Author Topic: New COMMS officer idea: problems? (Read 7794 times)

Lurok91 · « **on:** February 08, 2011, 08:34:05 PM »

Just a crazy idea after working on Baz's TWOK bridge and NX revamp: what do people think of idea or possible probs/issues with adding new crew member for certain bridges - a Comms Officer.

On TMP, NX and JJ bridge, XO and Science usually combined. In theory presume not impossible to script new crew member onto bridge as Comms and perhaps reassign a few of Kiska's speech functions (specifically hailing). This would obviously work better with BR's proposed Kiska-to-MaleHelm mutator mod when released as most Comms officers are female (Uhura, Hoshi). Obviously combining XO and Science functions into one much trickier but again presume not impossible? I can think of at least one possible workaround.

One area I know very little about is how to do the GUI/menu buttons assigned to character, but again presume this isn't that hard to do?

Anyway, just an idea floated out there for feedback

Morgan · « **Reply #1 on:** February 08, 2011, 11:55:03 PM »

I would guess it could be accomplished similar to how the "Guest" (Data/Picard/Salek) crewmember functions are handled in Single Player. Though I'm sure it's possible something tells me the work load that would be required to get the result you're looking for would be a bit much, considering you would need to remove stock menu options from a stock character and replace them on this new character, as well as make these changes only apply to certain bridges. I don't know...I'm sure Sov will have a few intriguing suggestions when he see's this... ;)

ACES_HIGH · « **Reply #2 on:** February 09, 2011, 01:22:38 AM »

I remember reading that adding additional interactible crew isn't possible, but, basically you are just shuffling menu items around. it sounds interesting, I'm eager for Sov's or defiant's input on this.

Defiant · « **Reply #3 on:** February 10, 2011, 01:19:00 PM »

I'd say its generally possible. It just won't be...you probably already guessed..easy.

Rob Archer · « **Reply #4 on:** February 12, 2011, 10:59:34 AM »

Quote from: ACES_HIGH on February 09, 2011, 01:22:38 AM

I remember reading that adding additional interactible crew isn't possible, but, basically you are just shuffling menu items around. it sounds interesting, I'm eager for Sov's or defiant's input on this.

It is possible, you already have additional intractable crew members in single player on both the Galaxy and Sovereign bridges why would it be any different in Quick battle.

Morgan · « **Reply #5 on:** February 12, 2011, 12:06:19 PM »

Quote from: Rob Archer on February 12, 2011, 10:59:34 AM

It is possible, you already have additional intractable crew members in single player on both the Galaxy and Sovereign bridges why would it be any different in Quick battle.

I can see importing them into quick battle the same way those guest characters are imported into single player (or something similar), but getting them to work for specific bridges only - that I'm not to sure of.

Rob Archer · « **Reply #6 on:** February 13, 2011, 10:50:42 AM »

in its simplest form

Code: [Select]

Bridge = Get the set named 'bridge'
Bridge Script = get the bridge script from the Bridge Set
if ( Bridge Script == [specific bridge]):
      load Custom Character 
else:
      if Character exists remove them otherwise do nothing

Lurok91 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 14, 2011, 06:09:52 AM »

Quote from: Rob Archer on February 13, 2011, 10:50:42 AM

in its simplest form
Code: [Select]
Bridge = Get the set named 'bridge' Bridge Script = get the bridge script from the Bridge Set if ( Bridge Script == [specific bridge]): load Custom Character else: if Character exists remove them otherwise do nothing

Hmm. Interesting. Where would that code go?

Rob Archer · « **Reply #8 on:** February 14, 2011, 08:20:16 AM »

Give me a couple of days to look into it. ;)

JB2005 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 03, 2011, 06:46:10 PM »

If you take a look at my Captain's Orders and Captain on the Bridge mods, there's some code in there that lets you add crew members to the guest position on the Galaxy and Sovereign Bridges:

http://bridgecommander.filefront.com/file/New_Capt_Orders;83331
http://bridgecommander.filefront.com/file/Captain_On_The_Bridge;87110

My advice is to use the mission scripts in the Build Folder of the SDK as a starting point, adding characters is easy, adding a context menu for them is a little more involved...adding functional buttons to them I never figured out!

JB2005 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 15, 2011, 06:54:57 PM »

The idea for this has been in the back of my head ever since I read it in June (and I think I actually threw this idea out there in 2005 when I first joined BCU - I was told it was impossible...but then again, I was also told that there was no way to make the phasers fire like they did in Nemesis and that leaving the Captain's Chair on the bridge was something the game wouldn't support!)

