Author:Robindahood

Version:1.0

Date:08/13/2012

Category:Companions





Description:

------------

This project started after I found myself unhappy with the vanilla version of
Charon, and tried downloading Charon Improved only to find it required Broken Steel. I don't
have any of the DLC -or a credit card:P- so I thought it couldn't hurt to try to learn how to
use the G.E.CK. and maybe get the companion I wanted as well. It is my first mod, and so
simple that it is almost certainly harmless, but if it gives you cancer or otherwise
malfunctions, please take your rage out on your significant other, your mother...anyone but
me.





Detail:

-------

This mod changes the ghoul companion Charon from his vanilla state to someone more fitting
of the role of ?hired? gun to the Vault 101 wunderkind.

I'm still on my first playthrough of Fallout 3, and had been looking for a ghoul
companion, because although my character may have some serious moral flaws, prejudice isn't
among them. And it helps that ghouls sound rather badass. So I was thrilled when I found
Charon in Underworld. I didn't think twice about replacing Greta's pillow with a frag
grenade, and soon Azrukhal was serving as a mop for the floor of the Ninth Circle, while
Charon and myself were ready to tackle the Capital Wasteland.

But, I soon found that Charon's unresolved anger issues led him to charge any Super
Mutant mob within half a mile. Since I play on very hard, this would consistently result in
his getting disemboweled before I could even aim down my sights (thanks Rogue Hallow). This
leads me to the biggest (okay, maybe only significant) gameplay change this mod makes.

Charon is now essential. Cue dramatic string music. I refrained from changing his combat
package to "unaggressive", because, well... "You like that, you bastard?" "Want some
more?" ...yeah. So he still charges like a one-man Light Brigade. However, I hate cheats, and
I needed a way to balance his newfound immortality. Thus, this mod sets the global knockout
length for essential characters to a full minute, rather than ten seconds. I went with the
sixty second time because I find it short enough to avoid slowing you down too much after a
fight during a quest or whatever, but still plenty long for you to get your head blown off
in a firefight. So, if you've any regard for your own hide, you'll give poor Charon some
support or take the lead entirely, rather than using him exclusively as a bullet sponge.

Now for the rest of the changes. Short list. One of the ESPs leaves Charon's loadout the
same as in vanilla. The other replaces his combat shotgun with a chinese assault rifle.
Because it makes a cooler sound. I'll let you guess which is which.

Aaaaanndd.... the final feature. Which you might actually notice more than his newfound
unkillability....if you play on easy. Ever wonder what was up with the irritating little tufts
of hair clinging onto what's left of Charon's skull? I did. It seems to me that this is sort
of the signal of a ghoul who's not entirely comfortable with their newfound "ghoulness" and tries
to cling onto any remnant of their former smoothskin status in whatever way possible. Whereas,
I feel Charon is too occupied with all-consuming rage to have any time for insecurity about his appearance.
And besides that, any self-respecting fighter knows that hair is just something for your
enemy to use against you if it comes to close-quarters combat. So it makes sense that Charon
would just shave his scalp entirely. Since Bethesda didn't allow him to, I did it for him. He
looks like a proper merc now. I also replaced the ghoul eyes with the vanilla blue eye
texture. Because...because...because it looks better, yeah? Check the screens.





Location:

---------

If you've recruited him already, you're good to go. If not...Underworld. I'm not helping you
cheat. Either you already know where it is, you can take the time to find it, or you can
google it yourself.





Known Issues and Bugs:

----------------------

Erm...seems there may be an issue with him using the assault rifle. At first I put 300 5.56
mm rounds and a 5.56 mm robot in his kit, and he seemed to run out of ammo, as if the robot
wasn't working...if someone knows what stupid mistake I'm making, let me know, and I'll fix
it when I have time. For the time being, I'm giving him the robot and 65000 rounds and hoping
for the best.

Second issue with the assault rifle is that sometimes it doesn't repair itself, meaning he'll
switch to the combat knife, a.k.a. useless toothpick. If this happens, you need to take the
rifle out of his inventory and repair it yourself before giving it back...wait! It's not a
bug! It's an immersion feature!





Incompatibilities:

------------------

Anything that tries to do the same things to Charon...I load after Project Beauty to be on
the safe side.





Contact:

--------

PM me on the nexus. I'll try to help there, for what that's worth, and if shit is really crazy,
I may send you an email address via that function, and if I still can't help I'll tell
you to ask someone else.

Credits:

--------

Thanks to Bethesda for another fantastic game, and all the modders who serve are a great
inspiration.





Manual installation:

--------------------

Choose 1 !ONE! of the esps and drop it in your data directory with the others. Open your game
launcher of choice, cross your fingers, spit over your right shoulder, stick seven pins in
your voodoo doll of George Bush (required, if you don't have one, buy it), and start the game.





Nexus Mod Manager Installation:

-------------------------------

Don't use n.m.m. Just don't. I mean, it can't possibly hurt with this mod, but if you use any
proper mods it'll make you senile.


If you do use n.m.m., I'm sure you know how to install/uninstall a single esp with it and don't need me to
tell you how anyway. I don't use it, and never will, so have fun.


Manual Uninstallation:

----------------------

Delete. The. Esp.





Nexus Mod Manager Uninstallation:

---------------------------------

See n.m.m. installation instructions.





Tools Used:

-----------



[*]F3Edit

[*]G.E.C.K.

[*]7Zip







Future Plans:

-------------

Learn how to create my own fo3 content, pass the upcoming exam, and bask in the glory of
actually having a mod on the nexus:)




F.A.Q.
--------
Q: Why Charon- Hades edition?
A: Because you find him in "Underworld." And he has a habit of creating rivers of blood, which he would then
logically have to cross. And his name is Charon. I'll stop now, but let me just note that my knowledge of
Greek mythology stems from some actual reading, not just God of War. Really.


Recommended Mods:

-----------------

Mart's Mutant Mod. Gives you and Charon the opportunity to get eviscerated by a much wider
range of enemies.




Legal and Licensing:

--------------------

Psshh...nothing in here is really mine except maybe the concept, which isn't that
original anyway... all changes were made via the G.E.C.K., using only resources from the fo3 ESM.
That said, please do let me know if you do use it in your own mod, just so I can try yours
out.

As far as other legal issues...don't try to mug me if something goes wrong, or I'll have
Heironymous Lex deal with you. Shit, wait, I killed him, didn't I?



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