[RELz] DU - Currency Exchange Rates : Fallout: New Vegas

» Fri May 13, 2011 6:06 pm

This is the first version of the first of a series of mods that I've been working on. The intent is to eventually add a sprinkling of different content (NPCs, quests, things to buy, things to kill, etc) with a common thread of treating different currencies... well, differently (as opposed to the vanilla game that treats them the same everywhere you go).

Version 1 of this mod isn't terribly useful in and of itself (unless you, like me, are irritated at the idea of a casino allowing itself to be used as a currency exchange with absolutely no profit to itself). While I do have future plans that will make this mod more interesting in its own right... at the moment it fills more of a support role to other mods in the series.

Currently available and/or in progress mods in the series:
DU - Currency Exchange Rates (http://www.newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=37997)
DU - AmmoSmith (http://www.newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=38009)
DU - Military Training (to be released in early December)
(further additions are yet unnamed)

Comments/thoughts/ideas on the current and/or future versions of this mod are always welcome. I'd rather read through several ideas that don't work for me, than have the one that I'd love to implement go unshared...

Name: DU - Currency Exchange Rates
Author: Dark Uncle (aka DarkuncleBoh)
Version: 1.0
Date: 11/25/2010
Link: http://www.newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=37997
Release thread: http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1144344-relz-du-currency-exchange-rates/

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Description:
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A mod that introduces the concept of varying "exchange rates" for different currencies, in an attempt to make their existance feel more
meaningful within the game. Designed to be used along with a series of other mods that are in the works, which all treat currencies a
little bit different than the others.

The initial version only changes the casino cashiers, making them a MUCH less desirable source of NCR or Legion money -- such that using
alternate currency with an NPC is no longer "nothing but" making a trip to the strip to exchange some caps.

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Details:
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version 1
In vanilla, the casino cashiers exchange NCR/Legion money at a 10:4 ratio of currency-> chips, and a 4:10 ratio of chips->currency. This
mod leaves the first ratio at 10:4, but changes the second to 6:10 - making it much less desirable to use the casinos as a straight
currency exchange. Afterall, the casinos want to encourage use of caps - what they consider to be the 'standard'.

In addition, the casino takes a 10% "exchange fee" off the top, on all transactions involving NCR/Legion money. This applies to both
currency->chips as well as chips->currency.

Since this mod will conflict with other mods that alter casino cashier dialogue, I've also included options to purchase chips with all
NCR/Legion money at a time, rather than the annoying number of transactions it can take in the vanilla game.

Version 2 (planned future release)
Introduce a "bank" whose teller has variable exchange rates that change over time (that will for the most part be better than the
casino's exchange rate) - both randomly, as well as in reaction to the player's actions out in the wastes. The independant bank not being
as rich and powerful as the casinos however, will have limited amounts of alternate currencies to exchange at any given time (so if for
one reason or another you need a large amount of NCR or Legion currency, you might still find yourself visiting the casino cashier after
clearing out the bank).

Version 3 (possible planned future release, depending on how well this mod does)
Introduce quests/jobs that the bank may send the player on, as well as letting the player take out a loan based on his reputation (with a
reputation hit as well as "collection squads" being sent after him if the high interest loan isn't repaid on time).

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Requirements:
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Fallout New Vegas (has only been tested with the latest patch)

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Install:
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1. Extract the files from the archive.
2. Copy files to (install folder)\Fallout New Vegas\Data\
3. Start Fallout New Vegas Launcher, click 'Data Files', place a checkmark beside the .esp file.

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Un-Install:
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1. Start Fallout New Vegas Launcher, click Data Files, uncheck the .esp file.
2. Delete the files/folders associated with the mod.

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Compatibility:
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This mod will conflict with any other mod that alters the casino cashier's dialogue to do things like allow an "exchange all" option.

No other known conflicts - if you suspect you encounter one, please let me know.

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Bugs/Issues:
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No known issues so far, please let me know if you find any.

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History:
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1.0 11/25/2010 - Initial Release

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Contact:
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Best to find me on the Bethesda forums, as "DarkUncleBoh"

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Credits:
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Thanks to LlamaRCA for helping me figure out some of the dialogue aspects that were confusing me.
Thanks to Obsidian and Bethesda for a game I care enough about to want to mod.

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Tools Used:
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GECK
FNVEdit

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License/Legal:
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This file is provided as is and the author holds no responsiblity for anything that may come to happen from using this file.
You may not redistribute or repackage this mod in whole or in part without prior permission.

» Fri May 13, 2011 6:40 pm

To reiterate (based on a question I was just asked) -- I'm mostly putting this mod up right now, without the 'bank' and future planned content, because the next mod in the series is already ready for an initial release (DU-AmmoSmith). With the way I'm dealing with different currencies, the AmmoSmith mod makes a lot more sense if you're also running CurrencyExchangeRates (even the current / partially complete version).

