Which Follower Framework Do You Use?

[Morferous]

Survival themes and large overhauls work best wtih UFO. You cover your army of followers in fur and lead them in to another field of war. Shout based group controls work well and using them during battle is easy.

 

Games with spefic animations, however, seems to be working best with AFT. While UFO is more about the whole group than individuals, AFT is just the opposite. You can tinker with your follower as far as you like and even make new clothing sets for them to use. IMO, controlling groups in large battles is more painful with AFT, when UFO users can simply herd the whole band with shouts.

 

So, what's the best follower mod for Apropos? While I am personally staying with UFO, AFT might be better for your uses. We UFO guys are usually going with mods like Convenient Horses, Frostfall and Civil War Overhaul, where these mods get along very nicely. AFT users are most likely tinkering with outlooks and specific actions of individual followers and doing more initimite playtroughs.

I did not mean to make any rude generalisations here, but to ponder the main differences of these mods and why different peoples have so varied experiences of them. I hope you can make some use of it.

[nutluck]

Survival themes and large overhauls work best wtih UFO. You cover your army of followers in fur and lead them in to another field of war. Shout based group controls work well and using them during battle is easy.

 

Games with spefic animations, however, seems to be working best with AFT. While UFO is more about the whole group than individuals, AFT is just the opposite. You can tinker with your follower as far as you like and even make new clothing sets for them to use. IMO, controlling groups in large battles is more painful with AFT, when UFO users can simply herd the whole band with shouts.

 

So, what's the best follower mod for Apropos? While I am personally staying with UFO, AFT might be better for your uses. We UFO guys are usually going with mods like Convenient Horses, Frostfall and Civil War Overhaul, where these mods get along very nicely. AFT users are most likely tinkering with outlooks and specific actions of individual followers and doing more initimite playtroughs.

 

I did not mean to make any rude generalisations here, but to ponder the main differences of these mods and why different peoples have so varied experiences of them. I hope you can make some use of it.

 

Well I do use AFT and I do focus more on RPing for lack of a better term. I interact with my followers and use things like Follower Voice Overhaul mod that gives them a ton more things they can say etc. But I do also use Convenient Horses and Frostfall along with ineed cause it makes followers eat, drink and sleep as well.

[Darkening Demise]

UFO, never went back to vanilla. Never tried others. Won't ever change unless someone can persuade this closed mind.

[Karin]

Survival themes and large overhauls work best wtih UFO. You cover your army of followers in fur and lead them in to another field of war. Shout based group controls work well and using them during battle is easy.

 

Games with spefic animations, however, seems to be working best with AFT. While UFO is more about the whole group than individuals, AFT is just the opposite. You can tinker with your follower as far as you like and even make new clothing sets for them to use. IMO, controlling groups in large battles is more painful with AFT, when UFO users can simply herd the whole band with shouts.

 

So, what's the best follower mod for Apropos? While I am personally staying with UFO, AFT might be better for your uses. We UFO guys are usually going with mods like Convenient Horses, Frostfall and Civil War Overhaul, where these mods get along very nicely. AFT users are most likely tinkering with outlooks and specific actions of individual followers and doing more initimite playtroughs.

 

I did not mean to make any rude generalisations here, but to ponder the main differences of these mods and why different peoples have so varied experiences of them. I hope you can make some use of it.

 

AFT is good with survival and roleplaying too,for example you can say companion build tent or they auto relaxing.

[ttpt]

EFF tends to be highly compatible with mods, since it sort of just sits on top of the vanilla follower system. When people say it has problems with special followers it's because it they don't use the vanilla system it will simply not manage them, but if the follower has it's own custom management system that's just fine. It's really the closest one to the vanilla system in the list. It also has the option to do management through dialogue and disable the companion wheel if you're into that.

 

UFO is just really buggy and old. I'm really glad I moved away from it.

 

AFT is really nice if you really enjoy micromanagement, but it will have more compatibility issues than EFF. It really is also the only one that supports werewolf and vampire lord companions.

 

I personally prefer EFF since I like to keep things simple, but I also travel with a custom companion that EFF doesn't recognize at all. Serrana also tends to work like a custom follower and EFF also doesn't recognize her. Most Sexlab mods can detect the vanilla EFF affected companion, the custom one and Serrana just fine.

 

So if you have to do anything specific to add follower compatibility just make sure that it works for the vanilla system and add special support for AFT. Maybe some specific compatibility for Serrana, since at least her baseIDs are a well known factor.

[Quixote76]

EFF + Mad Companionship Spells

[Sunja44]

There was a post here on LL not long ago, that covered the same topic: http://www.loverslab.com/topic/28032-about-followers-need-help-to-decide-ufo-aft-eff/page-3

 

My opinion is on page 3 in two posts.

 

So my favorites are EFF and AFT.

 

-Choose EFF is you want to have it lean but bug free and get a nice menu as a bonus

-Choose AFT if you do not fear clicking through somewhat clunky dialog menus, but when you want to enjoy unique and really nice features.

 

I would never ever use UFO, too old, far too script heavy, using non vanilla scripts in addition, far too load order sensitive.

[cloudedsun]

I'm using UFO. Never had any problems with SL mods, and Apropos works great with it, though I'm not using any custom followers. BTW, I use defeat and devious captures which handle followers ok. Thinking of swithing to submit-devious-followerfriendly. Just a reason for people who haven't starting using followers yet.

[Killikrates~2014]

I use AFT and it plays nice with Interesting NPCs through the compatibility patch. Interesting NPCs seems to be intended to allow one additional follower with vanilla, so a console command may be necessary to "remind" it that AFT allows 5 active / 32(?) total (dismissed but parked in a home or other location). Vilja, with her own follower management works fine alongside AFT as well. I do notice multiple follwers adds noticeable stress to the scripting system, area transitions & inventory/outfit sorting cause visible lag (& brief nakedness).

