Hi. I have seven NPC's who are assigned to sit at tables and benches while the Inn is open, and then retire to bed shortly before it closes. All works as expected.

However, while they are sitting, they are going through the motions of drinking, but there is nothing in their hands! There are mugs and such on the table, but no-one seems to want to use them.

The Use item package is what has them sitting in their places all day. Is there something I can add that will make them actually use mugs etc?

Cheers

MVK

The AnimObject used for the drinking animations is not the same as the clutter item that is referred to in the UseItemAt package, although the condition in the IdleAnimation form usually makes them match. So it's just possible that the CS-placeable mugs have a good mesh and texture, but the one used for the animation doesn't. Did you create custom mugs, or are these standard issue?

Just standard issue. There are plenty of them on the tables, but some of the NPC's are sitting on a bench (drinking) without any mugs being nearby.

Perhaps if I changed the mugs it would work, maybe placing mugs on the bench even (with their ownership set correctly perhaps?)

[Edit: In fact, upon looking more closely in the CS - I'm not entirely sure how to get the idle animation object working at all! Where should it be?]

cheers

MVK

Start http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/Anim_Object and note the difference between the AnimObject that is used in the animation (it has a node that connects to the weapon attachment point in the skeleton) and the clutter item that just gets knocked around on the table. You reference the clutter item in the UseItemAt, and it's referenced in the condition for the animation, but the AnimObject takes part in the animation.

If the AnimObject one is not showing, then the possibilities are that it has a texture issue, or a mesh one. The mesh could be unweighted (making it collapse to a point when the animation starts) or the texture could be missing a normal map, which makes it invisible. Since the game should be loading these from the .bsa files for standard issue, check for instances in the Data folder that could be overriding them.

Thanks Ghastley, that link sorted it out - everyone has a drink in their hands now!

Cheers

MVK