Follower Mod

http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/60763/?

Latest News

And another little update, fixing two bugs!

Release 16.12.2014, Version 0.2.0.1:

- removed left over debug notification
- fixed restting hotkeys not working...I guess...it'S late...so figure...

Another update, fixing more bugs, adding minor features. Next update will hopefully introduce outfit management...wasn't lucky to implement for now, get problems with restting outfits. I'm afraid I need to restrict to either outfit usage, or free inventory modification...it seems you can't have both.

Release 16.12.2014, Version 0.2:

- fixed hirelings not working for multiple follower framework
- fixed companionshousekeepingscript still setting follower count global to 0
- added option to dismiss followers via MCM menu
- if follower gets dismissed, corresponding widget will reset to 0
- changed combat style defintion from Berserk to Barbarian
- added MCM option to choose Actor Class for followers
- improved specialization for diverse combat styles, so for example archers will almost exceptionally use bows etc.

A small update fixing the issues with teaching magic and shouts dialogue, should be 100% working now. I'm sorry for any inconvenience.

Release 14.12.2014, Version 0.1.1:

- fixed teaching magic dialogue to not allow teaching shouts
- added notification when no spell/shout equiped to teach
- added notification which spell/shout has been tought
- no longer need to have spell or shout equiped in order to show magical teaching dialogue

I wanted to do this for a long time, but never found the muse to forward this Mod. Now with Christmas ahead, and 3 weeks of spending my holidays in Skyrim, I finally made my own Follower Mod the way I wanted it to be. No inconveninet menu cluttering, no quantitively bloated features nobody uses anyways, full hotkey support, MCM menu and traditional dialogue communication with followers. It supports all followers from all DLC's and custom followers as well, as long as they use the vanilla follower system (PotentialFollowerFaction/CurrentFollowerFaction). So far this only excludes some advanced custom followers using their own framework. Interesting Followers is tested and so far supported, as well as My Home is your Home and the Advanced Follower Stealth Mod by Volek and kryptopyr. It also plays very well with Follower Commentary Overhaul. Measures have been taken, that wherever these Mods conflict, I've bypassed the issues via scripting. There's two features I've intentionally left out, support for horses and looting followers. There's two Mods on the Nexus that do it in a very convenient way already, namely Conveninet Horses and the Automatic Follower Loot Mod.

Release 14.12.2014, Version 0.1:

- recruit up to 5 followers
- full interaction via dialogue and hotkeys
- fixed follower iron arrow and hunting bow bug
- followers can dual wield
- all followers can be married
- all followers skills can be matched up to level via dialogue
- all followers wear what you give them and keep it after dismissing
- all female followers will have female animations
- Farkas now wears companion outfit
- housecarls will now automatically live at your homes when not in your service
- all followers are now fully quest and area aware
- followers will react to combat
- followers will now use various idle animations
- followers can relax via dialogue and hotkey
- followers can avoid combat via dialogue and hotkey
- followers will not enter combat when sneaking or provoke enemies if the player sneaks
- ask any NPC about their skills (not only followers, done for my overhaul that allows to make anyone follower)
- essentialize every follower via dialogue
- tell followers to ignore friendly hits via dialogue
- make followers learn spells when player has spell equipped
- make followers unlearn spells
- followers can learn any spell from any DLC and custom Mod
- full support for all DLC followers
- mcm menu options to configure follower carry weight, speed, aggression, confidence, assistance and morality
- hotkeys for: trade, wait/command, summon, relax, avoid combat, first follower camera, draw weapons
- toggle better response behaviour when running into follower in MCM menu
- Widgets for every follower showing: InventoryWeight/CarryWeight, Skill Level, distance to player, health, stamina, magicka and name
- all Widgets can be configured: scale, position, transparency, state
- Widgets have an update interval configurable in MCM for slower systems
- followers will no longer trigger traps
- you can set all followers combat style in mcm
- you can toggle followers automatically draw weapons in mcm
- Widget status letter shows if followers waits, relaxes or avoids combat
- followers can learn shouts from player now
- followers can unlearn shouts
- cleaned with TESVEdit

Requirements

1.Skyrim with the most actual patch and all DLC's (1.9.32.8)
2. Skyrim Script Extender
3. SkyUI
4. http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/48265/?

How to install

Installation with NMM:

1. Press the download with Manager button on the Nexus and confirm the requested programm, or copy paste the url directly to you NMM
2. Once downloaded open up NMM and click this Mod to import the package.7z
3. After installation don't forget to enable the plugin file(s) in your prefered Mod organization tool
4. Use BOSS to automatically get the correct load order, or rely on the new version L.O.O.T

Manual Installation:

1. Download and unzip the file anywhere
2. Move the .esp and .bsa file(s) (if present) to your 'x:\...Skyrim\Data' folder
3. Choose the patch file(s) (if present) you wish to use and copy to your Data folder
4. After installation don't forget to enable the plugin file(s) in your prefered Mod organization tool
5. Use BOSS to automatically get the correct load order, or realy on the new version L.O.O.T

Important Information

If you are using a new version of Follower Mod upon an existing character made with FM, make sure to make a clean save before playing on. How to do this?

