very serious game bug, which can destroy months of game progress. Affects all mods that query PowerArmorPerk.

[EagleFour]

Hello,

Subject: very serious game bug, triggered by the mod "Flyable Personal Vertibird", which can destroy months of game progress. Affects all mods that check if NPCs are in PowerArmor via PowerArmorPerk. (in my case: NPC Outfit Manager).

 

I am using the NPC outfit manager to automatically change outfits depending on location.
I noticed some time ago that some companions did not change their equipment automatically anymore.

I have now worked out exactly how this bug occurs, that for some companions the NPC Outfit Manager no longer works.

Under certain circumstances a game bug is triggered, which destroys the companions (until now) unrepairable.
Unfortunately, this bug is very hidden, so that it could be, as in my case, that it
becomes noticeable only after days, weeks or months. But then some
companions are already infected.

In my case the game bug was triggered by the mod "Flyable Personal Vertibird".

The exact process can be read here:

 

PowerArmor Perk gets stuck on NPC's (and can't be removed) who were in PA while on Docked Vertibird when Player went inside.

https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/47187?tab=bugs&BH=7

 

Everyone who uses this mod should take a look, it can ruin months of game progress.

Briefly mentioned, it affects not only NPC Outfit Manager, but any mod that queries PowerArmor status via PowerArmorPerk.

The mod author reacted quickly and released a patch. But for those who
already have infected companions, there is currently no cure except to
fall back on an earlier save.

It is very easy to check if a companion is infected. Companion must be outside of the PowerArmor.

Open Console:

click on companion
hasperk 1F8A9


If this query returns 1, the companion is infected unrepairable and any
mod that uses PowerArmorPerk as a query to see if a companion is inside
the PowerArmor will no longer work properly.

 

if someone knows how to remove this PowerArmorPerk from the NPC again please post. (recycleactor,resurrect,removeperk doesnt work).

[LarannKiar]

I posted a possible (but dangerous) workaround here. Note that I haven't tested it (I don't have this mod or issue) and it requires using a save game editor (Resaver). I would recommend you to wait until the author fixes it but.. for testing purposes (only), you could give it a try..

[EagleFour]

Yes, the thread is about the problem. I am the one who uncovered the 'drama'.

Unfortunately, I now have about 15 broken companions. The last save, where all were still intact is months old.

Above in the link you can read how I discovered this and how the communication with PJMail is.
The dangerous thing is that you may not even notice the bug for days, weeks or months. But at some point strange things happen and you blame it on mods that query the PowerArmorPerk.

I have as a test deleted the entry from a broken companion with resaver, unfortunately this save can no longer be loaded. CTD ! Is there anything else to consider when I resave a save with "Resaver" ?

Your other suggestion I can not implement, unfortunately, I lack the skills for it. This is rather something for PJMail. He will be able to do it.

But I can answer one thing

You ask for getisrace.

 

"What do you see if you select the buggy NPC in the console and type "GetIsRace PowerArmorRace"?

 

GetIsRace >> 0.00

Edited November 11, 2021 by EagleFour

[LarannKiar]

I have as a test deleted the entry from a broken companion with resaver, unfortunately this save can no longer be loaded. CTD ! Is there anything else to consider when I resave a save with "Resaver" ?

 

You shouldn't get CTD. Type the RefID in the filter box and delete only the ACHR record that matches with the RefID. (1DA4D7 is Preston's RefID). Please try the .esp plugin (see below) before editing your save.

 

 

 

Your other suggestion I can not implement, unfortunately, I lack the skills for it. This is rather something for PJMail. He will be able to do it.

 

Try this .esp.

 

"What do you see if you select the buggy NPC in the console and type "GetIsRace PowerArmorRace"?

GetIsRace >> 0.00

 

It should be 0 so that's good.

Edited November 11, 2021 by LarannKiar

[EagleFour]

I did the same thing with "Resaver" as you described. But I get a CTD at the end of the loading process. As a test, I have saved the save again without deleting the entry. The save works then. But as soon as I delete the entry, I get a CTD and I can't load the modified save.
To be on the safe side, I dismissed the companion beforehand and went to Homeplate, because there is the least modified.

The .esp I tried before. Unfortunately the PowerArmorPerk is still on the NPC. I tried with removeperk 1f8A9 to remove the perk. Is there anything else I need to take care of with this, like going to another cell where the companion isn't, or dismissing it, or anything else special to make it work?

[LarannKiar]

The .esp I tried before. Unfortunately the PowerArmorPerk is still on the NPC. I tried with removeperk 1f8A9 to remove the perk. Is there anything else I need to take care of with this, like going to another cell where the companion isn't, or dismissing it, or anything else special to make it work?

 

The .esp doesn't remove the perk, it just blocks its effects if the perk owner is not in a Power Armor. So your companions will still have the perk but it won't have any effect on them.

 

Unfortunately I don't know how to remove it, the game should have removed it with the magic effect..

[EagleFour]

 

The .esp doesn't remove the perk, it just blocks its effects if the perk owner is not in a Power Armor. So your companions will still have the perk but it won't have any effect on them.

 

Unfortunately I don't know how to remove it, the game should have removed it with the magic effect..

 

 

Hmm, but then that misses the point.

Because that's what it's all about, removing the perk.

Because other mods with "hasperk" query on this. And then the answer is positive and the mod won't work because the query flag is positive.

I tried this with NPC outfit manager. As expected the mod did not work, I assume that the mod uses "hasperk" to query this.

After all, this perk is used as a flag to determine if the NPC is still in PowerArmor. It serves no other purpose in this case.

The only solution is to remove this perk again, but how ?

 

PJMail wrote:

"Also the problem only happens with Magic Effects that have a "Perk to Apply" (that is the Perk that sticks)."

 

So this perk must be given a value that distinguishes it from the "normal" perks and that forces the game engine to make this perk non-removable.

[LarannKiar]

Because that's what it's all about, removing the perk.

Because other mods with "hasperk" query on this. And then the answer is positive and the mod won't work because the query flag is positive.

I tried this with NPC outfit manager. As expected the mod did not work, I assume that the mod uses "hasperk" to query this.

After all, this perk is used as a flag to determine if the NPC is still in PowerArmor. It serves no other purpose in this case.

 

Ah, I see. Sorry, I forgot about that.

 

The only solution is to remove this perk again, but how ?

 

Either by playing with Forms and Papyrus script functions until one finds the solution or editing the save game with an editor. (Removing ACHR records from a save shouldn't cause CTD by the way. I removed such records (only for testing) and I was able to load the save).

Regarding "Playing with Forms and Papyrus script functions", I think it's best to wait until the author finds a retroactive fix.

[LarannKiar]

So this perk must be given a value that distinguishes it from the "normal" perks and that forces the game engine to make this perk non-removable.

 

Enable Papyrus debug logging (it just requires adding some lines in Username/Documents/MyGames/Fallout4/Fallout4Custom.ini), open the game, then open the console, click on your buggy companion and type "DumpPapyrusPersistenceInfo". Now open the papyrus log file (it's a .txt file in Documents/MyGames/Fallout4/Logs). Find your companion and their persistence info in the log file (Ctrl+F to open Search, then type their RefID in the search box). What do you see? Any "Active Effects"? (A screenshot would be helpful).

Edited November 12, 2021 by LarannKiar

[EagleFour]

Ok, I have done that:

 

Regarding CTD with "Resaver",
I suspect that there may be other scripts stuck to the companion. Which now no longer get the values and it comes to a CTD.

Edited November 12, 2021 by EagleFour