CRAFT Tutorial by JLF65
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Refer to the JPG images from the associated archive while reading this document.
All JPGs are screenshots of FO3Edit running in Windows XP.
 
Make sure you have CRAFT v1.25 installed. You cannot make CRAFT modules without
it.
 
CRAFT - Community Resource to Allow Fanmade Tinkering
http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/4447/?
 
The CRAFT archive contains an example, "Stealthboy Recon Armor - CRAFT.esp". You
can work from that, as I did, or work from my CRAFT module. Whichever is easier
for you. You can freely use my mod as you wish without credit.
 
CRAFTable Nuclear and Nuka Mines and Missiles
http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/20552/?
 
I suggest doing the bulk of your work in FO3Edit. You will still need to use
GECK in the end to compile the scripts and place any schematics, but nearly
all the grunt work is far easier to do in FO3Edit than GECK.
 
FO3Edit
http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/637/?
 
Start by copying the example esp or my esp to your Fallout 3 data directory.
Be sure to rename it - use a decently descriptive name. For example, note that
I did NOT name my esp "cnanmam10.esp". Such names are silly and do not help the
user in any fashion.
 
Start FO3Edit, select Fallout3.esm, CRAFT.esm, and your esp at a minimum. Refer
to craft01.jpg - make sure your esp includes CRAFT.esm as a master. If your mod
needs one of the DLCs, be sure to add it to the master list as well. The author
field doesn't need to be set, but I prefer to set it to my Nexus user name to
help any modders whom might be looking to contact me.
 
Your CRAFT module will consist of at least two parts, and possibly a third,
like mine. Refer to craft02.jpg. We start with a schematic. This will be a misc
item. This will normally just be a copy of any of the other schematic items.
Use a COPY, not an OVERRIDE. You want a new item, not to override an existing
item... unless that is the purpose of your mod - to override an existing item.
 
The only thing to really note here is the item script towards the bottom. Refer
to craft03.jpg. This shows the script associated with the schematic item we just
made. Make the EDID something sensible so that you can tell what it is for when
you look at this again a year from now. The only thing else you need to worry
about is the script source field. GECK will fill in all the rest when it
compiles the script. Remember to hold shift while double-clicking the field
to get a text editor. Refer to craft04.jpg for the script itself.
 
The script checks a local variable to see if you've already gotten the schematic.
If not, it adds a book, a note about the book, the note associated with the
schematic, sets the variable saying we got the schematic, and then removes the
schematic item from your inventory. I'll talk about the book later - it's that
possible third part you don't need, but might have. You can then read any notes
in your pipboy, and use the book (if you added it) under Aid.
 
The schematic note is what you read that describes your item the schematic is
for, and what items are needed. Refer to craft05.jpg. Note that the text field
is the main one here. Just make sure that the script in the previous step links
to this note.
 
Now let me talk about that book. If you don't need a way to do something like
switch between modes of your constructible item, you can skip this. In my case,
I needed a way to switch the missile launcher between the three different types
of missiles. A book was decided as the best way to do this - you can "equip"
a book, which makes it execute a custom script. Refer to craft06.jpg. The
important fields here are the description, and the script link. When you select
the book, it calls the script. Refer to craft07.jpg. Again, set EDID to something
sensible. Again, only the script source field is relevant as GECK will set the
rest when the script is compiled. Refer to craft08.jpg to see the script. Note
that "Begin OnEquip" is called when you select the book. That checks to see
if you are holding one of the three types of missile launchers I support. If
so, it shows a message. That message will be handled by the "Begin MenuMode"
part of the script. Refer to craft09.jpg to see the message. The message ID
must match that called by the script. It should be a message box to allow
the user to select between options. Each button in the message box represents
an option, and you would use the conditions field to enable or disable the
option (in my case, depending on whether you have the special missiles or not).
One button should be a default and ALWAYS enabled. When you click on one of
the options, the "Begin MenuMode" part of the previously mentioned script is
called, allowing you to act on the option the user selected.
 
Now we get to the second part you NEED (remember that the schematic was the
first). Refer to craft10.jpg. We need a dialogue topic for each item will will
be crafting. Notice that it must link to the CRAFTWorkbenchQuest (xx000EA6).
This is how CRAFT knows to include your item in the list of items available
to craft at the workbench. The Full Name field will be the displayed name of
the item to craft. This will have a response linked to it. Refer to craft11.jpg.
Notice the response text field. If this was a food item, you might change it
to "Cooking...". Notice the conditions: we are at a CRAFT workbench, and we
have the proper schematic. Now refer to craft12.jpg. This shows the rest of
that response topic. The only thing relevant here is the embedded script source.
The rest will be filled in by GECK when the script is compiled. Refer to
craft13.jpg for the script. We check for the items needed to construct the
requested item and show a success message if all is present, then remove the
items used to construct the item, which is added. If all the needed items are
not present, we show a failure message.
 
Refer to craft14.jpg for the failure message. Notice that it is a message box,
which will pop up and tell the user what you have (or don't have), and wait
for them to acknowledge the message. Refer to craft15.jpg for the success
message. Notice that it is not a message box, so the message will be displayed
in the top left corner of the screen for the amount of time in the Display
Time field.
 
And that's it! Well, other than any needed weapons or projectiles or other
records you need for your craftable item. But all the CRAFT stuff is now done.
Repeat the above if your mod has more than one item you can craft. Now open
this esp in GECK and compile the scripts and you're done. This tutorial does
assume you know how to do things in GECK like compile scripts and place items
in the world. There are plenty of other tutorials on that. This tutorial is
just covering those fiddly CRAFT parts.