell even though my companions are Essential. I use FCOM and even Essential companions can very often become unconscious when you really don't want them to.
See the screen shot for the Healing Ability I added to Sher Ja. You can make it weaker if desired, but this keeps him going in most heavy battles. I have in fact made changes to this ability in all my companions, but the following screen shot is the original.
They are still essential with this change, but can be knocked out more easily and now their health bar will show. I've added Resist Poison 75% and Resist Magicka 50%. The reason for this is I've been finding certain custom poisons and some enchantments in some mods cause lasting damaging effects to companions and in Essential companions they can become permanent requiring a reboot of the mod. Sometimes you'll see it happen with NPC companions where they will get up and fall down constantly because they've been damaged. Plus other odd effects.
For example my dog was hit by a weapon with Damage Speed several times and ended up running as though in a pool of molasses, so I added the resistances which have worked so far. It's only happened once, but that was enough.
Create a spell as described for the Summon Spell, but not a Script effect. Make it an Ability and drag the Spell to the companion's Spell Tab in his Stats form
If there are any problems or something seems unclear, please ask and I'll do my best to clarify.
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CONTINUED....
THE PACKAGES THAT MAKE LEO FOLLOW AND WANDER:
You will need to create a new Global Value first. Go to the Gameplay menu at the top of the main CS window and choose Globals.
Right click on any one and choose New.
Call it "LionFollow". Click OK. If you're using another name or creature, it still must be **Follow. In my House Cats mod I called them by their individual names..eg CleoFollow, PepperFollow etc. They must all be different otherwise the same value will relate to them all and the Follow and Wander commands for one will be used by them all of them. So, if you make two dog companions or even companion separate mods, they must be named for that creature so problems don't occur if using the mods together in game.
Now you have to make two AI packages.....Follow and Wander.
FOLLOW PACKAGE:
Open your creature entry again and return to the AI Window:
Right click again in the AI Package List and select NEW.
Select at least, Allow Falls, Defensive Combat and Allow Swimming.
At the top right where it says Package type select "Follow" from the drop down list.
In the ID tab give it a name for example (yourprefix)LeoFollow.
You'll then see four tabs:
SCHEDULE, CONDITIONS, LOCATION and TARGET.
Go to the CONDITIONS Tab-
At the very bottom click on the "NEW" button and select "GetGlobalValue" from the list.
The next box "Function Parameters" will say Invalid....click it and select the Global Value you made before. ie LionFollow
Leave the Comparison box as is and change the Value to 1.0000.
Go to the TARGET Tab and select Specific Reference then select PlayerRef in the "ref" tab.
At the bottom right where it says Distance enter a number. This is how far Leo will be behind you when he follows. The number I use is 170 which is the distance the mod I based Sher Ja on uses. I assume it's feet, but we're metric in Australia. Anyway, it's a good distance because the companion is not under your feet or bumping into you all the time. This is also good if you use horses, because he won't be pushing the horse from behind when you are stationary. You can make it smaller or larger if you like.
Click OK . You can go onto the next Package or click SAVE and come back to it. Remember to save and backup your esp.
WANDER PACKAGE:
Do exactly the same again, but this time call the ID "LeoWander". Choose the Package Type as Wander.
Do the same at the Conditions Tab, but leave the Value at 0.0000.
Click the LOCATION Tab and select Near Current Location. Give it a distance. Again mine is 1800. This is how far he will wander around when you activate him to tell him to wait. Some mods use 1200 or less...it's up to you. When you have the summon spell you can call him to you anyway if he's wandered off into dense forest. In fact I have lowered this distance in my more recent mods myself.
Make sure Defensive Combat, Allow Falls and Allow Swimming are selected here as well. Click OK and SAVE to close the window.
PLACE LEO IN THE WORLD:
NOTE:
He must be placed in the world before you can make the Summon Spell and especially before using the updated script adding the spell and sneak component to the main script posted after this tutorial. This because you need his Editor Reference to add to the spell script.
In the Cell View window where it says World Space and in the selection box, find and select Tamriel.
You can click on any name to select it then type the 1st letter of the area you want to load......For example "I"...then scroll down to the IC Waterfront01.
Double click to load the area in the Render Window on the right. It may take a few seconds to load depending on your system.
Zoom in to the location you want to place your creature. Try to get as close as possible to where you want to place him, then drag the creature (the text) from the Object Window to the world and press F to drop him. Don't drop him from way up high or you might have trouble finding him, especially in an exterior. If that happens you can find him by looking in the left side of the Cell View Window where you are placing him. Find his ID and double click it and the CS will locate him for you.
Press the A key to turn on the lights so you can see what you are doing.