1. Load your game and find an interior cell, save the game inside
2. Exit game, turn off the old .esp and load the previously made save, then save again inside
3. Exit game, install new version, turn on the new .esp, then go into the game and save again
4. Exit the game once more and then start playing with the clean save

If you happen to have left over script artefacts in your savegames, I recommend using Script Cleaner.

Description

You ever wanted a Follower Mod with lots of features, some awesome widgets, hotkey controlable and general convenience that UFO couldn't give you because of refusing to use SKSE and SkyUI as ressource? Well, then this is exactly the follower Mod you've been looking for. It basically has all the same features as UFO, plus it features complete DLC support, a MCM menu, Follower Widgets, the option to teach spells and shouts to followers, setting their combat style and actor class from a range of 12 shemes, setting their carry weight, speed, aggression, confidence, assistance and morality. It also features hotkeys for trading, commanding (including wait/follow), summoning, relaxing, combat avoidance, follower camera and drawing weapons all together. Widgets will show the name, health, magicka, stamina, carry-/inventory-weight, level and distance to the player. All Widgets are completely configurable via MCM and can also be turned off. They come in two color variations, white and the way I wanted them to be. The widget will also show you if your follower is waiting, relaxing or avoiding combat. Everything's summed up in a very convenient fashion and I promise it never felt better before. Now for in Detail descriptions:

Follower features:

- recruit up to 5 followers
- followers can be interacted with via dialogue and hotkeys
- followers can be customized in MCM menu
- followers can learn spells and shouts
- followers can dual wield
- followers no longer use default outfits and can be redressed to your liking, they will keep the clothes after dismisal
- all followers can be married
- all female followers have female animation
- occasional changes to follower outfits to make them less overpowered or look more appropriate
- housecarls will automatically sandbox at your home if not following you
- followers are now completely quest and area aware, this plays very nicely with Follower Commentary Overhaul
- followers wil now react to combat near you
- followers will no longer directly react to combat when the player is sneaking, this plays nicely with Better Stealth AI for Followers
- followers will use various idle animations when relaxing, sandboxing or not following you
- followers can relax, avoid combat and summoned
- follower camera showing the first follower looking at you
- diverse options for drawing weapon behaviour in MCM and via hotkey
- you can essentialize, ask for their skills and ignore friendly hits
- all followers from all DLC's supported as well as custom followers using vanilla follower system
- followers can be set to react faster when bumping into them
- followers will no longer trigger traps
- followers combat style is configurable in MCM menu
- followers actor class is configurable in MCM menu

The first question you probably ask is, why only 5 followers, couldn't you have done more? Yes, I could have done this. The alias system allows up to hundreds of followers, and the way I rescripted the follower framework it would also be easily implementable. But given the fact that any system can barily handle more then 10 followers at best, and playing with so much followers is extremely inconvenient, I decided against it. It's quality rather then quantity. I also drew inspiration from games like Dragon Age, Dead Souls and old RPG's like Advanced Dungeons & Dragon Series, or Fallout. The maximum number of followers they allowed where somewhere between 4-6. You never got to gather a whole army behind your back. It's no fun either, since all the followers would block any entrance and the world around you.

The second question you ask may be about why I'm using dialogue, hotkeys and widgets. Well, I'm no immersion Nazi, but immersion, for me, can only be broken to a certain degree. I deem popping up menus that unnecessarily pause the game, or complicated dialogue structures as extremely inconvenient, as well as functions that are only rarely used or never used at all. At the same time I wanted to have a convenient way of information and interaction options with followers, hence why I used widgets and hotkeys. If you think widgets and hotkeys break immersion inside a medieval themed world, you may be right, but I deem it even more unimmersive if I'm constantly forced to enter dialogue or menus to figure what my followers are about. Communication can be non-verbal. Soldiers in silent battle for example, never use any verbal communication. Why not simply think hotkeys like they were signal of hands?

MCM Functions:

- better follower response can be toggled
- vanilla follower draw weapon behaviour can be toggled
- option to reset all previously configured hotkeys
- configurable interval for widget information, to unburden poor systems
- load/save widget layout (thanks to FISS)
- 7 configurable hotkeys for basic and custom functions
- individually customize all 5 followers and their widgets

The MCM menu is an awesome tool to customize Mods to your likings. In Follower Mod, it will enable some basic functions, adjust hotkeys and grant you the option to individualize all followers and their Widgets. You're allowed to configure follower carry weight, their speed and diverse other options, as well as reposition and rescale the Widgets and adjust them how you like it. MCM menu will ONLY work if you have both, SKSE and SkyUi installed, otherwise you're stuck with the default settings. Never ask to update the Mod for no SKSE and SkyUI version, isntead I ask you to buy all DLC's, install SKSE and SkyUI, and, if necessary, buy a better computer. Why would anyone even play this game without SKSE and SkyUI nowadays?

