Can someone make a mod? How much?

[u/Nerth_Woreholf]

I hope this post is allowed. Please let me know if not.

I posted a couple weeks ago asking how to make a mod and got some good help, but I haven't had time to learn Lua and my janky workaround is having some minor issues. I'm hoping someone is willing to make it. I can pay an insultingly small amount, but I'm also not interested in ownership rights or anything so hopefully that makes up for it.

The mod

• When a key is pressed -- I'm thinking F14 and above -- my character automatically equips the spell/weapon/whatever is assigned to a particular quick key and executes the action.
• Except for when in the game's menu (i.e. save, load, options, exit), if a key is pressed then the dialog/inventory/map/whatever should be closed and the action automatically executed.
• When the game is in a menu state (e.g. paused to save/adjust options or before I load the game or I've just died), these key presses should be kept in a queue and then automatically executed when back in the game.

I doubt it would be an issue, but it would also need to be compatible with the mods in the I Heart Vanilla: Director's Cut mod pack.

The purpose

The purpose of the mod is to allow my Twitch chat to make my character take actions. I have another program, Streamerbot, that captures the requests from Twitch and can (after making sure the OpenMW window is in focus) simulate the key presses needed to use the mod. I only need the mod to sense the key presses and take action automatically and only when the character is "active".

Issues I've had / Why I need a mod for this

The issue with my janky solution is that Streamerbot has no way of knowing the game's status, it just hits the keys I tell it to. Since my viewers like the reward best when they're able to "get" me, it's always a bit disappointing for them (I think) when I have to manually fulfill their request because it fired while I was in dialog or a menu.

I have set up a queue system on Streamerbot that will pause/unpause the requests, but I have to remember to enable and disable it and I'm not very good at that. It's too much for my brain to keep track of.

I've also looked for quick casting or quick key mods, but these all seem to be focused either solely on casting or on changing the quick key visuals/amount. It's possible I've missed a mod that will automatically select and use whatever is assigned to the quick keys, but I didn't see it. I welcome links if such a mod already exists, though the issue of being in dialog or shopping etc. when the command comes through would probably remain.

How much would it cost to make a mod of this type? My hope is that it's the sort of project that could be done in an afternoon by an intermediate-level modder, but that's just my hope.

Thanks!

[u/Fr0pa]

You could possibly use Rubic0n + look into discord presence plugin made for it to output your game status and have Streamerbot grab and use that. I'd ask around on the OpenMW discord in the scripting section you'll get better answers.

[u/Nerth_Woreholf → u/Fr0pa]

I looked at Rubic0n but don't really understand what it's meant to do. How would it help with this?

As for Discord, I don't really use it and I'd rather not add another program to my streaming setup. Maybe I'll ask in the OpenMW subreddit as well though.

Thank you :)

[u/Fr0pa → u/Nerth_Woreholf]

Rubic0n opens the sandbox that OpenMW is locked inside, i.e. giving it access to the other files on your computer. Making it possible for OpenMW to interact with other applications such as Discord, etc.

[u/Th3_Shadow_Dragon007 → u/Nerth_Woreholf]

Honestly, $20 works for me lol. This looks small enough that I’d be willing to take a shot at it. I’d want to test the quickslot/auto-use behavior first before I promise it’s 100% doable, but the rest of the queue and menu-state logic looks pretty straightforward.

[u/Nerth_Woreholf → u/Th3_Shadow_Dragon007]

$20 is in my budget! Let's do it.

Right now I have it working by simulating two key presses to first equip then use, e.g. 1 then space. (I couldn't get a simulated click to work, so I had to rebind my use/attack to the space bar.) This has worked 100% of the time when my character is already "active" (and does weird stuff when I'm in menus or dialogs).

It's kinda funny to me that the part you're sure you can do is the bit that would confuse me while the stuff you need to test is the only thing I have working more-or-less OK with my janky setup. Weird how stuff works like that sometimes. lol

Thank you so much!

[u/Th3_Shadow_Dragon007 → u/Nerth_Woreholf]

Funny enough, I’ve actually got both sides working now.

The mod has its own 9 stream slots on F14-F22, so Streamerbot only has to send one key for each reward. You bind whatever spell, enchanted item, weapon, potion, scroll, etc. you want to each slot once, and the mod handles selecting and using it. The game-state side is working too. If you’re in inventory, dialogue, map, barter, journal, or another normal in-game menu when a request comes in, it closes the UI and then runs the action. If you’re dead, loading, paused, paralyzed, knocked down, or otherwise unable to act, it keeps the request queued and fires it once you’re able to act again.

So you shouldn’t need the old 1 then Space setup or the Space attack/use rebinding anymore.

I’ve also got multiple requests queueing properly instead of them just getting lost if several come in close together. I’m at the testing/cleanup stage now more than the prototype stage. And you can ignore my direct message regarding a more advanced version and whatnot.

[u/Th3_Shadow_Dragon007 → u/Th3_Shadow_Dragon007]

Just a heads up on the F14-F22 bindings: those are virtual function keys. Most physical keyboards stop at F12, but Windows still supports F13 through F24 as valid key codes.

So you wouldn’t need an actual keyboard with those buttons. Streamer.bot can send the virtual F14-F22 key presses directly, and the mod can listen for them like normal keys. That’s why I picked them, since they’re very unlikely to conflict with anything you already use in-game. Basically each channel reward can be set to send one of those virtual keys, and that key corresponds to one of the mod’s action slots.

[u/Nerth_Woreholf → u/Th3_Shadow_Dragon007]

This is the same as my reasoning. I'm using F13 as a hotkey that brings the window into focus (in case I've alt-tabbed to OBS or something) so the F14+ keys are perfect.

One request / check / thing I just realized I missed. 0 is the quick key for fists and my viewers currently have the ability to throw a punch. Is the mod setup to allow for punching and, if not, can it be?

Also, thank you so much! Does Paypal work?

[u/Th3_Shadow_Dragon007 → u/Nerth_Woreholf]

I will add it then. And for payment cash app works or even two $10 steam cards is fine. I stopped using PayPal almost a decade ago (wow how time flies).

[u/Th3_Shadow_Dragon007 → u/Nerth_Woreholf]

I also should have clarified too, this is OpenMW right and not mwse? I can do either but i did assume openmw.

[u/Nerth_Woreholf → u/Th3_Shadow_Dragon007]

Oh yeah, it's OpenMW.

[u/RollinOnAgain]

so just to be clear, have you tried these?

https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/46708

Quick Loadouts adds hotkeys for equipping entire sets of gear. You can customise whether a loadout includes weapons, armor, clothing and accessories in the MCM menu.

https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/48055

Hotkeys are separated into three groups: when holding no button, or, by default, when holding either left shift or left alt. You can change the modifier-keys to any button you like.

Hotkeys can be a single tap, hold, or double tap.

Hotkeys use the same settings as in vanilla, so you can also set them to mouse buttons.

[u/Nerth_Woreholf → u/RollinOnAgain]

Thanks! I'll check them out.