Provides various utilities useful for making followers as well as functionality to reduce the chances of followers talking over each other or over player dialogue.

Feature - Silencing Talkative Followers Unilaterally

A useful feature of this mod attempts to reduce followers from talking over each other. Specifically, they will not start new idle comments when (a) the player is in dialogue with any NPC, (b) any of the current followers are talking or are in a scene, or (c) the player is close to non-follower NPCs in a scene.

Important:

1. Some followers rely on idles to progress. Examples include Remiel and Xelzaz, among others. If you're wondering why they haven't said anything yet, keep an eye out for them shrugging their shoulders and (lightly) waving arms. This means someone else is stealing the spotlight from them. Give them some time to butt in.
2. Followers can still talk over each other if they happen to start at almost exactly the same time. However, this is not a common occurrence.

Configuration/Troubleshooting

1. To turn off the STFU feature, run the console command: stopquest FK_QUST_STFU
2. To turn off the detection of nearby scenes, run the console command: set FK_GLOB_StfuForScenes 0.0
3. To change the distance for detecting nearby scenes, run the console command: set FK_GLOB_StfuForScenesDistance # (Use a positive decimal number. The default is 256.0)
4. To exclude an NPC from being considered for nearby scenes, click them in the console and run: addtofaction FK_FACT_StfuIgnoredSceneActors 1
5. To exclude a follower from silencing altogether, click them in the console and run: addtofaction FK_FACT_DoNotStfu 1
6. If a follower is bypassing STFU, then you can patch their idles to be conditioned on a gap in dialogue. A zedit script is provided in the miscellaneous files and on github that completely automates this process for you.
7. If your followers have stopped talking completely for at least 10 minutes, drop a note in the comments, so I can help you.

Demonstration

Supported followers

Most custom voiced followers should be supported out of the box, including those not listed here. However, there may be a few that need patches or behave differently, for example, Caesia. If you notice one of your followers is talking a lot out of turn, let me know.

1. Aniya
2. Auri
3. Bjorn
4. Caryalind
5. Gore
6. Improved Follower Dialogue - Lydia
7. Inigo
8. Interesting NPCs - TODO
9. Katana (and Megara)
10. Khajiit Will Follow
11. Khash
12. Livia Salvian
13. Lucien
14. Lucifer
15. Lyssia
16. Recorder
17. Redcap
18. Remiel
19. Sa'chil
20. Secunda
21. Serana (including SDA)
22. Shirley
23. Skeever
24. Spike the Dwemer Sphere
25. Taliesin
26. Thogra gra-Mugur
27. Val Serano
28. Xelzaz
29. Yazakh

Mods with similar follower chatter features

1. Considerate Followers
2. I'm Talkin' Here
3. Muzzle It

But wait, there's more! (For mod authors, anyway...)

This mod also includes a number of factions, events, conditions, keywords, and other functions intended to help with follower creation and commentary. Continue reading for more.

Follower Tracking

Keep track of followers to make it easier to interact with them and check whether they're actually followers (because not all followers behave the same).

Conditions

Is the Actor currently a follower, i.e., recruited?

GetInFaction FK_FACT_TrackedFollowers == 1.0

Story Events

The following events will be emitted for use in the Story Manager to start your own Quests.

Follower is recruited

Keyword: FK_KYWD_FollowerEvent

Parameters:

1. Location akLoc = None,
2. ObjectReference akRef1 = The recruited follower
3. ObjectReference akRef2 = None
4. int aiEventType = 0
5. int aiFollowerCount = The current follower count

Follower is dismissed

Keyword: FK_KYWD_FollowerEvent

Parameters:

1. Location akLoc = None,
2. ObjectReference akRef1 = The dismissed follower
3. ObjectReference akRef2 = None
4. int aiEventType = 1
5. int aiFollowerCount = The current follower count

Mod Events

The following mod events will be emitted for use directly in Papyrus.

