EDIT July 29 2017...in the event someone is still wanting to use this tutorial please note that the images are missing. This is because Photobucket have changed their policy and no longer allow 3rd party linking without a huge fee which I am not going to pay. If you think the images would be helpful you can view the tutorial with the images here where it will never change...unless Google starts charging or dies.
https://maigretsheadspace.blogspot.com.au/search/label/Oblivion%20Tutorials
This tutorial exists in various forums at other locations, but this, and the version on my Blog are the most up to date. It is recommended to use this one and I do NOT support the others. There have been a few extra notes added here that are not on my Blog, but nothing terribly important.
Link to tutorial on my Blog:
Creature Companion Tutorial
**Check at the last post before starting to make a companion. There is an updated script that adds a sneak function and the summon spell directly to the companion so there is no need for an object to hold the summon spell. It doesn't matter which type you use as long as it's one or the other.
EXTRA NOTE: Factions from other mods may or may not interact in odd ways. It is advised to leave companions outside the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary as they will aggro the members. This happens with companions from other mods as well so it is a game problem, not mine. There may be friendly fire issues between my companions if they hit each other enough times. Just re-summon if it happens. Otherwise I'm not going to try to fix any issues. Companions made with this tutorial will work as intended if followed correctly.
This tutorial outlines the system I use to create my creature companions. It uses activation to Follow and Wander (stay) so you won't find a menu system here. I don't like menus for creature companions and I find it totally unnecessary.
The scripts are included, but there's also some latitude in what you can do with them. For example you can add or subtract spells, sounds or shaders etc inside the main and magic scripts if you wanted to, but I haven't included it here. My House Cats mod and a couple of others adds sounds like a bell that rings on activation or purring sounds as Idles and/or on activation.
You could also add extra functions to the creature script and it already includes Sneak. This function depends entirely on your own Sneak Skill.
This Tutorial is quite long and detailed. The main part has the script for the original mod it's based on, but the last part (UPDATE) includes the updated script with the sneak function as well as having the summon spell added to it rather than an item.
CREATURE COMPANION TUTORIAL BASED ON MY SHER JA - MOUNTAIN LION COMPANION MOD.
***This tutorial assumes the user knows very little about using the Construction Set so I've tried to be as detailed as possible.***
Click the screenshots for a better view so you can see what I'm referring to. If you think you've made a mistake in any open form, click Cancel instead of OK, but generally you can go back and make the necessary changes without problems. There is an exception to this. If you move an object unintentionally when placing the creature in the world you can go to Edit/Undo in the File Menu as long as you realize immediately you've done it. Otherwise you'll need to "clean" the mod afterwards. It's no fun if you find you've moved a door or house by accident and don't find out until later.
CREDITS:
Sher Ja - Mountain Lion Companion was my first mod besides some save games and has been updated and experimented with several times until found I was finally happy with it.
The scripts used here for the companion are adapted from the Fenrir the Wolf Companion mod by delphinus with his permission. They were created with OBSE by Jumonji, but have been changed so they no longer require OBSE which mainly dealt with fast healing after battle. This is now dealt with by adding a Healing Ability and making him Essential. Jumonji helped me to do this.
The Add Summon Spell script is by WillieSea. I found it on the Official CS forums where I also find a lot of other helpful information.
Thank You.
Fenrir the Wolf by delphinus and Jumonji
Fenrir the Wolf
Link to my Sher Ja Mod
Sher Ja Mountain Lion Companion
STARTING OUT:
This will create a simple creature companion that can be activated to stay and follow. It will fight anything that is your enemy or that attacks you in Follow mode. It will NOT be aggressive to friends or yourself, and is player owned. Otherwise, if you resist arrest for a crime, it will attack the guards who are chasing you, or if you go on a murder spree then you can rely on it to defend you. I make my companions Essential so they don't die, but become unconscious for a short time. That's up to you. I prefer not to have to reload or deactivate and reactivate the mod if it dies, especially when using overhaul mods like I do, where a non essential companion death is almost guaranteed.
