Difference between revisions of "A beginner's guide, lesson 6 - Quest Dialogue"

'''TES IV: Oblivion Modding for Beginners

This is the Sixth in a proposed series of Tutorial Lessons aimed at teaching how to mod TES IV: Oblivion aimed at beginners. It will build up into a Complete Modding Course. Don't worry there are no exams, though there is some homework. This version has been written for use on the forum. The RTF version contains additional material left out due to formatting limitations

'''Files

I have uploaded some files in a zip which we will used to accompany the next few tutorials.  

'''A. BGModTutBase.esp:''' This contains a building, a farmhouse, and a dungeon that we will use as sets in lessons 6, 7 and 8. This file is referred to in the text as the BASE files

'''B. BGModTutPlayTest.esp:''' This is the interim quest mod illustrating the stage you should have reached prior to polishing the mod. This is referred to in the text as the PLAYTEST files

'''C. BGModAnvilCheat.esp:'''This is a small optional cheat mod to give users 5000 septims to allow them to follow this tutorial if they have not completed the quest. (See Introduction to lesson 4)

It is being assumed that you have completed lessons one to three, and that that you have at least read through the appendix section on the Quest Interface.

The [[Edit Scripts|script editor]] is in essence, a very basic text editor, used for writing and editing scripts. Many scripters use external text editors like notepad, notepad++, Crimson Editor, etc. to develop long scripts. One reason for this is that the script editor will only save compiled scripts which must be 100% correct. It also allows you to keep a back-up version.  

On the menu bar at the top of the editor you will find two options plus the standard help files.

Finally there is a drop down menu. This allows you to select the script type. There are 4 types of script, but results scripts are not edited or compiled in the script editor. We will see this shortly.  

Okay we want to write a quest script, so select Quest from the Script Type drop-down window.

Scripting is a set of instructions to the game telling it to do certain tasks which cannot normally be done by the usual game play interaction. It has much in common with programming languages but is not a true language in its self. We do need to use a formal structure called syntax to ensure that the game can understand what we want it to do.  

Let's add a bit of script then

We need to give each script a name, and like all naming that we have covered so far it has the same basic rules. The name must be a single alpha-numeric, which is unique.  

There is a convention that you should add a prefix to help identify your scripts.  

Let's name the script BGM001QuestScript

  Scriptname BGM001QuestScript

  Scn BGM001QuestScript

==Three Problems==

There are 3 problems with the mod as it stands, (other than the fact it is not finished).

The first problem you may have noticed is that the text does not stay on the screen very long and our NPC will, just look at us. This is due to the way the game handles speech.  

It expects to find for each dialogue response files which we have not created. One is an MP3 which contains the sound files the others control are lip synch files used to animate the actor face as we carry out the dialogue. The text onscreen is set to appear on screen for the duration of these files.  

Since we don't have them yet the text runs very quickly. In later tutorials we will look at polishing this mod to include these files. For now these are cosmetic problems. It's irritating not to see the text for any length of time but it can't be helped, until we add those MP3's.  

It doesn't stop the quest running. You can repeatedly play the on-screen text by selecting the topic message for you until you get the message

The second problem deals with the script as it currently stands and may not be so obvious to a non-scripter. Remember the quest script works every 5 seconds. That means that every 5 seconds this script adds the topic BGMMessage4u to the players list. I don't honestly know the effect of repeatedly adding a topic to the player list. I suspect that having done this the first time the rest of the time the script is ignored.  

However, this is still an untidy way to script. If we only want the script to do something once we should write script that does this.

This leads us to one of the most important and common scripting ideas. A do once loop.

 

This uses an.

  Begin GameMode

  AddTopic BGMMessage4U

  Set DoOnce1 to 1

  End

This is perfectly fine but it can get a little hard to read, when these if statements get long and complex. So again we use an optional convention. We indent using the tab key all lines after an IF statement, to make clear what is going on. So

this script uses another new command called SET-TO.

Comparison Operators  

Combining Comparisons  

The conditions box in the Topics Tab is used to limit who gets to say a particular response.

We can limit this in many ways

 

Open up the topics tab, select the BGMMessage4u topic and highlight the response we have added earlier.

Again we can use Right Click-New to add conditions or we can click on the new button at the bottom of the tab page.

