Sentient Power Armor (S.P.A.) - Custom race idea

[xenic]

Note: Obvislouly I'm waiting on the GECK/CK to do this but I figured I'd throw it in here. Feel free to leave suggestions/advice on how I can do this. I don't know how to do all of this, but I'm damn sure going to try.

 

Sentient Power Armor (S.P.A.)

 

What happens when you mix a power armor frame and an experimental AI? This happens. The S.P.A. can use power armor pieces to upgrade itself. From the armor station, the player can change the gender of the suit to be more femenine or masculine. Some pieces would have sleek sexy curves, others rough, rigid looks. A quest could be thrown in to harvest parts from synths, effectively making this a boogieman/vampire to the synths. I think a fun quest would be to kill a synth for a human-like head so you cold remove the helmet. And all the quests could move toward making the character more human. 

 

Not sure how a character select would work but there would be the option to be male or female.

 

You would start out in a dark warehouse somewhere in the Wasteland. A BOS scribe and paladan would be talking about you. "This suit is a complete mess, not even worth salvaging."   "We should take some of this other stuff though, and pull that fusion core."   When they pull the core, your systems enter an active state. The room lights up and you're alone. You make your way out of the warehouse and see dead raiders on the ground. You have your pick of a few simple weapons.

 

At this point you're basically a power armor frame and helmet with wires and stuff visible from the outside. You're able to find power armor pieces and equip them, covering up your exposed wires. Some NPC's will comment with things like "you should step out of that suit"  or "i see some blue under there, is that a vault suit?" Most of the interactions will be for a bit of humor or to reinforce the point of what you are. Obviously you can't enter power armor since you basically are power armor.

 

Down the line, you'll meet a scientist attached to the railroad who will realize what you are and try to help you be more human. She will send you on missions to help you upgrade yourself with sleeker parts and more efficient systems. Eventually you will be human sized and human like in appearance. At that point you will be able to actually use power armor. 

 

Some things I want to do is make feminine versions of the more unique power armor pieces, like the atom cats, x-01, and some of the raider sets.

 

I'm not sure how to do all of these things and I'll probably be asking around for help many times. So if this strikes you as a cool idea and you'd like to help, please let me know.   

 

Files and stuff:

So I'm working on how to get this set up. I have some meshes in the zip but I'm really debating changing my approach. I'm not sure if I can actually set up equipping power armor pieces to the new body. But...if I use a modified synth body then I could just enter power armor and that may work better.

 

The mesh for the synth body is A_Frame_Body_Inner.nif

 

Xenic - SPA 0.1.zip   << This is not a usable mod currently. Just meshes.

 

I welcome any advice/help. 

 

IDEAS:

Zinker: "You would go through character selection as per game, but when you are unfrozen, your capsule fails and, instead of coming out a "human", our intellect is "downloaded" into a mainframe. Mixed with an AI, you become the said above suit.
Or your brain is extracted and placed in a machine... since this was "a strange experiment" vault, that experimented with robot-ai mix." I may go this route =)

 

[Guest MonsterFish]

Could you romance the AI?

Seriously, I'd be down with that.

[xenic]

Could you romance the AI?

Seriously, I'd be down with that.

I'm thinking of the player being the AI in the suit but yeah. I would think romance options would be there still.

[Guest MonsterFish]

So... you're romancing yourself.

Selfcest.

[RitualClarity]

An alternate start option.

 

However I see some tech issues that a slight story change would make it easier to do.

 

However.. changing the suit over time to be more human.. not so sure that would be easy to do. Now collect various synth parts over time that might be something. In time enough parts could be gathered for a Valentine type body transfer then you can start using the suit. Since you are completely AI the railroad would be some group that would help you. In the suit form the BOS wouldn't really realize you aren't a suit (after some voice module upgrades ). and treat you well enough. as well as any other. Same with other groups. After reaching the Valentine type body a quest to help Gen3 or even rescue a Gen 4 model from the institute (dovetailed into the main quest) would get you a really human looking body as you can receive a unused shell or a shell that has been totally mind wiped from another faction. THEN you are as human as you can be.