Use a combination of Shift + Mouse Wheel (held) alternately to manipulate the screen to get as close as possible to the desired position. Scroll the mouse wheel to zoom in and out.
Click the creature so it is selected to move it around, and use the Right Mouse Button to rotate it if necessary. Or use the Z, X and Y keys for other movement.
When he's in the world double click him and give him an Editor Reference ID. This can be the same as his stats form ID, but put REF at the end. No spaces. Select Persistent Reference so he won't disappear when cells respawn. You should also select the Ownership Tab and make him Player owned. This will ensure he doesn't attack friendlies and will even defend you from guards if you resist arrest.
Now it's a good idea to open his Stats Form and check Quest Item. Making him a quest item gives him loading priority, so he always gets loaded at game start. Otherwise he can also be forgotten by the game engine when cells respawn.
Don't do it before putting him in the world or the CS will prompt you about Quest items and possibly give an error message.
Save your plugin and test it. At this point we haven't added the Summon Spell, but you should make sure he is where you want him. He can be activated to Stay and Follow without the spell once the script is added.
NOW ADD THE SCRIPT
This is the script I use:
It's a good idea to type or copy the script to a text editor like Notepad first. That way you can make alterations if necessary before adding it to the creature and risking errors when you try to save it.
You'll see where it says LionFollow you must change it to the name of the Global Value you made for your creature. The message as you see can be whatever you like, but should not go to another line.
Give the script a name. It should have SCRIPT at the end no matter what you call it.
The bottom part of this script also tells him not to attack you if you hit him, but is probably not necessary because making him Player Owned does the same thing. However, I was advised to leave it in and it doesn't appear to have any adverse effects. When I get to it I will test without that part of the script, but for the moment it's probably not doing anything anyway.
THE SCRIPT
NOTE: "scn" means script name. You can also use the word ScriptName instead.
scn AASherJaScript ref rEnemy ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; begin OnActivate if IsActionRef player SetIgnoreFriendlyHits 1 if LionFollow == 1 set LionFollow to 0 Message "'Sher Ja, wait for me.'" elseif LionFollow == 0 set LionFollow to 1 Message "'Sher Ja, come with me.'" endif EvaluatePackage playGroup Idle 1 else activate endif end ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; begin OnStartCombat ;make sure not to attack friends after accidental hits. set rEnemy to getCombatTarget if GetShouldAttack rEnemy == 0 && Player.GetShouldAttack rEnemy == 0 StopCombat StopCombatAlarmOnActor playGroup Idle 1 return endif end
In the creature's Stats Form click on the little box with "......" on it, next to the Script field, beneath the NAME field.
Select New from the Menu. Copy and paste the script into the box. Make sure it is an Object Script. Select this from the Script Type list at the top right of the script window.
Select Save from the Menu or use the disk Icon. You can also just click the cross and if there are no errors it will save.
DO NOT EVER SELECT RECOMPILE ALL WHEN SAVING -- This will compile every script in the game and your plugin will be extremely large not to mention problematic.
You'll have to close the stats form and re-open it to select the script from the drop down list in the Script Field below your creature's name.
Close the Stats Form, SAVE and backup again.
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OK.
I said simple in the title, but it's pretty long and detailed and will spread over several posts so it's consistent. I've also reviewed it and added some things for clarification. So here goes.CREATURE COMPANION TUTORIAL BASED ON MY SHER JA - MOUNTAIN LION COMPANION MOD.
***This tutorial assumes the user knows very little about using the Construction Set so I've tried to be as detailed as possible.***
Click the thumbnails for a better view so you can see what I'm referring to. If you think you've made a mistake in any open form, click Cancel instead of OK, but generally you can go back and make the necessary changes without problems. There is an exception to this. If you move an object unintentionally when placing the creature in the world you can go to Edit/Undo in the File Menu as long as you realize immediately you've done it. Otherwise you'll need to "clean" the mod afterwards. It's no fun if you find you've moved a door or house by accident and don't find out until later.
CREDITS:
Sher Ja - Mountain Lion Companion was my first mod besides some save games and has been updated and experimented with several times until found I was finally happy with it.
The scripts used here for the companion are adapted from the Fenrir the Wolf Companion mod by delphinus with his permission. They were created with OBSE by Jumonji, but have been changed so they no longer require OBSE which mainly dealt with fast healing after battle. This is now dealt with by adding a Healing Ability and making him Essential. Jumonji helped me to do this.
The Add Summon Spell script is by WillieSea. I found it on the Official CS forums where I also find a lot of other helpful information.
Thank You.
