The Devious Manual v2.1.8

[Content Consumer]

 

 

 

Development is going to zero for the next 2-6 weeks, due to a family health issue.

I'll be without my precious, precious internet for that time, so goodbye y'all, see you in a month, month and a half at the outside.

 

Current status of this mod:

I've apparently fixed Froa's forehead, no idea how, but it works. We'll see what happens.

As soon as I get back, I fully intend to finish up the KS and No4 patches.

 

 

I had the dark forehead bug when creating custom NPCs and then I found out it was the lipstick from Bella's face textures being applied to the forehead by the CK. The simple fix was to remove the Tintmasks folder from Textures>Actors>Character>Character Assets before doing any NPC work in the CK and exporting facegen data, and then to replace the folder afterwards before launching the game. The CK is simply incompatible with custom face textures.

 

 

Froa in CK without tintmasks installed, and in-game after exporting facegen data without tintmasks installed (they were of course replaced after closing the CK):

 

I'm not using that, but I am using various other mods that might be doing the same thing. Ah well. Why the CK is putting lipstick on the forehead, I don't know. Maybe the room was dark, or the CK was drunk at the time, or there was an earthquake and it slipped on the floor...

 

Yeah, that's what I ended up doing again... Worked like a charm. No idea why it did it's thing the first time.

[Content Consumer]

v2.1.4 is up: Just a very small, quick update to let people know I'm still alive.

Fixed Froa's forehead.

[Mister E]

Yep. I'm gone for two weeks, and suddenly there are bug reports. 

 

Thanks jordisslave and thermius, those are correct... hope that fixes people's problems...

I thought I made it sort of obvious where to go (to the well) in the journal entry on the table, but apparently not. I should probably have added a map marker to the corpse.

 

 

EDIT: IIRC, I set the corpse to appear when you pick up the diary on the table... and there have been people having issues picking up the diary (it works fine for me, but that's sort of obvious, and a cop-out to boot). I think the hitbox is being hidden by other objects or something. Try TCL to get to the diary, maybe?

 

You DID make it obvious. His body just never showed up! I thought I had made it obvious that, yeah, I saw that he was killed by that whispmother by the well on the hill. Apparently I came across like a drooling moron.

[Thermius]

 

You DID make it obvious. His body just never showed up! I thought I had made it obvious that, yeah, I saw that he was killed by that whispmother by the well on the hill. Apparently I came across like a drooling moron.

 

 

no sir, you did not.

 

last time I played this quest everything went well, the time before that some dialog acted weird... same version, my save was FUBAR through many many poor choices on my part which caused a lot of shyte... So I did a new build and a clean char and had no problems since...

 

Sometimes stuff just happens...

[Content Consumer]

 

Yep. I'm gone for two weeks, and suddenly there are bug reports. 

 

Thanks jordisslave and thermius, those are correct... hope that fixes people's problems...

I thought I made it sort of obvious where to go (to the well) in the journal entry on the table, but apparently not. I should probably have added a map marker to the corpse.

 

 

EDIT: IIRC, I set the corpse to appear when you pick up the diary on the table... and there have been people having issues picking up the diary (it works fine for me, but that's sort of obvious, and a cop-out to boot). I think the hitbox is being hidden by other objects or something. Try TCL to get to the diary, maybe?

 

You DID make it obvious. His body just never showed up! I thought I had made it obvious that, yeah, I saw that he was killed by that whispmother by the well on the hill. Apparently I came across like a drooling moron.

 

Nah, don't worry about it. Text is a poor method of conveying information compared to interpersonal speech. It's entirely possible to skip words while reading, or interpret things differently than they were intended, and completely impossible to properly convey emotion in any way.

The point is, you didn't come across like a moron any more (or less!) than I am a moron for misreading it.

 

 

 

You DID make it obvious. His body just never showed up! I thought I had made it obvious that, yeah, I saw that he was killed by that whispmother by the well on the hill. Apparently I came across like a drooling moron.

 

 

no sir, you did not.

 

last time I played this quest everything went well, the time before that some dialog acted weird... same version, my save was FUBAR through many many poor choices on my part which caused a lot of shyte... So I did a new build and a clean char and had no problems since...

 

Sometimes stuff just happens...

 

This mod... it's a mess under the hood. I learned as I went, and that led to some things being done poorly.

Frankly, I'm kind of surprised it works as well as it does...

I just think of it like "baby's first Skyrim mod" and keep my fingers crossed that it works for 90% of the people who play it.

[BKKK]

Like some others here I also had an issue with finding the courier for book 6. (Nth of Ivarstead)

After dealing with the wisp mother I searched all around for the dead courier but no success.

I tried the console commands (player.moveto) using the codes from this thread.