The organization of these is the same as the quest conditions we set before.

The default position is to add a topic to all NPCs and we need to use the conditions to reduce this number.  

 

This particular topic is a general one and we want to set some general conditions just to reduce the number of NPCs that can say it.  

Well in the middle part of the window is the response box.  

This is the list of expected MP3 files which we would need to create. It is very long.

It expects both a male and female response for every race.  

We can remove some of these to make our life easier later on

Select new in the condition box with this response highlighted.

In the function drop down menu, scroll down to the function GetIsRace.

The function parameter box now reads invalid.  

Click on this and a list of playable races is display.  

Select Argonian from the list.  

The comparison reads == which is correct.  

The value current reads 1.000. This is mathematical speak for a true response.  

We want to change this to the false response 0.000.

Look at the Actor who might say this response. Check what race they are in. If they are not an Argonian (Argonian == 0.000) then carry on.  

If they are an Argonian they fail this condition and they cannot say this line.

(Note the condition Argonian == 0 is mathematically the same as Argonian != 1)

Now, let's add a few more Race conditions.  

Right click in the condition box.

Select the condition and copy it using the options in the menu.  

Now right click and paste.  

In the parameter box click on it and change the race to Elf.  

We now have two races excluded.  

Repeat this process to exclude the other races, until we are left with Bretons, Redguards Imperials and Nords. (I.e. the Human Races).  

Is this some sort of cultural imperialism on my part?  

No It's just I reckon I could add an MP3 file which might sound passable in these races. Orcs, Argonians, and Khajiits have unique voice types that are harder to replicate. It is a matter of style and choice. If you want to extend the range do so.  

We call conditions set to == 0 as exclusive conditions since they exclude a group or individual from being in that response.

We also want to limit the places that these lines are valid.  

Again I could have chosen any number of locations.  

I choose the Imperial City because it is after all the Capital, and most PC's will at some time visit the City. It is as ever about style rather than technique and you are free to choose your own path. All major locations, including the cities have special cells created to allow us to do conditions easier.  

The game then searches for cells with that text string at the beginning. So by selecting a cell called IC, it actually triggers every cell which begins IC even if that cell then has a lot of other text after it.  

If you called a cell Icnatta or some such, even though this cell might be nothing to do with the Imperial City the catch all nature of the ‘IC' description means it will be considered as part of the Imperial City. This means we do need to be careful when naming cells.  

It also means of course that we can use this trick if we create huge mods that add towns or cities. By carefully naming all my external and interior cells VeronaHouseSomethingorOther, I could then create a dummy, or completely empty cell called VeronaHouse, which would allow me to use VeronaHouse in condition statements and identify if an event or character was taking place in the Verona House area.

 

 

Set the condition to test.  

(This is an inclusive condition, since it includes a group in that response.)  

One such faction is the ICFaction. It groups all the NPCs who are considered citizens of this city. It is a useful way to distinguish between the merchants', soldiers, and workers of the capital and a tourist from Chorrol who is passing through. We can use this to again include or exclude factions

Set up a NEW condition.  

Choose the [[GetInFaction]] function, and then choose the ICFaction from the list to get a new condition

Finally we want to exclude our NPC Vilanus Villa from saying these lines. This is why we added him to the game first.

Then from the parameter list select BGVilanusVilla.   

Remember to set the value to 0 so that your condition doesn't include him.

|  BGMMessage4u (Message for you)

|  I hear a Lawyer called Vilanus Villa is looking for you

| GetIsRace Argonian == 0 etc.<br>

GetInCell ‘IC’ == 1<br>

GetInFaction ‘ICFaction’ == 1<br>

GetIsID BGVilanusVilla == 0<br>

GetStage BGM001 < 10<br>

| BGVilanusVilla (in add topic box)

|  SetStage BGM001 10 (compile)

I'll use these summaries throughout these tutorials as a direction for you to use. I have used this table as a template when planning my own quests and found them really useful. Remember if you get stuck refer to the PLAY TEST version to see how it should look.

''I have been told a lawyer called Vilanus Villa is looking for me. I should find out where he is staying. He may have important news for me.''

Ok, we have now added a topic called '''BGMMessage4u.

When you click on the "BGMMessage4u" topic in the game the topic Vilanus Villa will now automatically be added.  

