Oblivion Mod:Cobl/Projects

During Cobl's early period (2007), projects were proposed and voted on under this set of pages. However, there was not enough participation for the voting approach to be practical (and the procedure took too long anyway). So the procedure settled back to a "benevolent (monkey) dictatorship" with Wrye making all final include/exclude and procedural questions. Also most proposal/discussion was moved from these project pages to the Relz topic. (See also Cobl/Policy.)

However, these pages have been retained for: 1) historical value; 2) occasional complicated topics; and 3) to provide access for folks who prefer not to work through the official forums.

When posting on this page (and again it's usually better to use the Relz topic), please treat it as a discussion page -- i.e. the talk tab is ignored and discussion takes place on the article page itself. When commenting, please be sure to indent (:) as appropriate and sign your comment (to sign, type "--~~~~").

Contents

Archives
Archive 1: Old Discussions

Crafting

Atomization

Break objects up into essences which can be recombined to form new items. Mostly focussing on extracting spell effects.

• I'm taking this to being specifically about magic effect atomization, and not to be crafting atomization (e.g. reducing clay pots to clay shards for use in making new clay objects). --Wrye 17:48, 19 February 2008 (EST)
  • I think it can be done for crafting atomization too :D Majaczek 07:12, 9 May 2008 (EDT)

Rejected: Essentially this is much extreme crafting/immersion for Cobl. However...

• To some degree this happens as a side effect of other stuff that Cobl does (e.g. standardized resources).
• Also (for modders interested in doing this sort of thing), it's possible to flexibly recognize items from many different mods as resources of different types. For an example see how Cobl dinner plate handles accepts foods from many different mods through the Cobl Filter Late.esp (and use of OBSE functions and Wrye Bash list merging and mod filtering).

--Wrye 01:16, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Interactive Trees

• trees would be able to chop or burn, which will affect lowering them, and would be automaticaly grow up(if not burning)
• choping, burning, and growing/lowering would be in stages
• chopping would give wood which could be used for crafting campfiring etc.
• burning of the wood would give 'Wood Ash' INGR
• chopping burning tree would give 'Wood Coal' MISC
• trees would start burn if 'attacked' with strong enough 'fire damage' effect (magic weapon or spell which uses it)
• trees would stop burn if 'attacked' with strong enough 'cold damage' efect
• trees maximaly lowered would became a thumb (looking like chopped tree)
• trees would stop burn if became a thumb
• thumb would give no more items on chopping/burning
• chopping could be done by strong enough blunt/blade damage

Could this have sense/use? Majaczek 11:51, 9 May 2008 (EDT)

Rejected: I don't think that there is enough interest in this sort of extreme immersion crafting mod to warrant inclusion in Cobl. And it would be pretty non-trival to implement. And the fps hit would be huge. --Wrye 00:56, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Recipe Updater Engine

Recipes and crafting generally produce the same item. For instance, 2 pieces of Iron combine to make an Iron Gauntlet. This engine would allow the item returned by crafting to upgrade as the player becomes more skilled. In the same example, 2 pieces of Iron when the player is a Novice Armorer combine to make a Poor Iron Gauntlet with reduced Armor Rating, while a Master Armorer can make Superior Iron Gauntlets with increased Armor Rating.

Implemented RUE is implemented. Not sure if the particular usage described above is implemented though. --Wrye 01:20, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Cobl/Projects/Wrye Crafting

Proposed plan for crafting in cobl. --Wrye 17:31, 19 February 2008 (EST)

• Menu Containers has some experimental setup. Though usage will likely change somewhat from design envisioned there. --Wrye

Companions

There was quite a bit of discussion about integrating companions into Cobl -- specifically including Blackie's CM Partners was considered. However, it didn't happen and CM partners has matured since then. At this point, moving CM Partners would probably be too much trouble. And besides it's a large enough mod that it's probably best if it stands on it's own. However, that still leaves the possibility of bridging the two somehow. --Wrye 22:31, 21 October 2007 (EDT)

