NPC Idle Chat : V

» Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:52 am

Hello all,

Some time ago, I was doing CK tutorial and had problems with getting NPC dialogue responses and, with the help of a few others, came to use a method to correctly get NPC responding in game with pre-recorded and then used .wav files. (Can now do this with xwm files!)

The problem we have now is NPC idle chat. That is - what an NPC may say when NOT in direct dialogue with the player - such a 'Hello' or 'Watch what you are doing'.

It is very odd to have a voice acted NPC with voicetype idle chat that does not match the custom voice acting. The easy way to get over the issue is to NOT give the NPC a voicetype - thus there will be no idle chat.

So! I would like advice on how to make idle chat for NPC.

Do I have to somehow put the voice acted idle chat into a new voicetype that is then used for / by the NPC (voicetype is easy enought to create)?

Is there a folder in skyrim \ data that I can put the voice acted idle chat into for automatic use?

Do I need to somehow add the idle chat to a package somehow?

I am in connection with a couple of other interested parties about this already but decided to post here to see if we could get some further help.

Thanks in advance for any constructive help.

» Thu Jun 21, 2012 7:54 am

What? Just make your own custom voice type, and then add lines that they can say. I have over 60 types of NPC's in my mod that all can say lines and all that.

I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to do. You've added custom voice acting for an NPC? Then add it under a custom voicetype, and also record all the additional dialogue that they can randomly say?

» Thu Jun 21, 2012 3:03 pm

Right then,

When making a quest, I can make characters and I can add dialogue between the player and a chosen NPC. The NPC dialogue has voice acted .wav (at the moment - but been looking at using .xwm) for use when talking in DIRECT duialogue with th player.

If not given a voicetype the NPC in question will not have any idle chat - as expected. So nothing is said by that NPC unless in DIRECT dialogue with the player and that is fine.

If given a voicetype, the NPC idle chat will be in that voice type and not sound like the pre-recorded voice acting. This is expected but not realistically usable.

A test NPC is given one of the voicetype from the CK (FemaleKajiit) and this character has idle chat in that selected voicetype - as expected.

Now to the custom voicetype! In the CK, I navigate to Object Window / Character / Voice Type and right click to make a new VoiceType. I use a memorable ID, select Gender and have tried both checking or not the 'Allow Default Dialogue'. I then use the created voice type with a specific character (NPC) and that character stays silent as far as idle chat is concerned - as expected due to the new voicetype nut having any dialogue added.

The question is straght enough;

How do I get voice acting into a custom voice type for NPC idle chat?

» Thu Jun 21, 2012 5:20 am

The question is straght enough;

How do I get voice acting into a custom voice type for NPC idle chat?

Okay so if you give the NPC a voicetype (Always give NPC's a voicetype. Always.), then make a quest (Or use the one you already have), then just add topics to the Combat, http://www.creationkit.com/Detection_Tab, and http://www.creationkit.com/Misc_Tab tabs. (No info on Combat tab on wiki) Then set the voice condition on the first tab of the quest to GetIsID == YourNPC so only he/she can say the random dialogue you add. Then simply voice it and put the files in the proper place.

For help on what each topic type in the 3 tabs means, here's an excerpt from a guide I've set up for my voice actors:

Spoiler

Combat:
WereTransformCrime: Said when you see someone transform into a werewolf. "Gods save us!"
Taunt: A taunt yelled in combat at the player or other combatant. "I'll gut you like a fish!"
AcceptYield: Said to the player if they yield and you accept. "Fine, I didn't want to fight you anyway.
Block: Said when you block an attack. "Uhhg!"
AssaultNC: Said when you witness an assault that you don't mind. (NC = No Care) "None of my business."
MurderNC: Said when you witness a murder and dont mind. "Guess they deserved it..."
PickpocketNC: Said when you see the player pickpocket and dont mind. "I can look the other way... this time."
StealFromNC: Said when the player steals something but you dont mind. "I didn't really want that anyway."
TrespassAgainstNC: When the player trespasses on your property, but you don't mind. "If you were anyone else, I'd make you leave."
BleedOut: Said when you go into bleedout mode when you near death. "No... not like this..."
Bash: Said when you perform a bash move with a weapon or shield. "Gah!"
Steal: Said when you witness someone steal something. "Hey! Hands off!"
PickpocketCombat: Said when you catch someone pickpocketing you during combat. "Filthy pickpocket!"
Assault: Said when someone assaults (hits) you or you witness and assault. "Someone's being attacked!"
Murder: When you see a murder. "Murder! Murder!"
Trespass: When someone is trespassing. "You need to leave. Now."
Flee: Said when you flee from combat. "Mercy! Don't kill me!"
Death: Said when you die. "Arrggh..."
Attack: Said when you perform a standard attack. "Hyaah!"
Hit: Said when you get hit. "Ahg, damnit!"
PowerAttack: Said when you perform a power attack. "Hyaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Detection:
DetectFriendDie: Said when an NPC detects that a nearby Friendly or Allied character has suddenly died. "We've got an assassin! Check the shadows!"
AlertIdle: Said periodically while a combat group is searching for a target they have never detected before. "I know I heard something."
LostIdle: Said periodically while a combat group is searching for a target they have detected before, but have lost. "I know you're here somewhere!"
NormalToAlert: Said when an NPC begins to search for a target (they have begun to notice the target, but cannot detect them yet). "Hello? Who's there?"
AlertToCombat: Said when an NPC who is searching detects the target they want to attack and initiates combat. "Ha! Found you!"
NormalToCombat: Said when an NPC notices a target without having to search for them, or enters combat with a target they did not want to attack until they were attacked first. "To arms, boys! To arms!"
AlertToNormal: Said when an NPC who is searching for a target gives up their search. "I guess I was just hearing things."
CombatToNormal: Said when an NPC can no longer detect a target they were fighting but is not going to search for them. "That'll teach you to mess with me."
CombatToLost: Said when an NPC can no longer detect a target they were fighting and is now going to search for them. "Damn! Where'd you go?"
LostToNormal: Said when an NPC is searching for a target they were previously attacking and is now giving up the search. "Cleared out I guess."
LostToCombat: Said when an NPC is searching for a target they were previously attacking, detects the target, and resumes combat. "There you are!"
Misc:
LeaveWaterBreath: Gasping for breath when you surface from being underwater.
CombatGrunt: A quiet grunt that you make as you fight.
Idle: Things your character will randomly say as they stand about. Usually 'thinking aloud' type stuff. Or singing/humming to yourself. Or sneezing, coughing/clearing your throat, etc.
TimeToGo: What they say after repeating a 'Trespass' line repeatedly.
ActorCollisdewithActor: Said when two NPC's bump into eachother. "Careful." "Excuse me."
PlayerinIronSights: Said when the player aims a drawn bow at you. "Please, don't shoot!" "You wouldn't shoot me."
PlayerCastProjectileSpell: Said when the player cast a spell that shoots something, like a fireball or lightning bolt.
PlayerCastSelfSpell: Said when the player casts a spell that only affects themselves, like self healing, or a buff.
ObserveCombat: Said when you see two people fighting. "This should be good." "Someone do something!"
NoticeCorpse: Said when you find a dead body. "Ahh, a dead body!" "Another one dead..."
PlayerShout: Said when the player uses a dragon shout near you. "By the Nine, that one's got a voice!" "That was amazing!"
ShootBow: Said when the player fires their bow near you. "Careful!"
Goodbye: Said when leaving conversation with the player. "Fair travels."
Hello: Said when entering conversation with the player, or randomly to the player or NPC's as they pass. This is the most common type of dialogue in the game. About 99% of what guards say is this. "I used to be an adventurer like you, until I took an arrow in the knee." "Enjoying this fine day, I hope?"
KnockOverObject: Said when the player runs into or throws around an object. "What are you doing that for?"
LockedObject: Said when the player looks at an object (Door or chest) that is locked. "That's locked for a reason."
PickpocketTopic: Said when the player looks at an NPC while sneaking, so they could pickpocket you. "Don't even think about it."
StandonFurniture: Said by children when they observe the player standing on top of furniture. "I'm not allowed to stand on furniture..."
SwingMeleeWeapon: Said when you observe the player swing their weapon. (But not hit anyone) "Be careful!"
ZKeyObject: Said when the player picks up an object, and drags it around. "Put that down."

There's a lot of them, but it really brings your characters to life when you add at least the basics. (Hello's, combat grunts, etc)

Hopefully that helps,
AJV

» Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:48 am

Very good - thank you.

I had tried those tabs earlier but when I tried to add topic CK froze then crashed!

I just did a test and it looks like your advice is exactly the thing I needed.

I have to go eat now but will try later to use your instruction.

Thanks a lot. :smile: