Henchmen etc.. Control system
ShadowM
Member Posts: 573
Balkoth put up a great minion control system on the vault and also integrated it into Aielund Saga Enhanced Edition.
Balkoth Minion Control
So that reminded me I been meaning to do some more work on minions control for my next update to my base module. So I did some work on some of the baseline stuff he started. The video shows some of the changes including individual control, interaction with doors, switches and items. Still need to add custom visual markers to better show which individual henchmen you control at a time. You can issue the commands with the game pause and they will do the action after you unpause.
Video sample of changes.
LINK
Balkoth Minion Control
So that reminded me I been meaning to do some more work on minions control for my next update to my base module. So I did some work on some of the baseline stuff he started. The video shows some of the changes including individual control, interaction with doors, switches and items. Still need to add custom visual markers to better show which individual henchmen you control at a time. You can issue the commands with the game pause and they will do the action after you unpause.
Video sample of changes.
LINK
7
Comments
With Numos' tool, I don't have to worry about whether the AI has control of the creature or whether the player tool has control. I can already put the henchman commands of Pick Lock and Disable Trap on the toolbar as part of the standard NWN controls.
What can Balkoth's tool do so much better than Numos' tool, that it's worth the hassle of toggling the AI? Sorry, but I just don't see it.
multi-creature puzzles. I just added simple click on item in the henchmen inventory for them to try ID magical items, no need to do it in a conversation. I like the better control for combat placement / options for puzzles / easy ID items with wizard companion and future items I will be adding. Everyone will choose the degree of control they want. Pick whichever system you want. I do this stuff for things I want in the game.
Numos released his tool on December 5th, 2015.
I released my tool on February 23rd, 2015. That's kind of more than nine months earlier. And I developed my tool for Siege of the Heavens which was for the Adventure Building Challenge back on the old Bioware forums (don't remember offhand what date that was and leaving town for the weekend in 12 minutes, so typing fast).
In other words, I did not take ideas from a script that didn't exist when I released my tool. As ShadowM said, it's "flaky."
1. If you send a minion to a spot and the heartbeat triggers en route, it returns to you.
2. If you send a minion to a spot and it makes it there...it still returns to you next heartbeat
3. If you send a minion to attack a creature in the back and it gets attacked or has a spell cast at it or even sees a closer enemy it can decide to change its course.
I could go on but that's the gist of it -- if you want more examples I'll provide them next Tuesday when I'm back.
@ShadowM Some nifty stuff there. The ID magical stuff is interesting -- could even have it loop through all items when you try to ID one. Frankly ideally your companions would try to ID items as they get acquired, but that's a separate script and this is way to still help. Two concerns, though:
1. What if a creature whose inventory you cannot access picks up an item? It's just gone. That seems like it could be problematic.
2. I had considered doing what you did with selecting different party members. The catch is that you then lose the ability to order minions to regroup on you or on a party member. The former could be accomplished with a "follow me" command in all fairness but slightly more clunky. I also considered adding a second feat/script (like DM Tool 1) to control individuals while Player Tool 1 controlled the group. However, quickbar space is already very limited for spellcasters and I wasn't sure it was worth giving up a second slot for that. Your thoughts?
Ultimately, I decided to release it and see what feedback I got from both the Aielund Saga and anyone using it on their own...and then possibly add one of those features. Been working on an override version that is compatible with Tony K's stuff in the meantime.
This work are very great!
@ShadowM
Would you have thought about uploading this work in vault?
Thanks!
If I can get some free time then I see about ripping it out and putting it on the vault on it own, using a item or something.