Discussion [Community Idea] ♣Plot Ideas / Requests♤ Thread & Google Sheet

[Danest]

Also, with the need for long term sustainable food in the Commonwealth, why has no one ever made Longneck Lukowski's Cannery an int. player settlement? It would also lend itself to some new ideas for int. industrial plots. I'm not sure it could be done but imagine if the meat-producing food plots could funnel into an actual "potted meat" producing plot (similar to the ammo producing plot with the working manufacturing machine).

There are, like, a bajillion interiors I could see as interesting settlements.

 

[Matthew Watkinson]

And on the discussion on int. plot snap points, how about a specific 1x2 floor piece that's designed just for the int. plot? Okay, it might have been discussed before, but it's an idea anyway.

And on further musings over this and someone else's point about the powerbox being their guide (it's my guide as well), what about an "L" shaped piece (e.g. 1x2 floor with rear wall panels) with one single snap point where the power box is? Obviously, it would need other snap points to attach to other floors, etc. but I'm sure you get what I'm on about.
Of course, this would mean that the int. plots would have to be changed to have a snap point behind the powerbox.
But how much simpler would it be if the 3x3 Agricultural Barn plots had an internal snap point on their upper floor to allow easier placement of int. plots?

Oh, another idea while I'm at it. Someone really needs to make a Super Mutant Residential plot for poor old Strong (if there already is one, I apologise for missing it).

 

[Whisper]

For custom snap points - you will need floor/walls with identical appropriate snap points. This means creating a set of custom .nif’s to handle these. For every wall-piece that you want the plots to snap to.

Most users will not have these, limiting their usefulness to only those using said files. While KG could possibly put them into Sim Settlements, it will conflict with other mods that replace vanilla snapping.

Now, XV could put these in his custom building/plots because they are personally created by him. To use them properly he would have to have a custom interior plot .nif, which he could offer as an optional download for his users who want that convenience.

Effectively it’s not going to happen. Too much hassle all around.

 

[Matthew Watkinson]

You have an awful lot more experience doing this than I do (I've only come over to PC this year and I haven't even opened the CK yet).
So can I ask a question? I've seen a lot of screenshots showing snap points on various items which are shown in different colours.
I'm guessing that they were just used to differentiate the different snap points as opposed to the snap points actually being "different"?
I realise that this is possibly a 'very' dumb question, but as I said I'm very new to these parts of discussions.

 

[Whisper]

@Matthew Watkinson the raw snappoints are just a green circle with a green dotted line, no matter what the type. They add an extra colored hemisphere as visual aid, only seeable in the CK and NifSkope.

 

[VersusXV]

Now, XV could put these in his custom building/plots because they are personally created by him. To use them properly he would have to have a custom interior plot .nif, which he could offer as an optional download for his users who want that convenience.

Effectively it’s not going to happen. Too much hassle all around.

Pretty much this. We're told not to replace things in base Sim Settlements, it would cause problems if I were to change the Interior Plot NIF. It would introduce mod conflicts if we were to make changes directly to base Sim Settlements, which would most likely break functionality relevant to the modified records since the assumptions made by the scripts may no longer be true. Scripts tend to fail/bug out unless the assumptions made when writing the scripts were all true or if handling was done for exceptions to the assumptions. Stuff like build plans are specially done along with pretty much any other avenue through which we may want to interact with it, aside from scripts where we may just read data from Sim Settlements.

Best that could be done is suggesting changes to the Interior Plot NIF to Kinggath but I am just not sure how much of a priority it would be since he's so busy.

I realise that this is possibly a 'very' dumb question, but as I said I'm very new to these parts of discussions.

I think it's certainly worthwhile to discuss. Perhaps Kinggath might see this sometime and might decide to alter the Interior Plot NIF. For me personally, doing this would be a lot of trial & error plus it may turn out to be un-feasible depending on what's coming in the future in a hypothetical 5.0 and beyond since I have no idea what might be coming. But maybe he has better methods to do it more easily and maybe it'd be fine.

If someday the Interior Plot NIF does get changed, I do want to have better snap points for my "Int Plot slots" and also potential Int Plot Foundations. I could use matching snap points to this hypothetical modified Interior Plot NIF and it'd be much like 2x2 plots snapping to 2x2 foundations, perhaps by using 2 unique nodes it can be made to only snap in 2 allowable directions. Right now it is frustrating enough to get correct positioning (and in some cases it can't be done without ModPos/SetAngle Z to correct it plus also having first set the 2x2 plot's angle to Z=90/180/270) that I don't feel it's worth it for me right now to make Interior Plot Foundations and I'm questioning how much I'll make use of "Interior slots" in the future.

