NPC's riding on the side/back of vehicles

[Malkeus]

It was packaged with the original version of Ascension. I stripped out the parts that were unique to it and put them in their own patch mod for mainline blazemod, I’m still getting around to trying things out to see what’s worth keeping. I got the idea after Ascension upgraded and I lost one of my favorite parts, the crystal path.

I suggest getting the launcher to make updating easier. It’s usually not worth it to update every time they release a new build, but I watch for exceptional changes and fixes and update then. I’ll brb with a link for launcher.

edit: CDDA Game Launcher (Automatic updates and more!)

[Trigon]

Ah I thought maybe you knew some tricks. Yeah I do like the armored quarter panels with spiked rams. That’s my classic setup at least. Haven’t had luck with roller drums in some years though.

[Malkeus]

I haven’t played in about a year, I recently came back to it. I hope the vehicle changes haven’t made roller drums unworkable, they were fun and made the thing extra durable. I just wish I could find the mod that added shock absorbers again.

[nameless_survivor]

I just wish I could find the mod that added shock absorbers again.

I think they are in the base game now, or at least one of the mods packaged with it, because I’ve seen those in the build menu.

[Malkeus]

Holy cow! You are correct, they are in the base game now. It’s even called shock absorber instead of it just being in the part description. I totally missed it. Thanks, this is really going to help.

[nameless_survivor]

How do they function exactly? I’ve never used them.

Will they prevent players or NPCs from feeling some impacts, and not fly out of their seat or through the windshield or something?

Do they absorb impacts occurring on tiles in front of them and prevent damage to tiles behind them, or do they also prevent damage to the tile they are on as well?

Can they stack with armor, or do they replace armor?

Will they work if you put them on a tile behind a ram?

[Malkeus]

They stop or reduce damage from propagating back through your vehicle. So putting them behind the ram is perfect use. I’m not sure what effect they have on seatbelts. They take up the armor slot in the tile, and function as armor. Only way to really make that design I showed viable really.

[nameless_survivor]

Does anyone know if the parts I proposed in the OP could be created in JSON, or if there would be additional coding changes required? Or if there are any issues which might prevent them from being possible because of the game’s structure?

I’d be willing to take a crack at making a mod to for them myself it is as simple as copying the item information for a seat and altering it or adding something. If actual coding is required, I likely do not have the necessary expertise.

[Malkeus]

Well, #1 sounds like the folding seat from folding vehicle parts mod, just named differently. Making climbing mounts would most likely be as simple as copying the folding seat and changing it’s name and ident. #2 SOUNDS like something very similar, but with the part tag that spikes and such have, i forget atm. Adding the relevant info from seatbelts would make them stick in place, but it wouldn’t truly be them riding ‘adjacent’ to the tile and the part would be vulnerable to damage. And they would still be able to shoot and attack as per usual. So…#1 doable in json, #2 probably needs code changes of some kind.

edit: bear in mind, this is just idea’s, I haven’t tried it. I’m pretty confident in #1 though.

[nameless_survivor]

Can the folding seat from that mod be mounted on quarterpanels or boards? The idea is to have NPCs riding on top of the vehicle exterior panels (ie, on the same tile as the quarterpanel or board), while still preventing enemies from getting inside or attacking the interior as if there was only a seat on that tile and no barrier.

[Malkeus]

Oh, I see. No, that won’t work. If any part on a tile is impassable, the tile is impassable. I don’t know any way around that.

[Trigon]

No because a tile can’t be boardable and impassible. I think that causes a singularity. You could mount frames outside the main body with seats and such. But I think you can mount it on the same tile as a door and just ride with the door open, but that probably won’t accomplish what you’re trying to go for.

[nameless_survivor]

Shit. Well, what if they weren’t sharing the tile per se. What if the were sitting on top of it? Like on the next z-level? The quarterpanels/roofs etc would be where they sit. The part itself would just be ladder rungs or something to allow them access to the “roof”. Does the game currently have support for that?

I’m basically trying to accomplish this:

[Trigon]

No nothing like having someone sit on the next Z-level. For that screenshot I would just add armored frames to the outside with seats for them. I believe characters can shoot/attack over quarterpanels without damaging them. So you could just have a setup with one door in the back and/or driver’s side and ringed with quarterpanels instead of boards or doors. If you’re worried about opacity then you can hang curtains.

[nameless_survivor]

Shit.

I would just add armored frames to the outside with seats for them.

That is what I was planning to do next time I need to transport NPCs in a pinch. Either that, or making a temporary extension “trailer” from the backside with salvaged parts connected to the main vehicle by 2 frames. However neither will work well for my purposes on a permanent basis.

I’m driving around in a tank I gutted and remodeled, its 7x10 including the ram. Having an extra set of seats on each side or extending it further would make navigating dense cities go from “annoying” to “extremely difficult”.

[Trigon]

If you’re in a tank I would just put the only seats in an area NPCs can’t see out of. It’s not like you need the extra firepower.

[nameless_survivor]

It’s not like you need the extra firepower.

I DEFINITELY don’t need more firepower. I’ve got the 120mm tank gun, 6 lascannons, 2 turbolasers, a 30mm chaingun, a Mk-19 grenade launcher loaded with incendiaries, and 2 ATGM missile launchers.

My main problem is pathing: There is only one route to the interior working/storage area of my tank, a necessity of design, and that path is through the cockpit tile which is surrounded by stowboards (sight isolation for sleeping and ammo storage/ejected shell/belt link catching) so the NPCs can’t get to it. The spaces to the sides and and behind it are taken up by 4 storage battery arrays from Shard’s misc mod, and 4 solar arrays. I had to put them towards the back and sides to reduce the chances of damage in the event of attack with explosives or me stupidly running into something. As a result, the only spaces available for chairs are isolated at the front, and there is no way for NPCs to get there as they will be unable to get past me when I get in and start the tank.

I can’t rearrange the storage and equipment much, because if I do, the storage containers will end up out of line of sight of my tools and equipment, making crafting require tedious trips back and forth.

I also can’t remove the stowboards around the cockpit or I won’t be able to reload the projectile weapons from the drivers seat, and my precious UNCRAFTABLE 30mm & 40mm shell casings and belt links will fall to the ground and be potentially lost.

[Mantar]

Try assigning them seats, and step in past your cockpit, They’ll step into your cockpit space and ask you to move, then you just swap positions with them one by one and they’ll walk on towards their assigned seat.

[Trigon]

And just to confirm. You do not have the folding parts pack mod enabled? Because if you do then I would definitely say just rip down a ton of sheets and set foldable chairs over all your cargo spaces. That’s how I do it. Plus then you can nap in hammocks wherever you are.

[nameless_survivor]

And just to confirm. You do not have the folding parts pack mod enabled? Because if you do then I would definitely say just rip down a ton of sheets and set foldable chairs over all your cargo spaces.

I think I have it, I’ve experimented with the foldable extra light frame for making portable base defense turrets. That does seem easier than ripping out the floor trunks and replacing them with seats when I need them. I don’t really need the storage, I’ve got five storage racks from shard’s mod at the very front. 5000L storage volume total, but the tiles are impassable.

Plus then you can nap in hammocks wherever you are.

I have a reclining seat inside the cockpit I sleep in, where I can’t be seen by wandering enemies. Being constantly awoken by the sound of lascannons discouraging the locals from eating me in my sleep is annoying.

Try assigning them seats, and step in past your cockpit, They’ll step into your cockpit space and ask you to move, then you just swap positions with them one by one and they’ll walk on towards their assigned seat.

How do you assign them seats?