Select the BGVilanusVilla topic we added earlier and add a response (See table below). This response should direct the player to the Talos District of the Imperial City.  

Since this is a direct follow-on from "BGMMessage4u", we can use the same conditions to do the job.  

In the "BGMMessage4u" condition box, right click and select copy all conditions and then paste these into the BGVilanusVilla response.  

This response is fine, unless of course we are already in the Talos district.

We need to add one more condition to account for this by using the [[GetInCell]] function.

!  TOPIC

|  BGVilanusVilla (Vilanus Villa)

|  I believe he is staying in the Talos district

| GetInRace Argonian == 0 etc.<br>

GetInCell ‘IC’ == 1<br>

GetInFaction ‘ICFaction’ == 1<br>

GetIsId BGVilanusVilla == 0<br>

GetStage BGM001 < 20<br>

'''GetInCell ‘ICTalosDistrict’ == 0'''<br>

For this topic we need to add another response.  

This one should direct the player to the Imperial Hotel where we placed Vilanus Villa. Again we can copy the conditions across by using the copy and paste method, and then change the last condition to 1.

!  TOPIC

|  BGVilanusVilla (Vilanus Villa)

|  I believe he is staying in the Imperial Hotel

| GetInRace Argonian == 0 etc.<br>

GetInCell ‘IC’ == 1<br>

GetInFaction ‘ICFaction’ == 1<br>

GetIsID BGVilanusVilla == 0<br>

GetStage BGM001 < 20<br>

'''GetInCell ‘ICTalosDistrict’ == 1'''<br>

If you wanted to get really flashy we could add another response for the occasions when we ask NPCs about Vilanus Villa in the hotel itself.  

However, I have not done this to save a bit of time. Feel free to try this yourself. A response like ‘Yeah I've seen him around here.' would do.  

Don't forget to copy the conditions and alter the GetInCell parameter.

Another way to pass on information via dialogues is to use the GREETING topic. If you remember the discussion in lesson four about how conversations work, all dialogues begin with a GREETING, which is selected by the game from the GREETING topic.  

In the topics tab select Right Click-Add and add GREETING. This already exists so you will not need to create a new topic when the list appears.

This is quite a long response so we should split it up.

This reduces the amount of text that appears on the screen at any one time.  

:''Hello, my name is Vilanus Villa and I've been looking for you. I'm afraid I have some bad news

Then in the center response details box, not the upper info box, right click and add a new response. You'll get a new interface to write in.

:''Your uncle has passed away peacefully in his sleep.

Then add another

:''I have been asked to look after his last will and testament

We can go adding new lines to this response info if we wish. In the top box we can see the number of responses increments to 3. The text appears in the top box as:

''

Hello, my name is Vilanus Villa and I've been looking for you. I'm afraid I have some bad news || Your uncle has passed away peacefully in his sleep. || I have been asked to look after his last will and testament.''

 

We need to add some conditions, to control who says these lines. This is very important when using the GREETINGS topic as this is so wide spread within the game. While it is silly that every character could respond to BGMMessage4u, it is dangerous to have an unconditional greeting as this might override every other Greeting in the game and prevent other quests from running as intended.

We can use the GetIsID function.  

We need to have an NPC reference which is why we built BGVilanusVilla first. We will also restrict this response to the opening stage of our quest.

* '''GetStage BGM001==10'''

* '''GetIsID BGVilanusVilla==1'''

Now we want to add a new topic called BGWill. However, there is an issue (and many thanks to Hecks for pointing this out) when adding topics to the GREETING or indeed any existing Bethesda topic. For technical reasons, the topic might not get added if more than one plug-in is attempting to use GREETING to add a topic.

First create a new topic which we can reference called BGWill (Right Click, etc).  

Now add this by now familiar script function to the result script for this info response.

We can stop this by setting up what I call a conditional pair of responses.

 

This is automatically set at zero. We can use the response result box to bump this up to one after speech with this bit of script.

Don't forget to click the compile button.

Summarising the first response

!  TOPIC

* Hello, my name is Vilanus Villa and I've been looking for you. I'm afraid I have some bad news.

* Your uncle has passed away peacefully in his sleep.

