Why Does Adding Items To Npc Inventory Cause Them To Undress?

[Fredas]

It took me a heck of a long time to narrow down what was going on, but yeah, literally the act of adding something to a certain NPC's inventory is causing them to strip all equipment - or, if equipment was already stripped, it tends to pop back on.  Very curious.  Happens when using the console "additem", Papyrus "AddItem()", Papyrus "EquipItem()" (if they didn't already own it).  I've only gotten this to happen with a certain NPC (custom follower "Nel" from these forums).  Or perhaps it has only happened due to unique circumstances which result in a buggy state.

 

Anyway, I'm basically hoping someone's heard of this problem and knows what causes it.

 

[gvman3670]

I get that with Puppetmaster. I tell them I will decide what they wear from now on and they leave their clothes on until I give them something else or take something of theirs.

[Fredas]

I get that with Puppetmaster. I tell them I will decide what they wear from now on and they leave their clothes on until I give them something else or take something of theirs.

 

Wow, color me amazed!  I actually expected this question to wither away like all the rest, but instead I get the answer that probably is precisely what's going on.  Yes, PuppetMaster is likely to be the culprit, somehow.  It's loaded with SetOutfit() - a function I never knew about until three minutes ago.  I'll have to get cracking.

 

Big thanks for taking the time to help out.

 

Edit: Typically, I spoke too soon.  Now I've been able to get the problem happening on any NPC.  Well, any NPC I charm with PuppetMaster.  The phenomenon is so unpredictable that I don't know how to troubleshoot it.

 

[gvman3670]

Have you tried the console command "equipitem XXXXXXXX 1" on NPCs (after targeting them of course)? The "1" at the end is supposed to make it permanent, although I believe I've had them change back when they go to another cell.

[Fredas]

Okay, I have narrowed the problem down to some shenanigans Skyrim is pulling with an apparent default outfit setting.  Anyone can try the following with the console:

player.placeatme 0002BF9D 1

(Summons a Ralof.)  Exit console, re-enter console, click on Ralof.

additem 0003C9FE 1

(Gives Ralof a Roughspun Tunic.)  Exit, re-enter.

equipitem 0003C9FE

Exit, re-enter.  (Ralof is now wearing the Roughspun Tunic.)

additem 0003C9FE 1

(Gives another Roughspun Tunic.)  Exit.

 

Boom.  Ralof arbitrarily chooses this moment to re-equip his original armor.  Why?  And how can I prevent this activity?

 

[Fredas]

Interesting.  Yes, adding 1 fixed the armor in place.  Good call.  Now to see if the same can be accomplished via scripting.  The specific difficulty I'm having is that SexLab's strapon is not being equipped with this flag, and then when I change gear (during sex), the strapon starts having a mind of its own.

 

Edit: Tested via console if an already-equipped item could be "re-equipped" with the flag in place and it's looking good.  Guess it's back to scripting I go.

 

[gvman3670]

With the "equipitem" command you don't need to first "additem". You can just skip adding altogether.

[Fredas]

With the "equipitem" command you don't need to first "additem". You can just skip adding altogether.

 

Yeah, I actually had figured that already, but when the strapon started giving me headaches, I started getting paranoid.  Skyrim's quirkiness does that to me.  If only it hadn't taken the whole day to get to this point. ;p

 

[FastestDogInTheDistrict]

*I seem to recall that NPCs will "default" to whatever item in their inventory actually has the highest armour rating. Eg: if they normally run around in ordinary peasant clothing, and you give them Hide Armour, they will wear the armour (maybe). This is definitely true for followers (most of the time).

 

You can permanently alter NPCs clothing via the CK, but it generally involves flushing their entire inventory, giving them new items, and making a plugin to hold the change in place. This can sometimes require starting a new game (I know it does with the Companions NPCs).

[Guest Ragna_Rok]

Okay, I have narrowed the problem down to some shenanigans Skyrim is pulling with an apparent default outfit setting.  Anyone can try the following with the console:

player.placeatme 0002BF9D 1

(Summons a Ralof.)  Exit console, re-enter console, click on Ralof.

additem 0003C9FE 1

(Gives Ralof a Roughspun Tunic.)  Exit, re-enter.

equipitem 0003C9FE

Exit, re-enter.  (Ralof is now wearing the Roughspun Tunic.)

additem 0003C9FE 1

(Gives another Roughspun Tunic.)  Exit.

 

Boom.  Ralof arbitrarily chooses this moment to re-equip his original armor.  Why?  And how can I prevent this activity?

 

because the moment you give stuff to npcs skyrim checks and compares the usefullness. in other words, the tunic sux ass compared to his regular crap, skyrim wants to make ralof look smart, and so of course he prefers his crappy armor compared to the tunic.

 

my 2 cents. i recommend UFO... fixes some of those stupid standard procedures... clothes for immersion purposes FTW!

 

[Fredas]

 

additem 0003C9FE 1

(Gives another Roughspun Tunic.)  Exit.

 

Boom.  Ralof arbitrarily chooses this moment to re-equip his original armor.  Why?  And how can I prevent this activity?

 

because the moment you give stuff to npcs skyrim checks and compares the usefullness. in other words, the tunic sux ass compared to his regular crap, skyrim wants to make ralof look smart, and so of course he prefers his crappy armor compared to the tunic.

 

The thing which was responsible for the greatest component of confusion and time wasted - and which I still find inexplicable - is that NPCs will do this even when you merely hand them something new that they won't even use.  I'd say probably 25% of my modding effort has been soaked up by such things.