In Wander mode it will patrol the area where you left it and will defend itself if necessary. When you first go to find your companion it will also start to wander as soon as you enter the cell it's placed in, so if it's not where you put it just search around a bit or use the summon spell as described below.
There will be a Summon Spell to call your companion if you've left them somewhere, if they get stuck (rare), or to remove them from battle. If they do happen to get lost, for example, falling from a great height, they will teleport to you or return on entering a new cell. Or, of course, you can summon them back.
This spell can be added to an object and you can create a quest to find it if you like, or you can place the object near the creature. Make sure to mention it in your readme if you plan to release the mod.
I am including the option of adding the spell to an object to this tutorial. When the object is taken the spell is automatically added to your spellbook. The item doesn't need to be in your inventory afterwards, so you can throw it away or keep it depending on the item used.
The spell can also be added via a quest script which will add it as soon as you load your save, but will not be included in this tutorial. I prefer not to add the Summon Spell by a quest because I like to put my creatures somewhere to find, rather than an easier location like the Waterfront District.
Quest related options will be included in another tutorial which will outline a simple quest to find a companion or object with a small story attached to a note or book. This can be added to your inventory when you load your game with the mod active or you can use the quest to search for it. It will also include how to add spells via a quest and other options like sounds and messages which can be added to the scripts.
NOTE: I haven't gotten around to doing this addition yet.
I used to make it a habit to take screen shots of all my open windows in the Construction Set. For example: scripts, spells, stats etc. I can see at a glance what I've done for future reference, without loading the mod. But that's just me. I sometimes still do it for new mods depending on what I add to them.
Regarding Shivering Isles and companions: I haven't played SI for some time, but I know if you tell the companion to wait before entering the portal and then summon it when you are in the SI world there should be no problems. I've done this with Sher Ja and a couple of others and it was fine. That also relates to Oblivion Gates. Make the companion wait, enter the gate, then summon. Do the reverse BEFORE taking the sigil stone and summon once outside. Unlike other types of companions they obviously have no inventory that can be reset when the cells update.
Continued in next post.
https://maigretsheadspace.blogspot.com.au/search/label/Oblivion%20Tutorials
MY SIMPLE CREATURE COMPANION TUTORIAL for THE ELDER SCROLLS OBLIVION
PLEASE DO NOT POST THIS TUTORIAL ANYWHERE ELSE WITHOUT ASKING ME FIRST.
This tutorial exists in various forums at other locations, but this, and the version on my Blog are the most up to date. It is recommended to use this one and I do NOT support the others. There have been a few extra notes added here that are not on my Blog, but nothing terribly important.
Link to tutorial on my Blog:
Creature Companion Tutorial
**Check at the last post before starting to make a companion. There is an updated script that adds a sneak function and the summon spell directly to the companion so there is no need for an object to hold the summon spell. It doesn't matter which type you use as long as it's one or the other.
EXTRA NOTE: Factions from other mods may or may not interact in odd ways. It is advised to leave companions outside the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary as they will aggro the members. This happens with companions from other mods as well so it is a game problem, not mine. There may be friendly fire issues between my companions if they hit each other enough times. Just re-summon if it happens. Otherwise I'm not going to try to fix any issues. Companions made with this tutorial will work as intended if followed correctly.
************************************************************************
This tutorial outlines the system I use to create my creature companions. It uses activation to Follow and Wander (stay) so you won't find a menu system here. I don't like menus for creature companions and I find it totally unnecessary.
The scripts are included, but there's also some latitude in what you can do with them. For example you can add or subtract spells, sounds or shaders etc inside the main and magic scripts if you wanted to, but I haven't included it here. My House Cats mod and a couple of others adds sounds like a bell that rings on activation or purring sounds as Idles and/or on activation.
You could also add extra functions to the creature script and it already includes Sneak. This function depends entirely on your own Sneak Skill.
This Tutorial is quite long and detailed. The main part has the script for the original mod it's based on, but the last part (UPDATE) includes the updated script with the sneak function as well as having the summon spell added to it rather than an item.
CREATURE COMPANION TUTORIAL BASED ON MY SHER JA - MOUNTAIN LION COMPANION MOD.
