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Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#1 Old 20th Jan 2012 at 11:35 PM
Default Idea for new mod looking for a mentor to work with
I have an idea for a new mod, it embraces the functionality of two existing mods that seem to have a slight clash between them. The difference is I want to add to the two concepts of these mods in a new and also different way. I am looking for someone who is willing to collaborate not do the work for me. I have worked on some modding on my own but I MUST say I am still on the long road to learning.

The two mods are Gardener NPC by douglasveiga and Magic Gardening Gnome by dolphin26. Both are great mods that I always use.

The conflict I have observed is in reduction in harvest and weeds. I am not sure if there is really a conflict between the two I can only go by what I have observed. On a lot with only one of these mods active harvest is about 1 1/2 to double than what it is with the two mods on the same lot.

What I would like to do is create a mod that has the functions of both of these mods and for the gardner NPC to be gnomes if possible.

I like what each mod does already, I don't like how when combined they do the same thing. I want a person to harvest the plants only and the gnome to do all that it currently does. A side project of this I want to try and do is create a service NPC for a pet sitter someone who makes sure the pets are fed, played with, and basicaly works on the descrutive meter of pets.
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Inventor
#2 Old 21st Jan 2012 at 11:58 AM
great project, if you have any doubt you can ask here. i think we need a Pet Sitter too.
One horse disagreer of the Apocalypse
#3 Old 21st Jan 2012 at 12:38 PM
Talking of npcs we could do with, a more intelligent butler would be great, too! Why doesn't he pour drinks and make food for party guests? When there is a party on he should recognise that and become more proactive.

"You can do refraction by raymarching through the depth buffer" (c. Reddeyfish 2017)
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#4 Old 24th Jan 2012 at 1:11 AM Last edited by Jbob : 24th Jan 2012 at 2:05 AM.
LOL not the responses I was hoping for. No seriously thanks for the support and Douglas I would like to get together and get an idea of what you did to create the Gardner. I thought I said previously that I have no real experience except the frustration and not so successful results on previous attempts. AS for the Butler oh I am soo with you. My butlers only just look good, I never hire the guys they just read and watch tv, at least in my games the females actually pick up some trash and cook If one were to want to make adjustments to a butler. I notice in S3PE that there is no mixologist. there is mixologist use and mixologist advancement, and for cooking you have use, advancement, meal process, meal specifics and cooking. I know it is not as simple as this but if you wanted to make a butler behave like a maid and mixologist would you look for the instances in the "use"? (i found bar-tending not mixologist)

an example maid tunning to possibly add to butler:
<kCheckTime value="2">
<!--Length of time (in minutes) between checks that everything is cleaned-->
</kCheckTime>
<kExtraWaitTimeAfterSocializing value="0.5">
<!--Extra time (in hours) to wait before leaving if the service NPC is socialized with-->
</kExtraWaitTimeAfterSocializing>

by adding this to the butler tunining wouldn't you essentially be creating an check value in the butler that says he checks to see if everything is cleaned every two minutes so on and so forth? Now I don't know if you can just cut and paste this or not.

Then you can add this for the mixologist/bartending:
<kMinBartendingSkill value="4">
<!--Min Bartending Skil-->
</kMinBartendingSkill>
<kMaxBartendingSkill value="8">
<!--Max Handiness Skil-->
</kMaxBartendingSkill>

From this point one might have to make adjustments for the shift times and things like that, (Iknow I am over looking things this is a quick glance and I have edited this post like 5 times to get this in.)

I do not know how this is done but I would gather if you copied and pasted these values in the butler tuning then your butler would increase their skill in those areas (not sure about maid) but this would be global to all butlers in the game would it not?


