Beta time. b5

Here are the disclaimers:
1) Do not use this mod on a play-through you care about; it SHOULDN'T cause terrible problems, but it hasn't undergone major stress testing yet.
2) DLCs have initial support for checkpoints implemented. Please report any bugs that occur in DLC areas due to dying.
3) This mod shouldn't cause instability or crashes. If New Vegas crashes, it's PROBABLY just New Vegas being New Vegas.
4) I make no guarantees about compatibility with other mods.

Here are the features:
1) You don't permanently die. When you die, you respawn at your last checkpoint.
2) You can't manually save/load. Outdoors, there are timed saves every 5 minutes. Indoors, it saves when you enter a ''hideout'' which is a safe save point.
3) Autosaves work as normal. There are also items randomly available on merchants (50% chance per merchant per day) that let you manually save.
4) You can still make a new game or load an existing save when you start up New Vegas.

The feedback I'd like is about what you think of the respawning mechanics and if you find any situations that cause you to not respawn, or get stuck in a death cam that never ends. Any other feedback is great too.

The original development thread is here:
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1242089-wip-surrogate-save-system/

The download is here:
http://localhostr.com/file/DTwXydS/Surrogate%20Save%20System%20-%20Beta%205.zip

Uninstallation:
If you load a save that had used SSS, you'll need to open the console and type the following:
SetEssential 7 0
Then re-save. This may be unnecessary after the next NVSE update.

Alternatively, go into http://newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=42507 and turn off Dead Isn't Dead, then save.
That save will be ''clean'' and won't require you to type a console command.

Version changes:
b5
- improvements to the Item Save System's use of Quicksave
- put in a safety related to the main game ending credits
- minor efficiency improvements here and there
- scaled back save/load disabling slightly since it didn't help coerbincopy =(
- Dead Isn't Dead can now be toggled via http://newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=42507
b4
- added support for http://newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=42507 (not required, just adds SSS options to MCM)
- even more aggressive save/load disabling
- blocking at time of death fix
- VATS hotkey disabled while unconscious (fixes camera bugs and entering VATS upon respawn)
- renamed the save item; no longer begins with a tacky looking dollar sign
b3
- coerbincopy save/load fix
b2
- improved singleton mechanic for Dead Isn't Dead script
- fixed a race condition in the checkpoint save system (a race you always lost)
- added tentative DLC support for checkpoints

Queue

maybe I am at fault here, or missing something? but just tried the mod with all other mods uninstalled to be safe with my test results


the death respawn seems to work flawless so far, but I can still save and reload at will?

also will there eventually be some kind of penalty's for getting killed?

thanks for your hard work on this

Hm, being able to save and load is kind've fascinating; that was basically the first thing I had finished and hadn't foreseen any circumstances that'd make it not work. Do you mean Quicksave/Quickload via F5/F9, or pausing via ESC and selecting the Save/Load menu from there? In theory, the F5/F9 buttons shouldn't work due to being disabled via the DisableControl script function, and the Disable Save Load script should be disabling the Save and Load pause menu options, but if you can save or load, theory clearly doesn't jive with reality. I didn't do anything to stop you from saving/loading via the console with the Save and LoadGame console commands.

Currently, the death penalty in place is a percentage loss of caps based on what difficulty you have the game set to:
Very Easy, no caps lost
Easy, 10% of your caps
Normal, 20% of your caps
Hard, 30% of your caps
Very Hard, 40% of your caps

When you respawn, you should hear the jingley sound of caps being removed from your inventory. If you die in the same cell that you respawn in, you don't lose any caps.

Difficulty also affects how much health you respawn with:
Very Easy, full health
Easy, 80% health
Normal, 60% health
Hard, 40% health
Very Hard, 20% health

All poisons are cured when you die, but crippled body parts aren't healed at all, and sleep deprevation, thirst, hunger and radiation level are only reduced to a maximum of 800 (out of 1000, with 1000 causing death).

Queue

pausing via ESC and selecting the Save/Load menu from there

that is my situation

have not tried Quickload or console commands

Hm... do you have a modified user interface? I know you said you uninstalled all other mods, but was that only ESP/ESM-based mods, or also all mod-added folders under your Data folder, like the ''menus'' subfolder? If a UI mod out there is changing the pause menu enough that my current method isn't working, I can account for that. More in the realm of a longshot possibility, are you playing the game in English, or a non-English version? I doubt language would affect it, but I may as well ask.

Regardless, I'll go take a peek at some of the UI mods that are out there.

Queue

o.k. just cleared out my menus folder to be certain and can still save reload fine

and I am running a English version

I just hope this does not turn out to be something silly on my end

but unless I am more fatigued than I think

I just can't see what I may be overlooking

thanks for the help I will go back over everything again

I'm pretty sure you're not doing anything wrong. I'm working under the assumption I missed something. Regardless, no matter where the problem lies, I intend to make the save/load disabling fool-proof, regardless of other mods a user may or may not have.

The death prevention of Dead Isn't Dead is the only thing that other mods should be capable of breaking (it's just impossible to make it account for everything out there); Disable Save Load, the Checkpoint Save System, Item Save System and Timed Save System should all be universally compatible with other mods when I'm done refining them (if they're not already).

Just to be doubly sure, you don't mean when you first start up the game, just after you've started playing and then pause via ESC? Because when you first start up New Vegas, Continue, New and Load should all be available; Load (and Save) should just be disabled once you start playing.

Queue

No, its during play

One thing I have noticed that may be a clue to whats going on is this

I am having a hard time keeping the esp ticked in the mod manager or wrye bash

I will check it ,and start up the game then when I exit the game check the MM or wrye it shows it disabled?

I have also tryed installing without the MM or wrye and check it off in the launcher and exit it shows it unchecked

hope that helps

As best as I can tell, that's a bug in FOMM (and I guess Wrye Bash?) regarding the file's name.

I only use the game's default launcher and its ''Data Files'' menu to enable/disable mods, so that's the only place I tested this mod, and it (and any other mod, obviously) stays checked in there.

I loaded up FOMM, and all of my mods which have a o-symbol in their file name are unchecked. So... that's really something that the FOMM folks need to fix. In the meantime, you can rename the SSS ESP file to remove the o-symbol. Future releases of SSS won't have the o-symbol in their name to avoid this issue.

Queue

Just saying

renamed esp. fired up the game, and it still is not working, can save load at will

Can someone with Lonesome Road do me a quick favor? Open Lonesome Road.esm in FNVEdit (or the GECK, whatever you're comfortable with), look through the Cell entries, and find something that should have a name roughly like:
NVDLC04Slideshow
and post its FormID number, and ideally the precise spelling of its EditorID (capitalization particularly, as what I posted is a best guess, and for all I know it's SlIdEsHoW).

Edit - No longer needed, got the info I wanted.

I'm implementing DLC support for the Checkpoint Save System.

Queue

Beta 2 is released, check the original post for download link.

---

coerbincopy, I didn't make any changes to Disable Save Load; I still haven't figured out what could be causing it to not work for you. That said, here's a potential test if you feel like it:
1) start up New Vegas
2) at the main menu, open the console (via the `/~ key)
3) type the following commands and let me know what the results are
GetUIFloat "StartMenu\visible"
GetUIFloat "StartMenu\NOGLOW_BRANCH\visible"
GetUIFloat "StartMenu\NOGLOW_BRANCH\main_container\visible"
GetUIFloat "StartMenu\NOGLOW_BRANCH\main_container\lb_item_hotrect:2\visible"
GetUIFloat "Pausemanu\visible"

Queue

O.K. I typed in the commands and this is what I got

getfloat>>1.0000

getfloat>>1.0000

getfloat>>1.0000

trait not found

trait not found

I have typed these in several times with the same results

hope that helps

would a custom race effect this? my main character is a ghoul eye race http://www.newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=40678

I am also running The Mod Configuration Menu, Project Nevada, Primary Needs HUD

let me run a test on the custom race see if that makes any difference

thanks for all your support, you did not have to help, and I thank you for it, and the mod

The custom race shouldn't, but any of those 3 others might, and is exactly the sort of info that will help me pin this down. Thanks for typing out those 5 commands. The 4th result (the first of the two ''trait not found'') is exactly what I needed to know to work it out.

Edit - Though I can't see what in any of those three wouldn't work. I extracted their XML files and none seemed to cause the problem you're having, for me.

So, a few more console commands to try:
GetUIFloat "StartMenu\NOGLOW_BRANCH\main_container\lb_item_hotrect\_enabled"
GetUIFloat "StartMenu\NOGLOW_BRANCH\main_container\*\_enabled"
GetUIFloat "StartMenu\NOGLOW_BRANCH\main_container\*:4\_enabled"

Additionally, if you're willing, could you upload the following two files (if either/both exist in your Data folder) somewhere and give me a link to them? They're two UI XML files having to do with your main menu/pause menu that should relate to the problem.
fallout new vegas\Data\menus\options\start_menu.xml
fallout new vegas\Data\menus\prefabs\list_box.xml

Queue

http://www.4shared.com/folder/nIuRBbcv/_online.html

there are the xml files if I got the link right

will type out the commands and get right back to you


here you go

trait notfound

GetUIfloat>>1.0000

GetUIfloat>>1.0000

Instead of list_box_template.xml, do you have a file that's just list_box.xml? It'd be at:
fallout new vegas\Data\menus\prefabs\list_box.xml

Regardless, I think I have a solution worked out now. I'll get it uploaded tonight after I get home and we'll see if it works for you.

Queue

no, no list_box.xml there I'm afraid ?


thanks again Queue, really top notch of you

Beta 3 is released, check the original post for download link.

---

No sweat about the XML file; if it's not there, then it can't be the cause of the issue.

This will hopefully work, so I've got my fingers crossed.

Queue

good news...... you have it working in the main menu now!

bad news....... but I can still load and save from within the game with the esc key?

from what I understand that is completely backwards from what you intend

damn I hate being such a pain

sorry, let me clarify its after --esc--exit---main menu-- that is blocking the load save buttons as it should

the first menu after launch is working correctly also allowing to load any saves

but I am still able to load and save from within the game via esc

Ok, here's how it's supposed to work:
1) start up game, at the main menu, you can select everything (continue/new/load)
2) once playing, hit escape to pause, save and load are disabled
3) at pause menu, select quit and quit to the main menu, continue, new and load are disabled; you have to exit New Vegas completely and restart in order to load

Those are the 3 situations accounted for. You're saying number 2 still isn't working, right? Here are more console commands to try and diagnose things; instead of typing these when you first start up the game, start playing, then pause via ESC, and then type these (they're the same as some of the commands I had you type at the main menu):
GetUIFloat "StartMenu\visible"
GetUIFloat "StartMenu\NOGLOW_BRANCH\visible"
GetUIFloat "StartMenu\NOGLOW_BRANCH\main_container\visible"
GetUIFloat "StartMenu\NOGLOW_BRANCH\main_container\*\_enabled"

Queue

You're saying number 2 still isn't working, right? yes this is correct





--trait not found-- for all four

o_O

How about:
GetUIFloat "Pausemanu\visible"
GetUIFloat "Pausemanu\alpha"

Queue

Hey there, just for the record, wanna say that I've tried it for a little bit and haven't encountered such problems that coerbincopy had. I know it's stupid to ask such a question - but you have NVSE installed right? Just to make sure, 'cause I don't know why on Earth you have such a problem.
Damn, it's such a shame: SSS has been released, and right after RL start to push me hard. I'll try to play with it next week, but as for now, everything seems to work fine. The only question - optionality of features right now isn't implemented, right?

Nah, he has to have NVSE else nothing would work. All the scripts in SSS check for NVSE (version 2.9 or newer) first thing and go into a sort of sleep cycle if NVSE isn't present.

Don't feel rushed or anything; New Vegas is singleplayer, it'll wait for you as long as you need it to.

As for feature options, right, not easily unless you know how the GECK works. I haven't figured out exactly how I want to handle configuration: either separate versions of the .ESP file with certain features on/off, or a menu in-game, such as via the Mod Configuration Menu system. That said, what stuff do you want off and I can whip up a version with just the stuff you want really easily. For example, just Disable Save Load and the Item Save System?

Queue