Scripts in Ghosts of Vitharn quest...

[ZuTheSkunk]

I'll try to explain my problem as best as I can. If something still remains unclear, then please, tell me.

I wanted to do some fixing for equipment used by ghosts from quest "Ghosts of Vitharn". That's what I wanted to do:

- To replace the stock Fanatics' madness equipment with proper ghostly version, that cannot be just taken like common loot and keeps its ghostly shader after falling on the ground.

- Same as above, but for defenders of Vitharn.

- Forcing the Fanatics to use not only the weaponry from vanilla (war axes, claymores and longswords), but also some of those added by me.

(NOTE: Those points above involves only the ghosts that are found outside the walls of Vitharn and in root caves that leads to the Vitharn keep.)

- To replace the items used by Fanatics that are part of the endlessly repeating scene inside Vitharn keep. In vanilla, all of them, except the boss, are using iron weapons, which looks a bit odd in comparison with their madness armor and with ghosts that we've found outside Vitharn.

- To replace the shield and longsword used by the boss with unique blade that I've made for him as a trophy for player.

- Do something with arrows used by elven archer, because after they're shooted, they remain laying on the ground, able to be taken by player. It's even more difficult than it can look, because for some reason attaching scripts to arrows is not possible.

That looks what I wanted to do. And effect? Many tries to make it working and constantly receaving errors. From things that happened after my various attempts to force game into listening me:

- Ghosts outside Vitharn stopped to disappearing after death, and in more odd cause, only one of them have been able to perform the reviving thing, rest of them just stayed "dead" when I came.

- The scene inside Vitharn was getting bugged and stopping in some moment, and/or the boss wasn't wearing his unique blade and still keeping his longsword and shield.

- Other ghosts from this scene has been loosing their weapons and staying unarmored when the scene has started to repeat (in vanilla, they were just falling on the ground with their weapons "glued" to their hands).

- And probably some other bugs that I've forgot after many attempts to fix them...

So, here comes my question. How can I perform the thing to make it working? I'm tired of endless guessing "Maybe this would work?...". If it's necessary, I can send the files from the moment I've deleted my unworking changes and left it in moderately working state.

Can you help me, please?

[DaMage]

- To replace the stock Fanatics' madness equipment with proper ghostly version, that cannot be just taken like common loot and keeps its ghostly shader after falling on the ground.

- Same as above, but for defenders of Vitharn.

[snip]

- Do something with arrows used by elven archer, because after they're shooted, they remain laying on the ground, able to be taken by player. It's even more difficult than it can look, because for some reason attaching scripts to arrows is not possible.

Well it depends what you want to do. You can add a script to the armor pieces so that when dropped they look ghostly and unselectable to the player. If thats what you mean the script wont be too hard to write up.

For the arrows, you can do it two ways.

1. Give the arrows an enchantment, enchanted arrows dissappear if they dont hit the target.

2. Have a background script that will remove the arrows whenever the player picks them up.

Exchanging the itemsshould be as easy as just swapping them out of the actor's in their lists. However some of those tricky quest scripts might be interfearing.

[ZuTheSkunk]

Well it depends what you want to do. You can add a script to the armor pieces so that when dropped they look ghostly and unselectable to the player. If thats what you mean the script wont be too hard to write up.

Well, this kind of script generally works and I've made it already with the help of scripts from OOO. The problem occurs with adding them to the ghosts so they equip it without breaking their scripts. I haven't thought about adding ghostly items to their lists though, I'll see how it works.

1. Give the arrows an enchantment, enchanted arrows dissappear if they dont hit the target.

Good idea! Although I don't know how to perform such a thing, probably I should ask Willie here.

However some of those tricky quest scripts might be interfearing.

It's the most noticeable for Fanatics from the Vitharn repeating scene, since the items they're using are attached to them both in their own scripts and in general quest script. Probably I should test it more.

[WillieSea]

I thought static objects lost their visuals when dropped.

An enchantment on a weapon or ammo is not a script. You create an enchantment and then on the arrow, you attach the enchantment via the drop-down list.

[ZuTheSkunk]

I thought static objects lost their visuals when dropped.

And they do, so we're forced to put "saa 0.01" and "pms NameOfEffect" within OnLoad and OnReset.

An enchantment on a weapon or ammo is not a script. You create an enchantment and then on the arrow, you attach the enchantment via the drop-down list.

Yes, I know it. But I don't know how to create a scripted enchantment effect that checks does the arrow hasn't hit the target and has fallen on the ground. Maybe you know?

Anyway, I've tried once more something about those scripts and I've actually done at least some of the things I've listed. Now the Fanatics from scene within Vitharn keep are using the weapons made for them, as well as the boss Fanatic.

But the Fanatics outside Vitharn are still stubbornly refuses to listen me. I've changed the leveled lists to contain only items intended for them (ghostly versions that cannot be taken by player), but the Fanatics haven't even noticed the thing and still used their stock equipment. And I'm using clear save, my character stands FAR away from Vitharn and I haven't even been in this part of Shivering Isles! Trying to force them into wearing items without dropping them (equipitem XXX 1) has forced the CTD every time I've got close enough to the Vitharn exterior (I've attached the script to the items):

ref Owner

ref Myself


Begin GameMode


set Owner to getcontainer

set Myself to getself


if ( Owner.getinfaction SE32FanaticFaction == 1 )

    Owner.equipitem Myself 1

endif


End

[/codebox]

But I think I have one more idea. Some time before, I've decided to add some unique item and unique ghost in the part of caves under the Vitharn, and I've discovered that I can create new ghost with new ID and my own items, replace one of the vanilla ghosts with him, attach him to the trigger instead of previous one (that trigger is used to force the "reviving" thing once the player gets close enough) and he actually works perfectly with the SAME script as the others and with MINE items. So I'll try the hard way - to replace all vanilla ghosts with those with new IDs and with my items. Maybe this will finally work.

[YX33A]

Well, unless you're doing something crazy when the arrows hit, just having a enchantment would likely be enough(they are removed if they miss after a second or so, and if they hit they vanish right away). I know that LAME has a bound bow and arrows spell, and the arrows have a dummy enchantment for this very reason.

In any case, is removing the items they use in vanilla not a option? I mean, most things adding items to a NPC don't make a difference unless the item is actually better. Maybe adding a small but present increase on the weapon damage would be enough to get them to equip them. Enchantments don't seem to work most of the time, or at least not for me, anyway.(I've tried adding a robe with a decent shield effect on it to a friendly NPC with some armor on, and even though the armor had less DR then the enchantment on the robe)

[ZuTheSkunk]

In any case, is removing the items they use in vanilla not a option?

Well, I haven't tried that - I was only trying to force adding and equipping items. I even don't remember what error that caused, but definitely there was some. But anyway, the hard way (replacing vanilla ghosts with my ones) has actually did the trick! I don't know what Bethesda has messed up with their ghosts, but there's no need to keep using them.

About arrows, it seems to work too. I've added dummy script effect and they're vanishing very quickly. As a side note: what LAME is?

Thank you for all the help.