Fenrir the Wolf by delphinus and Jumonji
http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=14192
Sher Ja - Mountain Lion Companion by Maigrets
http://savageartistry.darkbb.com/index.htm
The screen shot of Sher Ja is new. I'm using themythofstrider's excellent Mythic Animals textures.
STARTING OUT:
This will create a simple creature companion that can be activated to stay and follow. It will fight anything that is your enemy or that attacks you in Follow mode. It will NOT be aggressive to friends or yourself, and is player owned. Otherwise, if you resist arrest for a crime, it will attack the guards who are chasing you, or if you go on a murder spree then you can rely on it to defend you. I make my companions Essential so they don't die, but become unconscious for a short time. That's up to you. I prefer not to have to reload or deactivate and reactivate the mod if it dies, especially when using overhaul mods like I do, where a non essential companion death is almost guaranteed.
In Wander mode it will patrol the area where you left it and will defend itself if necessary. When you first go to find your companion it will also start to wander as soon as you enter the cell it's placed in, so if it's not where you put it just search around a bit or use the summon spell as described below.
There will be a Summon Spell to call your companion if you've left them somewhere, if they get stuck (rare), or to remove them from battle. If they do happen to get lost, for example, falling from a great height, they will teleport to you or return on entering a new cell. Or, of course, you can summon them back.
This spell can be added to an object and you can create a quest to find it if you like, or you can place the object near the creature. Make sure to mention it in your readme if you plan to release the mod.
I am including the option of adding the spell to an object to this tutorial. When the object is taken the spell is automatically added to your spellbook. The item doesn't need to be in your inventory afterwards, so you can throw it away or keep it depending on the item used.
The spell can also be added via a quest script which will add it as soon as you load your save, but will not be included in this tutorial. I prefer not to add the Summon Spell by a quest because I like to put my creatures somewhere to find, rather than an easier location like the Waterfront District.
Quest related options will be included in another tutorial which will outline a simple quest to find a companion or object with a small story attached to a note or book. This can be added to your inventory when you load your game with the mod active or you can use the quest to search for it. It will also include how to add spells via a quest and other options like sounds and messages which can be added to the scripts.
NOTE: I haven't gotten around to doing this addition yet.
I used to make it a habit to take screen shots of all my open windows in the Construction Set. For example: scripts, spells, stats etc. I can see at a glance what I've done for future reference, without loading the mod. But that's just me. I sometimes still do it for new mods depending on what I add to them.
Regarding Shivering Isles and companions: I haven't played SI for some time, but I know if you tell the companion to wait before entering the portal and then summon it when you are in the SI world there should be no problems. I've done this with Sher Ja and a couple of others and it was fine. That also relates to Oblivion Gates. Make the companion wait, enter the gate, then summon. Do the reverse BEFORE taking the sigil stone and summon once outside. Unlike other types of companions they obviously have no inventory that can be reset when the cells update.
FIRST STEPS:
This tutorial will create a lion companion, but can be used for any creature. I've never bothered making a companion from a Shivering Isles creature, but I know someone who did using this tutorial and it worked out as far as I'm aware.
It's a good idea to name all References and ID's with a prefix. For example - JJMyLion. Don't use numerals at the beginning of the ID, and have no spaces in the ID field. Using the JJ, or any other prefix makes it easier to find your entries. You can use AA or aa, or your initials as long as it's always the same for consistency.
Load the Construction Set and go to File/Save and create a new esp with the name of your choice. This will automatically make it active.
Click OK and Oblivion ESM will load automatically because you are loading a mod that requires it. Otherwise you can select Oblivion ESM only to load and choose to save your esp when you've started work on your mod.
Go to the Object Window on the left and expand the Actors\Creature\creature tree. Select the CreatureMountainLion and double click to open it's Stats Form.
In the ID field give it a NEW unique ID. If you don't give it a new ID every lion will be a clone of yours. Close the window by clicking OK, and you will prompted to make a new form because you've changed the ID. Click YES to create a new object. In the NAME field give it a name which will appear in game.
Open the lion's Stats Form again.
Here you can change the Essential status and whether he will Check Corpses. I leave it checked for dogs and wolves, but not the lion because it does nothing and can slow the creature down. Canines have animations so it works well and they only do it after combat is over. Check swimming so they can follow in water. Again, canines seem to be better for this since they do actually swim while other creatures sink like a stone or have to find another path, but they will catch up.
Take the tick out of No Low Level processing and Respawns. Leave his Combat Style at Default for the mountain lion.
Tick PC Level Offset to have him level with you. Choose whether you want him to level above or below you by entering a number in the Offset box. For example, 1 to stay at your level or -1 to be one level below you.
