NETHER'S FOLLOWER FRAMEWORK
Looking for a multi-follower framework that is easy on game resources and gives you the choice between animal or humanoid companions, with as little as one or as many as 10 at a time? How about a system that also provides a wealth of interesting features, both immersive and quality-of-life, to allow you to tailor the framework to your own style of gameplay?
Look no further, Nether's Follower Framework is that and more!
This mod has 4 goals in mind:
- Be compatible with as many other mods out there as possible, so that you can use it alongside your favorites.
- Provide companion features that are familiar and useful but also engaging and interesting.
- Make preferences optional and undoable, so that companions (and your game) don't get broken along the way.
- Offer interesting options but also keep it resource-friendly and script-engine light.
This framework is intended to be used with followers that use the default follower system. In other words, hook into the standard Dialogue Follower quest (most companions on the Nexus). However, there is also an optional feature that allows you to
Import custom followers so that they can also make use of many aspects of this mod (no guarantees, of course, but has been tested with many unique followers out there).
This mod does
require SKSE and SkyUI, but those components allow me to deliver streamlined and engaging options to you, that wouldn't be possible without.
NFF is crafted by a follower fanatic with many years of gaming and programming experience who loves putting together a rotating group of adventurers together to accompany his dragonborn on adventures in Skyrim. For the
Nerds! (ahem...) Nords!
This a backward port for Skyrim Legendary Edition by request.
You may post about bugs, read changelog and so forth at the
Special Edition Page. Please notate that you are using LE when reporting bugs/asking questions.
This mod uses features that are common to both LE and SSE, so should be 99.9% compatible. I wish to make it very clear that I only play the SSE version and therefore cannot provide direct, realistic support for LE as I won't be spending enough time in it for that to be fair. Consider this to be Use at Your Own Risk, with no guarantees of functionality provided. For all intents and purposes this should work fine but I'm being brutally honest with you, whether anyone feels that is fair or not.
How to Solve Some Issues:
- Sort your Mods with Loot.
- Put nwsFollowerFramework.esp at the end of your load order, even if Loot puts it somewhere else and no, I don't care where it puts it. Heck, even make a rule in Loot to put it at the end.
Core Features- Up to 10 Followers (flexible, can be humanoids or animals).
- No starter bow or arrows.
- Integrated Interesting NPC support (requires iNPC, obviously)
- Explicit support for Serana and Sofia.
- Plenty of options, below,
all at your choice, set with a robust MCM menu. If you don't like something, it's very likely you can turn it off.
- Detailed PDF Guide provided, for explaining all features.
- Optional (vanilla + DLC) scripts replacement if you have a problem getting the framework to "stick". Option as well for RDO.
- 3DNPC is supported natively, like vanilla followers. Make sure the option in the FOMOD is checked.
Sandboxing- Allow Followers to Sandbox when you are doing passive tasks.
- Set Followers to only Sandbox In-Town.
- Auto-Sandbox in Town Interiors, Your Homes or Locations you determine.
- Toggle off for any specific Follower.
- Allow Followers (and other NPCs) to Sandbox multi-level interiors.
- Followers can be individually set up to craft and/or interact when sandboxing. "Craft" in this sense is not a sim, but it does give them something actual to do while hanging around with some minor conveniences/buffs. Interaction is currently limited to ordering drinks at the taverns.
Mount/Riding Support- Allow Followers to use spawned horses provided by this mod.
- Allow Horses to disappear when not being ridden or have them stay around.
- Select breed and effects of their horse, select breed globally.
- Provide Riding Package support only if another mod provides a horse system but no packages.
- Toggle off for any specific Follower.
Combat- Set combat and non-combat distance of Followers.*
- Place Followers in a Healer or Tank Role.
- Choose from 10 different combat styles for Followers.
- Reduce Infighting between Followers.
- Optionally Disable bleedout recovery keeping them down during a fight.
- Revive fallen followers with health potions.
Movement- Catch Up teleport (and On-Demand Ability for player)
- Can Control distance and polling time.
- Enable a +25% Movement Boost for faster following.
- Reduce interpolation between walk/run state changes (faster reaction).
Actions- Create/Manage up to 10 "Home Bases" for your followers, where they will go when you dismiss them. Can set up work and relax locations, optionally. You can rename Bases and all locations, move followers to/from bases and visit your bases at any time.
- Regard System for Followers - relationship system that is more of their respect for you as an adventuring partner. Awards some abilities and benefits.
- Improve Follower Stealth AI when out of combat. They will not initiate combat, chatter and they move in close.
- Extinguish Torches when you and Followers are stealthing.
- Cause Follower Torches to Expire when being used.