(I've only come over to PC this year and I haven't even opened the CK yet).

I see. I do tend to gloss over sigs and go by the left side platform icons. I suggest updating it at
This link: https://simsettlements.com/site/index.php?account/contact-details

 

[Matthew Watkinson]

@VersusXV OMG, thanks for that! I hadn't been able to find where the part for changing platform was, despite having looked. So, thanks for the link.

Also, @Whisper thanks for the info. I was never sure prior to your answer.

So, I have to ask, as quite a few plot designers have been coming up with 1x1 plot designs, do you think that we'll eventually see official plots that small?

Additionally, while I remember, I must say that @Whisper your Power Plots are really great. And @VersusXV I really love the new settlement sites and the co-habitable buildings are such a great idea.

Lastly, I know that having two custom settlements very close to each other doesn't work, but does that hold if one of those settlements was an internal cell with access from an external settlement?

I'm asking because with the Swan's Pond settlement, could it be possible to go the whole 9 yards and add Park Street Station and Vault 114 as settlements? (Again, just an idea).

 

[VersusXV]

I'm asking because with the Swan's Pond settlement, could it be possible to go the whole 9 yards and add Park Street Station and Vault 114 as settlements? (Again, just an idea).

Possibly, though completion of the Unlikely Valentine quest would be required

 

[Opi Vali]

I tend to generally prefer 2x2 martial in my builds, unless it's in a very small location

I like them, but I still use the 1x1’s for point defense a my gatehouses. I’ll have to post a super short video of them. I would love to get that gate house as a SS 2x2 plot. It uses some of the DLC stuff though, so, I’m not sure if anyone else would be interested. It auto opens and closes when the settlement gets attacked and the attacks are over.

 

[Opi Vali]

@uituit an oversized plot idea for you. Junktown Fences - electrified ones, raider corpses and electric sparks optional.

In line with these I would like to see 1/4 by various lengths. To be used as fences along with various angles.

 

[Danest]

Electrified fences would indeed be interesting if we could keep friendlies from being hurt by them...like, anyone trying to use them as cover, which raiders might do, would get zapped.

 

[Whisper]

It’s more for color. The default behavior of settlers is to go running out from behind all defences to get in the face of attackers.

 

[Danest]

Their default ai must be set wrong, because that's just ridiculous and terrible. Hmm, it can't be that hard to change, I hope... I'm definitely going to have to take a look at that.

 

[Irealys]

Fair warning, as an Xbox user my mindset is always aimed at efficiency more than flash so it might sound uninteresting to some.

In terms of martial plots, I think places that serve as a police station seems under-represented. Also variations on a theme would be nice. I’m not sure how much can be achieved with the “change building skin” option. But wall colour? a logo? A wall flag? A saying carved on a surface (Ad Victoriam, follow the freedom trail, mankind refined, JESUS PRESTON I GET IT, SOMEONE NEEDS HELP)? What about clutter? Or what weapon is on the desk? What hat is on the coat hanger? What about blood&gore or not? Again, I have no idea what is possible but I feel like this is one area where creators could make some creations that could be very efficient in terms of size and make their plot more versatile.

And this obviously could be said for any type of plot.

Other types of plots I’d love to see more of are plots that are meant to be used or could be used as a pair (trio, whatnot). There is a difference but I’d love to see more of both. Meant to be together, I’m specifically thinking of residential plots for couples. It’s weird to tell the Abernathy’s that they are living in separate houses or rooms now. So things like a 2x2 that would have an interior plot space left open to be used where beds would be next to each other or interior plots mean to connect in a specific way would be nice.

One that I’d love to see is an apartment building. A commercial building with predetermined spaces for internal plots where people live. If the 3x3 commercial ever becomes a thing, I could see a first floor with a back section for the interior plot of the owner and maybe enough space for a bar/restaurant in the lobby with higher floors meant for a mix of apartments and motel rooms for visitors.

Another example I can think of is a mini-mall of commercial buildings connected with inside doorways where the name of the mall is painted on the front of the three (or whatever number suits you) buildings.

I could also see houses meant to be behind a person’s workplace. Something as simple as the both have a backdoor that would connect if placed back to back while having a building overall that looks like it could have been built as one.