The next in the series, DU-MilitaryTraining, is already mostly finished -- I'm just working on balancing and testing right now (considering redoing all of the dialogue now that I know how to use the NV-GECK dialogue editor, but that won't take too long to redo), so that one should be getting released in the next couple of weeks as well.

» Fri May 13, 2011 6:17 pm

Yay! I was rather disappointed that the developers of FNV, some of whom were also the original developers of FO, did not seem to put as much thought into the details of Wasteland economy as they did in FO. Some suggestions I have for future expansion: NCR traders (eg. at Mojave outpost) should not accept denaries at all. Likewise, Legion traders should not accept NCR toilet paper (although are there any Legion traders in the game? There is one trader at the entrance to The Fort but he isn't really "Legion"). On this note, I don't understand why bottlecap is the currency for New Vegas. Did the Hub not convert to gold coins for currency in FO2 after it became part of the NCR? If Mr. House simply adopted the Hub's currency for commerce convenience, why isn't he using gold coins? Anyways....

I think you need something to peg the value of currency. A modder on Nexus suggested that the value of NCR currency should be pegged to clean water (and by extension, other forms of currency used in the region). It's not the Bretton Woods system, and clean water doesn't seem to be the rare resource that is in the DC Wastelands, but it's something.

» Fri May 13, 2011 10:11 am

Yay! I was rather disappointed that the developers of FNV, some of whom were also the original developers of FO, did not seem to put as much thought into the details of Wasteland economy as they did in FO.

Agreed - pretty much the inspiration for this mod.

Some suggestions I have for future expansion: NCR traders (eg. at Mojave outpost) should not accept denaries at all. Likewise, Legion traders should not accept NCR toilet paper (although are there any Legion traders in the game? There is one trader at the entrance to The Fort but he isn't really "Legion").

My current plans for this mod series is to introduce new NPCs with good and services for sale, who will treat different currencies accordingly (AmmoSmith takes NCR script only, Military Training takes NCR as well as caps, but gives caps a worse rate, etc). At the moment, I don't plan to do anything with the vendors already in the vanilla game.

However... depending on the popularity of these mods, that is something that I'm seriously considering looking into after the new patch comes out and NVSE adjusts to it. Depending on a few factors, many new things should be possible at that point.

On this note, I don't understand why bottlecap is the currency for New Vegas. Did the Hub not convert to gold coins for currency in FO2 after it became part of the NCR? If Mr. House simply adopted the Hub's currency for commerce convenience, why isn't he using gold coins?

I certainly appreciate what you're saying... but of course mod-wise, I'm working within the confines of what Obsidian/Bethesda gave us to work with.

» Fri May 13, 2011 12:36 pm

My current plans for this mod series is to introduce new NPCs with good and services for sale, who will treat different currencies accordingly (AmmoSmith takes NCR script only, Military Training takes NCR as well as caps, but gives caps a worse rate, etc).

This is a great idea. Imagine, actually wanting to keep NCR dollars rather than convert everything to caps.

I know you mentioned you aren't touching vanilla NPCs for now. Just a suggestion, if a vendor (vanilla or ones you add) is supposed to deal only with NCR people (eg. the Quartermaster at Hoover Dam), they should not accept caps at all (they would have no reason to since they have, up until meeting the player, dealt only with people of their own faction, or not sold anything at all). This means the player would actually have to convert caps to NCR currency in order to access their specialized inventories, thus ending the "caps rule all!" syndrom we have in FNV.

» Fri May 13, 2011 6:45 pm

This is a great idea. Imagine, actually wanting to keep NCR dollars rather than convert everything to caps.

I've been play testing different versions of the sister mods to this one, and have already been seeing that. Heck, I've found myself going out of my way to hunt Powder Gangers every three days just for the NCR script they drop.

I know you mentioned you aren't touching vanilla NPCs for now. Just a suggestion, if a vendor (vanilla or ones you add) is supposed to deal only with NCR people (eg. the Quartermaster at Hoover Dam), they should not accept caps at all (they would have no reason to since they have, up until meeting the player, dealt only with people of their own faction, or not sold anything at all). This means the player would actually have to convert caps to NCR currency in order to access their specialized inventories, thus ending the "caps rule all!" syndrom we have in FNV.

When the time comes, I'll take a look into what can be done. Changing the behavior of NCR/Legion money is a very different thing than changing the behavior of caps.

