Startup Quests Not Triggering, suspect FNVMasterUpdate

[KaelynZ]

In anticipation of nVamp, I started a whole new game, with a clean new install and pretty much just the core mods they recommend - FOOK, Arwen, WMX, CFWNV, IWS, AWOP (See spoiler for exact list). I'd expected no problems - and indeed, the game is much faster and more stable than the mod-ridden rat's nest that I was playing with before. But my various startup quests aren't triggering reliably - I had to reload to get Doc to let me use the vigor tester, then he wouldn't start the psych test, and now Sunny is waiting for me near the first well, but when I approach her, she just asks 'What's Wrong?" rather than telling me to go kill some geckos. For whatever reason, the various quests aren't triggering properly.

 

I had a similar problem a while ago with the NV Bounties quest, and the FAQ for NVBounties says that it's due to the using FNVMasterUpdate on NVBounties.esp, turning it into an esm as the FNVMod manual strongly recommends. And sure enough, when I turned it back into a proper esp, NV Bounties worked fine. Suspecting the same thing may apply here, and seeing that FOOK.esp mods a few starting quests, I tried un-esming fook.esp, and sure enough, the Doc started working again. I now see that Arwen mods the Sunny quests, so I'm going to try un-esming Arwen's esp, and see if that fixes Sunny, as I suspect it will.

 

So my question is for the experienced modders out there: Why does setting the esm flag on an esp file (which is needed to solve other problems) seem to break quest stage triggering? Is this a problem that anyone else has seen outside of NV Bounties, or is it peculiar to me and my set of mods? Are there any guidelines as to when I should and shouldn't use FNVMasterUpdate to 'mod up' all my esps? It would be nice to have someone hand me a solution, but I'd be happy enough just to talk to someone who knows more about the ins and outs of the game engine, so I can get a handle on what's going on.

 

Thanks!

 

Galen

 

 

 

 

My current load list:

 

Active Mod Files:
00  FalloutNV.esm
01  IWS-Core.esm  [Version 1.9]
02  AWorldOfPain(Preview).esm
03  Tales from the Burning Sands.esm
04  More Perks.esm
05  More Perks for Companions.esm  [Version 1.0.0]
06  More Traits.esm  [Version 1.0.0]
07  More Challenges.esm  [Version 0.0.1]
08  Caliber.esm
09  CFWNV.esm
0A  FOOK - New Vegas.ESM
0B  Lings.esm
0C  Primary Needs HUD.esm
0D  Project Nevada - Core.esm
0E  New Vegas Redesigned.esm
0F  Community Bugfix Compilation Patch.esp
10  NewVegasBounties.esp
11  RustTownV1-1.esp
12  NV Interiors - Cottonwood Cove.esp
13  NV Interiors - El Ray Motel.esp
14  NV Interiors - West Vegas Fringe.esp
15  IWS-Core-Patrols.esp  [Version 1.9]
++  IWS-Core-Guards.esp  [Version 1.9]
++  IWS-Core-Civilians.esp  [Version 1.9]
++  IWS-AS-NoInteriorSpawns.esp  [Version 1.9]
16  More Perks Update.esp
17  More Perks for Companions Update.esp  [Version 1.0.1]
18  More Traits Update.esp  [Version 1.0.4]
19  FOOK - New Vegas.esp
++  IWS-AS-MedSpawns.esp  [Version 1.9]
1A  XFO - 4a - Perks - Paths.esp
1B  XFO - 8a - Cripple & Body Part Revamp.esp
1C  XFO - 8b - Speed Increases.esp
1D  XFO - 8c - Karma Rebalance.esp
1E  XFO - 9a - Enemies - AI revamp.esp
1F  Arwen_NV_Realism_Core.esp
++  CFWNV-FOOK.esp
++  CFWNVOptionalTweaker.esp
20  CASM.esp
21  DarNifiedUINV.esp
22  bzArmour.esp
23  Free Tribal Outfits.esp
24  No Sleeves No Shirts NV.esp
25  NPCs wear NSNS NV.esp
26  Type3 Leather Armors.esp
27  OCD-Cass outfits.esp
++  OCD-Cass outfits-GalensMod.esp
28  Project Nevada - Cyberware.esp
29  world of pain voice.esp
2A  SunnyCompanion.esp
2B  WeaponModsExpanded.esp
2C  WMX-AWOP Patch.esp
2D  ELECTRO-CITY - CompletedWorkorders.esp
2E  LUMENARIUM - Working Sunglasses ONLY.esp
2F  ELECTRO-CITY - Highways and Byways.esp
30  ELECTRO-CITY - IncreasedWastelandSpawnCOMPATIBILITYPatch.esp
31  Nevada Skies - URWLified.esp
32  StripNightLum.esp
33  LUMENARIUM - Bright Clear Days.esp
34  ELECTRO-CITY - Darker Nights.esp
35  ELECTRO-CITY - Imaginator.esp
36  Superior Firepower (BETA) - Explosive Weaponry.esp
37  Superior Firepower - Energy Ammo.esp
38  Superior Firepower - Kinetic Ammo.esp
39  Superior Firepower - New Weaponry.esp
**  FNVIcons.esp
3A  Bashed Patch, 0.esp

