- the 1.69 horse system is different from the CEP2 and Wyvern Crown of Cormyr systems
- "horse" is the term referring to any mountable creature
- For existing modules, set the OnClientEnter script to x3_mod_def_enter, or copy the code into your existing script.
- You will also need to add the module OnHeartbeat script x3_mod_def_hb, to support the Mounted Combat feat.
General
- Henchmen and other standard NPCs automatically acquire the Mount Actions feat, and so do PCs created with 1.69
- Paladins have the nice bonous of summon mount(Wolver should like this...the feat works even if the horse system is not used...unless the specific script is "shutoff")
- supported races are : Dwarf, Elf , Gnome, Halfling, Half-Elf, Half-Orc, Human
- PC or NPC can become the owner of a horse, in which case its name changes (e.g. "Horse" becomes "Proleric's Horse") and it joins the party, following its master
- Before a horse can be mounted by a henchman, it has to be assigned to them
- A character can own many horses, but no more than one can be assigned for mounting at any given time
- a PC can mount any available horse without assigning it first
- a PC's horse becomes a henchman (not an animal companion)
- A henchman's horse becomes a henchman of the henchman, not a henchman of the PC
- By default, horses have standard associate scripts that cause them to follow their owner
- If the rider already has a tail, it is not visible when mounted(the horse replaces any tail models while mounted)
- Racial scaling means, for example, that the horse gets bigger for a half-orc, but smaller for a halfling, automatically
- mounting jousting horses is different(weapons are readied in a fashion for the joust)
- Custom animations are used for mounting, dismounting and jousting
Commands
- Horse actions can be performed using the radial menus on the PC, henchmen and horses
- This is much easier if you allocate the horse commands to quickslots
Paladin Mounts
- Paladins acquire the Summon Mount feat automatically at level 5
- Paladin mounts are implemented using much the same system as regular horses, but there is an important difference - they are summoned creatures, not henchmen
- you can't change the owner of a Paladin mount - it is owned by the Paladin who summoned it
- The Paladin can dismiss it - otherwise, it continues to be owned by the Paladin until the summoning duration expires
- By default, Paladin mounts are summoned for 24 hours. You can enforce the mount summoning durations as specified in the Player's Handbook 3.5 edition if you prefer.
- Paladin mounts normally vanish when the player rests, but this can be disabled.
Mount Ownership
- In a script, you can confer horse ownership on an independent NPC, such as a noble or a horse dealer
- They don't need the Mount Actions feat merely to own a horse, so they don't have to have the standard race appearance that would be required for riding
- This is one way to stop players stealing any horse that takes their fancy (regarded as a seriously evil action in medieval times)
- Also, it changes the name of the horse (for example, "King Arthur's Heavy Warhorse")
Existing Systems
- Existing systems will usually work under 1.69
- Players can introduce horses, whether you want them or not. By default, Paladins acquire the Summon Mount feat automatically at level 5, which will create a horse anywhere in the module(unless script is disabled)
- PCs created prior to 1.69 need a creature skin to acquire the Mount Actions feat and radial menu
- This is done for you by the OnClientEnter script x3_mod_def_enter, but this is only the default for new modules - so you need to update your module event script for existing modules.
- The CEP team expects to release CEP 2.1 with NWN 1.69 to address compatibility in the round
- the 1.69 horse system is fundamentally different from the CEP horse system
- It is possible to have a custom horse with a CEP appearance, but it needs the 1.69 script set and variable settings described in this guide to work
System Options
- X3_HORSE_ENABLE_ACBOOST specifies that the rider will benefit from the armour class of the horse while mounted. By default, there is no change to the rider AC
- X3_HORSE_ENABLE_HPBOOST transfers half of the horse's hit points to the rider on mounting. These are temporary hit points. On dismounting, the horse is undamaged, and the rider loses any temporary hit points remaining
OR
- X3_ENABLE_MOUNT_DAMAGE does not increase the rider's hit points on mounting. On dismounting, the horse takes a proportion of the damage sustained while mounted, and the rider is healed by the same amount.
- By default, a mounted rider gains an increase in speed, but suffers a massive penalty to skills (Disable Trap, Open Lock, Hide, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, Set Trap and Tumble). This can be disabled.
- Rest while mounted is normally disabled, but can be enabled.
- By default, mounted combat is modified along similar lines to the Player's handbook by means of the Mounted Combat feat. If this is disabled, mounted combat is the same as normal combat. Either way, a rider gains little or no combat advantage from riding a horse other than speed, so you may want to use a post-mount script to enhance combat ability, or enable AC and HP benefits as mentioned above.
- The increase in the maximum number of henchmen to accommodate horses can be disabled. In this event, a horse is counted like a normal henchman when assessing how many henchmen they can have at any given time.
- Alternatively, an upper limit can be set on the maximum number of henchmen. In this case, horse ownership will increase the maximum until it reaches the limit, after which both horses and henchmen are counted in the same way when assessing how many are allowed.
- Shapeshifting is normally disabled on mounted creatures, but you can enable it.
