Some favour quests never show up even on unmodded game

[AdmiralAlbia]

So first, let me say that I am at least 98% certain this is not a mod conflict. I'm 98% certain this is not a mod conflict because I just spent four hours systematically removing every mod from my load order in batches of five, and then, when I ran out of mods with ESPs and scripts, removing all mods completely and booting the game straight from the Steam launcher (I usually use SKSE and MO2). The remaining 2% of doubt is just because it sounds so much like a mod conflict that I'm half convinced there's an invisible ESP in my data folder or some really hyperspecific virus targeting Skyrim SE players or something.

 

It's a relatively minor problem, but at this point I'm tearing my hair out with it because I just don't get what's causing it. The conversation options for some (not all!) NPC favour mini-quests just never show up. Examples:

• Revyn Sadri (I can't ask him if nothing in his shop is stolen)
• Ysolda (I can't ask if she wants to be a merchant)
• Carlotta Valentia (I can't ask if someone's giving her trouble).
• I think I'm also missing some in Solitude. Roggvir's sister usually wants his Talos amulet back, doesn't she?
• Oddly enough, Riften seems to be fine.
• No major quests are affected.

I can't start or complete the affected quests with the console either. It's as though they never existed.

 

As near as I can tell, this is a bug with the game itself. As I said, I've just got done checking ever mod I have, and eventually narrowed it down to none of them: having then removed everything except the vanilla ESMs, I still failed to get the quest. Deleted my Data folder and let Steam re-download it... the bug persists, same as if I remove all third-party DLLs and stuff such as SKSE and SSE Engine Fixes.

 

At this point, I'm at a loss. I have no idea what could be blocking these quests, in new games with absolutely no mods and a refreshed SSE folder. What's left to delete?!

 

Here's the process I used when testing:

• Perform latest test setup (remove some/all mods, get Steam to revalidate files, etc)
• Open game. At this point I am launching it directly from Steam as I have no mods or SKSE installed any more
• From the menu screen, coc straight to either the Bannered Mare in Whiterun (then head outside and talk to Ysolda/Carlotta), or to Sadri's Used Wares in Windhelm (then talk to Revyn Sadri)
• Observe failure. Scream, cry, gnash teeth
• Goto 1

I had one very brief glimmer of success when I removed my cleaned ESMs from MO2. However, it was gone the next time I started the game, even with the same ESM set as had worked previously... and as I mentioned, I got Steam to redownload the files and I'm still no closer to getting these quests active again.

 

Help. Please help. Please, somebody just tell me I'm an idiot and overlooked something really wildly obvious, because if I didn't then I've got nothing.

Edited October 2, 2018 by AdmiralAlbia

[leonardo2]

Two things.

 

First, scrap everything and reinstall SSE then install those mods you want to use without using MO2.

 

Second, always make sure you have cleaned the official masters and the rest of the mods you have installed in SSEEdit. Then sort your loadorder in LOOT and start using Wrye Bash.

 

I can't promise anything, but that's the best advice I can give you right now. Good luck. :smile:

[AdmiralAlbia]

Thanks. I had cleaned the official masters, and removed my cleaned versions only while debugging in an attempt to get to the bottom of this bug. And yes, I do use LOOT.

 

I'm curious why you're saying to switch to Wrye Bash? I used it for years, but eventually reached a point where every piece of advice I saw was telling me to switch to MO2. WB still keeps things in the Data folder, which makes it a little more prone to mess-ups in my experience. Nowadays I use it only for creating bashed patches. I'm not sure why reverting to using it for everything would help.

[Algabar]

I'm curious why you're saying to switch to Wrye Bash? I used it for years, but eventually reached a point where every piece of advice I saw was telling me to switch to MO2. WB still keeps things in the Data folder, which makes it a little more prone to mess-ups in my experience. Nowadays I use it only for creating bashed patches. I'm not sure why reverting to using it for everything would help.

 

That's what I'd recommend, too. I wouldn't use Wrye Bash as a mod organizer either. It's very useful though for checking for errors ("Oldrim" file format, problems with order of Master files). Also a bashed patch is certainly useful.

