So I Think I Want To Get Into Modding

[Krux]

I don't have a ton of experience but I had some ideas..

I wanted to discuss them here though to get a feel for what I'm getting into specifically.

So my questions are as of now:

Is it possible -or- how difficult is it to completely remock some of the interfaces? Specifically the pipboy/readius' perks screen & the Level Up Screen. And again, this is completely remocking those menus, not just subtle changes.

My other question is- how difficult is it to modify perks and add levels to perks? Pertaining only to existing perks.

[JaxFirehart]

Question 1 is a real pain, like HARD. There is very little documentation.

Question 2 is pretty easy, for the most part, but different perks take different amounts of work.

[Krux]

Ok, what about making a new interface? It's easier to disable the perks level-up screen altogether, right?

Would I be able to make a new interface that triggers on level up easier than modifying the existing one?

and as a side-note (because I've never seen this before), is a graphical interface possible? Icons instead of text, mouseover for text descriptions?

 

EDIT: for clarification, this is not referring to the pipboy, just any general interface i could make

[JaxFirehart]

Same thing. Modifying or making a new interface essential is the same thing, because of the way it works. Take my word for it, it is NOT a good first project.

[Krux]

damn.. was hoping to recreate borderlands level up system in fallout.

im not into modeling things or map creation.. any ideas what i can try to make that might be more my speed? Not like changing a number on a gun and calling it something else, more constructive.. you said perks aren't that bad. Maybe I can start with that.

[Puppettron]

perks are pretty easy and then pretty hard, much more stuff you can do with them to begin with and then learn to do as you  work with them than, say, item data manipulation.  also, perks benefit from being one of the simplest ways to add new mechanics to the system.  side-bonus, perk entries contain a lot of hardcoded scripting stuff, making scripting a bit easier to understand after you've seen it in action with the plug n play aspect of perks.

however, if you're looking for brain-dead easy stuff, look at recipes.  once you get the hang of recipes, the biggest problems come from naming things and figuring out what should go into what to achieve the desired outcome.

[JaxFirehart]

Pup gives solid advice. Make some recipe mods. Some perk mods. Do a bit of scripting. The UI can be made to bow to any whim, but it takes tons and tons of scripting ON TOP OF mocking up the UI itself.

[Krux]

thanks for the advice. I'll play around in the recipe department.

 

but i'll be back for ui