The first code moved me in front of the well as per the arrow in the above post but no courier to be seen.

I then tried the 2nd code and came face to face with a frost atronach WTF!!!

It would seem I had found the courier who had appeared very much alive and rather hostile 

After dealing with his summoned atronach I then set out to take the courier.

Hmmm! he was rather on the powerful side especially for my level 20 character.

Fortunately I did have a good stock of potions with me which I certainly needed.

I increased my destruction level 2 points (58 to 60) before I got rid of him 

 

So I would suggest just consoling in the key for the strong box as it does seem rather safer 

 

I am now trying to find the orc in Shor's Stone.

I have found one orc but I think he is a vanilla npc and has no conversation option related to this quest.

So if anyone could give me a clue (I did check the mine but all I found was bloody spiders)

[ercramer69]

Am I missing something? 

 

Sorry can't get the spoiler to work. 

 

I got the last book from Grogmar returned and found the note but the quest is not updating or completed.

 

[Content Consumer]

Like some others here I also had an issue with finding the courier for book 6. (Nth of Ivarstead)

After dealing with the wisp mother I searched all around for the dead courier but no success.

I tried the console commands (player.moveto) using the codes from this thread.

The first code moved me in front of the well as per the arrow in the above post but no courier to be seen.

I then tried the 2nd code and came face to face with a frost atronach WTF!!!

It would seem I had found the courier who had appeared very much alive and rather hostile 

After dealing with his summoned atronach I then set out to take the courier.

Hmmm! he was rather on the powerful side especially for my level 20 character.

Fortunately I did have a good stock of potions with me which I certainly needed.

I increased my destruction level 2 points (58 to 60) before I got rid of him 

 

So I would suggest just consoling in the key for the strong box as it does seem rather safer 

 

I am now trying to find the orc in Shor's Stone.

I have found one orc but I think he is a vanilla npc and has no conversation option related to this quest.

So if anyone could give me a clue (I did check the mine but all I found was bloody spiders)

I must've done something wrong with that courier. He works for some, doesn't work for others. I'll take a look, see if I can figure out what's wrong.

As for him being higher level than the player... that's really strange. I thought I set his level to be Level 1! I might've set him to be leveled, though...

 

EDIT: Hoo, shit. Yep, I set his level to 80 for some damn reason. Can't figure out why he isn't showing up, though... the script I used for him is identical to the script I used for the first courier, and she showed up fine, right?

There is a difference between the two of them... the first courier is set to respawn and the second one isn't. Hmm...

 

As to the Orc: Grogmar gro-burzag is his name. Yes, he's a vanilla NPC, and he should have the appropriate dialogue... if he doesn't, it might be that the quest hasn't updated to that point. Do me a favor, in the console type "sqs cocoq1" and tell me what it says?

 

EDIT: The stage that you can talk to Grogmar is stage 135. If your stage is 130 or lower, it's likely you skipped talking to Jaef back at Herra's house after you gave her the last book. You can go back and talk to him, or manually set the stage to 135.

 

Am I missing something? 

 

Sorry can't get the spoiler to work. 

 

I got the last book from Grogmar returned and found the note but the quest is not updating or completed.

Hmm... the note on the table in Herra's house should complete the quest (and point you in the direction of another two books). There was a bug in a previous version where it didn't do that IIRC... have you updated to the most recent version?

[ercramer69]

 

Like some others here I also had an issue with finding the courier for book 6. (Nth of Ivarstead)

After dealing with the wisp mother I searched all around for the dead courier but no success.

I tried the console commands (player.moveto) using the codes from this thread.

The first code moved me in front of the well as per the arrow in the above post but no courier to be seen.

I then tried the 2nd code and came face to face with a frost atronach WTF!!!

It would seem I had found the courier who had appeared very much alive and rather hostile 

After dealing with his summoned atronach I then set out to take the courier.

Hmmm! he was rather on the powerful side especially for my level 20 character.

Fortunately I did have a good stock of potions with me which I certainly needed.

I increased my destruction level 2 points (58 to 60) before I got rid of him 

 

So I would suggest just consoling in the key for the strong box as it does seem rather safer 

 

I am now trying to find the orc in Shor's Stone.

I have found one orc but I think he is a vanilla npc and has no conversation option related to this quest.

So if anyone could give me a clue (I did check the mine but all I found was bloody spiders)

I must've done something wrong with that courier. He works for some, doesn't work for others. I'll take a look, see if I can figure out what's wrong.

As for him being higher level than the player... that's really strange. I thought I set his level to be Level 1! I might've set him to be leveled, though...