It may have been premature to reject this. It seems that many of the CM partner companions are a pretty thin layer on top of the Base cm partners mod (not much more than a face). If this is the case, changing a partner to a cobl implemenation might be fairly trivial. However, I'm too busy at the moment to check more closely. --Wrye 18:00, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

Status: Rejected: CM Partners works fine by itself, no need to include it. And it's pretty complicated. --Wrye 01:37, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Features

Mortality Handling

Several mods intercept the normal player death sequence and replace it with an alternative. However, there are technical difficulties with doing this, and such mods tend to interfere with each other. Scanner is working on a centralized death catching facility for COBL. Discussion on bethsoft forums about WIPZ topic. (Plus a fair amount of PM discussion between Scanner and Wrye.) --Wrye 02:38, 21 October 2007 (EDT)

Status: Implemented --Wrye 01:38, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Food Mods

Aside from Salmo the Baker and Hunger Effects, what other food mods should be considered for inclusion in Cobl? For prior discussion, see Wipz topic. --Wrye 23:44, 24 October 2007 (EDT)

Colleen's Oblivion Farmers Market

See Cobl/Projects/Food_Mods.

Status: Implemented: However, cooking components are not implemented. That would fall under crafting, which is not yet done.

Common Meats

Six types of wolf meat is annoying. --Tarnsman (paraphrased from forum post)

Status: Implemented: as of v1.60. More meats can be added as needed. --Wrye 02:16, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Happy Hannah Wines

HappyHannah's Wines? --anonymouse

Several others have seconded the idea. See Cobl/Projects/Food_Mods.

Status: Rejected/Maybe Later: IMO, this was too far a stretch for lore. The specific complain cited was with Dunmer wines (which to me is kind of equivalent to Scottish wine -- not a good idea, especially when they have Scotch! (as Dunmer have Flin, etc.)). Also, the whimsical names of the wines struck me as too modern. However, its true that it has been suggested several times... --Wrye 02:16, 6 March 2009 (EST)

More Vegetables

More Vegetables --anonymouse

Status: Rejected (Soft)/Maybe Later: Looks fine, but the numerous edits to exterior cells would be a compatibility problem (especially with UL). Cobl could just include the foods, and let a different mod place worry about placing them. But it's just not a high priority. If there's enough interest and permission is given, then it can be done fairly quickly. --Wrye 02:16, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Salmo the Baker

Inclusion of foods, etc. from Tarnsman's Salmo the Baker.

Approved 10/27/07 --Wrye 02:17, 29 October 2007 (EDT)

Status: Implemented as of version 1.13. --Wrye 00:39, 24 December 2007 (EST)

Equipment

Alchemical Sorter

Alchemical sorters is complete, but there should be an OBSE override version. Daleth completed one, but was waiting for OBSE 10 and then got busy with other stuff. We should see about recovering that from her. --Wrye 02:38, 21 October 2007 (EDT)

Status: Implemented in version 1.16 --Haama 14:20, 19 February 2008 (EST)

Clothing, Master Container

Most clothing mods are all about the models, but need some way of getting clothing to player. Clothing shop mods have to be aware of each clothing mod they want to work with. COBL could have a 'master clothing container':

• A mod that adds clothing could have a small quest script that runs, sends a copy of each item to the master container, then stops.
• A clothing shop mod could then access the container and have all the (COBL aware) clothing in the game to use at it sees fit.

--Anonymous

Sounds reasonable. See Official forum for further discussion. --Wrye 02:32, 2 March 2009 (EST)

Status: Maybe Soon: Seems like a good idea, and have preliminary idea of how to implement it. Just a matter of finding the time. --Wrye 01:48, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Luggage

A universal chest that can be dropped in inns, homes, etc. for making players stuff be semi-easily available from many locations.