In the Calc Min box type 1 and in the Calc Max box type 0. This will adjust his health, speed and fatigue modifiers on the right of the window.
Starting out it's probably best to leave his health and other stats as they are. You can adjust them later if you want. Although, I give my creatures an Intelligence of at least 30 so they can follow up stairs and through doors. They will even open gates. This also relates to successful fast travel so they zone with you instead of getting lost and having to be summoned.
Always leave Personality at 20 or even at the default as anything higher can make him passive, and enemies, depending on their Faction will ignore him when you want him to fight.
From now on I'm referring to the Lion as Leo to make things a bit easier. The abbreviation, CS, will refer to the Construction Set.
Go to the Factions Tab and right click to delete anything in there which is usually Creature Faction.
Next go to the CS Menu at the top of the screen and select Character -- Factions. Scroll down the list until you find Playerfaction. With Leo's page still open drag it to his Factions Tab. You can make a custom Faction, but it's not necessary. Player Faction gives Leo all the rights and privileges as the Player.
Select the Inventory Tab. You can leave anything there or delete it. If you make him Essential he can't be looted anyway.
Select the Spell Tab. Depending on your choice of creature there may be a Disease listed. If so, delete it. The mountain lion has a Resist Frost ability which you can leave intact. Other creatures may have their own Abilities which can stay as well. This can depend on whether you decide to give him a Defensive spell that includes what he already has or boosts it. In that case remove the default spells.
There's no need to do anything with the other Tabs except if you want to add new meshes and textures for your creature, but this tutorial deals with the default Mountain Lion..
You can preview him moving and attacking by selecting the Animations Tab and clicking each movement to see him in the preview window. Tick the Preview Full box to do this.
**Remember to save often. Make regular backups of the esp so you can revert to a previous file if you make a mistake and have saved it! **
NEXT:
AI Tab:
At the bottom of the stats Form is the AI Tab. Click to change the values at the top of the new window.
Aggression -- I've found 5 or 10 works well. Some companions use zero, but I found it causes the companion to be passive at the most inopportune times. Anything above can cause him to attack indiscriminately, including friends.
Confidence -- the higher the setting the less likely he is to run from a fight. 75 is a good number. If he's Essential and you want him to break off a fight if you decide to run or come back to fight another day, you could try a lower number. I have several Pet Only mods. Their aggression and confidence settings are different so they will flee when danger approaches and return when combat is over. It's not necessary to script this.
Energy Level -- This determines how much he moves around and animates when idle. Actors with low energy levels idle more often. You can leave it at the default for your creature.
Responsibility -- leave this at zero otherwise you will be reported for crimes by Leo and he can also accrue a bounty which applies to you being the owner.
At the bottom is the AI Package List. Right click on any packages in the list and delete all of them.
**Click SAVE and OK at the Stats page. Save the esp.
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Dear Maigrets, It's so good to see you! Sit right down, right here in this big comfy overstuffed chair next to this fireplace and me.. that kitty sure likes you, look how she's already in your lap, and the hounds already snuggled at your feet. Here's a cuppa, and a pillow and blanket. It's almost story time.
lol..in my house the dog is in my lap giving me a big sloppy dog kiss.
I eagerly await story time but I tend to go to sleep in a comfy chair these days. Ever since Mad Max I've wanted a Heeler, so I'm going to yoink yours while you're sitting by Myr's fire. mmkaySee above.
She's a good guard dog but will lick you to death. She loves frozen peas so you better have a good supply!Any chance we might see some of your mods hosted here?Yes, I'd like to do that.
Last year wasn't so good for me health wise and for other RL reasons which is primarily why I moved them from Tesnexus and PES to a central area where I could more easily manage them as well as updates. This year doesn't look much better, but you learn to live with adversity.I was actually a bit surprised and honoured afterwards when people came looking for my mods and sent me messages asking where they were.
A random question for anyone reading this regarding my Creature Companion Tutorial...it's quite large and includes screen shots (links), so where it is now I had to use several separate posts to fit it in as a topic. Is there a limitation like that here? Not that it matters I suppose.
I want to review it first to make sure it's all up to scratch. I just had a PM from a member who has an issue with it. Problem is as I replied, I can just about whip up a companion in my sleep without checking it, without a quest that is, and I want to be sure it's easy to follow. I need to replace the old script in the main part with the new one anyway.
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Thank you all for the nice welcome.
@ DarkRider. I'd like to familiarize myself with the forum first, then post my tutorial. There's a lot of great content to look through here.
I'm not as quick as I used to be and I don't want to mess it up on the first outing... @ Qwaxalot I had to look up inimitable.