- Stop Idle Chatter on all or selected followers (or only allow it while sandboxing)
- Prevent Followers from drawing weapons when you do.
- Followers will not set off basic traps (equivalent of LightFoot perk). Optional via installer.
- Followers get out of the way when you get very close to them.
- Followers can Auto-Recharge weapons they use or use filled soul gems (not player filled).
- Learn skills from your followers when fighting with them in combat (Affinity system).
- Teach Followers spells by trading spell books to them and/or directly teaching the spells you know. Works with spell mods!
- Set any Follower to Essential (or reverse it). While in the Framework, all Followers are Protected.
- Change the Behavior of Followers (morality, crime, etc).
- Set the Damage Multiplier of followers, affecting their attack damage.
Gear
- Set up Adventuring Gear for a Follower, telling them what to wear while they are following you. This is gear enforcement
NOT outfit managment.
- Storage system for re-applying Adventuring Gear when re-recruited. Storage for up to 50 individual Followers, one storage set per follower.
- Copy their default outfit into your inventory (for custom armor, mainly).
- Set a Follower to only equip headwear, shield, quiver and/or weapons while in combat.
- Blades compatibility for multiple followers plus the ability to give followers the blades gear instead of changing their base outift. Only supports SkyHaven Temple Restore and Expanded at this time.
Control- Issue Commands to all Followers or individual ones at a distance.
- Commands for All Followers: Wait/Follow, Toggle Sandbox, Combat/Follow Distance, Summon and Dismiss.
- Commands for Single Followers (when facing follower and in your sights): Wait/Follow, Trade, Favor, Set Adventuring Gear and Dismiss.
- Variety of hotkey customizable commands.
Info
- Much like a character sheet, you can view Stats, Skills, Perks and Abilities of your followers.
- Convenient History feature allows you to see where your past followers are and either move to them or move them to you.
Expendables
- Enlist the help of non-essential (inconsequential) NPCs by bribing them to join you, adding them to the framework.
- Offer them varying amounts of gold, with more gold equaling a greater chance they will join you.
- Repeatedly hiring the same NPC will eventually make them join you free of charge.
- Experimental feature but works on most non-essentials, even those provided by other mods. Use with caution. They will retain vanilla dialogues, so be wary of some options while they are with you.
- You can bring them to your level and allow them to go up in level as you do by using the optional batch file (install MANUALLY to your main Skyrim directory). Open the console, make sure they are selected and type: bat nfflevel
Extras
- Divorce your wife or husband and marry someone else (follower or not!).
- Apply a Weekly Follower Cost to Followers (as a gold sink).
- Share the Wealth with Followers when you find big hauls of gold (gold sink).
- Call Player Horse ability with hotkey support.
- Track the whereabouts of Follower via a quest.
* - Custom Followers are usually completely outside of the Framework but can be Imported to use any feature not shown with "*" above. Importing allows them to "borrow" a Follower Slot, so they count towards the max limit. Custom Follower here specifically means any Follower with their own follower framework outside of the vanilla system (Serana, Sofia, Recorder, Arissa, and so on). This includes Custom Pets that have their own follower framework outside of the vanilla system. Not all imported followers are compatible.- Pets (Animal Companions) under this Framework use most of the features that Followers do. However, all races in the game are governed by behavior files meaning that pets will do what they want to do at times. Example: Dogs will sit when the player stops whether you have them set to sandbox or not.
Do Not Import These Followers (incompatible):
- Inigo
- Shingchen Holysee Knight Followers
- Recorder (reported issues)
- Lucien (reported issues)
- Anna's NPCs (not recommended)
- Any follower that says "do not manage with a follower manager", "do not manage with AFT" or similar.
REQUIREMENTS
- SKSE64
- SkyUI
- Dawnguard - Must be installed and enabled.
- Fuz Ro D-oh (OPTIONAL)
- PapyrusUtil (OPTIONAL)
- ConsoleUtil (OPTIONAL)
- Unofficial Skyrim Legendary Edition Patch (OPTIONAL)
RECOMMENDED- Convenient Horses for follower horses.
- Simple NPC Outfit Manager for actual outfit management, if you don't like the Adventuring Gear feature of NFF.
INSTALLATIONSpoiler:
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I recommend using a mod manager to install this mod. It is in FOMOD format.
The following scripts, if they are present, will be overwritten:
- DialogueFollowerScript (and QF_DialogueFollower_000750BA) - retains original functions but alters their contents to segway into the framework controller script.
- FollowerAliasScript - as above.
- TrainedAnimalScript - as above.
- TrapBear - Altered to not affect followers. You can optionally remove this script if you want vanilla follower trap behavior.
