The Merry Christmas Status Update!

Wishing everyone a happy holiday season

The Master Control Framework

Guess what? We have a fully-working Master Control Framework! I finished the development of the first version. It still needs some testing, and maybe some slight tweaks based on the feedback from testing, but here are the features so far:

• Base follower framework commands - follow, dismiss, rest (wait), and trade.

• Supports 30 custom-voiced followers

• Sandboxing when at home or while resting (waiting)

• Home assignment

• Horse Riding (can be turned off)

• MCM to help manage settings per follower

• Summon follower (also works before you meet them in case you have trouble finding one due to mod conflicts)

I decided not to include outfit management since there are several very powerful mods that do it already. I also decided not to include combat styles because I like to make each follower completely different and I didn’t want them to feel similar in any way.

I will release the MCF before I finish Vixi Talax Remastered. It will be available to other mod authors with detailed documentation on how to create your own voiced follower using the system. There is still some learning you need to do before you can use this framework. Those of you interested might want to look get a head start. That said, 90% of the hard work that goes into making a custom-voiced follower has been done for you with this framework, and I believe I made it easy for other people to make their own followers to use with it.

In case you are interested in learning what you will need to still need to know, you should study:

• Creating Followers

• Custom-voiced followers by Joseph Russel (focus only on adding voice lines since you are using MCF as the system and don’t need to create your own)

• Advanced topics that might help you do some cool stuff: creating scenes and quests in the Creation Kit - just search youtube - there are so many videos there to help

I’m hoping to release the MCF on or around Christmas here on my website. Keep your eyes open!

Vixi Talax Update

I’m always trying to improve when I create these followers. I made a pretty cool romance system for Vayne. It took me a long time to figure out how to do that to be honest. That said, I have learned some lessons from it. Back when I added romance to the Iceheart Sisters, I wanted romance to evolve over time. That system was a good step in the right direction and Vayne’s system took a few steps beyond that. I hated many existing followers out there that you had to give gifts to the follower for the romance to advance.

Using the same system I did for Vayne, I decided to make it even more immersive with Vixi. When you level up your romance with Vayne, a message box pops up giving you an update. For Vixi, I decided that she will approach you at the appropriate time and start a scene with you. You will have a detailed discussion about your relationship. It will feel much more natural and you won’t need to know some number telling you how far along you are. The number of points needed will likely be similar, but you will be more focused on the situations and time you spend with Vixi than watching for points to level up.

Additionally, when you do something wrong that Vixi doesn’t like, points will go into a “grievance pool.” When you reach a certain amount, Vixi will again start a scene with you telling you that you’ve done things she doesn’t like. You can choose to own up to it and tell her you will do better or you can double-down and tell her that’s just how it is. Based on what you have decided she will file away this information. Keep doing things she doesn’t like, and eventually she will leave your service and you can never recruit her again.

This may seem rather harsh, but you will be given many chances to mend your ways and just like real life, eventually you will run out of chances and she will lose interest in you.

Each follower I make in the future that uses a romance system like this will have different things they like and dislike. She if one is too “good” you can recruit a more “evil” personality type. That said, they don’t know what you are doing when they aren’t with you, so if you do things they don’t like when they aren’t with you they can’t hold it against you.

This system is every bit as detailed as creating the MCF itself - maybe more so. I imagine Vixi won’t be finished until mid to late January.

Happy Holidays

I just wanted to thank all of you for your support and friendship. From me and my wife, we both want to wish you and your families a very happy holiday season. I would love to hear from you in the comments. Tell me what you want to see in future mods. You can even give me ideas outside of followers and replacers.

Thank you!

Heath aka ColdSun