Does a quest alias linked to another Quest alias (external) refill?

[PJMail]

I have a quest that requires an alias which is the list of active followers, so I have it set up as an external Alias linked to the Followers Quest "ActiveCompanions" alias.

All works well until I start a new game with no followers. The quest won't start as the alias does not fill because "ActiveCompanions" is empty.

Ok. The Documentation says "If the selected quest isn't running, or the selected alias is empty, or if the alias reference is inside a container, this alias will fail to fill".

So I have to make this an optional Alias so the Quest will start on Game start.

 

Now the question - when the externally linked Quest alias fills (you gain your first companion) will my Quest's alias fill? I.e. will an 'optional' alias fill when what it points to is no longer empty?

If not, is there a way to make it re-fill without scripts? And I don't want to stop/start the quest either - it is meant to run from game start for other functions.

 

Alternately, how do other people maintain a dynamic list of current companions in a quest alias while allowing for the initial condition of 'none'.

[steve40]

No, aliases only fill when the quest is initialised. They wonât fill dynamically. Iâve seen some mods use a flip-flop approach, where another script is used to start/stop quests at regular intervals to force the aliases to refresh.

 

The alternative would be to check the companion script data directly from your own scripts, instead of accessing it through an alias.

[PJMail]

Chicken and egg - the quest alias (a refcol) runs a script on the references in the refcol - so until there is something in the refcol there are no scripts running.

The silly thing is the alias is 'fillable' - it is refering to the alias on another quest that is already running so doesn't actually have to care about filling it - that is the concern of that other quest.

 

Anyway - how then do people do something to each follower when they are recruited (such as add a perk)?

There are no 'onfollowerrecruited' events etc, and noone is going to extend the followers quest if they can help it.

And I tried extending the 'inspirational' perk - works but too many other mods conflict...

 

Oh - and I don't want to make my own hardcoded list of possible followers, so that I support mod added ones as well.

Edited December 16, 2020 by PJMail

[PJMail]

Am I being over cautious?

I see in-built quests do this all the time (example HC_Manager) - an 'optional' alias pointing (external link) to an 'optional' alias on followers (e.g. companion).

Noone has a companion on game start so this alias is never filled on quest start, but clearly HC_Manager thinks this alias is useful so it must 'fill' at some point in the game.

 

I will just have to trudge through my test run to recruit a follower and see what happens.

 

Unless someone knows a console method of recruiting a companion (that doesn't mess up the followers quest itself)

Edited December 16, 2020 by PJMail

[steve40]

OK, I've had a chance to check some of my mods, and Flipdeezy used "ActiveCompanions" in our mod See You Sleep.

 

You don't need to add ActiveCompanions as a QuestAlias on your Quest tab. However, you should have a quest script attached to your quest. In the script, you can define a ReferenceCollectionAlias Property called ActiveCompanions and set the property using the CK. That way, it becomes irrelevant whether the alias is filled or not.

RefCollectionAlias Property ActiveCompanions const auto

 

I hope that makes sense.

 

Look at how we used this property in See You Sleep, I think we included the source code, the quest script is AB_SleepQuestScript.psc and the quest ID is AB_SleepQuest.

 

Cheers

[PJMail]

I am not using a script because I am using the questalias "ActiveCompanions" to start the script.

Actually a Spell for a ME which is just a script (because some things work extending an ME that don't extending a questalias)

You are doing the reverse - you have a script using the "ActiveCompanions" questalias - I also do that in other mods.

 

Anyway - issue resolved - my ques's 'optional' questalias is automagically filled with the refcol from "ActiveCompanions" when that questalias becomes non-empty.

 

So I answered my question - an external reference questalias track's the questalias they point to's contents - it isn't just an on-start fill - and even if it starts empty.

 

Just what I wanted...

[steve40]

OK, that's good to know. Glad you got it working :)