 

EDIT: Hoo, shit. Yep, I set his level to 80 for some damn reason. Can't figure out why he isn't showing up, though... the script I used for him is identical to the script I used for the first courier, and she showed up fine, right?

There is a difference between the two of them... the first courier is set to respawn and the second one isn't. Hmm...

 

As to the Orc: Grogmar gro-burzag is his name. Yes, he's a vanilla NPC, and he should have the appropriate dialogue... if he doesn't, it might be that the quest hasn't updated to that point. Do me a favor, in the console type "sqs cocoq1" and tell me what it says?

 

EDIT: The stage that you can talk to Grogmar is stage 135. If your stage is 130 or lower, it's likely you skipped talking to Jaef back at Herra's house after you gave her the last book. You can go back and talk to him, or manually set the stage to 135.

 

Am I missing something? 

 

Sorry can't get the spoiler to work. 

 

I got the last book from Grogmar returned and found the note but the quest is not updating or completed.

Hmm... the note on the table in Herra's house should complete the quest (and point you in the direction of another two books). There was a bug in a previous version where it didn't do that IIRC... have you updated to the most recent version?

 

 

I have v 2.1.4, I'll try reading the note again and see if maybe I had a bad load last time I was in the house.

 

[Content Consumer]

I have v 2.1.4, I'll try reading the note again and see if maybe I had a bad load last time I was in the house.

 

If everything else fails, that is the end of the quest, when you bring back the last book, so you could just completequest cocoq1 through the console.

[Content Consumer]

For people having trouble finding the second courier, it could be because he's dead at game start and not set to respawn. This patch should fix it... but unfortunately, I believe it will only work on a new game. I could be wrong, but all I did was set him to respawn, so if he's already baked into your saved game as nonrespawning, this might not fix it. Sorry.

 

2.1.5 patch .zip

[BKKK]

Just an update ref the orc - yep the problem was on my part because I hadn't actually spoken to Jaef in the house. Because I got the quest update I thought  that was it, perhaps it would have been better not to get the quest update until after the dialogue had completed. Please ignore this if not possible as the the C in GECK  stands for Confusion for me  .

However apart from the missing book 6 courier everything else appeared to work fine (on my build) so well done on producing an enjoyable  little mod

(I also appreciated some of the dialogue humour - very funny) 

[Content Consumer]

Just an update ref the orc - yep the problem was on my part because I hadn't actually spoken to Jaef in the house. Because I got the quest update I thought  that was it, perhaps it would have been better not to get the quest update until after the dialogue had completed. Please ignore this if not possible as the the C in GECK  stands for Confusion for me  .

However apart from the missing book 6 courier everything else appeared to work fine (on my build) so well done on producing an enjoyable  little mod

(I also appreciated some of the dialogue humour - very funny) 

Thanks for the kind words.

And yes, that last bit could stand some re-working.

 

Honestly? When I was writing it all up, I didn't have a clear idea of how to end it. The whole "and then they disappeared" thing is a hack, because my creative juices ran out at the time.

[Content Consumer]

Keep an eye on this mod... there might be an extension for The Devious Manual there soon.

[Content Consumer]

v2.1.6 - Quick patch that pretty much just adds a new book.

[jennimarchant]

Thanks for making this mod, it was a great deal of fun to play!  

[Content Consumer]

Thanks for making this mod, it was a great deal of fun to play!  

You're welcome. It was fun to make too.

[Content Consumer]

Cutting Room Floor v1.13 adds in an NPC to Kynesgrove (Froa, daughter of Kjeld and Iddra). This isn't exactly a conflict, but it makes no sense to have two Froas there.

 

 

Changed the OP with a note about this. This is not a mod update. EDIT: Okay, never mind, I just updated anyway.

[Content Consumer]

v2.1.7 is up...

Hopefully, I didn't break anything. 

 

Gets rid of the old "No4" patch and integrates it directly into the mod via an MCM setting. People with a previous version and the No4 patch don't need to download the new version.

 

A Khajiit Speak integrated version will happen, some day.

[tallal]

v2.1.7 (+required) and new game start

on going for the 2nd book, falk courier, just after crossing the bridge by half moon mill on way to falk to find the book

CTD. can travel through this cell when got the first book and before getting the task for the 2nd book so I guess that

the courier or an item with her is not being placed correctly or is placed and is missing from the mod....

 

problem seems to be just this cell as can travel to falk (avoiding the cell) and on way from falk to half moon get the CTD (i.e. enter the cell from other side).

 

[Content Consumer]

v2.1.7 (+required) and new game start

on going for the 2nd book, falk courier, just after crossing the bridge by half moon mill on way to falk to find the book

CTD. can travel through this cell when got the first book and before getting the task for the 2nd book so I guess that

the courier or an item with her is not being placed correctly or is placed and is missing from the mod....

