Skyrim

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Her515

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Her515

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About this mod

Ever wanted your very own pony in Skyrim?? Well now you can have just that! Atlas the Pack Pony is a companion follower that is more than willing to help carry ALL your burdens. As an independently scripted follower, he's technically considered an NPC so you can have him as a Follower AND keep whatever animal you want! 100% compatible.

Permissions and credits
-OVERVIEW-
This mod adds an independently scripted follower/animal companion to the Skyrim world. He is a Pack Pony that comes with a very large carrying capacity, he's meant strictly as a utility companion, so he won't fight; he is simply in Skyrim to carry your burdens.

You can find Atlas inside of Bleak Falls Barrow where his previous owner met an untimely demise, you will see him waiting just inside the entrance and a journal titled "Ygor's Journal" laying near-by. You can activate him before reading the journal if you want, but the journal gives you his backstory. He comes equipped with all the traditional "follower dialogue" for example: Follow, Wait, Trade, Favor, Dismiss.

As I said previously, he is considered an NPC so you can have him WITH any other type of animal follower you desire. He is essential and will run from battle. Mods such as Immersive Horses or EFF will NOT manage him (I did this on purpose due to compatibility purposes). While Following you, he will fast travel with you but if you leave him waiting for you, and then fast travel, you will lose him!
****************A special note regarding AFT usage and this mod****
AFT IS compatible with this mod, when you hire him AFT will 'say' it's managing him but it really isn't and using ANY AFT commands on him will mess things up a bit (outfit and combat wise). Do NOT use the access backpack command with him and be sure to look under Tweak options and make sure 'allow outfit management' is NOT CHECKED and that the 'combat' is checked on NONE. Use all default dialogue with him and you will be FINE! :-)

-More Details and Thank You's-
I really hope some of you enjoy this mod! This is my FIRST upload to the Nexus after years of using mods, I actually was inspired to make this mod by a combination of 2 other mods (I'll put them below in recommended mods section). It was NO EASY TASK, I spent days on end fretting and researching and I found several amazing resources and people that were willing to help and I could not have done it without them!! A HUGE shout out and THANK YOU to DarkFox127 and his Modders resource:  Projecy Modularity which can be found on the nexus at http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/79519/?He also has a Twitch stream of live modding, a Discord channel (of which I was on several times for different issues) and last but certainly not least, he has a TON of YouTube tutorials for modding, if you've never checked him out and are interested in modding I Urge you to find him!!
Also a heartfelt thank you to noraimironhand and wellsantos who unknowingly inspired me to cross the threshold of modding lol :-) and lastly Mattiewag, who is the author of this amazing article and step by step tutorial, (found here: http://skyrimmw.weebly.com/skyrim-modding/making-a-custom-follower-skyrim-modding-tutorial), without which I would never have been able to make my mod.
Thanks is also extended to BETHESDA for allowing us to have so much continued fun with the game!!
--SO just to reiterate, THANK YOU GUYS!!!

-Installation-
To install this mod, use the NMM link, MO, or simply extract the archive into your data folder, they are 7zip files and should not be hard to extract manually if you choose to do so; simply take the contents and drop them into your data folder. You can install this mod mid-game with no consequences, even if you have already gone through Bleak Falls Barrow. It has been thoroughly tested with a heavily (200 or so) modded game with absolutely no issues. I DO recommend that you make a new save then reload into that save after installing.

-EXTRAS-
I have included an alternate version of the mod, where Atlas is carrying a small hand cart. I directly used welsantos mod 'handcart' to make this model. I was unfortunately unable to make handcart compatible directly (when you try to give the handcart to the follower it becomes invisible no matter what I tried, even though the handcart KEPT all functionality); my solution to this was to aesthetically 'fix' the issue, so this version includes the handcart 'model' so when i give the handcart to my follower it doesn't matter that it's invisible! Yay. ***NOTE, VERY IMPORTANT*** You MUST have BOTH the original mod (AtlasthePackPony) and Handcart installed to use this option!! Get "Handcart" here on the Nexus: http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/74517/? . It's an awesome mod, you'll love it anyway!
-To install extra look-
First, install the required mods (this one's main folder and Handcart), then use NMM, MO or manual download to extract files to your data folder, overwrite any files it asks to (mesh files) and activate the ESP. Be sure that the add-on loads AFTER both Handcart and AtlasthePackPony (it will order correctly if you use LOOT, which every modder should...).

-Recommended Mods-

*Well this is REQUIRED (for the 'cart' optional/alternate look) and recommended :-) :
1) Handcart - http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/74517/?  --I wanted to use this mod but was unable to attach it to my horse (it's not compatible with immersive horses) and attaching it to my follower just became a nuisance due to navmeshing issues (they would constantly walk through it, which was sort of tolerable, but THEN my follower was riding horses with the thing still strapped on and it was atrocious). So I then began searching for an alternate follower to 'attach' it to that couldn't ride a horse but sadly it's also incompatible with creatures (same bug as with Atlas, just turns invisible) so I decided to make my own!
*My second inspiration:
2) Mule in Skyrim - http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/59612/? **Seeing the mule models inspired me to make a Pony and the author allowed me to use the altered meshes (the crates on the side) to complete my 'look'

3) Jaxonz Map Markers - http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/58450/? - I've used this mod forever, it works great and solves my "if i leave Atlas waiting and fast travel I lose him" problem, Highly recommended for use with this mod. Alternatively, if you use the handcart and give it to Atlas it will also mark his location fyi

4) iNeed - http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/51473/?This is a great immersion mod that requires the player to eat, drink and sleep. With the follower needs turned on Atlas also requires food and drink, which was a pleasant surprise :-)

Ok thanks for stopping by and checking out my mod, hope you Enjoy!

*Note: while I will be available for questions, I am unsure how much ability I have to update the mod, I am not actually very talented with a computer and just making this took me entirely too long (like embarrassingly long)...So, if you have suggestions or want something more from this mod I am open to hearing suggestions and hearing from anyone that could help me improve it, please PM me.

********************************************************************UPDATES****************************************************************************************************************
--I have uploaded an updated version of my original mod, 1) Atlas the Pack Pony V2.3 has the generated SEQ file that fixes the initial dialogue intro bug, it's not required, the original version also still works just fine, but it does fix the dialogue not showing up sometimes when you very first meet Atlas and you have to save and reload. **To install, simply uninstall the old version and install this new one, I did it mid-game with no problems; Atlas still had his whole inventory and there was no need to dismiss and re-hire

--I have also uploaded per request a "naked" version of the mod where Atlas is not wearing any equipment 2) Atlas the Pack Pony Naked V2.3.2. ***IMPORTANT*** Use this version OR the original equipment version 2.3 NOT BOTH. **To install, uninstall old version (original equipment version) and MAKE SURE your mod manager has removed all files relating to the mod, then install this version. I also did this mid-game with no issues as long as my mod manager actually removed all the files from the original mod. **Note if you use this version and later decide you want equipment you will have to UNINSTALL this version and RE-INSTALL the original equipment version 2.3.

--------I have uploaded a requested version of the mod that has Atlas at roughly the size of a Mule, It is to be used completely by itself with NO other version of the mod installed, Enjoy!


**PERMISSIONS
I won't allow anyone to use my mod without first contacting me, I will take each request on a case-by-case basis, thank you. (Honestly it's a VERY basic mod lol if I can do it, so can you! just use the resources I posted on here)

----------Yours Truly,
HER515