AI is too perceptive. How to lower it?

[McSalvador]

Storytime for context:

I used to play oldrim on my toaster laptop (intel HP family, integrated intel graphics, DX10). When launching oldrim for first time, launcher had to set my game settings to low. Had to install performance mods for more decent framerates like ultralow graphics, remove foliage, ini tweaking, which got me an average of 24 fps. Even though it still suffered annoying bugs (i.e. objects on top of tables are actually on the ground and invisible until touched, objects nearby turns invisible when you get close) and occasional choppy framerate, I still enjoyed the game. Been playing Skyrim on and off like a cycle (aka played a good portion of skyrim, get bored, stopped playing, later want to play skyrim again, forgot what you're doing, start a new game again, repeat). Had the "boredom" phase happen last november, then bought myself a new beefier desktop gaming pc (intel core i7, GeForce GTX 1080Ti, DX12) during black friday and then got the urge to play skyrim special edition. SSE's game launcher set the game setting to ultra high. Preceded to then install mods and re-satiate my skyrim urges.

 

After several hours of gameplay, I was satisfied for how there's no "invisible misplaced objects", no "suddenly invisible objects", and the smooth 60fps, However, I had several gripes turning up when I played SSE. Such as how some mods from SLE weren't ported to SSE due to modder(s) ditching the modding scene, how the ESC key opens the journal instead of the system tab, how grass are annoying for hiding dead bodies, and the biggest one of all (and reason why I'm typing here): the AIs are SUPER BLOODY PERCEPTIVE.

 

Scripted events were triggering far away from where I was, enemy AIs were able to detect me regardless of sneak level, Friendly NPCs in towns get aggroed by hostile creature outside of town and vice versa, getting attacked by enemies at enemy territory the moment you fast travel there, etc.. Since the NPC AI were so perceptive, this made quests and conversations annoying to deal with, such as Chief Yamarz getting aggroed by the giant before he could talk to me about his offer, Narfi getting killed by aggroed High Hrothgar bear (not from the cave, HIGH HROTHGAR), hostile wildlife NPCs out on the road killing off random encounter NPCs before you can talk to them (or even let you KNOW they're dead), other bs spidey-senses shenanigans.

 

Frustrated, I asked for help on Steam discussion regarding my dilemma on scripted events happening far away and stealth being near-useless. I got replies that the stealth mechanic was probably working as intended since I did do stealth with heavy armor on. As for the scripted events happening far away, I got no clear response. On a separate popular thread there, I asked about my situation there if it's normal and a few people replied that it's not and if my uGridsToLoad had anything to do with it. I did some google search on uGridsToLoad and learned the "default value" was 5 and that it tends to be a line that shouldn't really be tampered with. I decided to check what value my uGridsToLoad was and to my discovery, the line wasn't there when I checked the file. I just assumed my game for some reason chose a higher value for some reason so I used BethINI to manually adjusted the uGridsToLoad to 5 (since it's the "default value"), started a new game and did a test run. I noticed that the AI wasn't as perceptive so I thought this was acceptable and decided to continue playing until I noticed some... oddities.

 

I started experiencing more buggy moments I didn't had before in my old SSE playthrough, such as an imperial courier walking to me and running back when I was inside a bandit-controlled area (Halted Stream Camp), a Whiterun Guard trying to sharpen his sword only to stop immediately and try again on a repeated loop, and textures that weren't loaded in occurring more often than usual. I even had that "invisible misplaced object" bug happening in my game. I also remember seeing bandits on Valtheim Towers getting their guards up against some unknown entity on the other side of the river (opposite of the "toll road") but I wasn't sure if AIs were still being super perceptive or it's just the same like in oldrim.

 

I made another thread on the Steam discussion about my situation and asked for assistance. The replies I got were that I wasn't supposed to touch uGridsToLoad and leave it at its default value. I replied back that I adjusted the value to its "default" but one of the people replying did say that it's not meant to be messed with since SSE is more in-tuned with the ini files compared to SLE. I also got no replies to how to resolve my AI issue, so here I am at this forum typing out my issue.

 

To shorten this whole novel of a story...:

Before ini tweaking: SSE AI has super spidey-senses. Also, events & NPC talking trigger even when far away.

After ini tweaking: AI have crippled spidey-senses and events trigger closer, but game is now all wonky and probably unstable.

HELP?

 

EDIT: So I did a test with vanilla SSE and SKSE with mods turned off but scripts still on. I think vanilla is working as the way it should, and there might be a script file that's screwing me over.

Edited March 9, 2019 by McSalvador

[Jyotai]

Yeah I suspect the reason you're not getting many people with tips on the issue might be because not many people have had that issue.

 

This is the part where you post your load order and someone can come in and suggest something.

 

Failing that you can slowly add mods back in until the issue occurs again. Add half of them - if no issue add the next half. If issue remove half... eventually you'll narrow it down.

[vlaka]

can't provide much help without a mod list :(