As a side note and this may not be the place but I am gonna throw it out anyways. I just created a world and am doing some prelim testing and when I try and move families in the game actually says "oh no it looks like ll the lots in this town are too expensive" Anyone run into this before?
Inventor
#5 Old 24th Jan 2012 at 1:51 AM
i am sorry, i always miss understand things, because english isn't my first language.

ok, so are you asking tips to create a NPC right?
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#6 Old 24th Jan 2012 at 2:14 AM Last edited by Jbob : 24th Jan 2012 at 2:27 AM.
Quote: Originally posted by douglasveiga
i am sorry, i always miss understand things, because english isn't my first language.

ok, so are you asking tips to create a NPC right?


Correct!
I am asking for a mentor, since you replied and you created the Gardner NPC I was hoping to get some ideas and input in what you did and how we could trim out some of the actions in your mod. I have not looked into your package in S3PE yet so I need to do that first and I will get to that in a little bit or later tonight. hopefully my new edited post will address some of the questions I have. I mean can we just cut and paste things from one Service NPC into another and force a behavior?

I am still trying to figure out how to combine my idea from two mods into one"package" One is an object mod based on the magic gnome and please forgive me for my simple language but I think the Gardner NPC is mostly a scripting mod? I can't see how I can do an object mod and then link it so that it adds a menue to the phone for the Gardner to come and pick the fruit.

I lvoe both mods I like the 24/7 value of the magic gardening gnome and I like that the Gardner NPC actual comes and does the harvesting for me. I usually have HUGE gardens, and so I like that the two mods offer some great benefits and I wanted to merge the concepts into one whole package. I realize in a way it is a major lazy cheat, but I like playing as many areas of a game as I can so the Help is more worthwhile to me than a cheat.

For instance in your mod all I would have to do is remove :<!--Number of Total Gardenening Tasks (water, weed, fertilize, harvest) on a lot to warrant a second Gardener coming to help out.-->
The water, weed, fertilize from that string and also eliminate: <!--Gardener CheckTime Sprinkers status in minutes-->
<CheckTimeVerifSprinker value="30f">

<!--Min percent [0%-90%] of Plants Gardener must fertilize-->
<kminPercentFertilze value="40">

if all I wanted was your mod as a Gardner who harvested? Am I correct?

An idea I just had would be to create a version of your mod that harvested only but not sure how to do this maybe increase cost of service but your mod could recharge the manna used in the magic gardening gnome. That was a system set up to use magic, and I think rocks, gems etc to increase manna for that object.
Eminence Grise
#7 Old 24th Jan 2012 at 2:40 AM
The Gnome is also a scripting mod... script is just attached to an object, so it is not a PURE scripting mod. You can't add new game behavior without scripting; XML just provides parameters that can be used by the script. So adding maid tuning to the butler won't cause the butler to have new behavior; for that, you'd have to replace the butler's scripts.

You should probably start by working through the scripting tutorials... in order to be able to interpret the scripts in the two mods you're interested in... assuming your background is not in C# programming http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php...ing#Script_Mods
Inventor
#8 Old 24th Jan 2012 at 2:52 AM
[QUOTE=Jbob]I mean can we just cut and paste things from one Service NPC into another and force a behavior?[QUOTE]

Not exactly.

Code:
think the Gardner NPC is mostly a scripting mod?


totally scripted

Code:
I can't see how I can do an object mod and then link it so that it adds a menue to the phone for the
 Gardner to come and pick the fruit.


i think you need to create an object like the gnome, but adding the "Harvest" functionality. I mean, start with something more simple.

Code:
For instance in your mod all I would have to do is remove :<!--Number of Total Gardenening
 Tasks (water, weed, fertilize, harvest) on a lot to warrant a second Gardener coming to help out.-->
 The water, weed, fertilize from that string and also eliminate: <!--Gardener CheckTime Sprinkers st
atus in minutes--> <CheckTimeVerifSprinker value="30f"><!--Min percent [0%-90%] of Plants Gard
ener must fertilize-->
<kminPercentFertilze value="40">


wrong, this Text "<!-- somthing -->" is just a comment, nothing will change in the game.
this XML is just a tunning, that loads some config values, will not modify the way Gardener works.

