NPC AI packages and pathing is completely screwed over

[ArtemisGambit]

Hello everyone. First time poster here.

 

I've started up another modded playthrough of Oblivion after a long absence recently, and for the most part it's been awesome. However, I've been encountering a glaring issue I can't ignore; my NPCs AI is completely bugged and screwed over. I was able to ignore it for a while, but now that it's getting in the way of quests, it's starting to get on my nerves. Here are a few examples of what's going on in my game:

 

-NPCs will randomly stop in their tracks in random places, and just stand there for hours

 

-NPCs will sometimes walk into walls or buildings, and don't stop unless I disable and enable them.

 

-Dovyn Aren never leaves Fathis Ules house in IC; he literally stands by the door way 24/7, and does nothing else.

 

-Certain innkeepers, such as Ley Marillin and the Orc in Skingrad, are stuck in their basement for the entire game unless I break in, when they will walk up to the main floor, and offer their services as if nothing happened

 

-After killing the mountain lions during the fighters guild quest in Anvil, Pinarius Inventius stays in that area 24/7, pacing around on occasions, and staring at lion corpses. Seriously, unless I disable and enable him, he stays this way the entire game.

 

-Falcar in Cheydinhal stands behind a locked door in his room 24/7, never sleeping or eating or anything. If I use console commands to open the door, he will walk out into the basement, and act like nothing happened. He never goes to the main floor.

 

-Arielle Jurard is nowhere to be found at the Brina Cross in. Instead, she is found across the entire map outside Cheydinhal, standing and pacing around 24/7. On another playthrough, I waited a few hours and she moved to the road outside the IC, but on my most recent playthrough, she never moves for the entire game.

-There are guards in Anvil and Skingrad who are supposed to be using the Travel package (according to RefScope), but they stand around outside their cities 24/7, never sleeping or eating (as far as I know)

 

-Finally, certain random vanilla npcs are nowhere to be found in my game. I can't locate them all, but I used console commands to move myself to them, and they were typically either standing in their houses 24/7, or hanging around in the middle of nowhere.

 

I made a bashed patch to increase the total allowed NPC AI per cell, but that did little to help the problem. According to RefScope, the NPCs are still using their normal packages, but they're still completely bugged. I initially thought this was an issue with better cities, as it's mod page mentions odd behavior with the merged files, but I tried making a clean save, and it did little to help. alot of the NPCs that are affected were either added or modified by BC, and alot of the NPCs will be walking into walls or clutter added by BC, so it still could be the source of the problem.

 

