This will work with clothing items from any mod or vanilla, for any body. The framework on it's own won't do anything, but it can be used in other mods to swap clothing to different states, and you can write config files to define the state for items from any mod. For example, you can define a vanilla clothing item as state 1, and then you can use items from a mod for state 2 and 3.
Question: how will this work using S3xframeworks? For example: if I had set an outfit in any s3x framework MCM to be not unequipped during an animation (like OSTIM or S3xLab), and instead I want it to be replaced by an outfit of the same slot. How can we do that?
I'm thinking of making a mod that does that for OStim. VSU Framework on it's own does nothing, but I'm trying to write a replacement for the OStim undress script that checks if the worn clothes are registered with VSU, and if they are, uses VSU to swap the armor instead of just removing it. I've still got a lot to figure out on this one, so it might be a while before I get something functional.
It's not a huge task, but it's not trivial either. You need to listen for the OStim events to change clothes (or remove unrecognized clothes), and then handle putting back on the same clothes afterwards.
So to answer your question: if you're a modder, then like I described above. If you're not a modder, then you'll have to wait until I or someone else sets it up. On it's own, the framework just provides functions modders can call from scripts to handle clothing states.
Yeah, for sure! Someone else mentioned the lowered hoods mod, and I haven't been able to look into it yet, but you would pretty easily be able to make some rules linking the regular and lowered hood items, and then use a hotkey or something to let you swap them or just automatically apply it to everyone based on location.
Dynamic Armor Variants is a cool system, though, I hadn't seen that before.
That might not work as well, since it would affect all the versions of that armor in the game. So NPCs wearing the same type of armor would have the same state as the player. The way I set it up, player and NPC armor can be in different states. I'm not sure that would be possible with switching the ARMA.
There have been interesting damaged armor mods that use NIOverride to hide some nodes from the armor, but that won't let you switch to a different mesh/texture AFAIK.
Edit: I should also add, that VSU Framework functions take parameters that can help you handle this behaviour, like if an item should be forced to be worn.
I was hoping to make some mods with this but I’m having trouble understanding some things. 1. Do I need to write/edit your script? 2. I love using SPID to give NPCs outfits but not sure how to use SPID/KID/vsu at same time. I think I understand vsu states. How would attach vsu outfits to specified npcs using SPID?
1. You don't need to edit the script. You can call the global functions from your scripts to get or change an actor's VSU State. The configuration you need to do for it to recognize outfits is entirely defined in the _VSU.ini config files. That's where you can create a rule linking up to three items, and set the rule for male, female, or both.
When the rules are set up, you can call the global functions for an actor, like this: Int currentState = VSUFramework.GetActorClothingState(PlayerRef) If currentState == 1 VSUFramework.ActorChangeClothingState(PlayerRef, 2, false, false, true) endIf
2. So VSU doesn't necessarily handle entire outfits, it handles items of clothing separately. Changing an actor's VSU state will check what they are wearing, and see if any of those worn items support the new state. If you want to add dialogue to only NPCs wearing the configured outfits, you can distribute keywords to those items with KID. VSU does not do anything on its own, it's just a framework you can use from the scripts in your mod. If you distribute an outfit to NPCs with SPID, you can define VSU rules containing those items, and then you'll be able to change the actor's state from scripts without directly interacting with the armor forms in your script.
For example, let's say there is a plugin containing an outfit of a few clothing items: Plugin.esp contains outfit 0x804, which contains Armor 0x801. SPID is used to distribute that outfit to NPCs, and you want to use VSU to switch them to related Armors.
Now, from your script you can call VSUFramework.ActorChangeClothingState(ActorRef, 2, false, false, true) and it will change the NPC into Armor 0x802 from Plugin.esp.
I hope that helps. If it's not clear, you can read the function definitions and comments in VSUFramework.psc. Let me know if you've got other questions.
So I don't literally need to link SPID with VSU? If an NPC happens clothing/Armor item (ARMO record right?) that I've set a VSU rule for, then it will change based VSU states? Honestly still fuzzy on overall working but if I don't need to write any scripts (psc/pex) then I can figure this out. Thanks for explanation.
You do need to write scripts. Your scripts call the global VSU functions to get or set an actor's state. I meant that you don't edit the existing VSU script, you write your own. The framework on it's own won't do anything, it has to be used from a script.
If another mod already does something with the framework, then people can add config files to support armor/clothing from whatever mods they want, but there needs to be a script actually doing something first. For example, I made VSU Degradation, and if you use that you can create a rule linking armor types so that when an actor wearing the State 1 armor is damaged enough, they will change to state 2 and then 3.
I got a little question. Can I make a iron armor become all other armor's variant version? Is it difficult to make a such plugin? My point is, if this is possible, this mod could bacome a armor appearance framwork. We can use HasSpell or some other condition check to change npc‘s armor appearance while not change their stats. Player can wear dragon armor while the appearance is iron armor, or even robe. That gonna be very cool.