Follow up: Luggage does almost nothing once you acquire it (aside from being very useful). Some additional effects/behavior would be nice. --Wrye 01:48, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Status: Implemented/Maybe Later: --Wrye 01:48, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Mannequins

Would be nice to add mannequins. Definitely one of the standard utility mods. --Wrye 02:38, 21 October 2007 (EDT)

I would love it if Cobl included mannequins. I am currently using Reznod's Mannequins as it was the only viable mannequin mod that I found. They work, more or less, but they certainly need some polish. I sent Reznod an email asking if he was still working on them or if I could attempt to improve them myself and spearhead an effort to improve them. (I am not an artist in any sense...) I have yet to receive a reply, so I think we can safely say the mod is abandoned. I assume then that it would be ok to merge them with Cobl and/or begin developing them again. At present they appear eligible for the PES HOF, so including this mod, even in it's current form, should greatly expand the Cobl user base. --Enterprise2001 00:45, 10 April 2008 (EDT)

Hmmm... Checking the Reznod Mannequins readme:

If you wish to use this plug-in in your plug-in there is no need to ask, just be sure that you put me in the credits just to give credit where credit is due. If you wish to use the resources that others have provided for this plug-in you will need to contact the original author.

So that looks like permission to use the plugin itself. If we don't get permission from author resources, then we can just do without the special glass, wood, etc. mannequins. However, I hope that we'll also see an upgrade in functionality. --Wrye 02:14, 11 April 2008 (EDT)

If you are seriously considering including Reznod Mannequins in Cobl, I will attempt to get permission to include the textures by Symbiode and AlienSlof that the mannequin uses. I'd love to help more by improving it, but I can't draw a descent stick figure and I would be starting from nothing with Oblivion (and probably OBSE) scripting. So, I'm not exactly qualified to take the mannequins in under my wing and get them growing again... :-( --Enterprise2001 13:39, 11 April 2008 (EDT)

Update: I have received a reply from Reznod (some time ago actually) and he has given permission to do anything we want to his his mod. Unfortunately, I have no artistic or scripting ability and with Wrye squeaking ever so closer to retirement it seems unlikely the mannequins will get improved, much less make it into Cobl. :-( --Enterprise2001 12:59, 22 July 2008 (EDT)

Status: Maybe Later: Hmm... If we have permission from Reznod, it shouldn't be too hard. --Wrye 01:48, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Potion Sorter

Like the alchemical sorter, but sorts potions. Might be integrated with the alchemical sorter? Might have vanilla and OBSE version?

Vanilla version - Way too painful to do, and can't work for potions created through Alchemy or with OBSE's CloneForm (as in, all RUE products...)

Integration with the Alchemy sorter would be nice, then no one would have to update their mods. However, this would all but require that the potions be stored with the ingredients (ingredient container is the parent of the item, and that's where the ref comes from). From the thread, this is not an acceptable solution.--Haama 15:13, 10 April 2008 (EDT)

Status: Implemented: Included as a function of the Alchemical sorter (OBSE only). --Wrye 01:48, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Static Alchemy Equipment

A permanent fixture that will fire up the alchemy menu - figures out, stores, and uses the player's best alchemy equipment. It has 2 versions - an OBSE version that will work with any apparati and a vanilla version that can only work with the vanilla (and SI) apparati. For now this is just a script, and I'll leave it up to modders to make/use a model and attach the script.--Haama 23:19, 2 April 2008 (EDT)

Seems that Hama has added models as well now. See Cobl/Modding/Static Alchemy Equipment.

Status: Implemented: --Wrye 01:48, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Items

Common Materials

List of materials which should be pushed down into Cobl.

• In general push common crafting materials (pelts, gems, etc.) down into Cobl.
• Standardize pelts from different overhauls.

Status: Maybe Later: Items from misc. mods are occasionally added into Cobl. --Wrye 01:34, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Furniture and Statics

For those who haven't seen it, the modder resources at MORE is pretty awesome. Check it out. Drool. I would definitely love to have all that stuffed into Cobl. Having all that readily available would be a light years jump for Oblivion modding. (Awesome work by Shezrie, et al.) --Wrye 02:38, 21 October 2007 (EDT)

Soft rejection. Wrye put together a first resource pack for consideration, but no comments pro or con on it. Until there's sufficient support, it's considered to be rejected. --Wrye 23:00, 18 January 2008 (EST)

See Resource Pack 1 for more info. --Wrye 19:05, 18 February 2008 (EST)

Status: Rejected: There was never a significant demand for this, and the size of the resource download would be very large. And there's an already released competing project (CURP). --Wrye 01:34, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Gems and Geomancy

The addition of Turgothh's Gem Dust and Momaw's Geomancy to Cobl.

