I wonder if it's possible to fix the issue when for example the tavern already has a quest NPC (the lady in green) from the quest you have active, but this mod seems to override her so she can only suggest you to hire mercenaries.
That's a tricky situation, as I think most taverns only have a couple locations where quest NPCs can spawn. I probably should just try to make it so that the people who offer you to hire them (the lady in green and the man in the purple cape) spawn less often (maybe once every few weeks), and prevent them from spawning at smaller sites that are likely to only have one tavern to minimize the risk of them overriding other quest NPCs
EDIT: Done. Idk if it'll be enough to fully prevent them from overriding other quest NPCs, but now they will only spawn every 7 to 28 days and won't spawn in inns and villages, so the odds of them overriding other quest NPCs should be very low.
7 to 28 days? What does that mean? Should I wait 7 days and then just start checking each inn every single day after that? I don't get it. You should just put the NPC in the Fighters Guild halls.
I enter a town with only two inns, I rest 6 hours, I go inn to inn, speaking with every single NPC, in every room, and I can't for the life of me find the mercenaries NPC. I wait another six hours, and repeat, still nothing. According to the directions you provide in the mod description, I should have found them. The description also says, "Asking around for rumors can help you find what tavern this NPC is at." I don't think that works though.
I'm experiencing problems with this mod. The quest script that adds and removes the summoning parchment isn't working correctly. When I hire mercs, I get two parchments. Then every time I leave or enter a new location, it adds another parchment. It does not, however, remove any of the old ones.
I'm using 2.2 so I assume that it's supposed to work like 2.1 does (contract for a month, once a day use, etc.)
Hello! Sorry it took me so long to get to this! I was super busy with my other mods and didn't stop to read comments on my old stuff until now. Thank you for telling me this. It was an accidental regression on my part. The only change from 2.1 to 2.2 was supposed to be using different flats for the NPCs that sell you the mercenary contract, but it seems like I got the folders for 2.1 and 1.1 mixed up and ended up applying this change to 1.1 and uploading that as 2.2, that's why it regressed to old behavior. I'm very sorry about this, I have replaced 2.2 with a new version that should fix it.
Glad you like it! Honestly it's a pretty limited implementation of this idea due to how primitive the quest system scripting is, but I'm glad you enjoy the idea. Regarding your idea for romantic companions, any specific idead about how you'd like it to work? I'm thinkng the extenxt of what I could do is maybe create an NPC who you can start a relationship with, and once you do maybe they send you letters once in a while, and maybe once in a while show up to help you in fights?
That would be amazing. I just saw you did this already with Ghaksha the Orc Companion - https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/113 I appreciate your sorcery like skills making these mods for us :)
I was also thinking there could be a NPC that follows you (similar to the escort quests - popup on your HUD?) but they wouldn't necessarily have the skills to fight with you and would stay outside dungeon entrances (A clickable non-animated sprite stays outside the dungeon entrance).
Maybe they could be an alchemist or a cook or a hunter (hell, could even be a bard) and stay behind gathering ingredients while you dungeon delve. This creates a "reward" to fight your way back to the entrance instead of just recalling immediately out of the dungeon back to town. Once you get out of the dungeon, get the gathered ingredients from the NPC you can get them to follow you again and then recall or travel as you wish. Maybe the NPC could occasionally ask to have dinner if your in a tavern (just pop-up text), or ask you to buy something for them (again, just pop-up text, wouldn't matter what you bought, just roleplay). Just ideas. Love what you have done so far.
Sadly, I don't think non-animated flats can be placed in exteriors through the quest system, but the rest of this sounds pretty doable. Maybe I could just use one of the human NPC foes instead and explain away the fact that your companion sometimes looks like a man and sometimes looks like a woman by saying they're a shapeshifter? Anyway, I like the idea of them staying outside the dungeon and gathering some ingredients for you. Maybe I could even have a basic version that only gathers ingredients, and a version for people who use Ralzar's Climates and Calories mod that has a chance of gathering either ingredients or some food?
That would be brilliant! A potential backstory: They are a member of a Royal family who have spent their life locked up in a palace and have escaped, seeking adventure. They've learnt basic shape shifting to keep their true appearance hidden (so won't get dragged back to the palace). Being locked up in a palace their fighting skills are low, but the court mage taught them some alchemy and the shape shifting spell (but it's random as they aren't that good). They've learnt some hunting from watching the solider practise their archery skills in the courtyard.
That's a great idea for a backstory! I'll talk to Ralzar to see if it's possible to give food from his mod as reward for quests and see if I can get this mod up and running this week.
