Making my own mod based on LA Mod - Need some help

[n00bingtarget]

So first, THANKS to HOPPAH and EM4life for permissions to use their creations in my own custom reskin/mod.

I'm making my mod, currently called Hometown, USA. Making it based on a generic non-existent city/county in Wisconsin (just so I can pick a state police & license plates). I want to change the mod so that I don't have duplicates of the default vehicles on the map. Example: Station 1 normally has 3 of the Ambulance2, I want to use 3 different Ambulances, so the models are slightly different (I.E. Medic 2, Medic 3, Medic 4). Same for the Engines.

Can someone either post or PM me some info on how this is generally done? I am willing to figure out some of the scripting, but I've never really done scripts. I'm trying to add a siren to the Red Cross Hummer but that hasn't worked yet, but I have an idea on that.

I am not asking anyone to take this totally on for me. I want to learn how to do this also. I love reskinning the vehicles, and am playing with some "easter eggs" in my vehicle options if I can get this to work right.

Also, if I do this with individual vehicles, can I make the vehicles you call from off map still be duplicates? Example, if I call additional ambulances, they would be private and wouldn't have to have the different "Medic" numbers.

Hope I'm not going over my head on this.

Thanks for the read!

[Handsup!]

Hi, good luck with the mod.

First of all, once you know the basics, reskinning vehicles to your standards at least is fairly simple, consider watching some videos on Youtube. You may also want to visit http://forum.emergency-planet.com/index.php?/topic/10108-modding-faq-work-in-progress/#entry139165 for a short FAQ and lot of the other FAQ's here http://forum.emergency-planet.com/index.php?/forum/70-faq/ are alright.

On your Red Cross Hummer issue, i believe simply adding the VcmdSiren command in the editor let's you have a siren on that. Possibly.

On your duplicate issue, you're going to have to make more units. This can sometimes involve modelling, but if you find some nice models you can use freely, or duplicate the model files of existing vehicles, you can skin/reskin some extra units/create extra Engine numbers to your liking, then you can mess about with the default units spawned (I'm pretty sure someone made a tutorial on it, another member might know it) to fit your mod.

You can then call in all the units you've added off-map, too.

[n00bingtarget]

Thanks Handsup! I'm figuring for now I'll stick with using models already in LA Mod and just renumber/reskin them as extra units. Lots of fire departments and police departments buy in multiples anyway, so it's not far off.

For the siren, I added the VCMD thing to the editor, and edited the LASiren.script to point to the hummer, but when I put that script in I ended up with an error message (forgot to write it down) and a CTD. Replaced with the original script and the reskin works fine. Still playing with that.

If anyone knows of links to FAQ/Tutorials for my questions, I tried searching but there are SO MANY topics it takes FOREVER to go thru them all. I don't mind doing the reading, but it gets very depressing to read thru 8 pages of posts and find no info towards my goal.

I'll post some pics soon of my other reskins.

[MCERT1]

I can provide you some assistance with editing the stations. I have done total overhauls of the LAfirestation scripts in the past, which is unfortunately what you'll need to edit to make everything work. Pretty much 70-80% of modding will involve scripting, which really does stink when you know very little about it, but the basics are easy to learn.

The first thing you're gonna need to have down is how many units you want in your stations on the map, and where.

The second will be creating those units and placing them in the game as functioning units. I strongly suggest using Hoppah's tutorial for this

The third will be editing the scripts.

[n00bingtarget]

Thanks MERCT1! I'll PM you when I'm a little closer to that point. Right now I'm still figuring out numbers and doing the reskins. Figure I want the look so when I place things, I know if it is right or not.

[n00bingtarget]

Got a new problem while reskinning the CV_LAPD - I repainted everything, however when I open it up in the editor, the passenger front door still has the old skin. I can't find where the DDS file for the CV_LAPD_DOOR01 (which it appears is the child involved) is stored. Anyone else have this issue? Anyone know what I missed?

EDIT - Found the answer! Just like I thought, the CV_LAPD_DOOR01 is pulling the skin from the Slicktop DDS file. So now that I'm finishing the slicktop, it looks normal.

Just a FYI for anyone else working on a reskin.

[n00bingtarget]

New Questions:

1) I want to have both a Directional Light (arrow stick) and flood lights. I know they get assigned the Special Light option in the editor. Is there a way to have BOTH without 1 turning on the other?

2) I want to reskin a model of a different vehicle, but retask it. I am thinking of making the Bomb Squad be something other than a SUV. Any clues on how to do this would be welcome.