 

[apostate9]

In anticipation of nVamp, I started a whole new game, with a clean new install and pretty much just the core mods they recommend - FOOK, Arwen, WMX, CFWNV, IWS, AWOP (See spoiler for exact list). I'd expected no problems - and indeed, the game is much faster and more stable than the mod-ridden rat's nest that I was playing with before. But my various startup quests aren't triggering reliably - I had to reload to get Doc to let me use the vigor tester, then he wouldn't start the psych test, and now Sunny is waiting for me near the first well, but when I approach her, she just asks 'What's Wrong?" rather than telling me to go kill some geckos. For whatever reason, the various quests aren't triggering properly.

 

I had a similar problem a while ago with the NV Bounties quest, and the FAQ for NVBounties says that it's due to the using FNVMasterUpdate on NVBounties.esp, turning it into an esm as the FNVMod manual strongly recommends. And sure enough, when I turned it back into a proper esp, NV Bounties worked fine. Suspecting the same thing may apply here, and seeing that FOOK.esp mods a few starting quests, I tried un-esming fook.esp, and sure enough, the Doc started working again. I now see that Arwen mods the Sunny quests, so I'm going to try un-esming Arwen's esp, and see if that fixes Sunny, as I suspect it will.

 

So my question is for the experienced modders out there: Why does setting the esm flag on an esp file (which is needed to solve other problems) seem to break quest stage triggering? Is this a problem that anyone else has seen outside of NV Bounties, or is it peculiar to me and my set of mods? Are there any guidelines as to when I should and shouldn't use FNVMasterUpdate to 'mod up' all my esps? It would be nice to have someone hand me a solution, but I'd be happy enough just to talk to someone who knows more about the ins and outs of the game engine, so I can get a handle on what's going on.

 

Thanks!

 

Galen

 

 

 

 

My current load list:

 

Active Mod Files:
00  FalloutNV.esm
01  IWS-Core.esm  [Version 1.9]
02  AWorldOfPain(Preview).esm
03  Tales from the Burning Sands.esm
04  More Perks.esm
05  More Perks for Companions.esm  [Version 1.0.0]
06  More Traits.esm  [Version 1.0.0]
07  More Challenges.esm  [Version 0.0.1]
08  Caliber.esm
09  CFWNV.esm
0A  FOOK - New Vegas.ESM
0B  Lings.esm
0C  Primary Needs HUD.esm
0D  Project Nevada - Core.esm
0E  New Vegas Redesigned.esm
0F  Community Bugfix Compilation Patch.esp
10  NewVegasBounties.esp
11  RustTownV1-1.esp
12  NV Interiors - Cottonwood Cove.esp
13  NV Interiors - El Ray Motel.esp
14  NV Interiors - West Vegas Fringe.esp
15  IWS-Core-Patrols.esp  [Version 1.9]
++  IWS-Core-Guards.esp  [Version 1.9]
++  IWS-Core-Civilians.esp  [Version 1.9]
++  IWS-AS-NoInteriorSpawns.esp  [Version 1.9]
16  More Perks Update.esp
17  More Perks for Companions Update.esp  [Version 1.0.1]
18  More Traits Update.esp  [Version 1.0.4]
19  FOOK - New Vegas.esp
++  IWS-AS-MedSpawns.esp  [Version 1.9]
1A  XFO - 4a - Perks - Paths.esp
1B  XFO - 8a - Cripple & Body Part Revamp.esp
1C  XFO - 8b - Speed Increases.esp
1D  XFO - 8c - Karma Rebalance.esp
1E  XFO - 9a - Enemies - AI revamp.esp
1F  Arwen_NV_Realism_Core.esp
++  CFWNV-FOOK.esp
++  CFWNVOptionalTweaker.esp
20  CASM.esp
21  DarNifiedUINV.esp
22  bzArmour.esp
23  Free Tribal Outfits.esp
24  No Sleeves No Shirts NV.esp
25  NPCs wear NSNS NV.esp
26  Type3 Leather Armors.esp
27  OCD-Cass outfits.esp
++  OCD-Cass outfits-GalensMod.esp
28  Project Nevada - Cyberware.esp
29  world of pain voice.esp
2A  SunnyCompanion.esp
2B  WeaponModsExpanded.esp
2C  WMX-AWOP Patch.esp
2D  ELECTRO-CITY - CompletedWorkorders.esp
2E  LUMENARIUM - Working Sunglasses ONLY.esp
2F  ELECTRO-CITY - Highways and Byways.esp
30  ELECTRO-CITY - IncreasedWastelandSpawnCOMPATIBILITYPatch.esp
31  Nevada Skies - URWLified.esp
32  StripNightLum.esp
33  LUMENARIUM - Bright Clear Days.esp
34  ELECTRO-CITY - Darker Nights.esp
35  ELECTRO-CITY - Imaginator.esp
36  Superior Firepower (BETA) - Explosive Weaponry.esp
37  Superior Firepower - Energy Ammo.esp
38  Superior Firepower - Kinetic Ammo.esp
39  Superior Firepower - New Weaponry.esp
**  FNVIcons.esp
3A  Bashed Patch, 0.esp