Perhaps also Glittering Geology? (suggested by evphelps) --Dev akm 13:39, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

Already listed under "Ideas" below. --Wrye 20:51, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

I just wanted to second this as it'd be nice to have all gems drawn from the same source, instead of separate gems adding in their own each time --Claudekennilol 13:42, 18 February 2008

Status: Partial/Maybe Later: Gems and gemdust have been included. The extension through Tamriel's glittering geology has not been included. --Wrye 01:34, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Tamriels Glittering Geology

This is another popular resource mod closely associated with Gem Dust and Geomancy. An integrated version is Gristle's Precious Stones. --Wrye 00:06, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

Status: Maybe Later: Looks good. Just a matter of time and permission. --Wrye 01:34, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Signals

General Signals

There are number of signals that are good for general use. E.g.:

• Companion's not allowed in this cell/area.
• Scripted weather change not allowed in this area.
• Death catching not allowed in this area.
• Survival needs (hunger, thirst, sleep) are suspended in this area.

These can be implemented as globals, factions and/or spell effects.

A number of these have been implemented. Others are pending sufficient support to include. --Wrye 23:00, 18 January 2008 (EST)

Status: Implemented: This is implemented. More are added as needed. --Wrye 01:53, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Specific Signals

It's sometimes useful for specific mods to communicate without actually requiring each other. An example in the Morrowind world is various companion mods which set globals to let the various companions know that the other companions are around and so talk to/about each other. This sort of communication requires shared globals, which is difficult to do in Oblivion. I have tentatively agreed that Cobl can handle this sort of thing through signal globals (namespace: cobSig).

Concerns

• Bloating: Globals of course are small. So long as they don't impact performance, it shouldn't be a problem.
• Updating: Signal globals would probably be updated more frequently than one would like cobl to be. However, there's a way around this. The globals can be definite more frequently in Cobl Main, but then echoed in a small Cobl Signals.esp which can be updated and shared frequently. Mods that want to access these globals just need to copy the globals into themselves -- thus making the globals available even if the user doesn't have the updated version of Cobl Main.esm. (This is probably a little unclear, I'll describe technique in more detail later.) --Wrye

Suggestions

• Court of Madness (SI) Rank: Not needed for SI users, but would be useful if say a dialog mod wanted to recognize Madness rank w/o requiring that SI be installed.
• KOTN Rank: Useful for dialog mods, etc.

Status: Death from Disinterest: This approach was approved, but no substantial demand for it has developed. --Wrye 01:53, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Standard Factions

Standard factions. Closely related to General Signals.

Status: Implemented: This is implemented. More are added as needed (rare). --Wrye 01:53, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Survival

Dinner Plate

Misc. hunger effects items.

Status: Implemented in version 1.12. --Wrye 00:39, 24 December 2007 (EST)

Hunger Effects

Questions about whether standardized hunger effects or scripts should be included in Cobl.

Status:Old Discussion: This was an old general discussion topic regarding handling of hunger in Cobl. It was pretty much settled with the introducion of the Dinner plate. --Wrye 02:16, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Techniques

Inclusion without Bloating

A proposal to be less cautious in adding new material, along with a description of how to do that with much less risk of performance penalty on low end machines.

Approved as 10/27/07. (Policy, hence no "In Progress" stage.") --Wrye 02:08, 29 October 2007 (EDT)

Status: Unused: The push down approach has been unused for several reasons: 1) It would be a hassle to implement, explain and maintain; 2) resources have been added as much as expected; 3) inactive resources (e.g. race cosmetics) don't use many machine resources; 4) machine power has grown. Hence the technique is unlikely to be used in the future. --Wrye 02:21, 6 March 2009 (EST)

Menu Containers

Implemented for options menu. Further extension for/use in crafting is being considered. --Wrye 17:31, 19 February 2008 (EST)

Status: Implemented: Used for Options, but not much else. Would also be used for crafting if/when that is implemented. --Wrye 02:21, 6 March 2009 (EST)