* I have been asked to look after his last will and testament.

| GetStage BGM001==10<br>

GetIsID BGVilanusVilla==1<br>

'''GetQuestVariable BGM001.MetVilla == 0'''<br>

| BGWill

|  Set BGM001.MetVilla to 1

We can then add this alternative response info to the GREETING topic

!  TOPIC

|  Whenever you want to talk about your uncle's will, let me know

| GetStage BGM001==10<br>

GetIsID BGVilanusVilla==1<br>

'''GetQuestVariable BGM001.MetVilla == 1'''<br>

|  ''No script''

|  ''No add topic''

We can now add another multi-line response info to the BGWill topic added by the first response.  

You will need to add a new topic called BGHubart.

!  TOPIC

|  BGWill

* Apparently your uncle has some property here in Cyradiil. I am not sure where though.

* I was expecting a courier to deliver the details but he has not shown up.

* Captain Hubart of the Chorrol Guard has written to explain the courier did not make it to his Chorrol rendezvous.

* You will have to go to Chorrol to check with him what is going on. Here is a copy of his letter.

| GetStage BGM001==10<br>

GetIsID BGVilanusVilla==1

| BGHubart

|  SetStage BGM001 20

:''I have been told that I may have inherited some property, but the courier carrying the details has gone missing. I will need to go to Chorrol and speak to a Captain Hubart of the Chorrol guard to get more details

Again we can create a ‘new' item, but it means trying to add artwork to the game, and unless we want the letter or scroll to look completely unique, and have some talent in that direction, it is a chore we don't need to do.

Instead select any letter from the object/items/books list in the object window, change its ID to something meaningful like ‘BGHubartLetter'  

The text on the right hand side indicates the content of the letter. We can edit this. I will look at the precise details and syntax needed to produce text in  another lesson.  

It uses standard HTML instructions.  

For now the key command is <nowiki><br></nowiki> which produces a line break, or new line. Leave the font face alone.

I regret to inform you that the White Horse courier Janus Jakobs, who you asked me to meet, has not arrived for her expected rendezvous. I know you where expecting some important documents to arrive.<br>

I don't have enough man power to launch a search. Perhaps you can find someone willing to assist in finding Jakobs.

I look forward to hearing from you old friend.

Save the letter as a new form.

Now type this in the results script box for Stage 20 and compile it using the button below.

  Player.additem "BGHubartLetter" 1

We can also add a new response info to the topic called BGHubart, to direct the player to Chorrol

!  TOPIC

|  BGHubart (Captain Hubart)

|  You’ll find him in Chorrol

| GetStage BGM001==20<br>

GetIsID BGVilanusVilla==1

We have completed phase one, now we move to Chorrol.

Objectives: - In this phase of the quest we want to use a new NPC called Hubart to direct the player to solve a mystery. He will direct the player to a cottage, where they will discover a mysterious medallion and the dead body of the courier. Hubart will then be able to help us move on to Aleswell and the next phase.

 

Again we need to add the NPC first so we can reference him in conditions.

We can again use a new NPC object, but it really saves a lot of time and effort if we simply change the name and ID of an existing Chorrol Guard, I used ChorrolGuardPatrolNight01. Give him a ID to suit like BGCptHubart (Captain Hubart).

Again strip out his AI, but we can leave his inventory as is, since the Chorrol guards' inventory already contains all we will need. We can also leave the factions alone as they work fine. I placed Hubart outside the Fire and Steel. (Hint a fast way to get to an exterior cell is to select the Fire and Steel interior, and the click on the teleport marker by the door)

This is only his starting position. We can add AI's later to move the character about.

We have to set up a new responses to the BGHubart topic.

We could add a new topic but it is always a good idea to try to limit how many new topics we add, this reduces the ‘footprint' of the mod, and helps avoid possible conflicts with other mods.

We want to set up a response that when any Chorrol based NPCs are questioned they will direct the PC toward the likely location of the good captain. Add conditions to limit, race to human, saving all that MP3 work, and the location to the Chorrol dummy cell. We can also limit the ‘timescale' to the current quest stage. Try this yourself. You can always refer to the play test version if you get stuck.