I'm not sure if that's good or bad since I've probably got a reputation for not being very tolerant of some people (elsewhere)at times. 
@ WhoGuru and greenwarden... House Cats got an update so it doesn't need a compatibility patch for Better Cities. In RL I used to have 3 cats and 2 dogs, but now they've all passed from old age. Very old and spoiled. Now I have one dog called Bella. I thought about getting another cat because my new neighbour has a bird aviary right next to the side fence and I now have mice visiting occasionally. But, Bella does a good job of seeing them off. She thinks she's a cat sometimes, I'm sure. Well, she is half and half Aust Red Heeler and Aust Kelpie and she loves to herd things. She's black and tan like Guinness and beer...
I'll watch the cookie thief like I'm watching my weight. My cookies...mine!
Especially chocolate chip.I still have Fallout 3 installed and will get back to it after I finish with Sacred 2 which might be awhile. Bit of a learning curve with that game. Much different to anything I've played before and it takes a bit of getting used to the camera which can be frustrating, but I'm adapting.
I'm playing Risen as well which is banned here, but I got it from eBay which really defeats the purpose of banning I'd have thought. I was waiting and waiting for it to be released here, then found out it was never going to be.
Need coffee...
EDIT: WOW..how did I get to be a Senator.
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Hello all! My name is Maigrets. Some of you may know me from around Tesnexus and not so much at the Beth forums as Anja the Whisperer.
I'm a member of the over 50's generation, heading for the century.
I've made a few mods for Oblivion, mainly creature companions and a few races..and a house.
Been meaning to join for some time, especially after playing The Oubliette and the Crimson Queen among other great mods from modders here. I see this is a thriving and friendly community and I hope to fit in and I will endeavour to contribute and pick your brains at the same time. 
I have written a tutorial for my creature companions with screen shots posted at the SavageArtistry forum.It's here if anyone would like to review it first to see if it qualifies.
A bit about me:
I love animals, heavy metal music, reading horror stories and writing them (trying), modding Oblivion and sometimes playing it. Currently I'm playing through the Gothic series again and last week I bought Sacred 2 which looks like a good game so far.
I have Fallout3, but I got a little bored with it. I might go back later and actually finish the main quest one day though.
I wrote the stories for Gates to Aesgaard Episode One and ThePriest909 and I are working on something new unrelated to Oblivion.
Well, it's 0130 down under in the land of Oz, so I hope to catch up with you tomorrow or I should say later today.
Cheers...Maigrets.
Oh yeah, I love cute emoticons.
The Gothic Series
in General Discussion
Posted
I apologize if my post offended,
but even though Arcania is set in a new location with a new hero it still lacks most of the things that most rpg games, especially the Gothic series are known to have. The only other thing I'll add is that you can go into anyone's house and steal their belongings and they won't care, you can run around with your weapon drawn and no-one cares, kill their livestock and no-one cares. It's these basic and other things that have been left out that should be there to be able to call it a Gothic game or even an rpg. The graphics are really secondary if these type of elements aren't there, but that's just how I see it. It's not a role playing game in the sense JoWood are portraying it.
Anyway, I'll butt out of this thread before I get myself into trouble, but if you're interested here are links to the Addons etc for Gothic 3. You'll need the 1.74 Community Patch.
http://games.softpedia.com/get/Patch/Gothic-3-Community-International-14-Patch.shtml
I've found no bugs so far and I'm half way through the game again using the mods. The installers are exe and English, so there's no mucking around placing files etc.
Content Mod 2.2. There are a lot of screen shots showing the world re-textures, new armour and weapons, creature textures and some updated meshes, plus heaps more. The title says Content Mod 2.1 but it's been updated since I last looked so I have to download them again as well. Otherwise the links to the updated versions are on page 6 of the thread.
http://forum.worldofplayers.de/forum/showthread.php?t=886288
Direct Download link. It also lists everything that's been added and you can pick and choose what you want when you install.
http://www.worldofgothic.com/dl/?go=dlfile&fileid=177
The Questpacket (a requirement) is in German, but the texts have been translated so you have English dialogue subtitles. Some of the translations aren't grammatically correct as far as English goes and some spelling is a bit of a mix of both languages, but from what I've read they didn't have native English speakers to do the work, but it's very good. They may have fixed a lot of those things since that was in the previous version and I haven't downloaded the newer one yet.
The quests (and there are a lot them) add new NPC's and locations plus new events, but it won't interfere with the base game or change the language if you play the English game and use the German mods.
Direct Download of the updated Questpacket 4.2. It''s pretty big...654mb so there's a lot of new stuff.
http://www.worldofgothic.de/dl/download_433.htm