Code:
An idea I just had would be to create a version of your mod that harvested
 only but not sure how to do this maybe increase cost of service but your mod could
 recharge the manna used in the magic gardening gnome. That was a system set up
 to use magic, and I think rocks, gems etc to increase manna for that object.



I mean, start with something more simple.

I recommend this tutorial:

http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php..._Object_Modding
("While the Object Mod per se isn't limited to a specific set of properties,
it is always an object that uses a custom script. The most basic sort of object
mod is a simple clone of the original object rigged with some new interactions.
This tutorial will show you how to clone an object, write a script for it and make
the object use that script.")

follow this tutorial, will be a great step. :D
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#9 Old 24th Jan 2012 at 8:57 PM Last edited by Jbob : 24th Jan 2012 at 9:46 PM.
Ok I am lost on a few things and would appreciate some clarification
in the tutorial it says "
Click Advanced to open the Advanced Build Settings window. " Where or how do I do that?

The other thing is here:
Select all of the Sims 3 assemblies except TestGameplay and TestObjects. The assemblies you want to add are Automation, mscorlib, ScriptCore, SimIFace, Sims3GameplayObjects, Sims3GameplaySystems, Sims3Metadata, System, System.Xml, and UI.

What I have from when I went in with S3PE is:

Gameplay
gameplay-Sims3StoreObjects-dll
gameplay-Sims3GameplayObjects-dll
gameplay-Sims3GameplaySystems-dll
gameplay-UI-dll

Scripts
scripts-SimIFace-dll
scripts-ScriptCore-dll
scripts-Sims3Metadata-dll

Simcore
simcore-System.Xml-dll
simcore-System-dll
simcore-mscorlib-dll

I never created an automation or "TestGameplay and TestObjects" I don't recall that from any of the tutorials I have been working in recently.

I appreciate your comments advice and patience.

Now I cant remember how I viewed those strings in S3PE in the above post.
Inventor
#10 Old 24th Jan 2012 at 9:33 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Jbob
Click Advanced to open the Advanced Build Settings window. " Where or how do I do that?


Top Menu: Project >> "YourProjectName Project"

Code:
Select all of the Sims 3 assemblies except TestGameplay and TestObjects.
 The assemblies you want to add are Automation, mscorlib, ScriptCore, SimIFace
, Sims3GameplayObjects, Sims3GameplaySystems, Sims3Metadata, System, Sy
stem.Xml, and UI.


Export each file, renaming as "theName.dll"

example:
Sims3GameplayObjects.dll
Sims3GameplaySystems.dll
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#11 Old 24th Jan 2012 at 10:00 PM
Quote: Originally posted by douglasveiga
Top Menu: Project >> "YourProjectName Project"



Code:
Select all of the Sims 3 assemblies except TestGameplay and TestObjects.
 The assemblies you want to add are Automation, mscorlib, ScriptCore, SimIFace
, Sims3GameplayObjects, Sims3GameplaySystems, Sims3Metadata, System, Sy
stem.Xml, and UI.


Export each file, renaming as "theName.dll"

example:
Sims3GameplayObjects.dll
Sims3GameplaySystems.dll


I see no place to "Set the active configuraiton to All Configurations". sorry I meant this I know how to click the advanced tab to open the Advanced Build Settings window.