Follower is recruited

Keyword: FK_FollowerRecruitedEvent

Parameters:

1. Form akActor = The recruited follower
2. Int aiSize = The current follower count

Follower is dismissed

Keyword: FK_FollowerDismissedEvent

Parameters:

1. Form akActor = The dismissed follower
2. Int aiSize = The current follower count

Dialogue Tracking

Keep track of when the player is talking to someone and when a follower is talking.

Conditions

Is the player talking to someone OR is a follower talking?

GetGlobalValue FK_GLOB_DialogueIsOngoing > 0.0

Note: This is set to the number of active talkers.

Story Events

The following events will be emitted for use in the Story Manager to start your own Quests.

The player enters conversation with an NPC

Keyword: FK_KYWD_DialogueEvent

Parameters:

1. Location akLoc = None,
2. ObjectReference akRef1 = The NPC in dialogue with the player
3. ObjectReference akRef2 = None
4. int aiEventType = 0

The player exits conversation with an NPC

Keyword: FK_KYWD_DialogueEvent

Parameters:

1. Location akLoc = None,
2. ObjectReference akRef1 = The NPC that was in dialogue with the player
3. ObjectReference akRef2 = None
4. int aiEventType = 1

Weather Tracking

Keep track of conditions related to the weather that aren't exposed by the base game.

Conditions

Note: Conditions are refreshed (a) on location change and (b) every minute, if outdoors.

Is an aurora visible? (Time is between 8pm and 5am.)

GetGlobalValue FK_GLOB_WeatherHasAurora == 1.0

Is the weather foggy?

GetGlobalValue FK_GLOB_WeatherHasFog == 1.0

Region Tracking

Regions are areas painted on the map that define certain characteristics of the area. Survival uses them as part of its cold/warm climate tracking.

Conditions

Is the player in a forested region?

GetGlobalValue FK_GLOB_InForestRegion == 1.0

Examples: Falkreath area, outside Riften

Is the player in a pleasant region?

GetGlobalValue FK_GLOB_InPleasantRegion == 1.0

Examples: Riften area, Whiterun area

Is the player in a snowy region?

GetGlobalValue FK_GLOB_InSnowyRegion == 1.0

Examples: Dawnstar area, Windhelm area

Location Tracking

Some locations are difficult to track, particularly when the player enters or is otherwise inside city walls.

Conditions

Is the player inside ?

GetGlobalValue FK_GLOB_InMarkarthProper == 1.0

GetGlobalValue FK_GLOB_InRiftenProper == 1.0

GetGlobalValue FK_GLOB_InSolitudeProper == 1.0

GetGlobalValue FK_GLOB_InWhiterunProper == 1.0

GetGlobalValue FK_GLOB_InWindhelmProper == 1.0

Note: These globals remain true in indoor locations inside the cities.

Story Events

The following events will be emitted for use in the Story Manager to start your own Quests.

The player entered

Keyword: FK_KYWD_LocationEvent

Parameters:

1. Location akLoc = The city's location, e.g., MarkarthLocation, WhiterunLocation
2. ObjectReference akRef1 = None
3. ObjectReference akRef2 = None
4. int aiEventType = 0

Supported cities: Markath, Riften, Solitude, Whiterun, Windhelm

Note: This will only trigger when entering the city via the gate or fast travel. It will not trigger when going inside/outside buildings inside the city.

Showcase

Critical hit story events used to trigger comments (unreleased follower):

Future Work

These are things I'm likely to add to this mod in the near future as I continue development on custom followers.

1. Improve handling around the STFU feature, including fallback logic.
2. Optional MCM for tweaking settings.
3. Commentary rate adjuster for all followers?
4. Follower framework support for basic follower features (recruit, dismiss, wait, follow, trade, favor).

Permissions/Licensing

This mod is released under CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

You are free to use assets from this mod IF:

1. you do not charge for it (Bethesda rules, not CC)

2. you share the work under CC BY-SA 4.0

3. you attribute credit

(Note: If you just want to use this to make your follower even more awesome, you have my permission to depend on this mod without making your follower mod CC BY-SA.)