How do I make followers use multiple cells in a home mod?

[AriaGrill]

I'm working on a home mod for my followers when they are dismissed, and I want them to use the entire area (bedroom cell, outside, general room, etc...). Is there a way to set a script on the home so they use multiple ones?

[thumbincubation]

My experience here is limited, but if you give them a sandbox package, set for the cell itself, rather than x distance from a marker or editor location, they should be able to move about the whole home, at least on the main floor. There is a mod that allows multiple floor sandboxing, which you might want to take a look at, to see if it's a setting you can check in creation kit. If not, users can use it or a mod like it, or they can use wrye bash to set up the tweak for themselves, allowing their followers to sandbox on multiple floors.

 

To get them outside, you may need to set markers and specific packages for that area. For example, if they spawn in the home, they might get a sandbox in x cell anytime package, along with a sandbox within x distance of reference/marker, from 0800 to 1200. You may or may not need a travel package, telling them to travel to that reference. I've had some luck without them, but lately I've started using them just to grease the wheels, so to speak. You could also spawn them outside, with a sandbox x distance from editor location package, set for whatever time of day, and a separate sandbox in cell anytime package.

 

I've got a small personal use guard mod going right now, where they spawn outside near their posts, go inside to sleep, eat once a day (though they can also eat while sandboxing.) What their AI package list looks like, for the day guards, is

 

Eat package near reference (cook pot next to table) from 0615 for 1 hr, until 0715.

Travel outside to their posts/editor locations, at 0755

Sandbox within 512 distance of their editor locations at 0800 for 12 hrs, until 2000.

Travel into cell at 2005.

Sleep in cell (using any beds they find) at 2200, for 8 hrs, until 0600

Sandbox in cell anytime.

 

The sandbox anytime is key, and it must be the last one in the list, as it fills in the gaps between the other packages. If it was 2nd, for example, they would likely eat for an hour, then sandbox inside forever.

I don't know yet how much difference the travel packages have made, as it's still new/WIP, and I haven't fully tested against my established mod without travel packages, but they do get up and leave the house for work, like they're supposed to, and then return. The other mod, without travel packages, usually works as well, though on occasion I've found them still at the tavern, long after bedtime.

 

You might also want to assign them their own beds, set the ownership of the bed to them, and also point their sleep package at that bed. It's possible to share sleep packages, for generic NPCs (all my day guards share several packages, but unique NPCs have their own).

 

With my lack of experience in mind, you can download my Riverwood Guards or Whiterun Stables Guards mods, load them in CK and take a look at the AI package setup, to get an idea how they're worked up. Or, I can send you the new mod to look at, if you prefer.