Here's my load order, in case you needed it: GameMode=Oblivion

Oblivion.esm=1

EnhancedWeather.esm=1

Cobl Main.esm=1

Oscuro's_Oblivion_Overhaul.esm=1

Better Cities Resources.esm=1

Progress.esm=0

ShieldOnBack.esm=1

Knights - Revelation.esm=1

Unofficial Oblivion Patch.esp=1

UOP Vampire Aging & Face Fix.esp=1

Oblivion Citadel Door Fix.esp=1

DLCShiveringIsles.esp=1

Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch.esp=1

Better Cities .esp=1

EnhancedWeather.esp=1

Idle Dialogue.esp=0

GOSH.esp=1

GOSH Region Ambiance.esp=0

Sounds of Cyrodiil.esp=1

AFK_PrayerIdles.esp=1

Book Jackets Oblivion.esp=1

Book Jackets Oblivion - BP.esp=0

ClocksOfCyrodiil.esp=1

DialogTweaks.esp=1

personality_idles4.esp=1

See You Sleep DLL.esp=1

Shield on Back 3.1.esp=0

Enhanced Economy.esp=1

MigMiscellanea.esp=1

OblivionReloaded.esp=0

DLCHorseArmor.esp=1

DLCHorseArmor - Unofficial Patch.esp=1

DLCOrrery.esp=1

DLCOrrery - Unofficial Patch.esp=1

DLCVileLair.esp=1

DLCVileLair - Unofficial Patch.esp=1

See You Sleep DLL - DLCVileLair.esp=1

DLCMehrunesRazor.esp=1

DLCMehrunesRazor - Unofficial Patch.esp=1

DLCSpellTomes.esp=1

DLCSpellTomes - Unofficial Patch.esp=1

nu_dwarven_f_cuirass.esp=1

ORM -Travelers' Cloaks.esp=1

DLCThievesDen.esp=1

DLCThievesDen - Unofficial Patch.esp=1

DLCThievesDen - Unofficial Patch - SSSB.esp=1

Cobl Glue.esp=1

Cobl Si.esp=1

Cobl Tweaks.esp=0

Oscuro's_Oblivion_Overhaul.esp=1

OOOEquipmentAddon.esp=1

Cobl Tweaks - OOO Mergeable.esp=1

Cobl Tweaks - OOO.esp=0

Shield on Back Plugin - OOO.esp=1

BHC_Expanded.esp=1

Fighters Guild Quests.esp=0

Kvatch Rebuilt.esp=1

Kvatch Rebuilt Weather Patch.esp=0

Mages Guild Quests.esp=0

MTCExpandedVillages.esp=1

Region Revive - Lake Rumare.esp=1

RRLR - NPC Patch.esp=1

VaultsofCyrodiil.esp=1

Cyrodiil Travel Services.esp=1

DLCBattlehornCastle.esp=1

DLCBattlehornCastle - Unofficial Patch.esp=1

DLCFrostcrag.esp=1

DLCFrostcrag - Unofficial Patch.esp=1

Knights.esp=1

Oblivion Uncut.esp=1

Knights - Unofficial Patch.esp=1

Knights - Revelation.esp=1

The Lost Spires.esp=1

AFK_Weye.esp=1

House of Healing at Weye.esp=1

AFKWeye_MTC_RRLRumare_HOH Patch.esp=1

ShezriesTownsMaster.esp=1

MTC-LostSpires-Shezries Patch.esp=1

xuldarkforest.esp=1

xulStendarrValley.esp=1

xulTheHeath.esp=1

xulEntiusGorge.esp=1

OblivionUncut-EntiusGorge Patch.esp=1

xulFallenleafEverglade.esp=1

xulColovianHighlands_EV.esp=1

xulBeachesOfCyrodiilLostCoast.esp=1

xulBravilBarrowfields.esp=1

xulLushWoodlands.esp=1

xulAncientYews.esp=1

xulAncientRedwoods.esp=1

xulCloudtopMountains.esp=1

xulArriusCreek.esp=1

xulPatch_AY_AC.esp=1

xulRollingHills_EV.esp=1

xulPantherRiver.esp=1

xulRiverEthe.esp=1

xulBrenaRiverRavine.esp=1

xulImperialIsle.esp=1

xulBlackwoodForest.esp=1

xulCheydinhalFalls.esp=1

xulAspenWood.esp=1

xulSkingradOutskirts.esp=1

xulSnowdale.esp=1

xulCliffsOfAnvil.esp=1

xulSilverfishRiverValley.esp=1

xulJerallGlacier.esp=1

xulTheEasternPeaks.esp=1

Unique Landscapes.esp=1

Expanded Dungeons - Play Nice Edition.esp=1

Better Dungeons.esp=1

RefScope.esp=1

MidasSpells.esp=1

MidasSpellTomes.esp=1

TimeEnough.esp=1

Oblivion_Character_Overhaul.esp=1

OCO_DLCHorseArmor_Patch.esp=1

OCO_DLCOrrery_Patch.esp=1

OCO_DLCMehrunesRazor_Patch.esp=1

OCO_DLCThievesDen_Patch.esp=1

OCO_KvatchRebuilt_Patch.esp=1

OCO_KnightsOTN_Patch.esp=1

OCO_UOP_USIP_Patch.esp=1

Better Cities Full.esp=1

Better Cities - IC Imperial Isle.esp=1

Better Imperial City.esp=1

xulChorrolHinterland-BC6.esp=1

Better Cities Chorrol - Knights of the Nine.esp=1

Better Cities - Alternative Start Arrive by Ship.esp=0

Better Cities Full - OOO.esp=1

Better Imperial City - OOO.esp=1

Better Cities - The Lost Spires.esp=1

Better Cities - COBL.esp=1

Cobl Filter Late MERGE ONLY.esp=0

Better Cities Market District - Oblivion Uncut.esp=1

ULS MTCExpandedVillages-Snowdale patch.esp=0

ULM BetterCitiesSkingrad-SkingradOutskirts patch.esp=0

ULM BetterCities-UniqueLandscapes merged patch.esp=0

ULM OscurosOblivionOverhaul-UniqueLandscapes patch.esp=1

ULM ShezriesTowns-AspenWood patch.esp=0

ULM OblivionUncut-EntiusGorge patch.esp=0

ULM RegionReviveLakeRumare-ImperialIsle patch.esp=0

ULM ShezriesTowns-CloudtopMountains patch.esp=1

ULS BetterCitiesBravil-BravilBarrowfields patch.esp=1

ULS MTCExpandedVillages-AncientRedwoods patch.esp=0

ULS OscurosOblivionOverhaul-CliffsOfAnvil patch.esp=0

ULS OscurosOblivionOverhaul-UniqueLandscapes merged patch.esp=1

ULS MTCExpandedVillages-Oranstad-AncientRedwoods patch.esp=0

ULS ShezriesTowns-CloudtopMountains patch.esp=1

ULM MTCExpandedVillages-UniqueLandscapes patch.esp=1

ULS ShezriesTowns-AspenWood patch.esp=1

ULS OblivionUncut-EntiusGorge patch.esp=1

ULS OscurosOblivionOverhaul-Snowdale patch.esp=0