 

 

I have created a custom mod, and made it an .esm to avoid navmesh issues. That worked, but guess what? Quest updates don't process right. ARG! I have no idea why, but it broke my mod.

[davidlallen]

Simply changing from esp to esm should not have much effect at all. It reduces navmesh bugginess, for an unknown reason. I do this all the time and I have not had any trouble with quest updates. I am sure you did not change anything else at the same time. What exactly is the problem you are having now?

[rickerhk]

 

I have created a custom mod, and made it an .esm to avoid navmesh issues. That worked, but guess what? Quest updates don't process right. ARG! I have no idea why, but it broke my mod.

Just curious -does your quest have any topics that have been linked as 'choices' on the Greeting topic? I'm not saying this is the issue, just trying to find something in common with another mod I've verified that has the masterupdate issue.

[Quetzlsacatanango]

In an effort to assist someguy2000 with his NVBII esm issues, I have found that trying to enable activators directly doesn't work as an esm, but does as an esp. This goes goes for trigger boxes as well. Using an enable parent instead seems to work around the issue just fine.

[davidlallen]

That is really unfortunate. If some things (navmeshes) work better as esm and other things work better as esp, there is no way for everything to work at the same time. Can you give some more details about what fails to work as esm?

[Quetzlsacatanango]

Apparently, any activators that start out initially disabled and are later directly enabled via script (i.e. myactivatorref.enable).

But if you create something like an xmarker and use it as the enable parent for your activators, it seems to work fine (myenableparentref.enable).

[apostate9]

Simply changing from esp to esm should not have much effect at all. It reduces navmesh bugginess, for an unknown reason. I do this all the time and I have not had any trouble with quest updates. I am sure you did not change anything else at the same time. What exactly is the problem you are having now?

 

Positive. The man quest of the mod simply won't advance if the file is an .esm. I refer to Silver Peak Bunker. The bock where the setStage command is won't even run.

[rickerhk]

Simply changing from esp to esm should not have much effect at all. It reduces navmesh bugginess, for an unknown reason. I do this all the time and I have not had any trouble with quest updates. I am sure you did not change anything else at the same time. What exactly is the problem you are having now?

 

Positive. The man quest of the mod simply won't advance if the file is an .esm. I refer to Silver Peak Bunker. The bock where the setStage command is won't even run.

 

aaCOSThug1, RHCOSCaptainREF, RHBrokenConsoleREF are not marked as persistent in the editor. There may be more - I didn't check everything. Strictly speaking, References used in a script MUST be marked as persistent. It seems an esp is more forgiving. But when I click 'save' on the aaBosQuest script, the errors pop up. And checking the editor confirms that they are not marked as persistent. So yes, it will be buggy. I think RHCOSCaptainREF was also in a result script of dialog that came up with the same error.