Has anything been released beyond version 5.2?

At any rate, this mod will work with any version that uses the same dialog topics to control a companion and the script attached to companions is named mca_companions.

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1104873-relz-morrowind-comes-alive-60/.

Have you mentioned the issue with the companion name being replaced with the player name to Hrnchmd yet? Sounds like something the MCP may be able to do.

Thanks for the link.


No, I haven't. Thanks for the suggestion.

Update:
I have now added a post to the MCP thread asking about the ^Name variable problem.

I found a bug in RC3. The pre-placed ammunition and potion controllers were no longer working. They stopped working when I fixed the bug where they continued to work while in the player's inventory. This is now fixed and http://www.gamesas.com/redirect.php?site=https://www.yousendit.com/download/T1VrK3BPd0FZY1R2Wmc9PQ is now available for 7 days.

Included in this beta are versions for MCA v5.1, MCA v5.2 (the default), and MCA v6.0. Copy or move the esp you want from the appropriate subdirectory into Data Files and overwrite the default plugin. This is all the instructions you will get as I haven't as yet updated the readme.

Hi HB

The weather is just crappy down here, yet RL leaves me little time for Morrowind these days. Still I made sure to sit down and try the latest release candidate. (Thank you for the update.)

Once again, I’m the bearer of bad news.

The level up bug is still there!. :banghead:

Any chance that GCD interferes with the way your scripts tracks the players’ stats?

Bummer! :shakehead: I don't think it's GCD as the scripts don't track the player's stats. The scripts are only concerned with the companion's stats.

Since the problem is intermittent, I suspected it was due to game engine quirks involving targeted scripts. I've tried to get around this by having the main companion script set the values used by the level up script. The level up script no longer retrieves any values from the companion. It only sets them. :shrug: I'm stumped.

Has any one else tried RC4? Have you encountered the problem? Does the mod work for you? Some feedback would be nice!

Well, in the meantime, here is what I have to report:

Another issue which was fixed a few versions ago is back with a vengeance: the one where, sometimes, when asked to “stay here” through group command in an exterior cell, the companions nevertheless follow the player in the next interior cell.

I'll check the coding to see if any recent change I made is interfering with the reset for group commands. I expect group commands will always be buggy because there is no defined end to the commands and many ways to change a companion's movement, including other mods such as Dracandro's Voice, Give Your Orders and NPC Commands. Without knowing when the command ends I have to determine via scripting when to reset the controlling variables in the companion's script. I try to do this by testing for a change in the companion's follow mode. This approach may not work 100% of the time.

Hey, I eventually found something to report!! Some weird behavior of the companions when using Melian's teleport mod and doing a certain sequence of actions. It's apparently related to that issue with group command that you mentinned in your last post.

The situation:
My test character is in Hla Oad with her 9 companions.

What I do:

1) I use group command to ask them to meet me at Arille's in Seyda Neen.

2) They teleport accordingly.
(My character remains alone in Hla Oad)

3) I use a recall potion to teleport my character to one of my marks, located in the late Foryn Glinyth's shack.

4) After the usual loading screen, my character materializes inside the shack. But she's not alone anymore: all her companions are there too!
I don't panic. After all, I didn't remove said companions from my teleport list, so I assume that the fact that they "recall" with me is still normal behavior.

5) My character leaves the shack…

6) … and, once outside, I realize that none of the companions is following my character anymore.
I still don't panic. I just think: "Ah yes! I asked them to wait for me at Arrille's. Those dumb companions probably did not realize that they mistakenly followed me in Foryn's shack. They probably expect me to go back into said interior cell and use group command to order them to resume following me."

7) But I'm lazy. So I use Melian's "teleport control" option instead to summon all my companions. They materialize beside my character.

8) I use group command to ask them to resume following. This done, my character merrily heads for the lighthouse where she is supposed to meet some mod-added NPC.
After a few steps, though, she realizes that her companions still do not follow her.

9) And that's where the real weirdness begins.
Not only they do not follow but they are walking in the opposite direction.
And there is more: instead of the random wandering that was caused by the "frantic bug" that HB squashed a few versions ago, the 9 companions calmly walk in single file like ducklings following their mother.

10) As they cross the river that parts Seyda Neen and they proceed along the road to the silt strider, my character tries to order them to resume following her, but they remain superbly indifferent to her requests.

11) The "follow me" command doesn't work, so I try the "meet me at…" command.
It triggers the "prepare to teleport…" dialog.
Then…, well, nothing happens.
The companions refuse to teleport.
Oh, and they proceed to try and climb the mountain facing the silt strider port (but the slope is to steep :shrug: ).


Interesting, isn't it?

I have had MCA companions do this to me without using MCA companions enhanced. It happens when I teleport away from them while they are in follow mode and then teleport them to me rather than going back to them. Whether it is through using recall, intervention, or even teleporting doors, they just won't act right. Mine still have that 'frantic bug' though. What I learned from a totally unrelated mod is that you have to hit them to snap them out of it. Whenever my pack guar just decides to take off and won't follow me, I just give him a good punch. The combat reaction 'resets' the companion. There are also console commands which achieve the same effect, but I do like giving them a slap when they get 'hysterical'.