Hotkey Functions:

- hotkey to trade with all 5 followers without entering any dialogue or menu
- hotkey to combine wait/follow and command function
- hotkey to summon all followers
- hotkey to tell followers to relax
- hotkey to tell followers to avoid combat
- hotkey to go into follower camera mode
- hotkey to make followers draw weapon with you

Follower Trade Hotkey: Which follower you do trade with depends on how long you press the key. If you tab the key, you do trade with the first follower, if you hold it 1 second, you'll do trade with the second follower, if you hold it 2 seconds, you'll do trade with the third and so on. You will need to be in range of your followers (500 units) to prevent cheating and keep it immersive. If you want to trade with any other then the first follower, don't be irritated that the first followers inventory will be opened first, this is a vanilla flaw I can't fix, and once you lift your finge after > 1 secondm the inventory of the corresponding follower will open.

Follower Wait/Follow Hotkey: You'll tap the hotkey once and the follower waits. You tap it again and the follower follows. This will work for all followers following you, not just one. You'll get a notification when a follower waits or follows you. The corresponding widget will also show your follower in wait stance.

Follower Command Favor Hotkey: Basically this uses the same key as the wait/follow hotkey, but you'll need to hold the key for at least one second and then release it. Upon release of the hotkey the command favor state will be entered by the follower. The longer you press the key, the more followers will be involved in the favor state. So you can make a single follower open a container for you, OR make all followers gangraqe a Bandit.

Follower Summon Hotkey: Vanilla Followers navigation is flawed. They can't jump up, climb or move where there's no Navmesh. This often leads to extremely inconvenient situations, hence why this function is imported. Press they key once and all your followers will be warped to you and placed at your feet.

Follower Relax/Unrelax (Sandbox) Hotkey: Works pretty much exactly like the wait/follow hotkey with the difference, that your followers will enter sandbox(relax) mode. Press the key once and your followers relax, press it again and the followers will follow again. You'll get a notification when followers relax or doesn't.

Follower Avoid Combat/Enter Combat Hotkey: Works like relax hotkey. You'll get a notification. Press once for followers to ignore combat, press again to make them attack again.

Follower Camera Hotkey: Has two functions. When taped shortly will jump to your closest follower, when taped again will jump back to you. If you hold the key for more then one second, it will flip back to you after releasing the key.

Follower Draw Weapon Hotkey: This simply makes you and your followers draw weapons. If you draw your weapon with your followers, and then use the default draw weapon key, the feature of followers not automatically drawing weapons with you, will be bypassed. This is not a bug, but intention. You can set it back to default by pressing the follower draw weapon hotkey again. You need to enable the custom draw weapon function inside MCM menu.

Widget Functions:

The Widgets are one part that make this Mod uniquely stand out. They come in two color flavors, plain white for the Immersion Nazis, and a warm golden color with contextual colors on the information, for everyone wanting a twist in their games HUD. The Widgets will work with IHud by Gopher. Every follower has its own Widget showing name, health, magicka, stamina, inventory-/carry-weight, level and distance to the player. Widgets can be turned off/on, repositioned and their size and transparency changed inside the MCM menu. Distance will be showen in meters.

Known Bugs:

- none that I'm aware of at the moment, please report any bug you notice

Compatibility:

- Compatible with: Interesting NPC's, Immersive Creatures, Follower Commentary Overhaul, Frostfall, Real Needs and Diseases, Better Stealth AI for Followers, Convenient Horses, My Home is your Home
- Incompatiblities: Ultimate Follower Overhaul, Amazing Follower Tweaks, Extensible Follower Framework

Tell me if you find more incompatibilities.

Appendix

Planed Features:

Don't know. Give me ideas!

Credits and Thanks:

In this case I'll have to thank Bethesda, the Creation Kit Wiki guys and the Official Forum Guys and especially the whole SkyUI-Team, specifically @Schlangster, @psychosteve and @Mardoxx which granted us the gift of cracking the Skyrim UI code open. Thanks to SKSE-Team as well. You guys rock! Inspiration has been drawn from my long time favorit UFO made by Looki, as well as Dragon Age, Dungeons&Dragons and Dark Souls.

Also, thanks to @LordConti2 for making his FISS library which files are partly included inside this Mod. Thanks to him we can easily save/load user presets.

Enough talk now, lead your followers into battle!

DISCLAIMER:

This software is provided 'as-is', without any express or implied
warranty. In no event shall the authors be held liable for any damages
arising from the use of this software.

Looks great!