Update: I just started work on this. However, I just saw on the forums that Kamer has been working on a mod for actual companions that can actually follow you through doors and all that good shite, so honestly the way I make companions is probably gonna be obsolete as soon as he finishes work on that :p
Maybe... It sounds like he's not using the Quest system for it though and might be a while before release. It has more scripted features (Marriage? :O), but would require using a dfmod and new dfmods will likely require everyone to leave trusty DF Unity 10.24 behind (which I'm trying to hold on to with a death grip so I can keep older abandoned mods running). With your companion method it would be easier for others to adapt their own companions, create their own back stories, and should work on older DF Unity versions. Plus I imagine your quest companions would work alongside scripted companions for even more battle party fun ;) I'm currently (poorly) trying to re-write your 'Ghaksha the Orc Companion' so it's 'Belwen the Vampire Companion'. If I can master that, anyone can :)
Now all we need is a unique NPC companion system framework so people can create new companion NPC mods with hand crafted classes, skills, stats, character portraits, dialogue, etc.
A mod system like that would open the door for so many new opportunities in Daggerfall for personal gameplay experiences and storytelling.
This is an excellent first step towards that. I can't wait to try out this mod! :)
Check out this one I just did yesterday! https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/113 And I agree. Since I kinda already laid the groundwork with this mo and the one I just liked, it'd be pretty fun to see if other people are able to build upon what I already make to come up with more companion mods!
The way you are pumping mods one after the other is amazing :O, you sure do know how the quest engine works. This mod reminds me of the hirelings system from D&D Online
Thank you! Though honestly, releasing so many mods in so little time was kind of a mistake, I ended up making a couple dumb mistakes in the code and had to reupload the files, definitely should have proofread them a couple more times before releasing them :P Anyway, I'm glad you're into this!
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EDIT: Done. Idk if it'll be enough to fully prevent them from overriding other quest NPCs, but now they will only spawn every 7 to 28 days and won't spawn in inns and villages, so the odds of them overriding other quest NPCs should be very low.
Or
Since the "Mercenaries" folder is put in the "questpack" folder, will it not show up in the mod list?
I am not a 100 percent sure, so I am asking for clarification XD.
I'm using 2.2 so I assume that it's supposed to work like 2.1 does (contract for a month, once a day use, etc.)
Thank you for telling me this. It was an accidental regression on my part. The only change from 2.1 to 2.2 was supposed to be using different flats for the NPCs that sell you the mercenary contract, but it seems like I got the folders for 2.1 and 1.1 mixed up and ended up applying this change to 1.1 and uploading that as 2.2, that's why it regressed to old behavior. I'm very sorry about this, I have replaced 2.2 with a new version that should fix it.
I could not be any more excited than I am right now.
Thankyou so much for spending the time and effort making this!
I was always hoping somebody someday would have the skills.
Next step: Romantic Companions?
Regarding your idea for romantic companions, any specific idead about how you'd like it to work?
I'm thinkng the extenxt of what I could do is maybe create an NPC who you can start a relationship with, and once you do maybe they send you letters once in a while, and maybe once in a while show up to help you in fights?
I was also thinking there could be a NPC that follows you (similar to the escort quests - popup on your HUD?) but they wouldn't necessarily have the skills to fight with you and would stay outside dungeon entrances (A clickable non-animated sprite stays outside the dungeon entrance).
Maybe they could be an alchemist or a cook or a hunter (hell, could even be a bard) and stay behind gathering ingredients while you dungeon delve. This creates a "reward" to fight your way back to the entrance instead of just recalling immediately out of the dungeon back to town. Once you get out of the dungeon, get the gathered ingredients from the NPC you can get them to follow you again and then recall or travel as you wish. Maybe the NPC could occasionally ask to have dinner if your in a tavern (just pop-up text), or ask you to buy something for them (again, just pop-up text, wouldn't matter what you bought, just roleplay). Just ideas. Love what you have done so far.
Anyway, I like the idea of them staying outside the dungeon and gathering some ingredients for you. Maybe I could even have a basic version that only gathers ingredients, and a version for people who use Ralzar's Climates and Calories mod that has a chance of gathering either ingredients or some food?
Being locked up in a palace their fighting skills are low, but the court mage taught them some alchemy and the shape shifting spell (but it's random as they aren't that good). They've learnt some hunting from watching the solider practise their archery skills in the courtyard.
With your companion method it would be easier for others to adapt their own companions, create their own back stories, and should work on older DF Unity versions. Plus I imagine your quest companions would work alongside scripted companions for even more battle party fun ;)
I'm currently (poorly) trying to re-write your 'Ghaksha the Orc Companion' so it's 'Belwen the Vampire Companion'. If I can master that, anyone can :)
https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/114
A mod system like that would open the door for so many new opportunities in Daggerfall for personal gameplay experiences and storytelling.
This is an excellent first step towards that. I can't wait to try out this mod! :)
And I agree. Since I kinda already laid the groundwork with this mo and the one I just liked, it'd be pretty fun to see if other people are able to build upon what I already make to come up with more companion mods!
Anyway, I'm glad you're into this!