http://geck.gamesas.com/index.php/Base_Effect that are Value Modifiers will cause a '+' or '-' to show in the PipBoy stats screens next to the corresponding actor values (SPECIAL or Skills) while the effect is applied (these are mainly from effects on Chems and other Ingestibles). I had been hoping that when I used a Script effect instead of a Value Modifier, I might get the same result when using http://geck.gamesas.com/index.php/ModActorValue, but that's not the case. From what I've seen now, it seems that a visible +/- on the stats screen means a true Temp AV modifier, and the only way to get a Temp AV modifier is with a Value Modifier Base Effect. Does anyone know for sure if that's the case, or if there's another way to apply Temp modifiers?


Also a question to any familiar with Oblivion modding, I'm just curious if this is different in Oblivion because on the http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/ModActorValue it states "the changed stat is red or green to show a temporary modification". I assumed this would be anologous to the +/- in the PipBoy. So does ModAV work a little differently in Oblivion, does the UI indicate more than Temp AV modifiers, or is that note on the wiki wrong?

Yes - using ModAV goes to the permanent total. The Bobbleheads use ModAV, for example.

No idea, but if you want to display an effect you can add a 'hidden' perk to the player that has Ability: Whatever you want displayed, or add a slotless 'unplayable' (hidden) piece of armour with the appropriate object effect, and equip it.

Well thanks, but the reason I was looking for an answer to this was that I have some Ingestibles I want to have a number of different effects including AV modifiers, and rather than adding each as a separate Value Modifier effect (which will create a long list of effects listed in the PipBoy Inventory and Effects screens), I was hoping I could wrap them all up in one Script Effect. That would allow me to replace a long list of specific effects with whatever text I want. I can do that, but then I lose the +/- indicators on the Stats screens, which are helpful.

I had experimented with Abilities, and found they also add to the Permanent AV Modifier pool (like ModAV), and so do not cause any +/- to be displayed.

Superior Defender definitely displays, so perhaps only conditioned abilities show.

You mean this perk: http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Superior_Defender

I'm not talking about something being displayed under "EFF" on the Status screen, but a '+' or '-' next to specific actor values on the SPECIAL or Skills Stats screens.

The visible +/- on the stats screen indicates a temporary change to that particular stats game modifier. ModAV, when used in a script, changes the script modifier for that stat. Both affect the number that's shown, but only game modifier changes show the temporary + or - effect icons... Many of the game modifier changes ingame are hardcoded. For negative amounts and the restoring of that use http://geck.gamesas.com/index.php/DamageActorValue and http://geck.gamesas.com/index.php/RestoreActorValue. For increases to those stats using the game modifier I have no answer for ya... both damageav and restoreav are negative numbers up to zero, so a positive increase gets cancelled out and never happens. Might have to use ModAV, or stick with the value modifier effect.