3) I have an idea for a neat easter egg or 2 for mods, but I need someone to help me with modeling. Both are vehicles I would need the model created of, but I'd be happy to do the lighting and the painting. I know it is a lot to ask of anyone, especially since you all are hard at work on your own mods, so it is no big if nobody wants to try this. PM me for details, as I don't want this getting out too much. Any helpers would be free to use any of my egg ideas in their own mods.

Thanks all!

[n00bingtarget]

I have a new issue and I hope someone knows what I did wrong.

 

I downloaded the Traffic Bar v1 http://forum.emergency-planet.com/index.php?/files/file/546-traffic-bar/ and extracted the files.  I copied the V30 and the PNG file to the directory that has the MX7000 lightbars, but when I go into the editor, I don't see the new bar as a child I can add to my Bat. Chief vehicle.

 

Did I miss a step to add new lightbars to my mod?

[n00bingtarget]

First - Bump on the above, anyone have any info on what I might have missed in importing the TrafficBar v1 into my mod?

 

Second - I've run into some script issues, and I'm way over my head.  I have been playing with changing my vehicles that spawn in the stations.  I moved Ambulance 1 to the big station, have Ambulance 2 still there, but Ambulance 3 behind it.  I spawn Ambulance 4 at my small station.

 

Here's the problems.  1) when I dispatch these guys out, Amb1 won't go back to the big station, and if Amb4 still in the small station, it says "no room at station, starts a patrol"  If I then dispatch Amb4, it will return to the large station.

 

Also, I modded the Station script so Amb1 when it starts at the big station it starts with a Para & Stretcher crew, but when it goes to the small station, it only fills with stretcher crew.

 

If there is a tutorial for what I'm missing, can you point me to it and I'll be happy to try and tackle it on my own first.

 

And lastly, is there a way that I can change Amb1 so it is not a BLS unit so if I use the EMS Captain and he calls for an ALS, I can get Amb1 or maybe it would be better to use the "CALL AMBULANCE" like the cops do and remove the ALS / BLS choices for the EMS Captain.

 

NEW GLITCH - I REALLY NEED SOMEONE WITH SCRIPTING SKILLS HELP!

 

I was following the tutorial for adding a new vehicle to game, and stupid me didn't back up all my files first (DUH!).

 

Emergency 4: Adding vehicles - English - Tutorials - International Emergency & 911: First Responders Fan Forum

 

So my problem is I'm adding a 2nd Bomb Squad vehicle, and when I did, now my CV_LASD vehicle doesn't show in the list in the editor, and in game it gives me the MISSING MODEL box, but the model files are still there!

 

I tried reversing the above tutorial, and that didn't fix it!

 

ANYONE WILLING TO LOOK AT MY SCRIPT FILES AND POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?!?

 

I'll continue with my reskin & relighting until then.

Edited July 15, 2013 by n00bingtarget

[n00bingtarget]

Still having some issues on scripting / adding a vehicle, but I ran into a different problem.

 

I reskinned the EMS bag the Paramedic uses.  It looks good in game except that when the Paramedic is CARRYING it, it's still the original color!  WTF?

 

 

 

 

 

Any ideas?  I can't find a separate model that is the paramedic with bag to reskin.

 

HELP!

 

 

[The Loot]

There is an Emergency Case model in both "LA Equipment" and "Equipment", so I'd check both.

[n00bingtarget]

 

I can't believe I missed that.  Thanks!

[The Loot]

Nah, I wouldn't have looked had you not asked. I'd assume myself that anything in the LA folders would be the one to change.

[n00bingtarget]

Had a new idea today on my way to work.  When I see a Tow Truck/Flatbed/wrecker going to a scene, they DON'T have their lights on.  They have them on when towing away the vehicle!

 

And in my area, they have Red and Yellow, but only use Red when on scene / connecting to the vehicle that needs towing.

 

SOOOOooo....

 

That made me wonder, how hard would it be to change it so the Flatbed, etc., don't have their lights on when responding, but do when towing?  Basically reverse of what they do now.

 

I am in NO WAY a scripter.  I'm dangerous enough to screw up my mod (thank goodness I make backups).

 

Anyone want to try this one out?

[The Loot]

I'm not sure how to keep a vehicle from being Blue Light Enabled when called onto the map (without using scripts) as it seems to be the default state.

 

One way to make it so they have lights flashing when towing would be to make the bluelights "standard" on the "with cargo" prototype, so they are always on. Not sure if there is a way to activate the lights automatically when the pickup command is used.