!  TOPIC

|  BGHubart (Captain Hubart)

|  Ah yes I know him. He is usually on duty near the Fire and Steel

| GetInRace Argonian == 0 etc.<br>

GetInCell ‘Chorrol’ == 1<br>

GetInFaction ‘ChorrolFaction’ == 1<br>

GetIsID BGCptHubart == 0<br>

GetStage BGM001>= 20

We can limit this using suitable conditions to Hubart only and using the current stage. ADD a TOPIC called BGCourier (Couriers)

!  TOPIC

|  BGVilanusVilla

|  Vilanus has sent you to investigate the courier’s disappearance.

| GetIsID BGCptHubart == 1<br>

GetStage BGM001== 20

|  BGCourier

Again try this and then refer to the Play test version if you are stuck.

Before we go any further we need to set the scene at the cottage.

We want to remove some of the clutter. We also want to give the impression a fight has taken place. Tips some chairs and tables over (Y=90). Remember this set will be locked at the start and you will only use it for a short time, so don't go overboard. We also want to place some props. We need an amulet to trigger the next phase. Why an amulet. It's small enough that you have to look for It., without being so small that it becomes hard to find. Again use an existing item of jewellery as a base and edit it. I called it BGEmbossedAmulet. Set this as a Quest Item. This means the character can not drop or sell this item once he has picked it up.

We also want to create a custom letter with this text called BGPartialLetter. Set the letter as a quest item. We will refer to it in some scripts.

The client wishes his only living heir in Cyrodiil, to inherit his house, I have enclosed

the deed and key. the location is registerd at the Imperial City land offices ..<br>

Of course this would look really cool if we could create a custom ‘ripped' scroll. But that is beyond the scope of these tutorials.

Finally we want the body of the unfortunate courier.

Bodies are NPCs who just happen to be dead. You will need to create an NPC, don't bother too much about detail on this one as they are dead. I used the Courier1 npc as abase.

Place this character in to the render window, Edit her ID, and position in a suitable place. I put her in a side room so you don't see her straight away. . I also left a nice blood trail to lead you to her. Initially she will be standing up.

First edit the NPCs health to read zero (0).

 

Now the awkward thing is the fact that she is just standing there. She will stay standing in the game unless we make her fall first. To get her to fall, click on the WORLD menu and select run havoc sim, now click this.

 

Down she goes.

We have to now add the letter to the dead courier's inventory.

I also placed a sword which pointed directly at the amulet.

Another useful technique is to create an NPC called something like BGDummyPlayer. Use any base you like. We will not place this NPC in the render window. Don't bother to edit anything other than the reference ID.

We can now set the ownership of the door and cell (lesson 3) to BGDummyPlayer. This means that all items in the cottage will display the red hand, with the exception of the embossed amulet. This is a handy way to set ownership without having to create detailed NPCs. We can use BGDummyPlayer to set the ownership of all the doors and sets we want to prohibit our player from entering.

Create a key called BGCourierKey. Again select an existing key and change the editor id. Edit the cottage door to set its lock status to ‘needs a key' and use this as the key.

We need to add an [[XMarker]] to the interior and the exterior a [[map marker]].

Drop an xmarker or an [[XMarkerHeading]] object inside the cottage and give it a reference name like BgCourierLodgeXMarker.

Now select a MapMarker and drop it just outside the cottage door, in the exterior cell.

It looks a bit like a door teleport marker but is pink rather than yellow.

Edit its details to give it a reference name like BGMCCottageMapMarker

Finally in the name box call it Courier Cottage.

Again this is the name that will appear on the map.

Add the following multi-line response and set conditions to limit it to Hubart and the current stage. First add stage 30 in the stage tab.

 

!  TOPIC

|  BGCourier (Courier?)

* Here is a key to get you in. Let me know what you find out.

| GetIsId BGCptHubart == 1<br>

GetStage BGM001>= 20

| BGCluesFound

| SetStage BGM001 30

 

 

 

 

And add this to the stage result script

  Player.additem "BGCourierKey" 1

  ShowMap BGMCCottageMapMarker

This activates the map marker and gives the player the key to the cottage.

The Syntax for the [[ShowMap]] Function is

The enableFastTravel is an optional parameter which takes the value 1 if you want to be able to fast travel immediately.

If omitted then you can not fast travel until you have found the location.

Remember we have still to add all those quest targets, and will use the xmarkerheading as a reference for this.

Up till now we have been able to use NPCs to control progression, however now we need to begin to script to do the next bit of progression.

And that seems like a good place to take a break.