Well this took longer than I expected, but the results are worth it! I ended up adding more features than I thought, including a dynamic visual system that was my original idea when I first started this project, over a year ago. But I abandoned it because I thought it was impossible, ha! Who's laughing now, past-Me?
Storage!
ODOS now has a fully functional and complete storage system. Like the other parts of the mod, you can make unique storage networks for your own house mods that won't interfere with other mods using ODOS.
And, just like the other parts of the mod, this storage system is built to be very simple and easy to set up. You only need to know how to place objects, parent them to other objects, and apply scripts to new objects. That's pretty much it! (and make sure to make objects permanent references, of course)
The system consists of a storage chest placed in a reference cell that acts as the main "network" of your whole house mod. That chest is then accessed by scripts that you can place on any object you want (like containers or activators), which filter and retrieve certain item types. There are 31 total filters, which will be listed in the About ODOS page, as well as the documentation.
Auto Sorting
The way the access points work makes the whole system naturally sort itself. But there is also a Drop-Off chest you can place to easily store items into the storage network from different places in the house (or world if you want!)
Compatible with COBL!
Given the widespread use of COBL, and the amazing things it offers, I wanted to make sure that ODOS not only was compatible with COBL, but also made use of it, if installed.
If ODOS detects COBL, some of the storage access points (ingredients, food, potions and poisons, and scrolls), will be replaced by the alchemical sorter menu from COBL, which has amazing features like searching by enchantment or potion effect.
Storage Static Displays
This update also brings in a dynamic display system that interacts with the storage system. You can now easily decorate a house that will at first look empty, but as you collect items, it will progressively begin to fill out!
This is separate from the LOTD style collection system I've previously showcased.
The way this system works is that items you place in your house (any item really, except armor, clothing, jewelry and quivers, see the Update3D issues I've mentioned before), those items can be parented to a special activator that will freeze them and render them "static". They won't move and hovering over them won't show you anything. That special activator will then compare each item to what is in storage and will make that item disappear or appear depending on certain conditions, mainly a quantity threshold.
If you go into the properties of items you place in the cell, you can set how many items are in that stack. That is the number that will be compared to storage.
For example, you place a loaf of bread and parent it to the storage marker. There is only one bread in that stack and so it will appear as soon as one loaf is in storage.
Then, you add another loaf, and set that item to be a stack of 2 breads. That item will only appear if you have 2 bread in storage. You get the idea.
There are two types of comparisons: item count (one-on-one item comparison) and item type count. What this second one means is that for certain items like potions, where there are so many kinds, including player-made ones, it doesn't make sense to try and make perfect item matches for displays. Instead, if the item you want to display is a potion, then the system will just count how many potions total are in storage, and compare the display stack to that number. This also applies for scrolls and soulgems.
Almost done!
I am very close to finish up the mod completely! However, before I release it, I still have a lot of testing and work to do.
First, I think I will be making an example mod that will "ODOS-ify" a vanilla home, as a showcase of what the mod can do. That way I can also have a practical test of the mod's capabilities.
Also, I plan on making a detailed documentation, as well as a series of video tutorials. That should cover everyone's needs.
But I'm excited to see the final result, and what other modders will create using ODOS!