Name: HoverChair
Version: 0.4.2
Date: 17/01/2010
Category: Miscellaneous
Author(s): AndyW
Source: http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=4501


Requirements
=============
Fallout 3 Version 1.5 or higher
Fallout Script Extender (FOSE) version 1.1 b9 or higher (available from http://fose.silverlock.org)
Framerate of 30 FPS or higher


Description
===========

A working, drivable HoverChair! Be the envy of other Vault Exiles(TM)! Please note that Vault-Tech Industries are not responsible for any chaos or confusion caused by the use of this prototype vehicle.


Location
========

Super Duper Mart near Megaton.


What's new in 0.4.2
=================

Flamer and Missile Launcher can now be mounted.
The Missile launcher has a laser sight, this will cut off when moving at more than a slow drift.
Minigun and Flamer now have clips with on-screen clip & ammo counters.
A reload button has been implemented fro Minigun and Flamer.
Installing batteries has been simplified.
A User Manual and Quickstart Guide can be found in the HoverChair's storage.

I've included in this version a Hoverchair 0.4.2 - MK2.esp which uses Falcon8204's brand new HoverChair model. This model includes a roll-cage which makes the chair much easier to use in 1st person view. It isn't fully textured yet, and may be altered in future, but opinions and feedback on it are most welcome.


Details
=======

This is a further improved release of a work-in-progress drivable vehicle mod. The HoverChair can be found outside the Super Duper Mart near Megaton.

The HoverChair runs on fission batteries, which can be found scattered sparsely throughout the Washington DC wastelands, and can be retrieved from the wrecks of some robots by experienced travellers. This abandoned test vehicle has one battery in its on-board storage, along with a useful remote control. If you're finding it hard to locate enough fission batteries, Echonite's Echo_BatteryCharger (http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=1696) can produce new fission batteries from various weapon energy cells, and Highsight's Solar Charger (http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=2021) can produce new weapon energy cells from sunlight.

Activate the HoverChair while crouched to access the maintenance options. These give you access to the chair's storage (limited to a weight of 50), to the battery compartment, to the mount/remove weapon option, and to the inertial dampers and steering options (see below).

Activate the HoverChair while standing to mount. The default controls are;

Forward key to accelerate
Strafe keys to steer
Activate key to dismount
Jump key for 'Leap' facility
Ready-weapon/Reload key to reload

When you first approach the HoverChair a message will appear prompting you to re-map the HoverChair's controls. This is strongly recommended as it will enable the on-screen compass and health bar, and make sure enemies react to you properly as you're riding.

The vehicle steers like a hovercraft (a 'sliding on ice' effect), so driving in 3rd person view is strongly recommended. Plus the jet engine flare and Falcon8204's chair model look really good! Enabling inertial dampers will make the vehicle easier to handle but will shorten battery life. Turning can be set to accurate (better for aiming the weapon) or responsive (better for quick turns at high speed).

The Hoverchair can run over water as easily as over land. Take it for a cruise along the Potomac, and enjoy the view!

Vault-Tech Industries are proud to announce that the HoverChair chassis is strongly re-inforced, and can deliver crushing blows to the less polite inhabitants of Washington DC. Just Point and Plough, and the HoverChair will do the rest! This is more effective against large, slow moving enemies. Small, agile enemies are more likely to dodge.

Is crushing not enough? If you have a Minigun, Flamer, Missile Launcher or Fat-Man in your inventory you can install it on the Hoverchair. Load the ammo into the chair's storage, and blast away!

The Explosive Salmon feature will allow your HoverChair to leap skywards! Please note this can only be used once every ten seconds or longer.

A quest called 'HoverChair Location' will be added to your quest list. This simply provides a marker to where you last parked the chair. In addition, the chair will appear on your PipBoy map (Vault icon) and can be fast-travelled to.

When you take the remote control from the chair's storage it will be added to your 'aid' inventory; select the remote (left click) and close your inventory to activate it. You can use it to re-map your HoverChair controls to other keys if you prefer, or to call the vehicle to you. This is a short-range call, and is for when you drive into a pit you can't drive out of.

If you park the HoverChair on a steep slope or the edge of a cliff, it may end up upside-down. Don't worry! Vault-Tech Industries Intelligent Recovery Systems, incorporating RobCo AI technology will come to your aid, and self-right the vehicle on activation!


Install
=======

1. Extract the files to a temporary location.
2. Examine the folder structure and make corrections where necessary.
3. Copy files to (install folder)\Fallout 3\Data\
4. Start Fallout Launcher, click 'Data Files', place a checkmark beside the HoverChair 0.4.esp file.

