[LE] How to keep multiple actors close to the player when using the Follow Package?

[sornan]

Hello everyone :smile:

 

 

I knew I'd run into this...

 

I'm having four actors using a follow package where they follow the player around. Every package template I've tried of the 'Follow' variant do the same thing, they cause the actors to really, really spread out despite the radius restrictions set. Typically, one or two actors will remain near the player within their proper radius, and then the other two normally stay like 200 feet away. It definitely does not look much like a group following a leader.

 

The only thing that has worked, and I have not yet tried to refine it yet, but if I make the first actor follow the player, and then the next actor follow him, and the next actor follow the 2nd guy, and the last guy follow the 3rd actor. The actors primarily stick together, and stay near the player, yet they also often cloister right on top of him. I might be able to refine this, but ideally it would be better to have a way to just get all four of them to follow the player and stay near him.

 

These actors are not technically 'followers', just actors running follow packages, just to be clear.

 

I've noticed the 'accompany' flag on some of the follow package templates, and have not seen any difference in turning that on or off. Just wondered if that may have some sort of impact.

 

Definitely have to get this right now, as the group will go from 4 to 9 later on in the quest, and they can't be spread out over 400 feet.

 

I would appreciate any insight or help in how to get multiple (4) following actors to stay near the player.

Edited November 16, 2020 by sornan

[IsharaMeradin]

You can try using the script function KeepOffsetFromActor but given my experience with it in Followers As Companions it may not always behave as desired. The actor might keep the distance but can walk funny, stare off in the wrong direction or other stuff. However, you may have better luck if your "followers" are custom NPCs that are not bogged down with the stock follower system.

[sornan]

Thank you IsharaMeradin

 

 

Thanks for the link there, that is an interesting command. I do appreciate the info on your usage, and potential issues with it. It might be for the best at least at this point due to the issues you stated along with potential complexities of trying to micro manage from 4 to 9 actors following to put that option on the back shelf for now indeed.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by 'Custom Npc's', as the actors that are following the player are indeed custom, and I have not used the integrated follower system with them.

 

Having the actors follow each other did produce the most reliable results, I'm going to try to tinker with the radius settings a bit and see if I can get them to cluster less.

 

Thanks again :)