So with this in mind I took a look at the code that's given over to the Helm for Hailing...

Theoretically (and I must stress this word) it would be possible to take this code and give it to someone else...

I keep getting frustrated at Captains Orders! And when I do, I end up doing something else for a while to take my mind off it! So I may try to put this idea to work and see what happens! I will of course keep you updated if I make a serious stab at this!

Lurok91 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 16, 2011, 09:54:14 AM »

Looking forward to seeing anything you come up with, JB

Like you, I can see how it might be theoretically possible. The tricky part is the scripting and working out which bits of code to assign/reassign...

JB2005 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 16, 2011, 09:35:35 PM »

It's possible!!!

Well...let me put it this way...it's possible to:

Make a custom character,
Create a character menu for said character,
Give generic sounds to that character,
Add a command to that character's menu which is from a different character!

I decided to try something a little more basic than the hail command!

Youtube Video:

This took me all of half an hour (working with an already created character and tweaking his menu) and was literally a "copy/paste" excercise and for good measure I created a new TGL so there would be no conflict (this was more for Captains' Orders than for anything else, as this is where I put the Kessok!)

Needless to say I'm excited by the possibilities which are opened up by this development and am going to see what can be done to expand them when I can! (Looks like Captains Orders will have another revolutionary trait!)

At some point I will also upload a tutorial about creating custom characters/working with stock characters - if there's much demand!

EDIT:

It's also possible to add a custom command (as a test, I added Defiant's Distress Call) to the character!

Killallewoks · « **Reply #13 on:** November 17, 2011, 04:09:20 AM »

Incredible!

King Class Scout · « **Reply #14 on:** November 17, 2011, 08:31:20 AM »

o.O

ladies and gentlemen Someone actually used the Kessok character models!!
this is the first time i've ever seen it outside of Max!

Lurok91 · « **Reply #15 on:** November 17, 2011, 08:58:35 AM »

That's so cool, JB, and nice to see any new mod ideas come to fruition. Have a well-deserved cookie. Blackrook, USSSovereign, Defiant and I discussed in past that most things possible if you have the time/patience and inclination (and knowledge, of course - or willing to learn

). I for one would love a tutorial on custom character. Again, well done.

JB2005 · « **Reply #16 on:** November 17, 2011, 02:10:37 PM »

I will definitely start putting something together (as I'm literally learning how to do this as I type it'll be a useful memory aid as well!)

It turns out that BC is perfectly willing to accept custom characters, as long as you speak very nicely to the code and put TGLs in the right place! I'm now using a mutator to override several of the stock files, so in the long term there will be no risk of damage to anyone's BC install!

So, what have I done here?

I've added the probe launch code to the Menu and - and this was the headache - used the Captains Orders Script to call the Character script, so that we get the speech and menu effects that go with it! (Ok, so it was less of a headache as it was a case that this is the first time that TGLs have given me issues!)

I gutted two mods and stuck them into the code, to see what would happen - Defiant's Distress Call and Patch_R's "TurnLightsOnOff" and they work perfectly, so it's possible to add custom codes!

My next attempt (god help me!) will be to create a comm officer character and give him the: Hail and Contact Starfleet commands and to take away the aforementioned from Kiska and Saffi!

Oh, and in unrelated news, I have unofficially named the Kessok B'Ob! If I get really frustrated there is a good chance I may make this change to his TGL!

Lurok91 · « **Reply #17 on:** November 19, 2011, 09:53:57 AM »

Speaking of code, crew buttons and old mods...just wanted to mention (in case might be interested) there was a nice little mod someone released called TargetSeparate that allowed you to separate an MVAM ship (usually Galaxy but guess could work on any?) from a button in Felix's bridge menu. I think it stopped working in KM and various updates because of addition of MVAMInfinite (at least did on mine) but I've managed to get it working again.

Link to original mod on BCF:
http://bridgecommander.filefront.com/file/Target_Separation_V40;35721

Defiant · « **Reply #18 on:** November 19, 2011, 10:25:17 AM »

Original MVAM had only Galaxy, thats why iirc.

ACES_HIGH · « **Reply #19 on:** November 19, 2011, 03:06:57 PM »

Quote from: JB2005 on November 17, 2011, 02:10:37 PM

Oh, and in unrelated news, I have unofficially named the Kessok B'Ob! If I get really frustrated there is a good chance I may make this change to his TGL!

B'Ob T. Kessok? it has a nice ring to it.

News:

Author Topic: New COMMS officer idea: problems? (Read 7794 times)