Suggestion Discussion: Changing Inventory Icon's IG

[JediMindTrix]

Suggestion Thread.

A foreward: I know of no easy, possible way currently to implement this. The function that allows scripts to change armor and weapon parts, and shield and helm icon's, CopyItemAndModify, apparently only supports armor and weapons. Some might say it's impossible, but then it was also said that removing helmet visual's was impossible as well.

I opened this thread to brainstorm possibilities on a method to get something like this to work. I was actually thinking about it last night; I jotted down some notes, and have dug around in a few scripts and .2da's to investigate this. Unfortunately, they haven't progressed beyond a cursory investigation and are kind of nebulous in my head right now (messy).

I noticed in Leto's Advanced Editor that items such as arrows, boots, etc; have a number of different part number's. This led me to dig through .2da's to see if I could find any references to these numbers, but came up with nothing. I also poked around in nwscript.nss to see how CopyItemAndChange works, but only found a single reference to it that explained nothing. The Lexicon doesn't do a good job of explaining in-depth, and I'm led to believe it's semi-hardcoded. This would make it pretty hard to emulate the function.

One thought I had would be to create a custom .2da for Arelith's server override folder that would 'index' item icons, allowing for a script to use Get2DAString to retrieve the value's needed for a script to cycle through icon options. No one would have to download anything for that work, as legitimately everything related to the .2da would be performed on the server's end.

I have zero knowledge of how Scholar Midnight works her magic and makes the impossible happen so I've had no thoughts about using methods in her area of expertise.

[The Man of the Moon]

My guess is that if we can change our portaits, then change the icon of anyother thing as gear or placeables should be also posible. But yes, I am not an scripter and my knowledge on that area falls far beneath the underdark deeps...

[JediMindTrix]

I stand corrected. I just successfully altered a boot model using this code:

void main()
{
object oPC = GetPCSpeaker();
object oBoots = GetItemInSlot(INVENTORY_SLOT_BOOTS, oPC);

CopyItemAndModify(oBoots, ITEM_APPR_TYPE_WEAPON_MODEL, ITEM_APPR_WEAPON_MODEL_TOP, 2);
}

So at the very least, it is possible to modify boots and arrows in-game. Potions are possible too but since you can't equip them that'd probably be something that would have to be added to something like an enchanting basin as an option.
I don't know about items like belts, gloves, etc; as they have only a single icon that doesn't have a part, that would be harder. I also question whether it's necessary in light of all/most ofthe models being readily available anywhere you go in the module.

The real question is, is if this is something the staff wants. If so, I have the free-time and ability to get it done in a fairly timely manner (two days probably).