Right I got all of that But I do not have an "Automation, TestGamePlay and TestObjects"

I don't know how to attach an image her so go to this link to see what I am referring to
http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php..._References.png
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#12 Old 25th Jan 2012 at 2:56 AM
I think I got the tools set up correctly, so I am going to put the main original idea aside for a minute and focus on the butler or pet sitter idea. Here I want to focus on the butler. We need a more intelligent butler would be great, too! Why doesn't he pour drinks and make food for party guests? When there is a party on he should recognise that and become more proactive. Thanks to Inge for bringing this up. I understand no copy and pasting. I went into the gameplaydata package and did a search for "butler" I came up with 20 instances where changes to the strings might effect changes in the butler behavior game. For example one instance is found in Socializing_Action_Availability- in this string there is a script for "OrderDrink_For". Another example is of BakingDish_PrepareBakingDish" What I am asking is do these strings have any impact on the script that I want as my final outcome? I know I need to modify the butler script but by modifying these strings also come into play for the development of a more intelligent butler?
Inventor
#13 Old 25th Jan 2012 at 3:19 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Jbob
What I am asking is do these strings have any impact on the script that I want as my final outcome?


yes, using the XML tunning, you can change the "desirability" of the specific Interaction. this can help you, but you will not get the better/smart butler as you want.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#14 Old 25th Jan 2012 at 3:27 AM
I also realize I am just talking about S3PE here, I am using dotPEEK as my decompiler as my Relfector no longer works. So in the case of the gardner after a quick peek I need to look under sims3.gameplay.services and find all the instances for the tasks and if I want them to just be harvest I delete the others? I am asking the questions to help decide on a course of action which is easier to just add the harvest function to the Gnome or remove all the tasks from the Gardner? Sure I have to ask that, but I have to understand where to look before I can fully answer which. I have gone throug hthe tutorials and after the suggestions previously I am now set to go through them again.
Inventor
#15 Old 25th Jan 2012 at 3:54 AM
better idea.
Attached files:
File Type: rar  Gardener_service_NPC_harvest_only.rar (37.8 KB, 12 downloads) - View custom content
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#16 Old 25th Jan 2012 at 6:12 AM Last edited by HugeLunatic : 25th Jan 2012 at 6:08 PM. Reason: Merged posts: please don't multi post
Dang it you took away my fun in learning. But Thank You very much! Could you do me a favor and just send me a pm or reply back here on what you did. I am interested in the process.

Quote: Originally posted by douglasveiga
yes, using the XML tunning, you can change the "desirability" of the specific Interaction. this can help you, but you will not get the better/smart butler as you want.


Is that because there hasn't been a way to figure it out because something is hard coded or is it because I am overlooking a lot of different things?

Wow tutorial is confusing. I am doing the Sims 3 Object Modding and it jumps from being into S3PE to scripting withOUT giving you any direction. When I open VS it doesn't just open to where I can enter my script. I am working on the pet sitter mod using the wildlifeGnome. I cloned my object, opened it in S3PE. Now while in S3PE do I change in the OBJK Resourse editor "Sims3.Gameplay.Objects.Environment.StrayWildlifeGnome" to "Sims3.Gameplay.Objects.Environment.MagicPetSitterGnome.JbobMod" or is that done is VS somewhere. If it is in VS do I go to AssemblyInfo.CS or AppConfig or Class1.cs?

right now this is what I have and I am doing this in notepad or notepad++ I still have to figure out the interactions. I recall from exploring GameplayData some references in there to dog, cat and horse pee, I did not explore them but I imagine those are reference to when nature calls for the animals and should be explored and incorporated in the script?

using Sims3.Gameplay.Objects.Environment;
using Sims3.Gameplay.Interactions;
using Sims3.Gameplay.Actors;
using Sims3.Gameplay.Autonomy;
using Sims3.SimIFace;
using Sims3.UI;


namespace Sims3.Gameplay.Objects.Environment.MagicPetSitterGnome.JbobMod

public class MagicPetSitterGnome : StrayWildlifeGnome

private sealed class ScrapPaintingInteraction : ImmediateInteraction<MagicPetSitterGnome, Pet>
{
public static readonly InteractionDefinition Singleton = (InteractionDefinition) new Easel.ScrapPaintingInteraction.Definition();

static ScrapPaintingInteraction()
{
}

protected override bool Run()
{
if (This is where I define the animals This Gnome covers and the care it offers from Feeding, to bathing, to playing();
return true;
}

