WAC Beta v0.1 - Downloads, comments, suggestions

[Maigrets]

Sorry...double posted somehow.

[Maigrets]

Waalx, I was thinking about all these cool characters that are in the works, like the Guardian of the Way for instance. Have you thought of making them companions? Perhaps after you survive the arena the Guardian is impressed with your skill and thinks perhaps it'd be fun to see what other scrapes you get yourself into and offers to tag along? Using whatever companion script Oblivion already has you could add these badass characters throughout Cyrodiil, wherever the mood strikes you, or wherever it makes sense. You're making such cool characters, I think it'd be a lot of fun to spend more time with them.

I think companion pluggins for WAC can easiest be made with the CM Partners mod. It's very easy to create new companions with it and all the features a companion needs (well, except for "romance" stuff) are already there. The vanilla style of companion handling is really dreadfull and will only allow companions to follow or stay.

Heck, CM Partners even allows to make companion out of creatures! That's even better than summoning one!

My Cypress House plugin adds a number of creature companions spread around Cyroddil, without the need for CM Partners. Of course it depends on how much interaction you want with them, but people who know my companions seem happy enough with their AI etc. The house is more than it seems with a history and much more. When it's done...soon..

Adding any companions using CM Partners (and I'm not having a go at that mod) will add the requirement for another ESM and I believe OBSE with the newest version. Unless there's a non OBSE version of CM Partners. Personally, if companions are made based on it, I won't be using them. However, that's my choice.

It would be easy enough to make NPC's into companions using the vanilla follower system or another easy method. That's someone else's job though. I only make and use creature companions. I used to run several NPC companions, but they are more of an annoyance than anything, so I just have the critters who stay out of the way and do what they are meant to do.

@ Waalx
I've emailed you some screen shots of the Arena with nekkid people, not really that graphic. (shock horror). I mentioned before that it's against the rules at Photobucket. I'll look into the link Mormacil gave me to host screens. TX

I also mentioned in the email that the humming sound in the spectator area must have been a glitch because it was fine tonight...no humming.

Owyn's pet has spasms trying to move around. Perhaps he could have a short range wander package? It would hardly matter if he moved around in that area.

So, here are a couple of shots I took. It's actually quite entertaining watching them fight. The big cats don't last long. A few swipes and they are dead, even from the Condemned.

BLUE Vs YELLOW


NICE ARMOUR SIR


YEAH, TOUGH!!

[NoName101]

The Cypruss House sounds really good. Some thing more to look forward for.

Nice pictures Anja!

[Mormacil]

Nice pictures and armor (waalx )

[Krimsyn Kane]

*Sorry looks like I double posted as well somehow...weird.*

[Krimsyn Kane]

Nice pictures and armor (waalx )

Agreed, I especially like that one sleeved leather armor.

Good pictures Anja

The Cypruss House sounds really good. Some thing more to look forward for.

Also looking forward to Cypress House, can't wait to check it out.

[Salimbene]

The new arena is superbe!
I faught two matches. In the first match I used my favourite tactic for low-level-chars: hide behind something and let the others do most of the work. During the second my grandpa had to run a lot to regenerate his magicka. (Don’t forget to carry enough healing potions with you!)
That was not really Gladiator-like, but this is also a pre-Alpha, no?

May be it sounds a bit strange, but it is rather "refreshing" to see these amazons with the amputated breast and NPCs with more baroque bodies. And their unarmed nakedness gives the arena a more dark, existentialistic touch. Especially if you have admired Flavius opulent sortiment of weapons just before; makes the great show a bit ambiguous.

Beautiful shots, Anja. (I wasn't able to make any, too occupied with the survival of my char)

Today I found a depressed bunny, which had lost its moustache:
http://img5.imagebanana.com/view/zj2wr6b/WACB03.jpg

[Maigrets]

@ Salimbene...After a couple of real fights I cheated a bit to get the screen shots in the Arena. Ahem!! Well, not exactly cheating but stopping the action with the console..

Big progress on Cypress House today. I think the flu I had has finally departed so if I keep up today's pace I'll be finished all but the story very quickly.

My little black buddy here has a part in the story of the house and is a companion. He flies extremely well and he hates mud crabs....don't we all?

The other screen shot is my character sitting in the window seat. (obviously) And the house at night...all is not what it may seem at first .....or second glance.

