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Henchmen etc.. Control system

ShadowMShadowM Member Posts: 573
edited April 2018 in Builders - Scripting
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

Comments

  • GrymlordeGrymlorde Member Posts: 121
    How is this better than Numos' Minion Command Tool?

    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.
  • ShadowMShadowM Member Posts: 573
    Grymlorde said:

    How is this better than Numos' Minion Command Tool?

    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.

    Because Numo tool is more flaky in my testing with my familiar would not stay at choosen spots, would not stay attacking chosen creatures. Looking at both it seem Balkoth took some ideas from Numo script. In my example the minions will have more options like interaction with switchs/placable/doors/items for
    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.
  • GrymlordeGrymlorde Member Posts: 121
    Thanks @ShadowM . Given what you're doing, I'm inclined to try out what you're developing once you've finished. And I've had the same issue with moving and staying associates. Numos' tool is not perfect.
  • BalkothBalkoth Member Posts: 157
    Let's clarify something up-front:

    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.
    Grymlorde said:

    How is this better than Numos' Minion Command 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.
  • ShadowMShadowM Member Posts: 573
    @Balkoth sorry about that I should of looked at the release dates. You totally right. I already have a check for inventory and only creature with inventory can pick up items. I was thinking about adding a fetching system with ones that do not have an inventory with weight vs size of the creature(can it fly etc..) Just some thoughts. You can click on yourself and that is back to group move and click near yourself for the whole party. The others you can pause and click each over, I guess. I just finished some update on the IDing so now the item can be in any companion/master inventory you just have to have selected the person you want to do the ID(the henchmen with high lore) then click on the unidentified item. I still have to integrate it into Jasperre AI system that in my base and some other custom system in my base and check on some bugs that might pop up. It great system and I glad you released it to everyone.
  • SeverumSeverum Member Posts: 15
    Hi!
    This work are very great!

    @ShadowM
    Would you have thought about uploading this work in vault?

    Thanks!
  • ShadowMShadowM Member Posts: 573
    Severum said:
    Hi!
    This work are very great!

    @ShadowM
    Would you have thought about uploading this work in vault?

    Thanks!
    Sorry for the late reply, I been busy with Real life stuff. I have uploaded it with my hr base back in version 11.50 (two update ago), LINK
    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.
  • SeverumSeverum Member Posts: 15
    Thanks for answering. These days I have been working on combining the tool of Numo and the Balkoth Control System and finally I have managed to work individually the minion to open doors, traps and locks. Works fine.

    Likewise, the HR BASE 12 link is incredible. Thanks again for the contribution.

    A greeting!

  • ShadowMShadowM Member Posts: 573
    Ok I ripped it out of my base module, not everything but the core and posted to the vault. Have fun playing with it everyone. LINK
  • SeverumSeverum Member Posts: 15
    Great!! Thanks very much!
  • SeverumSeverum Member Posts: 15
    It indicates that my version of Aurora Toolset is different ... In the game if I can load it. But in the Aurora Toolset I can not load it. My version of the game is 1.77 and that of Aurora vts74.

    What can be the motive?
  • ShadowMShadowM Member Posts: 573
    Opps, I saved it in development build and not in the latest stable build. I knew I forgot something. I get it fixed.
  • ShadowMShadowM Member Posts: 573
    Ok updated with non-developer version.
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