I've often wondered if there was a way to add this into the mod, but it would have to be at least as easy to do as hit them.

Yes it is. IMHO the odd behavior is due to a game engine bug that occurs when teleporting companions. Even using just the MWSE companion teleport mods can trigger the problem. (Although this is a rare occurrence happening less than 1% of the time.) The incidence of this bug increases with the use of the "meet me at…" option under Group commands.



Yes and that is what it's called, a combat reset. I have it coded in the companion script. It is triggered when the companion's AI doesn't match the expected AI. However, with so many ways to make a companion teleport, follow or wander, I haven't found a way to catch all the AI discrepancies. I've done my best to minimize the problem, but the bug may still be encountered.



I like your method and your explanation for giving them a combat reset. I'll have to try it in my game.

In the early beta versions, the companions had specific dialog when leveling up.
Now, when they level up the expected forced dialog box pops up, but it only features one of the generic greetings.

This week end, for the first time in months, I played Morrowind long enough for Thaeleril to level up twice. Here are her current stats at level 5:

http://a.imageshack.us/img691/217/3stats.jpg
http://a.imageshack.us/img291/5060/2skills.jpg


Edit: Several of my companions have leveled since.

I'm back with a new glitch :rock: :
In several instances, while fighting, my companions used health potions and the messageboxes reported that they "bought" (instead of "used" or "drank") said potions.


Edit: After more playing I can tell that the aforementioned messagebox errors are NOT related to the use of health potions. They pop up (apparently) at the end of fights when creatures die.

This is due to the changes I made when working on the inconsistent level up problem. I'll see if I can get the level up greeting to work.



This is not a bug. It's a feature that occurs when the potions controller is too near a door that is used to exit a cell. The PC must be a certain distance from the controller before companion shopping is turned off. When the controller is too near a door, shopping isn't turned off when the player exits. So your companions get wounded, drink health potions and replenish their stock from an invisible vendor who won't to sell to the PC. It can also occur with the ammunition controller.

Oh lucky us. This mod is loaded with features, ain't it?

Here is a last minute suggestion: how about a command to unsheathe/equip weapons? (Both individual and group command if possible).
I had the idea while trying to take screenshots of my companions in cool poses. :angel: I'm sure other will find this useful.

Most of my companions are now level 9. I believe most of them were level 3, 5, 6 (and maybe one was level 8) when they joined. I need to check. Would it be of any help if I post their stats?

By the way, HB, how is the development going? Any change since the released beta?
I can't help but notice that, despite the beta release, there is little feedback from users…

Yes, there are some unexpected features in this mod due to trying to make the mod immersive, giving the player in-game capabilities with regard to shopping and bugs in the game engine. IMO the independence given the companions is worth the somewhat annoying features.

I'll look into your equip weapons request.

I don't see any need for the companion stats as that seems to be working.

As far as development, I've tweaked the scripts some more in an attempt to catch more of the discrepancies. Just when I thought I would have more time to devote to this mod, I got food poisoning from eating raw seafood. It turned into a week of misery. But, I survived and I am slowly feeling better. It will probably be another week before I get back into this mod.

Definitely. :tops:

Raw seafood? It's very uncommon where I'm from, but I read it is good for the health. Obviously you didn't pick the good restaurant.
I wish you quick recovery.

Hello,

is this progressing still? From the lack of activity I suspect not.

I'm looking for exactly this, something for MCA companions to make them far less dumb and/or allow leveling in them.

Development has gone underground, mostly due to health problems I am experiencing.
Here's a link to the https://www.yousendit.com/download/RlRybUpSSU90TW14dnc9PQ. The link is good until January 6, 2011.
Enjoy!

thanks. I'll give it a go and let you know if I run into anything.

For some unknown reason I am unable to edit the previous post; so I created this one.

My bad! That wasn't the last released version. This is the https://www.yousendit.com/download/RlRybUpabWdveFB2Wmc9PQ with plugins for MCA 5.1, 5.2 and 6.0. Good until January 6, 2011.

Enjoy!

Sorry to report it won't even load, to saved game or New game.

Gives the following:

Expression Error Unable to find global variable "MCA_BedActivated" in script mca_companionMMogS.

And CTDs. Disabling it and everything works fine again.

My suspicion is MCA version...you have a 5.1/5.2/6.0 compatible version....I'm running 6.1.

Thanks for the info. It's definitely not tested with MCA 6.1 and poorly tested with MCA 6.0. I'll look into it. Maybe I'll have a compatible version in the near future.

HB

I created a version that is compatible with MCA 6.1. You can get it https://www.yousendit.com/download/RlRxWUh0RkVrYUEwTVE9PQ. The link is good until Jan. 16, 2011. If you ignore the error messages, you may also use it with MCA 6.0.