So an item can only be a part of one VSU rule. If you want multiple items to swap to Iron Armor, you would need to create duplicates of the Armor Form for Iron Armor, then use those (and if you want them to share the stats of other items, you would need to update those). It would not be hard to make that plugin.
Really like the concept behind this framework, though I'm curious about how it would interact with switching between armor states if the pieces are enchanted or improved (especially if the enchantments are from mods). Would the compatibility for that be something we'd have to manually apply through VSU or SPID?
VSU should transfer over improvements and enchantments from any source. I can't think of a reason a mod's custom enchantments would not work with SKSE's GetEnchantment. Although, I think it only gets player-made enchantments. That should be fine, because items that come enchanted have a separate Form ID, and so they would need their own rules and state 2/3 items anyways, and the enchantments can just be copied in those items.
The main issue I haven't solved with improvements/enchantments (I mentioned this in the limitations) is that if the character has duplicates of the same base form in different states of improvement/enchantment, I can't figure out a way to be sure that the one I'm removing is the same one that was worn (which is the one that I copied over enchantments/improvements from). Papyrus being so limited for accessing inventories was a pretty big surprise to me, it seems like such a basic function.
I re-read the description and found the limitations you mentioned regarding that, completely on me for missing it. Thank you for still answering my question and explaining the process though.
Oh no worries, I didn't mean it like that, and it's a bit of a wall of text anyways. I just want to put out as much information for the framework as I can for any modders that might want to try it out.
47 comments
It's not a huge task, but it's not trivial either. You need to listen for the OStim events to change clothes (or remove unrecognized clothes), and then handle putting back on the same clothes afterwards.
So to answer your question: if you're a modder, then like I described above. If you're not a modder, then you'll have to wait until I or someone else sets it up. On it's own, the framework just provides functions modders can call from scripts to handle clothing states.
Dynamic Armor Variants is a cool system, though, I hadn't seen that before.
Is there any way to switch the ARMA records rather than the ARMO in this mod? that should negate any issues with copies, or worn item resets.
There have been interesting damaged armor mods that use NIOverride to hide some nodes from the armor, but that won't let you switch to a different mesh/texture AFAIK.
Edit: I should also add, that VSU Framework functions take parameters that can help you handle this behaviour, like if an item should be forced to be worn.
1. Do I need to write/edit your script?
2. I love using SPID to give NPCs outfits but not sure how to use SPID/KID/vsu at same time. I think I understand vsu states. How would attach vsu outfits to specified npcs using SPID?
Thanks for your time
When the rules are set up, you can call the global functions for an actor, like this:
Int currentState = VSUFramework.GetActorClothingState(PlayerRef)
If currentState == 1
VSUFramework.ActorChangeClothingState(PlayerRef, 2, false, false, true)
endIf
2. So VSU doesn't necessarily handle entire outfits, it handles items of clothing separately. Changing an actor's VSU state will check what they are wearing, and see if any of those worn items support the new state. If you want to add dialogue to only NPCs wearing the configured outfits, you can distribute keywords to those items with KID. VSU does not do anything on its own, it's just a framework you can use from the scripts in your mod. If you distribute an outfit to NPCs with SPID, you can define VSU rules containing those items, and then you'll be able to change the actor's state from scripts without directly interacting with the armor forms in your script.
For example, let's say there is a plugin containing an outfit of a few clothing items: Plugin.esp contains outfit 0x804, which contains Armor 0x801. SPID is used to distribute that outfit to NPCs, and you want to use VSU to switch them to related Armors.
SPID rule:
Outfit = 0x804~Plugin.esp|npc_keyword
VSU rule:
0x801~Plugin.esp|0x802~Plugin.esp|0x803~Plugin.esp|1|1
Now, from your script you can call VSUFramework.ActorChangeClothingState(ActorRef, 2, false, false, true) and it will change the NPC into Armor 0x802 from Plugin.esp.
I hope that helps. If it's not clear, you can read the function definitions and comments in VSUFramework.psc. Let me know if you've got other questions.
If another mod already does something with the framework, then people can add config files to support armor/clothing from whatever mods they want, but there needs to be a script actually doing something first. For example, I made VSU Degradation, and if you use that you can create a rule linking armor types so that when an actor wearing the State 1 armor is damaged enough, they will change to state 2 and then 3.
My point is, if this is possible, this mod could bacome a armor appearance framwork. We can use HasSpell or some other condition check to change npc‘s armor appearance while not change their stats. Player can wear dragon armor while the appearance is iron armor, or even robe.
That gonna be very cool.
The main issue I haven't solved with improvements/enchantments (I mentioned this in the limitations) is that if the character has duplicates of the same base form in different states of improvement/enchantment, I can't figure out a way to be sure that the one I'm removing is the same one that was worn (which is the one that I copied over enchantments/improvements from). Papyrus being so limited for accessing inventories was a pretty big surprise to me, it seems like such a basic function.