 

 

I like the depth of options AFT provides, the menu is complex but only needs attention once for each follower. After initial follower setup AFT manages gear/outfits and combat AI routines without further attention. There's even an option to manually level followers up, so your favorite follower is like a second character since you can assign ability & skill points each level-up. Add Follower Conversation Overhaul for even more immersion.

[EternalDamned]

I use the only follower framework where I can be guaranteed they will not try to catch my fireballs and block my arrows. LFAH Leave Followers At Home! Now if only I could get the stupid guards to stop running into them and wanting to arrest me after I saved their lives from the vampires!

[Guest endgameaddiction]

I use UFO as my base to be able to hire up to 12 but mainly to give them different gear. I selected other because I also use this one as it's convenient for me because it allows me to hire NPCs that aren't followers that I felt deserve to be such as Salma who happens to be one of the best fighters that will level up with the player due to her level script.

[Regallag the Perv]

I used to use EFF, but it conflicted in a minor way with SOS (followers wouldn't equip custom armor) and trying to change followers combat styles never really worked ("Damn it, Lydia don't hold back and use a bow when your squishy mage thane is being being charged by a bear!").  I switched to AFT and it functions very well, although the dialog based interface is clunkier than I would like.

[Contessa]

I recently switched from UFO to AFT. I just got tired of hunting down various compatability patches for UFO, not to mention how it edits various things. It wasn't bad, but it was just too much for me.

[waree]

I'm using UFO a long Time, but now Simple multiple Followers No more Problems with Cerwiden and other custom Followers.

Short description from Nexus:

Compatibilities:

• All followers from current and future DLCs and 3rd party mods that use the default game's DialogueFollower quest are supported.
• All followers from current and future DLCs and 3rd party mods with their own recruit/dismiss system and do not use the default game's DialogueFollower quest are ignored and so are compatible.

 

 

[HallofFamer]

I use AFT, it seems to have the least compatibility issue with other mods, or at leat this is what I heard.

[chuckdm]

Just wanted to say I voted UFO, because that's what I'm using, but if I'm honest, I prefer AFT.  The command-all-followers-at-once abilities are invaluable when using more than a single follower and sneaking.  Sadly it conflicts with 4 other mods I'm using, so I'm stuck with UFO.

 

I really wish someone could explain why AFT is so much harder to ensure compatibility with.  Are they really so different?

[srayesmanll]

I used UFO at first.  It was the first major one available and was pretty stable.  However, it began showing it's age with the various dlc releases.  I don't think it's had a true major update in awhile (at least seven months, and only because someone else began doing some work to FINALLY get it dragonborn compatible).  So I switched to AFT.  Frankly, I could care less about follower mods (rarely use more than 1 follower anyway), but what I liked about it was the outfit management.  I liked the Standard/City/Home outfit abilities.  Unfortunately, it doesn't play nice with DeviousDevices - if I want the NPC to wear a DD item at home but not traveling, AFT removed the item correctly but cannot add it back on when I return home with the follower because DD or AFT can't remove it from the backpack (thinks it's attached to the backpack) and put it back on.  Hhhmmm, thinking about it now, I wonder if putting a DD key in the backpack would solve that problem?  Something to test later.  Anyway, I like AFT and will stick with it until a better follower/NPC clothes management system crops up.  There have been a couple I tried but there was always something I didn't like - limited number of NPCs it could handle, etc.

[Rabblerouser]

None.

 

Seems any follower tweaks might throw a wrench in whatever mods I already have installed.. it's going to be a damn headache.

I'd rather keep with a setup that doesn't require me pulling up my mod network by its roots and shaking the fuck out of it.

[eflat0]

When I use a "follower" it's usually Arissa or Vilja both of which are stand-alone which do not take up a follower count and have their own extensive dialog, options  etc...  I like the personalities built into them . Anyway the way they're built you can take on another follower with you anytime either of those are in company, but very rarely I do.

 

Much the time followers tend to get in the way or can be annoying... really gets doubly annoying when you've a couple or more. Mage followers for instance will often trigger fights with your other followers during combat.

 

I hate dogs especially since they're always  on top of you while you're trying to sneak around etc... 

[Miekael]

I use AFT and FLP. Follower live package is pretty new and being worked on. Makes my followers hunt, gather and the shared inventory is pretty handy. They also relax and eat, drink, play music. xD The modder uses AFT too so the compatibility won't change and I've yet to have a problem with custom followers. In fact some FLP features even works on unmanaged quest followers without any discovered issue for me.

[rylasasin]

I used to use AFT...

 

But now I use EFF exclusively, along with Follower Live Package for anything that EFF doesn't cover.

 

 

[sampsamp]

which follower framework is more stable? AFT or EFF?

[Guest endgameaddiction]

I want to stop using UFO and find a better mod that allows me to have unlimited followers.and still able to turn them essential via dialogue. I think I read EFF supports unlimited amount.

[ryonoreiji]

Extensible Follower Framework v4-0-0 Beta 13 Works Grate, and its what im using right now

[RDKateran]

I must be the only person who hasn't been having any trouble with UFO.  I'd consider switching, but Cerwiden's holding me back.  I see people swearing up and down that she's compatible with AFT, but I was there when the compatibility was in development, and Ceri's author said that both Cerwiden AND AFT had to be updated for true compatibility.  AFT got its update out, but Ceri's all but abandoned (I send a few messages to the author every once in a while, trying to urge him to come back and at least release that final update).