[reallybigjohnson]

as for the companions thing and CM partners its pretty easy to convert any creature or npc even ones added by mods to use it. i happen to like CM partners alot with talkie toasters share and recruit in a close second. the main advantages of CM partners is a better following system, although they still get left behind once in a while and the biggy for me is that they repair and recharge their equipment with a simple click on the dialogue instead of taking away everything repairing it and then giving it back to them which gets really tiresome. i believe they also cure diseases although its been awhile since ive read the readme and i have a companion area cure disease spell that i use once in a while just to be on the safe side.

awhile back i was playing one of the companion quest mods but gave up on it cause i was so used to CM partners that i got sick of constantly babysitting the companion from the mod. they get stuck all the time and you have to double back and find them again.

requiring CM partners isnt that much of a deal and alot of mods require OBSE so i dont see and issue with using that either. if you dont want any of the CM partners added to the game world you can just install the base files and leave out the extras.

[Maigrets]

I only do creature companions and I have no interest in making any other kind. Mine don't get stuck, they have good AI and just do what they are supposed to do. Plus they can be summoned in the unlikely event they get left behind.

That may sound simplified, but they are not five minute jobs to set up with just a generic follow the player package.
They have their own packages, scripts, globals and AI without menus which I find intrusive. You tell them to follow or stay and they take care of the rest.

That's my preference though. My plugin is optional, no-one is compelled to use it, and if they do, they don't have to use the companions either. There's a lot more to it than companions. WAC and the vanilla game are the only compatibility issues I'm concerned about, considering where the house is located.

As far as CM Partners and OBSE that's for Waalx to decide whether he wants them. I already use OBSE for other mods. Optional plugins can have their own dependencies I imagine so people can make whatever companions they like as long as it's based on WAC.

[Krimsyn Kane]

I only do creature companions and I have no interest in making any other kind. Mine don't get stuck, they have good AI and just do what they are supposed to do. Plus they can be summoned in the unlikely event they get left behind.

That may sound simplified, but they are not five minute jobs to set up with just a generic follow the player package.
They have their own packages, scripts, globals and AI without menus which I find intrusive. You tell them to follow or stay and they take care of the rest.

In my opinion, that's exactly the way they should be.

CM Partners is great and all, and I personally use use OBSE for certain things, but I'm all for simplicity and polish.

Aside from the obvious greats, like Baldur's Gate, which is in a league all it's own, I like Fallout's companion system the best. They're introduced via a bit of story, they're relatively simple, yet unique and engaging enough to really make you feel like they're a part of your story.

[reallybigjohnson]

i love fallouts companions set up. the only mod i downloaded to change them was one to make them a bit sneakier but other than that i have had no issues with them. i hope that bethesda implements this system in the next TES game. imagine having a thief, mage, warrior, healer party integrated directly into the game like some of the old school rpgs like might and magic had.........

in fallout i have purposely set up my game so that i have to have a couple of companions in tow otherwise i will die quickly. i changed my health settings so that im equal to npcs and made health purely dependant on endurance and got rid of the stupid health increases per level.

@anja if your companions dont get stuck i will have no problem using them whatsoever. i already use CM and talkies share and recruit so one more design isnt going to make a difference to me. im also not big on menus and it would be nice of CM simply did an automatic check to fix weapons and armor and cure diseases after every battle without having to tell them too, but there must be some reason why it couldnt be implemented otherwise im sure he would have put it in already.

my point was one that used to pop up on the official forums alot, although less and less these days. alot of people kept asking for non obse versions of mods for no good reason whatsoever. its not a virus, cpu usage is negligible and it doesnt change the game itself, it only adds options for modders to use if they want. very few people use the D2D which is the only version that isnt supported by obse. even reneer who tried really really hard to not use obse now has uses for it in his mod.

making modders do extra work simply cause some people were "afraid" of obse just seemed silly to me. my big thing is that modders dont get overworked because we have all seen very talented modders leave from the headaches. and if you update one version you have to update the other version or redo the readme explaining why couldnt add such and such because of limitations. im all about making the modders as comfortable and relaxed as possible so that projects get finished. im so loving WAC right now that i would go smurfy if waalx up and left from burnout.

[Maigrets]

I don't have a problem with OBSE at all...except that I can't script for it. It's hard enough without it..