And this one I’m not sure if it’s even possible but it feels weird that robots don’t have residential at all. Why can’t they have at least their own little 1x1 charging station? Is Kinggath anti-robot?

Alright I’m gonna stop otherwise I’m gonna wrote a novella. If I had a working computer, I think this would be my first attempt at modding. Thanks and my apologies to anyone who decided to read all the way through.

 

[Matthew Watkinson]

There is a shopping mall Add-on, but it's not on Beth.net. But you could ask @RobotsSmell very, very nicely.

 

[Irealys]

Hi Matthew.

I remember seeing commercial plots that were meant to be placed in order, it was in one of the mega packs I believe. I ended up deleting both mega packs for their size (they combined for somewhere around 750MB for a lot of plots I wasn’t using, on Xbox with a 2GB limit of total downloaded mods I preferred to take more, smaller add-on packs that I would use a larger amount of the plots).

That being said, I thought this place was intended as a place to discuss possibilities and a place mod authors could get some creative spark. Even if it exist, I still think there is potential in smart combinations to create some interesting plots that can give a settlement it’s own vibe and uniqueness. In a small place like this, one would expect to have stores be grouped in a logical fashion. Your weapons shop and Armor shop would not be far appart, it would make sense to them to be next to each other to entice people who buy weapons to also buy Armor (and vice versa). That should make for an easy combo and one that could be part of most themed packs. Depending on the theme you could also include a Chem vendor or power Armor vendor. A clothing store and a general store could also be combined logically. Public services offices being connected (power and water for instance) would easily make sense. But why not go a step further, a bar with a dance club? A school with a schoolyard type park? A motel and a diner?

I feel like all of these examples could work and I’m sure not only are there more but maybe even more interesting ideas. I feel like with a bit of creativity and smart design people could make some interesting world building with plots like these. And in most of these cases, I believe with an easy building skin option (with or without the shared name) those could easily be interesting as single plots but offer more as a set.

That being said, there is no add-on pack that I believe that I have looked at more than the RobotSmell one wishing I could have it without the mega pack. It had some great ideas and some of my suggestions are flat out from what I saw from him and where I would push that if I had a computer... and knew even a little bit about modding... Anyway, my point is, I’m very aware of his work. That add-on pack is the main reason it took me so long to remove the mega-pack and the one I am more often than not missing when I think about plots I used to have. The only reason I haven’t asked yet is that I am not confident that I would end up using it. From what I can see, this is one of these mods that ends up heavy, something like 175+Mb, which in my case would mean having to decide what 3 or 4 good small mods would I end up scrapping for it? And I don’t really want to ask someone to put work into something that I know in my heart that I’ll end up choosing the 3 60MB add-one that each add 20+ plots that I will use.

At this point, I’m actually debating with myself writing a post down talking about my reality as an Xbox user, maybe a way to let modders who don’t use Xbox why some mods would do great while others wouldn’t when they might get a very different result on pc but also with some tips for new users, although I’m not sure how many new Xbox users Sim Settlements get that would need my input at this point.

Seriously, maybe I just like writing too much... I know, a shock to all of you...

 

[Rites]

Umm... 3x3 dual shop? Or maybe even 3x3 shop/home combo? It might not be possible because of assignment issues, but maybe someone out there can figure something out.

 

[Irealys]

Actually we already have at least one of these. There is the Wasteland Venturers Universal Library Coffee 3x3 agricultural plot that has an option through the building skin menu to have a free space for an interior plot (that I opted to use as that person’s home but technically could have been anything). Otherwise it’s some silt bean based clutter I believe.

They also have in that pack a 3x3 farmer’s glue that is supposed to have the same option, I just haven’t used it yet so I can’t confirm how well that one works but I can confirm the other one works perfectly well.

 

[Rites]

Actually we already have at least one of these. There is the Wasteland Venturers Universal Library Coffee 3x3 agricultural plot that has an option through the building skin menu to have a free space for an interior plot (that I opted to use as that person’s home but technically could have been anything). Otherwise it’s some silt bean based clutter I believe.

They also have in that pack a 3x3 farmer’s glue that is supposed to have the same option, I just haven’t used it yet so I can’t confirm how well that one works but I can confirm the other one works perfectly well.

Ok... That I did not know, will have to check that next time I'm in game since I have both those plots in one of my settlements.

Are there more that you might know about?

 

[Whisper]

It’s quite possible to create a residential plot with space under/over for an internal plot of some kind. Or vice versa.

Iirc there’s an addon out there with workshop-placeable shacks, that might have places for plots to go.