starfield [INFO] Mods Changing World Spaces May Break Surface Maps & POI Markers

[MrGMan82]

Hello everyone,

I'm highlighting a trend I've noticed recently in 1.13.61 while using mods that alter world spaces in key areas like NEON Core, The Well, and Cydonia in Starfield. Certain mods that make changes to these world spaces can cause significant issues with the game's surface maps and Points of Interest (POI) markers, particularly when in scanning mode.

• Surface Maps: The surface map fails to display when entering affected areas. This means that you might find yourself in NEON Core, The Well, or Cydonia with no way to see the map layout.
• POI Markers in Scanning Mode: Additionally, these mods prevent POI markers from appearing when using the scanner, making it challenging to locate critical objects or locations within these areas.

Based on my observations, this issue seems to be triggered by mods that:

• Change or overhaul the world spaces in the mentioned areas.
• Modify textures or assets directly related to the affected world spaces.
• Introduce new content or quests that alter these spaces' original layout or functionality.

I'm not experienced with the Creation Kit, and the limited functionality of xEdit with Starfield has made it challenging to diagnose or fix these issues independently. I'm hoping that more experienced modders or those with better tools can shed light on this problem.

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Install a mod that modifies NEON Core, The Well, or Cydonia.
2. Load into one of these areas.
3. Attempt to access the surface map or use scanning mode to identify POIs.
4. Observe the missing map data or POI markers.

Recommendations:

• Mod Authors: If you're developing or updating a mod that affects these areas, please double-check to ensure it doesn't inadvertently disable the surface map or POI markers.
• Mod Users: If you notice these issues after installing a new mod, try disabling each mod individually to identify the cause. Reverting to an earlier save before the mod was installed may also help.
• Community Feedback: If anyone else has experienced similar issues or has insights on potential fixes, please share your thoughts. Working together, we can improve mod compatibility and ensure a smoother experience for everyone.

I hope this post helps raise awareness of this issue. I encourage anyone who encounters similar problems to report them so that we can collectively find solutions.

 

Thanks for reading, and happy modding!

[MrGMan82]

I have found the issue and fixed it: Mods were overwriting the cells in "SFBGS008.esm." Mod authors will need to make sure that those are added to their MOD, or you can create a patch in the meantime like I did.

• I used xedit 4.1.5j x64 with the -sf1 argument
• Using MO2 latest version on discord.
• I selected the MOD that was causing the issue and also "SFBG008.esm"
• I checked the CELLS where I thought might be causing the issues, and I found them to be highlighted.

https://imgur.com/9XY3co2

• I then added those heightened sub-blocks as an override into a new ESM patch I created.
• Finally added the patched ESM near the end of my load order and ran the game (again using MO2 SFSE in my case)

Everything worked as it should.