 

See the fixing the body parts as you go through (your current form) makes sense however changing it even as cool as it sounds it would be very difficult on a tech level all new meshes and textures etc would need to be done as well. Now you can be either sex whenever you want in the beginning but as you grow three should be a part where you choose. Perhaps sometime after meeting the scientist which will help you upgrade your processors allowing you the further development. After a few select missions you are given a upgrade then after the main mod quest you have the body.. (choice as well . the rest is just a bit of cosmettics that can be done by the scientist.

[xenic]

An alternate start option.

 

However I see some tech issues that a slight story change would make it easier to do.

 

However.. changing the suit over time to be more human.. not so sure that would be easy to do. Now collect various synth parts over time that might be something. In time enough parts could be gathered for a Valentine type body transfer then you can start using the suit. Since you are completely AI the railroad would be some group that would help you. In the suit form the BOS wouldn't really realize you aren't a suit (after some voice module upgrades ). and treat you well enough. as well as any other. Same with other groups. After reaching the Valentine type body a quest to help Gen3 or even rescue a Gen 4 model from the institute (dovetailed into the main quest) would get you a really human looking body as you can receive a unused shell or a shell that has been totally mind wiped from another faction. THEN you are as human as you can be.

 

See the fixing the body parts as you go through (your current form) makes sense however changing it even as cool as it sounds it would be very difficult on a tech level all new meshes and textures etc would need to be done as well. Now you can be either sex whenever you want in the beginning but as you grow three should be a part where you choose. Perhaps sometime after meeting the scientist which will help you upgrade your processors allowing you the further development. After a few select missions you are given a upgrade then after the main mod quest you have the body.. (choice as well . the rest is just a bit of cosmettics that can be done by the scientist.

I'm thinking the "more human over time part" would be done kind of like this:

 

• 1) You desire to more than an AI trapped in power armor. You need to get stronger. Quest to complete your armor.
• 2) Once complete, you meet the scientist and they give you an upgrade. Basically your race changes to the more human but still android race. So, you look metallic still and are obviously robotic but not a synth. The BoS won't mind you since you're not impersonating a human (i.e. human looking skin). The Railroad will like you since you're an AI. And the Minutemen really won't care either way.

The part that will be hard is designing the race and custom skins. I've always sucked at that. At the 2nd part, you'll have a height/body that is more inline with a standard human so getting into and out of power armor (if you wanted) wouldn't clip.

[RitualClarity]

Yes.. doing that will require more work to get your vision of this idea. However it looks like you have a good grasp of the task at hand, just need to open gimp/photoshop, niftools and such and get cracking on the models. Shortly you will have the CK for Fallout 4.

[Halstrom]

Interesting idea, though I think SPA would make a good companion you could really get into or walk with seperately

[xenic]

Interesting idea, though I think SPA would make a good companion you could really get into or walk with seperately

If I can actually make this happen then I should be able to make a follower or 2 based on this. Story wise, it would be cool to see it from different angles. One where the SPA is the player and one where the player meets SPA. Although, I really should find a better name for it.

[Guest MonsterFish]

Self Programming Assisted Targetting User-Learner Armour.

S.P.A.T.U.L.A.

 

Lel old joke... Oh wait that's a different forum.

[RitualClarity]

Actually this idea does fit in the lore. The power armor with the stim packs in Fallout 3 I believe up by O'l loney or someplace like that. I can't remember the spelling. Anyway that had an AI of sorts that monitored your health and gave you a stimpack. The documentation stated it was being developed to carry and administer other medications as well like Medx as needed.

 

This could be an extension of this project. It could be an old power armor that has been active for centuries and slowly gained sentience. Experiementation etc. Interesting concept that I would like to see expanded on.

