Can't get an NPC to flee when assaulted; no guard response, either

[Glitchipedia]

Okay, new problem. Now the kid flees, but the guards still won't come to his aid. Hell, one passing guard cheerfully greeted me even as I was viciously whacking the poor little guy with a cutlass!

[The_Vyper]

Make sure he's part of a non-evil faction and has a high level of responsibility. Try putting him into the default faction for whatever town he's in (i.e. BravilFaction if he's in Bravil).

[Glitchipedia]

I've done all of that, still no effect. The game isn't even acknowledging that an assault is taking place. I've determined that it isn't an issue with the kid's health regeneration ability; even after reducing the rate to the point that a health decrease is visible to the PC, there is no acknowledgment of an assault.

 

There's gotta be an AI package or quest condition I'm missing....

 

Would barter gold have any effect on this?

[The_Vyper]

That is a real head-scratcher. If his responsibility is 100 and he's not part of an evil faction, the game should acknowledge the assault and generate a bounty. Are you using any guard or crime overhaul mods?

[Glitchipedia]

Not as far as I know, unless the M.O.E. Main Quest Delayer is messing with something and not telling me. The only guards affected by that should be the Captains in the Imperial City, and I'm using Chorrol as my testing area.

 

EDIT:

 

My active load order is thus:

1. Oblivion.esm [sI]
2. Children - Tamriel's Future.esm
3. Knights.esp
4. DLCShiveringIsles.esp
5. tkHairPack01.esp
6. M.O.E. - Main Quest Delayer.esp
7. MaleBodyReplacerV5.esp
8. EVE_StockEquipmentReplacer.esp
9. EVE_KnightsoftheNine.esp
10. EVE_ShiveringIslesEasterEggs.esp
11. KDDwemerSpectacles.esp
12. Children - Tamriel's Future NPCs.esp

Edited July 6, 2014 by Glitchipedia

[Glitchipedia]

Come on, guys, if I can't get this problem fixed, I'm never going to be able to release this mod. Does anyone have any idea what I'm doing wrong?

[The_Vyper]

The only thing I can think of is that some older data might have been recorded in your game save. Have you tried testing with a clean save?

[Glitchipedia]

This is all I've ever had loaded on this particular save. My main file, which did run a lot more mods, was inexplicably corrupted, so I took it as an opportunity to create a new installation of Oblivion and a new savegame specifically for mod testing and development.

[The_Vyper]

If the NPC is set up to always flee in combat, you might be able to force him to run away if you attach this script:

Begin OnHit Player    
  StartCombat Player 
  Player.ModCrimeGold +40
  ModPCMiscStat 31 1; will increase 'Assaults' stat by 1
End

That should get you the results you're looking for.

Note 1: Use the Player.ModCrimeGold part only if StartCombat Player doesn't generate a bounty, otherwise the Player will end up being fined double.

Note 2: Only use ModPCCMiscStat if the corresponding Misc. stat doesn't increase on its own.

 

Oh, and if the NPC can be killed but death doesn't generate a bounty, add this part as well:

Begin OnDeath Player ;will run only if/when the NPC is killed by the Player    
  Player.ModCrimeGold 1000  
  ModPCMiscStat 32 1 ;will increase 'Murders' stat by 1  
End

[Glitchipedia]

Wow, a script? What the heck did I break? :blink:

 

If all else fails, I'll try that. Thanks.