 

That being said, there's an (IMHO better) alternative for "bashed patches": "Smashed patch" from Mator Smash:

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/90987

 

As a conflict resolution tool, Mator Smash is superior in that it simply includes a lot more records into the patch than Wrye Bash. OFC, you shouldn't rely blindly on any program, but from my experience, Mator Smash works great, especially for Skyrim and Skyrim SE.

 

As for the "right" mod organizer: That's an endless debate. Meanwhile, I'd recommend Vortex. Been using it since the early alpha and it seems very reliable. With recently added options to control overrides on a file by file basis, it IMHO offers the same benefits, that MO does - with an easier to use interface. But that's up to you...

 

On the original topic: :pirate: Did you try with a new game? A lot of data from mods gets baked into savegames. So a mod might still have an impact on your gameplay, even if this mod has long been removed...

[AdmiralAlbia]

Yep, did all my testing on new games for that very reason.

 

However! The problem has fixed itself. Apparently the solution was to install Open Cities? I'm not going to pretend this makes any sense whatsoever, but hey, that's Skyrim for you. My best guess is that I'm missing a file or script from my base install and OCS edits that file and has thus included it in its BSA. At least the problem's gone :tongue:

 

With regards Mator Smash, I've looked at it a couple of times but never quite been able to get it to work. I don't suppose you know of a good tutorial that would help? I'm rapidly reaching that point in setting up this game where I can make a conflict resolution patch and play, so it'd be nice to have another go at smashing them.

[Algabar]

Glad you got it "solved" somehow!

 

Unfortunately, there isn't much documentation for Mator Smash. You can find some videos on Youtube (google "Mator Smash guide/tutorial" or something like that). Problem is, all of the more instructive videos I've seen are somewhat outdated, since they refer to previous versions of the software. They might stilll be useful though for a general impression.

 

IMHO, using Mator Smash is pretty straightforward. Simply try it. Worst thing that could happen is that you end up with a "smashed patch" that doesn't work as it should...

 

Here's a very basic "how to":

 

1. Sort your load order with LOOT, make manual adjustments where necessary. It is important to have a FINAL load order before working with Mator Smash. Every time you change something in your load order, you will have to re-create the "smashed patch" (same as with Wrye Bash OFC).

 

2. Download Mator Smash, place it wherever you like on your drives. It doesn't have to be the Skyrim game folder or something, just any location will do.

 

3. Start the program, select the game you want to work with. You may need to help the program finding your Skyrim SE folder.

 

4. Once you've started Mator Smash for Skyrim SE, you will see a list of all the installed plugins. For general use, make sure all plugins are checked (meaning the will be included in the "smashed patch"). There might be some exceptions. Personally I have the habit of not including Dyndolod output into the "smashed patch". Is it necessary? I don't know.... Maybe you will have to experiment a bit. In Fallout 4, there are some mods that don't seem to work well with a "smashed patch". In Skyrim SE, I didn't come across anything like this yet. So: Just include everything and see, how it goes...

 

4. Once you hit "OK", you will be on the main screen. No you have lots of options. Simply ignore them all. Mator Smash works as it should "right out of the box", no adjustments necessary for general use.

 

5. Now simply hit the green button with the white arrow in the upper left corner. Wait (this could take some minutes...) for the program to finish, then close Mator Smash.

 

6. Do some testing to make sure the patch works as intended.

 

That's basically it. ;-)

 

EDIT: To be clear: I'd strongly recommend using only a "smashed patch" - nothing else. It will do all the things you want and need - e.g. leveled lists and the like. No need for anything else. You CAN create a "bashed patch" first, if you want to reduce plugin number by including some smaller plugins into a "bashed patch". In this case, you MUST include the "bashed patch" into the "smashed patch" and load the "smashed patch" after the "bashed patch". ALso make sure NOT to include files disabled by "Wrye Bash" into the smashed patch. As I said: I DON'T recommend that - high potentail for errors, but very little gain...