 

Dam forgot about those suits that were used in Old World blues which was able to continue functioning well after the occupant died as well. Fits in with the lore of the game quite well actually.

[DocClox]

Not sure how you'd progress this with the player as the armour (way cool idea BTW) but I can imagine fun to be had if the player is wearing an experimental AI suit.

 

Maybe with the brain engrams of some horny pre-war mad scientist loaded into it. I could see all sorts of fun to be had there.

[Arhon]

Call me pervert but I see some interesting Adult(sex) mods coming out for this one

 

However I believe its impossible to change your race in Fallout 4. So this mod (S.P.A) would be better as a quest.

[RitualClarity]

Not sure how you'd progress this with the player as the armour (way cool idea BTW) but I can imagine fun to be had if the player is wearing an experimental AI suit.

 

Maybe with the brain engrams of some horny pre-war mad scientist loaded into it. I could see all sorts of fun to be had there.

 

The suit works on hydraulics or activators. It is just a short step for them to be controlled by some computer AI. Fallout NV has suits not even close to the size of the PA that will function long after the occupant has died. The idea of a autonomous suit is part of FAllout. Just the idea of a Power Suit being autonomous is new. .. however not that much newer considering Fallout 3 has a suit with an AI that administered Stim packs and documentation stated Medx was possible etc advanced version on that experimental suit.

 

[xenic]

Not sure how you'd progress this with the player as the armour (way cool idea BTW) but I can imagine fun to be had if the player is wearing an experimental AI suit.

 

Maybe with the brain engrams of some horny pre-war mad scientist loaded into it. I could see all sorts of fun to be had there.

I've started to run into some design issues with this. I'm thinking it may be easier to make a modified gen 1 synth as the AI. The design problem is that I'm not sure how to disable the player from entering power armor and how to disable equipping gear. I think that would probably make more problems that it would solve.

[DocClox]

 

Not sure how you'd progress this with the player as the armour (way cool idea BTW) but I can imagine fun to be had if the player is wearing an experimental AI suit.

 

Maybe with the brain engrams of some horny pre-war mad scientist loaded into it. I could see all sorts of fun to be had there.

 

The suit works on hydraulics or activators. It is just a short step for them to be controlled by some computer AI. Fallout NV has suits not even close to the size of the PA that will function long after the occupant has died. The idea of a autonomous suit is part of FAllout. Just the idea of a Power Suit being autonomous is new. .. however not that much newer considering Fallout 3 has a suit with an AI that administered Stim packs and documentation stated Medx was possible etc advanced version on that experimental suit.

 

 

Mmmm. What I mean to say is that I understand the idea, I just don't have any ideas about how to advance the plot.

 

 

Not sure how you'd progress this with the player as the armour (way cool idea BTW) but I can imagine fun to be had if the player is wearing an experimental AI suit.

 

Maybe with the brain engrams of some horny pre-war mad scientist loaded into it. I could see all sorts of fun to be had there.

I've started to run into some design issues with this. I'm thinking it may be easier to make a modified gen 1 synth as the AI. The design problem is that I'm not sure how to disable the player from entering power armor and how to disable equipping gear. I think that would probably make more problems that it would solve.

 

 

Skyrim had a perk that let you set an activation filter. . There's probably something similar in F4.

 

Are you planning to let NPCs equip the player? Possibly against her will? Some interesting subtexts there...

[RitualClarity]

 

Mmmm. What I mean to say is that I understand the idea, I just don't have any ideas about how to advance the plot.

Ahh.. I see now. Yea.. it will be unique plot idea. Can't really be the mother or father in this game which can make the advancement of the plot more difficult to advance (and figure out) but I am sure the OP has some ideas as mentioned already. I believe the technical aspects would be more difficult that the story advancements.

[Veniat]

What about an alternate start where the player is transferred into the power armour suit as an A.I.? A variation where the PC is actually killed during the cryogenic process and is instead transferred into a remote body.