***This tutorial assumes the user knows very little about using the Construction Set so I've tried to be as detailed as possible.***
Click the screenshots for a better view so you can see what I'm referring to. If you think you've made a mistake in any open form, click Cancel instead of OK, but generally you can go back and make the necessary changes without problems. There is an exception to this. If you move an object unintentionally when placing the creature in the world you can go to Edit/Undo in the File Menu as long as you realize immediately you've done it. Otherwise you'll need to "clean" the mod afterwards. It's no fun if you find you've moved a door or house by accident and don't find out until later.
CREDITS:
Sher Ja - Mountain Lion Companion was my first mod besides some save games and has been updated and experimented with several times until found I was finally happy with it.
The scripts used here for the companion are adapted from the Fenrir the Wolf Companion mod by delphinus with his permission. They were created with OBSE by Jumonji, but have been changed so they no longer require OBSE which mainly dealt with fast healing after battle. This is now dealt with by adding a Healing Ability and making him Essential. Jumonji helped me to do this.
The Add Summon Spell script is by WillieSea. I found it on the Official CS forums where I also find a lot of other helpful information.
Thank You.
Fenrir the Wolf by delphinus and Jumonji
Fenrir the Wolf
Link to my Sher Ja Mod
Sher Ja Mountain Lion Companion
STARTING OUT:
This will create a simple creature companion that can be activated to stay and follow. It will fight anything that is your enemy or that attacks you in Follow mode. It will NOT be aggressive to friends or yourself, and is player owned. Otherwise, if you resist arrest for a crime, it will attack the guards who are chasing you, or if you go on a murder spree then you can rely on it to defend you. I make my companions Essential so they don't die, but become unconscious for a short time. That's up to you. I prefer not to have to reload or deactivate and reactivate the mod if it dies, especially when using overhaul mods like I do, where a non essential companion death is almost guaranteed.
In Wander mode it will patrol the area where you left it and will defend itself if necessary. When you first go to find your companion it will also start to wander as soon as you enter the cell it's placed in, so if it's not where you put it just search around a bit or use the summon spell as described below.
There will be a Summon Spell to call your companion if you've left them somewhere, if they get stuck (rare), or to remove them from battle. If they do happen to get lost, for example, falling from a great height, they will teleport to you or return on entering a new cell. Or, of course, you can summon them back.
This spell can be added to an object and you can create a quest to find it if you like, or you can place the object near the creature. Make sure to mention it in your readme if you plan to release the mod.
I am including the option of adding the spell to an object to this tutorial. When the object is taken the spell is automatically added to your spellbook. The item doesn't need to be in your inventory afterwards, so you can throw it away or keep it depending on the item used.
The spell can also be added via a quest script which will add it as soon as you load your save, but will not be included in this tutorial. I prefer not to add the Summon Spell by a quest because I like to put my creatures somewhere to find, rather than an easier location like the Waterfront District.
Quest related options will be included in another tutorial which will outline a simple quest to find a companion or object with a small story attached to a note or book. This can be added to your inventory when you load your game with the mod active or you can use the quest to search for it. It will also include how to add spells via a quest and other options like sounds and messages which can be added to the scripts.
NOTE: I haven't gotten around to doing this addition yet.
I used to make it a habit to take screen shots of all my open windows in the Construction Set. For example: scripts, spells, stats etc. I can see at a glance what I've done for future reference, without loading the mod. But that's just me. I sometimes still do it for new mods depending on what I add to them.
Regarding Shivering Isles and companions: I haven't played SI for some time, but I know if you tell the companion to wait before entering the portal and then summon it when you are in the SI world there should be no problems. I've done this with Sher Ja and a couple of others and it was fine. That also relates to Oblivion Gates. Make the companion wait, enter the gate, then summon. Do the reverse BEFORE taking the sigil stone and summon once outside. Unlike other types of companions they obviously have no inventory that can be reset when the cells update.
Continued in next post.
Last edited by Maigrets on Sat Jul 29, 2017 9:38 pm; edited 4 times in total