ULS BetterCitiesCheydinhal-CheydinhalFalls patch.esp=1

ULS BetterCitiesSkingrad-SkingradOutskirts patch.esp=1

ULS BetterCitiesBruma-Snowdale patch.esp=1

ULS MTCExpandedVillages-UniqueLandscapes merged patch.esp=1

ULE BetterCitiesBravil-PantherRiver patch.esp=1

ULE KvatchRebuilt-CheydinhalFalls patch.esp=1

AoG - Greed Arena.esp=1

ULS RegionReviveLakeRumare-ImperialIsle patch.esp=0

ULE FightersGuildQuests-Snowdale patch.esp=0

test.esp=0

plswork.esp=0

MyvyrnaSelarysRPNote.esp=1

MyvyrnaRPStart.esp=0

plsworkmyvyrna.esp=1

ULS OSPS-BC_IC-II_UL-II_RRLR_Patch.esp=1

Kyoma's Journal Mod.esp=1

Consistent Beggar Voices.esp=1

Bounty Quests.esp=1

Bounty Quests OOO Patch.esp=1

TES4Merged.esp=1

Bashed Patch, 0.esp=1

Oblivion DLC Delayers.esp=1

00 Realistic Player Speech.esp=1

 

Do you guys know what I can do to fix this? because at this point, I'm really starting to run out of options.

 

Thanks in advance

[kingtitan]

Out of curiosity, did you install all of these mods at once, load up the game and then realize something was screwed up?

All I can say is, this is a huge mod list. My best recommendation would be to uncheck .esp's one (or a few) at a time and see if the problem persists. It's not fun, but it's what every one of us has had to do in the past when something screws up our game.

I would start with disabling better cities and OOO and see if those change anything. I know those two are notorious for causing people problems (although I have never used either, so I can't be absolutely certain).

 

Make sure your load order is sorted properly as well. This could always be a simple reason (but highly unlikely reason in this particular case) things aren't working.

The behavior you are describing sounds like there are scripts being run that influence or otherwise edit AI behavior. Those are going to be the mods you want to disable first.

Edited February 21, 2018 by kingtitan

[ArtemisGambit]

well, I managed to fix some of my issues. Arielle Jurard is back at the brina cross inn, and many other npcs seem to be functioning better now. However, Ley Marillin, Falcar, and some other npcs are stuck behind locked doors where they shouldn't be, and only resume their normal scheduled when I break into where ever they are hiding. if I do, they will resume their normal routine as if nothing happened. Since Ley Marillin is stuck in his inns basement, and he was suppose to stay on the main floor 24/7, I think there's a mod that's moving their location, and screwing over their packages.

 

Is there anyway I can check what mod is moving an npcs location either in the Construction Set, TES4Edit, or in game?

 

Also, I might of found out what was screwing up Dovyn Aren. He seems to be leaving his house now, but he still periodically moves into his house, and stands still in front of his door. I used RefScope on him, and it appears that he's being affected by a "Dynamic AI Package" that's causing him to stand completely still in front of his door at his house. It says that the script is "part of the save file", it says that it's type is unknown, and it has the ID of FF000844. I don't have any mod that has FF as part of its load order or ID, so I think this must be an issue with my save file, or some external program. How can I find what mod is using a "Dynamic Package", or delete such a script entirely?

[kingtitan]

This should answer any questions about the naming conventions for form IDs - http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Form_ID . It might not be a bad idea to download the standalone version of Wyre Bash and see if any of your saves are corrupted (this happens more often than you might think - the game loads fine using these saves, but has residual values for deleted/changed refs, which of course leads to strange bugs).

Although I don't use it, I know the construction set extender highlights values that have been changed or added for any mod loaded. This might be worth a try, but use at your own risk.

I still suggest disabling mods until you find the culprit. More than likely, there is some sort of mod conflict that is causing these issues. Or a mod has changed the pathgrid in such a way that makes it impossible to complete their assigned tasks.

[Moktah]

taking a wild stab at it

but I wonder if its the better cities imperial city conflicting with something loaded afterwords

I had better cities mess up on me once

when I entered the city, the steps that greeted me were floating.

I'm guessing that if better cities uses a different altitude for the floors

than the regular game, then that may account why the npc ended up

in the basement

not sure about the other rooms though.

 

like I said, just taking a stab in the dark here.