 

The technology already seems to exist in Fallout 4's lore, it could also be extended lorewise into a full body swapping mechanic where the player could take over synth or robotic bodies.  

 

It could be pretty fun making a full brand new perk tree if the eventual modding tools support it. 

[xenic]

What about an alternate start where the player is transferred into the power armour suit as an A.I.? A variation where the PC is actually killed during the cryogenic process and is instead transferred into a remote body.

 

The technology already seems to exist in Fallout 4's lore, it could also be extended lorewise into a full body swapping mechanic where the player could take over synth or robotic bodies.  

 

It could be pretty fun making a full brand new perk tree if the eventual modding tools support it. 

 

That could work but I was thinking more about just being an AI. I'll need some form of alt start but I thought about muting the player voice or having the armor equip a face that looks like the Nora's. That's a little morbid but different. I don't have a clear way to really address the main story elements about her son. I really wish Bethesda hadn't railroaded us into being a parent.

 

 

Not sure how you'd progress this with the player as the armour (way cool idea BTW) but I can imagine fun to be had if the player is wearing an experimental AI suit.

 

Maybe with the brain engrams of some horny pre-war mad scientist loaded into it. I could see all sorts of fun to be had there.

 

The suit works on hydraulics or activators. It is just a short step for them to be controlled by some computer AI. Fallout NV has suits not even close to the size of the PA that will function long after the occupant has died. The idea of a autonomous suit is part of FAllout. Just the idea of a Power Suit being autonomous is new. .. however not that much newer considering Fallout 3 has a suit with an AI that administered Stim packs and documentation stated Medx was possible etc advanced version on that experimental suit.

 

 

Mmmm. What I mean to say is that I understand the idea, I just don't have any ideas about how to advance the plot.

 

 

Not sure how you'd progress this with the player as the armour (way cool idea BTW) but I can imagine fun to be had if the player is wearing an experimental AI suit.

 

Maybe with the brain engrams of some horny pre-war mad scientist loaded into it. I could see all sorts of fun to be had there.

I've started to run into some design issues with this. I'm thinking it may be easier to make a modified gen 1 synth as the AI. The design problem is that I'm not sure how to disable the player from entering power armor and how to disable equipping gear. I think that would probably make more problems that it would solve.

 

 

Skyrim had a perk that let you set an activation filter. . There's probably something similar in F4.

 

Are you planning to let NPCs equip the player? Possibly against her will? Some interesting subtexts there...

 

I'll have to check for that filter when the CK releases.

[Sinister]

I wouldn't mind seeing a vault suit based on this idea, something along the lines of the stealth suit from Old World Blues dlc, could be something Vault Tec was working on and is found in a secret vault/building of theirs.

[Zinker]

 

 

Not sure how a character select would work but there would be the option to be male or female.

 

 

 

Just a thought...

You would go through character selection as per game, but when you are unfrozen, your capsule fails and, instead of coming out a "human", our intellect is "downloaded" into a mainframe. Mixed with an AI, you become the said above suit.

Or your brain is extracted and placed in a machine... since this was "a strange experiment" vault, that experimented with robot-ai mix.

 

This is not completely lore-unfriendly too, since in Fallout BOS game your brain can be part of the supercomputer.

[Yuni]

I just want someone to be able to WEAR the player if we're playing as sentient power armor. =D

[Zinker]

I just want someone to be able to WEAR the player if we're playing as sentient power armor. =D

 

I'm afraid I have to second this idea...

[patches13]

I just want someone to be able to WEAR the player if we're playing as sentient power armor. =D

 

 

If you're a man you "mount" your "armor" or if you're a girl you're "mounted"? That could be cool lol.

[RitualClarity]

 

I just want someone to be able to WEAR the player if we're playing as sentient power armor. =D

 

 

If you're a man you "mount" your "armor" or if you're a girl you're "mounted"? That could be cool lol.

 

If you are a girl you would get crushed.. lol. (if mounted.. )

 

Na.. no mater what you do you still go the "backdoor"..