[DoesntRequireTuning]
private sealed class Definition : ImmediateInteractionDefinition<Sim, Easel, Easel.ScrapPaintingInteraction>
{
protected override string GetInteractionName(Sim a, Easel target, InteractionObjectPair interaction)
{
return Easel.LocalizeString("ScrapPainting", new object[0]);
}

protected override bool Test(Sim a, Easel target, bool isAutonomous, ref GreyedOutTooltipCallback greyedOutTooltipCallback)
{
if (target.CanScrap(a))
return !target.InUse;
else
return false;
}
}
}
Inventor
#17 Old 25th Jan 2012 at 6:18 PM
Code:
If it is in VS do I go to AssemblyInfo.CS or AppConfig or Class1.cs?


Class1.cs

please, try the StuffedAnimal first, because you need to learn following the tutorial, before starting your own modded object. Learning a basic script will help you to explore another advanced things.

Code:
right now this is what I have and I am doing this in notepad or notepad++
  I still have to figure out the interactions.  I recall from exploring GameplayData 
some references in there to dog, cat and horse pee, I  did not explore them but
 I imagine those are reference to when nature calls for the animals and should 
be explored and incorporated in the script?


just leave the pets alone, follow the tutorial.


Code:
 protected override bool Run()
{
        if (This is where I define the animals This Gnome covers and the
 care it offers from Feeding, to bathing, to playing();
        return true;
}


yes, after a Interaction is "clicked" this function is executed.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#18 Old 25th Jan 2012 at 8:06 PM
Thank you
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#19 Old 25th Jan 2012 at 11:38 PM
Ok got the Teddy bear to work
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#20 Old 26th Jan 2012 at 4:10 PM Last edited by Jbob : 26th Jan 2012 at 4:41 PM.
So in the case of the Gardner. I would open the package in S3PE and then export the Gardner s3sa as a DLL then open it in dotpeek. I would then go to ClassGardner, Gardner, GardnerSituation and edit the strings to those that only reference harvesting?

I guess what I am asking more to the point is that when I am looking at someone else's mods in an attempt to replicate some form of action that appeals to me I look in the S3SA portion?

My Desire to work on the Butler mod is only tempered by my learning process, so yes I am new to this but the easy way isn't always the best way for me. Working on the idea and through the problems is more satisfying and educational.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#21 Old 26th Jan 2012 at 5:42 PM
Talking about the Butler, to effect the changes I need to look at the interaction or ITUN strings? Adding these to a butler will affect the changes in the butlers. What areas will help develope the better smarter Butler? Speaking of ITUN, looking at the tutorial XML Tuning Modding lets say I have 20 new interactions or ITUN strings I want to add to this butler (I have not looked at just the butler or butler service codes for more than a glance or two) once I create a new package and make all the changes to the ITUN strings I bring them all back into the package and commit changes? I mean basically I have to export all those 20 resources and recombine them into the butler package?

these are some of the resources I have been looking at, I am not sure if the resources that are for say, "bar professional" or "restaurant" can be added to a class outside that hierarchy.

FryingPan_CookOnStove_fryingPan
EatHerewithothers_restruant
PickupHamper
Servehotbeverage
dance on counter or table (might be fun to find a way to use this for a stressed out butler)
givebottlesim
moppuddles
stovecheckstove
dumpwateronaextinguish_sim
servingcontainer_cleanup_servingcontainer
sitherforeating_IEeating surface (might be for objects only??)
stockfishbowlbase
practice making new drinks
fridge eatleftovers fridge
bring in newspaper
bakingdish cleanup baking dish
checklitternewspaper
bakefortunecooking fortune cookie maker
enhanced food serving containers
shoo from food shoo pet
mop burnt terrain
do feed omni plant (maybe a way to make it select best of items like perfect food from fridge or box of seeds)
foodtray prepeare food tray
orderbirthdaycake bar professional
clean litterbox
search for burgler
pickup trashcan outside
dispose trash trashpile
light firepit
payallbills mailbox
makehotbeverage hotbeveragemachine
paybill bill
cleansink sink
cuttingboardcleanup cuttingboard
tinker food replicator or stove or other cooking items
assign NPCBartender
orderfood
takefood to lot
find coupons computer
pizza box serve pizza box


I am thinking of omitting the references to pet functions since at a later date I hope to be bale to create a pet sitter.

