With the release of the long awaited 0.D, I’ve finally decided to take the leap of (attempting to) make a contribution to CDDA. This is my first attempt at creating a mod. I’m aware of several guides for modding CDDA, but if anyone would like to add links to additional guides, I would appreciate it.
My idea is to change the existing power armors from being a full body suit and full helmet, to individual parts on a frame or full body suit. Similar to either the power armor from Fallout 4 or the mjolnir armor from Halo, but more grounded in reality.
As of right now I’m basing my trial armor on the MkI power armor, helmet, and the hauling frame.
I’ve managed to lay the groundwork for:
A powered helmet that protects hearing
A powered mask that has glare 2, a watch, a thermometer, and sunglasses
Powered Arms, Gloves, Legs, and boots that can be swapped to either side.
Every part is sturdy and waterproof.
What I’m currently working on:
Creating the “frame” for the armor to be worn over.
Short Term Goals:
Ensuring the armor will be worn correctly
Ensuring that running up to 11 individual armor pieces based on UPS or the PA interface is actually possible and there won’t be issues with parts that can be worn on either side.
fixing weight, volume, pricing, resistances, and immunities so every piece isn’t just like a regular suit of PA.
Long Term Goals:
making the frame the most efficient (or sole) power source for the armor, while potentially still being able to use UPS or PA interface.
multiple sets of armor to cover different situations (I.E. one for acid or electric immuniy, combat, enviromental, etc)
making sure the parts spawn in appropriate locations (lab finales military locations, etc)
Ideas and Thoughts:
Some pieces having at least semi-realistic abilities, such as locking the legs and/or feet to prevent or resist being downed, melee weapons/simple guns/tools/holsters/sheathes on parts, being able to launch or release grenades/flares, gasses, or liquids from parts.
Should there be different types of frames? Like homemade/jury rigged that uses batteries/car batteries less efficiently, scientific that’s lighter but weaker and maybe runs on plutonium, industrial that’s bulky and heavy but runs on storage batteries, military that’s more combat orientated and uses UPS?
Should the armor be able to be worn without the frame for an additional encumberance penalty and a lose of some immunities or abilities?
What types of armor would people like to see, without them being too OP?
OMG this can be as big as a car like sistem we have curently in the game or realy shity.
Sorry for the negativity i realy like the idea im gust sceptical of the quality.It might be a good alternative to the clasical mutations and ciber enchancements.
@Maverick I think its too hard idea for first mod. Some complex system needs to C++ code, and i think (thanks for game achitecture) it REALLY wont be easy and really invasive.
@Adevald
I don’t agree with you about it being too hard. I think it’s the perfect opportunity for a learning experience, considering how supportive the CDDA devs and contributors are of people doing stuff themselves. Yes it may take awhile, but I think it’s completely possible. With that being said, this has been divided into two projects essentially.
One project is going to be the modular power armor mod. It is going to be entirely JSON and based off of items that have an “ON” and “OFF” version, similar to mining helmets or the RM13.
The second project, which is going to take a considerablely more time, is redoing the entire power armor code to function entirely different than it currently does. This is going to take some reasonably in-depth knowledge of C++, in addition to JSON. This is going to take significantly longer than the mod, and I don’t plan on really focusing on it until the mod is completed.
@Axema
Thanks for the support! Unfortunately you are correct about the power armor. I have decided to change it from being true power armor, to a “powered” armor instead. It’s still going to take a unique power source, limit the clothing that can be worn, offer interesting abilities, and be relatively late game or end game armor.
For the record, ‘true’ power armor is attached to hardcode, it’s not an actual on/off activation item like most other powered things. If you want it to run off of the current PA bionics/UPS you’ll need to use the PA activation system, which is extremely inflexible. To do what you want to do properly you’ll really want to start with the hardcode and modify it to properly support what you want.
That said, you’ll want to talk to Kevin about modifying the hardcode, since he has plans to basically turn power armor into a special vehicle type. There is or was a couple of people who’ve taken a stab at it but apparently haven’t gotten very far, or got distracted. I’ve spent a good deal of time messing with power armor myself, so I have a good idea of the struggles involved.
I guess I should have clarified beforehand, I have changed it from “true” power armor (removing power_armor: true) to a tool_armor now. It’s basically just a combination of regular armor that will function using a unique wearable UPS, which I have gotten working but not the way I want yet. Ive also gotten some interesting things that I’m attempting to get working, like multiple activatable abilities. Some of the things I’m wanting with the MPA mod is going to require C++ changes. Primarily a new UPS and new UPS tags. I’m aware that most, if not all, of the power armor stuff is hardcoded.
I have had a discussion with Kevin about how he wants power armor, but that is something that will be worked on later.
UPS is similarly hardcoded. You’d probably be best off writing a feature request on Github for JSONised UPSs. Relatively little of the complex game mechanics use JSON at all. And you won’t be able to use PA Interface bionics without the power armor activation (or restrict using it with normal clothing without the power_armor: true value. You should be able to leave the tag but remove the power armor activation ability and use a normal activation ability, but it still won’t use the PA Interface bionics. That said, they’re pretty rare and probably don’t matter.)
I’d be very interested to see it if you do manage to get some interesting things working, but I honestly don’t think you’ll get too far without hardcode changes. Which I know from experience. I had a number of similar ideas, but stopped working on them early on when I realized a lot of what I wanted was impossible (For reference, you can check out my Armor Up! mod thread for my ideas).
@Maverick, Of course its great opportunity, but can also be hard in same way. I believe in you despite the fact what the most new people in modding cant handle so big task.
I’m still working my way through what I’m wanting. I plan on writing up the sections that I want added or changed hardcore wise and submitting it for approval. I’m currently limited in my free time for a few weeks so progress is going to slow down.
That’s fair, but for reference I’ve had a fairly simple hardcode feature request sitting on Github for 2 or 3 months now (small change that would have a reasonably significant impact) that still hasn’t been handled. My advice is to work out what you want to do and run it past a couple of the devs to see if they think it’s worth pursuing and/or would be willing to help make the hardcode changes.