Also, remember that things are not so cut and dry. Take the quartermaster at Hoover for example -- just because he supplies the NCR troops, doesn't mean that he has no dealings with local merchants. It wouldn't make much sense for the NCR to push THAT hard to be 100% self-sufficient -- dealings with the already in place local infrastructure and trade routes would be much easier. This would also help to explain why the quartermaster would accept in trade items from the player that the NCR doesn't necessarily have any use for... because they still have value in trade with the local caravans, who would most likely be bringing in food to supplement what the NCR supplies for itself, if nothing else.

So in my mind, the way to end the "caps rule all" is less about a push for situations where caps are worthless, and more about pushing situations where other currencies are worth more.

For example: The standard in game exchange rate is 10:4 -- ie, 100 NCR Script is worth 40 caps. However, in the Military Training mod I'm working on, the NPC there prefers NCR script but will still take caps...but at a 10:6 ratio -- ie, he quotes a price as $100 NCR, and if you pay in caps it costs you 60 (instead of 40). At the same time, he won't take Legion coin at all.

The AmmoSmith on the other hand, does in fact only take NCR funds. Another NPC that I'm working on will take Legion currency primarily as well as caps, but no NCR script... etc. One other thing I'm planning -- each of these NPCs will eventually have quests, with rewards being in their currency of choice.

» Fri May 13, 2011 1:33 pm

I really like the general idea behind the mod. However, I am kind of hesitant about the ammo smith bit. Right now there are only two ways of getting ncr cash, killing ncr members or converting at a casino. (lets ignore the few quests that give you a one time small cash reward.

Either of those methods give me more of an 'alternative' cash flow vibe rather then making a living(if that makes sense). I'd suggest for the bank perhaps the ability to open up an account? Get x% of interest on cash stored there? Invest caps in your account but only be able to withdraw ncr script(limits potential abuse)?

Or modifying/extending the vanilla ncr/legion quests of turning in dog tags/ears for cash. Bounty hunting would strike me as a viable if dangerous profession.

» Fri May 13, 2011 6:53 am

I really like the general idea behind the mod. However, I am kind of hesitant about the ammo smith bit. Right now there are only two ways of getting ncr cash, killing ncr members or converting at a casino. (lets ignore the few quests that give you a one time small cash reward.

Don't forget about Powder Gangers - a fair number of them to be killed, as well as... 8 that I can think of off the top of my head that respawn. Not to mention a bunch of Crimson Caravan related locations (safes, merchants, etc) that have NCR script.

Still, it is a point well taken - and very much one that I plan to address as the mod series continues to progress. Smitty (the Ammosmith) is the only one right now who takes ONLY a single currency. Josh (in the Military Training mod I'm redoing right now) takes both NCR and caps - though with a heavy preference for NCR. Owen (Medicine Man mod) prefers Legion coin, but also takes caps in a pinch. Another mod I have planned will actually change randomly (but for a logical reason that makes sense in context) which form of currency is preferred.

The plan is to do several things to make alternate currency more attainable --- Smitty has at least one quest planned, as well as items he may request you to find for him that he'll pay in script. Owen wants to buy supplies from you in return for Legion coin. After the new patch (and updated NVSE with it), I'm thinking of an optional esp that will alter the inventories of several merchants heavily affiliated with a particular faction - making it so that they have few (if any) caps on hand normally, and simultaneously increasing the value that they apply to their currency of choice, and giving them some of it in their store inventory. The result? You want some NCR script? Find an NCR affiliated merchant to sell that plasma rifle you looter from the fiends, and barter it for script (instead of some other merchant for caps).

Once this series is more mature, there will be several different ways to get your hands on more of the currency you want --- using an actual paid currency exchange will feel like more of a fallback, than a primary (only?) option.

Either of those methods give me more of an 'alternative' cash flow vibe rather then making a living(if that makes sense). I'd suggest for the bank perhaps the ability to open up an account? Get x% of interest on cash stored there? Invest caps in your account but only be able to withdraw ncr script(limits potential abuse)?

I do have a few ideas kicking around in my head regarding the possibility of interest bearing accounts. In general, I am very leery about such a thing - and I won't do it unless I'm confidant that it won't "feel wrong"... but like I said, I have a few ideas kicking around. However, that will absolutely be after quite a bit of other content is added to this series. Probably also after I've given it all a while to let folks play with it, and get some feedback over time.

Or modifying/extending the vanilla ncr/legion quests of turning in dog tags/ears for cash. Bounty hunting would strike me as a viable if dangerous profession.

I already have some plans involving bounty hunting of sorts that are in the works. Won't be putting anything out on that side for a little bit yet.

Overall, I'm still learning with all of this. Most of my modding experience is with minor setting tweaks in FO3Edit, but this whole project is forcing me to finally become more familiar with the GECK. I didn't even know how to deal with dialogue three weeks ago...