Final question do these interactions or ITUN strings get added to Butler resource that determines when the butler cooks, how many are in the service pool for the butler?
Inventor
#22 Old 26th Jan 2012 at 7:37 PM Last edited by douglasveiga : 26th Jan 2012 at 7:52 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by Jbob
I would then go to ClassGardner, Gardner, GardnerSituation and edit the strings to those that only reference harvesting?


yes, but i think it will not work.

Quote: Originally posted by Jbob
I guess what I am asking more to the point is that when I am looking at someone else's mods in an attempt to replicate some form of action that appeals to me I look in the S3SA portion?


yes

Quote: Originally posted by Jbob
My Desire to work on the Butler mod is only tempered by my learning process, so yes I am new to this but the easy way
isn't always the best way for me. Working on the idea and through the problems is more satisfying and educational.


ok

Code:
once I create a new package and make all the changes to the ITUN strings I bring them all back into the pa
ckage and commit changes? I mean basically I have to export all those 20 resources and recombine them into th
e butler package?


yes, but create a new package. Don't modify your original package.

changing the XML is the easiest way to make a NPC do something, but you need to consider that sometimes
it doesn't work as you expected.

example: Gardener need to Harvest plants, but there is a problem. the NPC will get all the fruits and "stole" it and add in his inventory, because the original interaction works this way.

So, if a use the xml, you need to consider if the original interaction will not affect the gameplay. If it does, you need
to "recreate" the interaction and attach in your mod to make your npc perform it.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#23 Old 26th Jan 2012 at 7:58 PM
Like you did as you were saying the game has your NPC put the food in his inventory, to bypass that, you might have done something like allow it in the Gardner inventory then before they exit the lot a script has them place it in the refrigerator of the lot? I noticed in your script that there was an instance or two that mentioned something about not being able to put the items in the fridge the fridge being too full or something. I have yet to fully test the limits of your mod but if I had a fridge on the lot that was full then adding a second fridge would meet the requirement for the Gardner to once again put the harvestable in the fridge inventory?
Inventor
#24 Old 26th Jan 2012 at 8:06 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Jbob
Like you did as you were saying the game has your NPC put the food
in his inventory, to bypass that, you might have done something like allow it in
the Gardner inventory then before they exit the lot a script has them place it in
the refrigerator of the lot?


no, i recreated the interaction and attached it to the npc. the npc auto transfer the items when harvesting, he never add in his inventory.

Code:
I have yet to fully test the limits of your mod but if I had a fridge on the
 lot that was full then adding a second fridge would meet the requirement for
 the Gardner to once again put the harvestable in the fridge inventory?


not exactly, the game works as "SharedFridgeInventory", so all the Fridges in the Lot have the same inventory.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#25 Old 26th Jan 2012 at 10:22 PM
We have 3 mods that deal with the butler, I have not contacted these creators yet but I am willing to. I am still in idea phase and learning and experimenting, it's how I work. Looking at these other mods, each has its own uses and at least two of them people wished were part of a single mod. what I am wondering, is if permission is granted to use their creations, is it possible to merge them together? Rainbow Brite has a mod with 18 flavors, is it possible to through scripting merge her 18 into one so that you get to pick which parts you want for example if you want the Butler recurrent no cooking or the more expensive recurring no cooking butler and pick which flavor you want for cooking tweaks from Gobot101's mod? I think both of those mods reference the butler XML resource so can we not combine the two XML codes into one?
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