Please note that HoverChair 0.4.2 isn't savegame compatible with earlier versions, and should only be used with a clean savegame. To clean your savegame, carry out the steps below *before* installing HoverChair 0.4.2

1. Uninstall the old HoverChair as described in that version's readme.
2. Restart Fallout 3 and load your savegame. Click past all errors.
3. Go to a (preferably unmodified) interior.
4. Wait for 4 in-game days.
5. Save again - this is now a clean savegame.
6. Exit Fallout 3 and install HoverChair 0.4.2


Uninstall
=========

1. Start Fallout Launcher, click Data Files, uncheck the HoverChair 0.4.2.esp file.
2. Delete the files/folders associated with the mod.

Fallout 3\Data\HoverChair 0.4.2.esp
Fallout 3\Data\HoverChair readme 0.4.2.txt
Fallout 3\Data\Meshes\HoverC\
Fallout 3\Data\Sound\Fx\HoverC\


Known Issues or Bugs
====================

The chair can sometimes drop down through boulders, roadways or other scenery, especially if your framerate drops significantly below 30FPS. If the chir becomes trapped, use the Leap facility to escape.

The flamer doesn't always set enemies on fire.

Sometimes the flamer will leave large chunks of flame floating unconnected in the air (especially the first two or three times it's used).

Ramming enemies up against building walls can cause you to clip into the building, and possibly get trapped there. Dismount, fast-travel to a nearby location, return on foot and use the Remote Call option on the Hoverchair remote.

Occasionally texts for 'Probe' activators will flash up while driving.

The sound of the main engine will sometimes fail, but comes back after a while. Doubling your iAudioCacheSize and iMaxSizeForCachedSound settings (see Fallout Tweak Guide at www.tweakguides.com/Fallout3_1.html, page 10) will help avoid this.

If you have G.E.C.K running at the same time as Fallout 3, you may experience a full lockup.


History
=======

0.4.2

Added Flamer and Missile Launcher as mountable weapons.
Added on-screen clip/ammo counter, and reload key.
Fixed player getting jammed in the middle of the chair if it was in another cell when activated.
Fixed player getting jammed in the middle of the chair if knocked down by an explosion or a Deathclaw Matriarch (from Mart's Mutant Mod - http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=3211); player will now be knocked off the chair.
Fixed player sitting on air during death sequence if killed while riding the chair; chair now explodes and player ragdolls.

0.4

Weapon Mount feature added (Mount metalwork by Falcon8204)
Added ability to travel over water
Added map-marker (fast-travel enabled) for the Hoverchair
Added option of accurate/responsive turning
Fixed errors when Remote Call option was used while crouched
Fixed crash when Remote Call was used while in a distant cell to the Hoverchair
Fixed resetting controls to default while riding the chair
Control mapping correctly reset when reloading a saved game

0.3

New HoverChair model by Falcon8204
Added ability to ram enemies
Added ability to make modest leaps into the air
Added limited storage
HoverChair now needs fission batteries to run
Added inertial dampers to improve handling at the cost of shorter battery life
Reduced volume of lift and thrust jets
Improved control re-mapping menus
Somewhat improved collision detection


0.2.1

Fixed bug which occasionally caused the Hover Chair to rise relentlessly skyward.
Added quest marker to parked Hover Chair.
Allowed use of compass and health bar while driving (only if controls are re-mapped).

0.2

Lockups fixed.
Building collision detection improved.
Re-mounting errors fixed.

0.1

First release.


Contact
=======

You can find me on the official Bethasda Game Studios forums (http://www.bethsoft.com/bgsforums/index.php?act=idx) as 'AndyW'
You can find me on Fallout 3 Nexus (http://www.fallout3nexus.com/index.php) as 'AndyW1384'


Credits
=======

Thanks to:

Bethesda, for creating Fallout 3.
Falcon8204 for modelling and testing.
Old_andy for testing.
Fallout 3 Nexus.com, for the a one-stop-shop resource for authors and players.
The NIFSkope/NIFTools team.
The Fallout Script Extender team.
The developers and maintainers of Blender.
The developers and maintainers of GIMP.
My brother, for understanding trigonometry - I'm a coder, dammit, not a mathematician!
LHammonds, for the Readme Generator this file was based on.


Tools Used
==========
7-Zip - http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=15579
NIFSkope - http://niftools.sourceforge.net/wiki/NifSkope
TES Construction Set - http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=11367
Blender - http://www.blender.org
GIMP - http://www.gimp.org
Readme Generator - http://lhammonds.game-host.org/obmm/tools_readme_generator1.asp


Licensing/Legal
===============
Many models supplied with this mod are the property of Bethesda Game Studios. They are modified and adapted versions of Fallout 3 models, and cannot be used in any context other than a G.E.C.K. based modification of Fallout 3 without written permission of Bethesda.

Apart from that, you can do whatever you want with the scripts and methods used in this mod. However, please ensure you understand the principles and coding before you incorporate them in your own mod - I can't offer support for any mod except this one.

If you decide to use the Hoverchair model/s in your own works, please kindly inform and credit Falcon8204.