- TrapTriggerBase - as above.
- BladesChangeOutfitScript, FreeformSkyHavenTempleAScript, QF_FreeformSkyHavenTempleA_000E38C9 - For adapting to the Blades recruitment and adding equipment option.
New Game
This is the recommended approach. You can begin your game with this mod enabled. Startup impact is minimal.
Existing Game
Likely works best if you have never installed a multiple follower mod (AFT, EFF, UFO, etc).
1. Follow the directions for uninstalling your multiple follower mod, including uninstalling the mod. Your followers should all be dismissed.
2. Make sure your current follower is dismissed, along with any animal follower.
3. Travel to a new cell (any indoor location, for example).
4. Save your game.
5. Exit and Install Nether's Follower Framework.
6. Load your game. You should get text on the screen saying that the mod is installed.
7. Save your game and then load the save you just created.
If all went well you should be using the framework. I cannot guarantee it will work flawlessly in an older save file, especially one that previously had a different framework installed. You may wish (at your own peril/comfort) to use a save game cleaner. Personally I use Fallrim Tools and I haven't had an issue with it.
Updating
Best behavior in most cases is to uninstall then install using the FOMOD installer.
Load Order
Place this mod near the end of your load order.
Loot
If LOOT constantly puts it somewhere else, place near the end of your load order and make a rule in LOOT. LOOT may say to set Riding Only when using with Convenient Horses. You can do that OR turn off horses for followers you want to buy horses for using CH.
Spoiler:
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The script load of this Framework is pretty light to minimal. Most of the scripts and functions are fire and forget and use game events when possible. There are some exceptions. If you don't want any Papyrus load, you can turn off some features to have zero load in real time.
Sandboxing - The sandbox function uses a single update loop that checks in real time. At around 7 seconds of the player being more or less idle, Followers will sandbox.
Catch-Up "Teleport" - The catch up system is on the same single update as Sanboxing but only checks once per 10 seconds. It isn't a necessary component as you can use the Teleport ability to pull all Followers and Pets to you.
Check Count - This checks the follower and animal count and adjusts it occasionally (single loop in real time, quick check every 8 seconds). I do recommend you leave it on. The only time it does anything in depth at all is if my animal and follower count doesn't match Skyrim's. You can turn it off and check manually (or on location change event) - this might feel more kludgy though.
Import Adjustment - Same single update loop as Check Count, this simply removes an Imported follower from the Framework. You don't use my Framework to Dismiss or Recruit Custom Followers, they use their own system so this is just a clean up as their follower system doesn't directly talk to mine. Zero impact when no Custom Follower is imported.
So... If you really, truly want zero impact, turn off Sandboxing, Catch-Up, Check Count and don't Import any custom followers. You might want to try these systems first before just turning them off. These systems are actually pretty light.
Spoiler:
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Compatible with most mods that affect followers, including:
- Immersive Horses (switch Mount Support in my mod to Riding Support Only)
- Convenient Horses (switch Mount Support in NFF to Riding Support Only OR disable horse on a per-follower basis)
- My Home is Your Home (NFF has similar feature with setting up larger "bases of operation")
- Simple NPC Outfit Manager
- Relationship Dialogue Overhaul
- Interesting NPCs
- Skyrim Horses Renewal
- Sofia
*** The above mods work in my game. Some have reported issues with these mods. However, I have had no issues with them, nor CTD or anything of that nature. If I cannot replicate an issue, that issue cannot reasonably be fixed.
This framework will not make any followers explicitly compatible with any of the mentioned mods, except iNPCs.
Mods that affect marriage or children should be fine as those systems are untouched.
Not fully tested with Animal mods. In theory, most should be fine. I have tried Dogs of Skyrim so far.
Not compatible with:
- Any multi-follower framework mods (AFT, EFF, UFO and similar).
- Any mods that directly affect the recruitment of Blades.
- Not compatible with mods that teach spells by trading books with Followers.
- Not compatible with Better Stealth AI for Followers (NFF does have some similar features)
- May conflict with any mod that enforces the following game settings: fFollowSpaceBetweenFollowers, iFriendHitCombatAllowed, fCombatTeammateFollowRadiusBase, fCombatTeammateFollowRadiusMin, fAIDistanceTeammateDrawWeapon, fFastWalkInterpolationBetweenWalkAndRun, fJogInterpolationBetweenWalkAndRun.
Potential Conflicts:
- Mods that enhance follower combat AI will likely override this mod. This affects the Healer Role and Combat Distances.
- Mods that affect how followers travel with the player will likely override this mod. This affects Follow Distance. moving out of the way, Sandboxing, Stealth movement.