Areas - Horse Control
- By default, horses are allowed in all areas, and horses can be summoned anywhere.
- horses can be restricted to external areas only by setting the module switch X3_MOUNTS_EXTERNAL_ONLY in the OnModuleLoad event.
- horses in underground areas can be forbidden by setting X3_MOUNTS_NO_UNDERGROUND
- In addition, there are three options you can set for an area
- X3_NO_HORSES = Horses not allowed in this area. On entry, horses will be left behind.
- X3_NO_MOUNTING = Horses may not be ridden in this area. Anyone attempting to do so will be forcibly dismounted.
- X3_MOUNT_OK_EXCEPTION = Horses allowed in this area, regardless of the module switch settings.
- If you want these rules to apply to part of an area, use Triggers
- When horses are forced to remain in the old area, their ownership and assignment status is unaltered (so that they can be remounted later), but they cease to be party members.
- If a placeable or waypoint in the old area has the tag X3_HITCHING_POST, horses will move to this object and switch to STAND_GUARD mode.
- Note that if you place a "no horses" area next to a "no mounting" area, on return to the "no mounting" area the player will be unable to mount the horse which was left behind. In fact, they won't be able to lead it away, either, because the horse has ceased to be a party member. The player can work around this by unassigning the horse, reassigning it, and leading it away, but you may prefer to avoid this situation in your area design, or else write a script that causes horses to rejoin the party in these circumstances.
Animations and Jousting
- The following looping animations are provided...
HORSE_ANIMATION_MOUNT
HORSE_ANIMATION_DISMOUNT
HORSE_ANIMATION_LOOPING_JOUST_VIOLENT_FALL
HORSE_ANIMATION_LOOPING_JOUST_GLANCE
HORSE_ANIMATION_LOOPING_JOUST_FALL
HORSE_ANIMATION_LOOPING_JOUST_STAB
HORSE_ANIMATION_LOOPING_JOUST_HELMOFF
- As always, they're just animations - you need to script anything else that happens.
- There are no lances in the standard palette, but there is a cool new item type "Lance" which you can customise with the Item Wizard
Mounted Combat
- By default, combat while mounted follows rules close to the Player's Handbook. This is implemented as the Mounted Combat and Mounted Archery feats.
- The Mounted Combat feat automatically confers a temporary increase in Armour Class while mounted.
- The Mounted Archery feat automatically reduces the missile weapon attack penalty while mounted from -4 (the default) to -2.
- The Ride skill is pre-requisite for these feats, and affects the Mounted Combat bonus.
- If the module switch X3_NO_MOUNTED_COMBAT_FEAT is set to TRUE, the Mounted Combat feat has no effect.
- The Mounted Archery feat is not disabled by this switch.
- On level up, a Ride skill of 1 or better is pre-requisite for the Mounted Combat and Mounted Archery feats, and Mounted Combat is pre-requisite for Mounted Archery.
- These are class feats for Fighters, but they can also be item bonus feats for any class with no pre-requisites (unless you place a class restriction on the item).
- The Mounted Combat feat automatically performs a Ride skill check while mounted once per round, to increase the rider's Armour Class by 1 point for every 5 of the check result.
- This is done without feedback, to maintain immersion, but the AC on the character sheet will fluctuate over time.
- The module needs the default OnHeartbeat script x3_mod_def_hb to support the Mounted Combat feat.
Death While Mounted
- When a mounted PC or NPC dies, the corpse appearance includes the horse.
- If the PC respawns, the horse is not resurrected - by default, it leaves a lootable corpse.
- However, if X3_HORSE_NO_CORPSES is set on the module, the horse is destroyed, and any saddlebag items are dropped on the ground.
Saddlebags
- Saddlebags are implemented as an inventory on the horse.
- It is not possible for a PC to view the inventory of a horse which is owned by an associate.
- By default, when the horse is mounted (and no longer exists as an object), the saddlebag contents are stored on a database, and restored on dismount, automatically.
Full details on this system can be downloaded here...
http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=Sc ... il&id=3412
Edit...
Known Issues
- since there is a moment in the mount and dismount animations when the old horse is destroyed, there has to be a very slight discontinuity in the animation.
- Clipping may occur when both parties in a conversation are mounted, or when several henchmen are mounted. This is minimal, and unlikely to change - there is a delicate balance between preventing clipping altogether, and allowing the horses to move around. Increasing the distance at which henchmen follow you when mounted helps.
- Equipped shields are not visible in the standard mounted phenotypes. This is intentional, to prevent clipping. It's purely visual, with no impact on Armour Class. Shields are visible in the joust phenotypes.
- In the DM Client, the DM does not have horse feats. Bioware has indicated that this is unlikely to be fixed.
So how does this effect the implementation of the mounted combat feat ac bonus since we all love the heart beat scripts here on NS4?- The module needs the default OnHeartbeat script x3_mod_def_hb to support the Mounted Combat feat.
Also any ideas on how ns4 will be adding mounts? Specificly will the Paladin summon mount ability be added?