I use OBSE for a number of mods like COBL for one example. I often see questions on Tesnexus forum though from people who freak out about it. They don't need to know how it works, just install and download mods that use it...and have fun!

As far as companions go, I used to have several NPC ones, but they got on my nerves after awhile. Admittedly, this was a couple of years ago and they weren't as good as they are now, but the fighting between friends and AI that goes screwy just put me off.

Maybe, I just like animals more than people at my age...

I give my companions a small healing ability which they use after battle and since they are essential, I also give them Resist magic 50% and Resist Poison 75%. That's only because I've found with some mods, including WAC, strong poisons and certain spells can damage their attributes permanently. The only way to fix it is to reboot the mod or make the companion non essential and that is pointless if using OOO and MMM etc. You'd be resurrecting them every five minutes because their healing system wouldn't get a chance to kick in. At least if they are knocked out they can recover. I've been in OOO/MMM dungeons where my companions are constantly knocked down so they need to be immortal. A gift for creatures from the Nine...

I imagine that Bethesda didn't envisage so many different kinds of companion systems as well so there are probably hard coded things there that cause issues. Like a few others I've discovered. The vanilla game folowers are next to useless. They die at the first encounter.
Morrowind's companion system was fairly basic..or I should say, it was difficult to do. Grumpy and Emma had the best system, but I haven't played Morrowind since last year. Things may have changed.

I haven't played Fallout 3 for a couple of months, but I do like the companion system much better. Their AI is incredibly improved and I also hope they do this for TESV.
You could guess Dog Meat is my favourite. Then there's Jericho...he just cracks me up. I use FOOK so when Jericho gives me lip and he gets to fight lots of mobs.... He is essential though.

reallybigjohnson -- you'd never find my mods at Tesnexus or PES under the user name Anja. I'm Maigrets at Tesnexus etc. The reason I have Anja the Whisperer is because it was the name of my very first character for Oblivion, a Khajiit. I joined the Official forums under that name and originally PM'ed Waalx about testing from there. So I use it here too.
I actually prefer Maigrets but I can't change it, I assume without upsetting my posts.
So, I answer to both..

[greenwarden]

Just wish to say that I'm a happy user of your animal companion mods, Anja/Maigrets. They are wonderfully done, and add so much life to my game.

Also, I am eagerly anticipating Cypress House. It looks gorgeous.

Okay, sorry for the OT, Waalx.


Back to recording for me.

[Maigrets]

Just wish to say that I'm a happy user of your animal companion mods, Anja/Maigrets. They are wonderfully done, and add so much life to my game.

Also, I am eagerly anticipating Cypress House. It looks gorgeous.

Okay, sorry for the OT, Waalx.


Back to recording for me.

Thanks, greenwarden.

A number of things for Cypress House have been a learning curve, but I'm getting there and I can put the things I've learned to good use in the near future.

Yes, I'll get back in my box and off the OT as well.

[NoName101]

I've been on vacation without Oblivion so I haven't had much to try some things out. But the more I get awesome loot and get killed by greenies I find myself thinking. "Waalx is a Genius"

Great Mod.

[mitkoa]

Jee, Waalx (or Alex if you prefer), I've started to fail to see how good your models and textures until I went browsing tesnexus a bit today...

Now for the suggestions:

I got whooped by a pack of three fox-like small wolves, yet I kill packs of bigger wolves w/o a problem. Perhaps there should be a more obvious relationship between size and hitpoints? (sorry this was a while back and I can't recall names of creatures)

Just now I realized all of the weapons and apparel in the Borderwatch forge are free to take w/o penalty. (Apologies if the problem has been posted already, the thread is too long for me to read from the start)

Otherwise very few problems, and great surprises everywhere, really impressive stuff!

Cheers
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Mercury Commuter

[Wolfchild73]

Hi everybody,

got big problems downloading the first part of >700mb it alsways f..... up after about 50 to 60% download time and i dont know why. Any ideas or clues?

Greets Wolfchild

[mitkoa]

Oh, having just now read your monologue on page 86:

WAC all the way!
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Trade Credit Insurance Forum

[SirNoweth]

Wow! I know it's a tad bit late, but very nice screen shots, Anja! I've a thing for ravens, so I'm glad you've added a little black bird as a creature companion.