 

problem seems to be just this cell as can travel to falk (avoiding the cell) and on way from falk to half moon get the CTD (i.e. enter the cell from other side).

 

That's unusual. I'm not sure what might be the problem... I didn't add any particular items or mess with anything with that courier, but it could be a problem with the alias not filling properly.

 

I have five possible solutions/questions/ideas for you:

 

1: Can you try this: in the console, "coc shriekwindbastionexterior01" and see if it still happens. My guess is, it will... but just in case, check.

 

2: You can bypass that part of the quest (many people have trouble finding the courier in the first place) by adding the book - search the console for "The Devious Manual Vol 2" and add it. Do NOT add "Devious Manual Volume 2" because that's the wrong version (it's used later in the mod).

If it crashes when you .additem the book, then it's a problem with the book, go onto possible solution 3 instead.

 

3: You can bypass the part entirely by "setstage cocoq1 60" which should update the quest.

 

4: Question: are you using SL Interactive Arousal? I'm pretty sure that's not the cause of the problem, but I'm just checking...

 

5: My guess is, whether you .additem the book or you use setstage, you'll still crash when entering that part of the world, which is not a good thing. 

However, if you load a saved game before getting to that point (i.e. load your saved game before getting to the part where Herra asks you to find that book) and you use the "setstage cocoq1 60" command, it should bypass that part of the quest without causing any more crashes.

 

I hope any of this helps...

If it's a book-associated crash, then it might be limited to this book, or it might happen to more books. You got to this point (i.e. you got the first book from Froa Iddrasdottir, right?) which means probably not, but it's still a possibility.

If it's an NPC-associated crash (i.e. the dead courier), option 5 will probably fix it, but it might just happen again later in the quest (when you are sent after the other CD shop courier).

If it's just an alias issue, option 5 should fix it and it probably won't happen again.

 

EDIT: Possible solution 6: If all else fails, try downloading the older version 2.1.6 instead. It's basically the same, but I might have done something wrong when updating to the new version.

[tallal]

1. Yes CTD after coc.

3. CTD on leaving console after setstage  60 (get the message about return to H) if I do the setstage in house before talking to H imediat CTD on exit consol if set stage before entering house then CTD on enter.

4. No

 

2. Not tried it yet as have to look up console syntax for the search ref-id

 

 

2. tried now. added item just after gettin manual 1 on entering H house.. CTD : :(

 

Will try with 2.1.6, but that will have to wait till tommorow as RL call's

 

 

[Content Consumer]

1. Yes CTD after coc.

3. CTD on leaving console after setstage  60 (get the message about return to H) if I do the setstage in house before talking to H imediat CTD on exit consol if set stage before entering house then CTD on enter.

4. No

 

2. Not tried it yet as have to look up console syntax for the search ref-id

 

Hmm... I thought that would narrow it down. If you're crashing on stage 60, my guess is it would be an outfit change that happens in the script...

CoCo_Jaesyka.removeallitems()

CoCo_Jaesyka.SetOutfit(jaesyka_outfit_dd_1)

 

 

Basically, the game is removing her clothing and adding some devious devices to her.

That would be my guess as to what is wrong... except... you're getting a crash when entering the cell with the courier too.

 

This is leading me to think it might be a Devious Devices issue... specifically, there might be a problem with my mod and whatever version of DD you have (i.e. it might be a problem on your end, it might be a problem on my end). Herra and the dead courier both have devious devices added to their inventories... Herra gets outfitted with a belt and bra, and the courier has an armbinder in her inventory.

 

What version of DD (assets, integration, expansion, etc) are you using?

 

Can you enable logging and post your papyrus log?

 

EDIT: Try this... "setstage cocoq1 70"

This will bypass a lot of content, and it will not fix the underlying issue. I just want to see if it works. If it does, it's not a problem with the quest but is definitely a problem with Devious Devices somehow.

EDIT: Try this... "setstage cocoq1 70"

This will bypass a lot of content, and it will not fix the underlying issue. I just want to see if it works. If it does, it's not a problem with the quest but is definitely a problem with Devious Devices somehow.

[tallal]

D Expan 1.1.6

D Assesset 2.9

D    Int 2.9

 

maybe I have a old D expansion loaded  will look into that

 

[Content Consumer]

D Expan 1.1.6     

D Assesset 2.9

D    Int 2.9

 

maybe I have a old D expansion loaded  will look into that

 

Assets: Correct version

Integration: Correct version

Expansion: Oops, I meant Zaz animation pack, not expansion. My bad. It should be version 6 or above.

 

If your zaz is correct, it looks like you've got everything okay...

Tell you what, I'll try creating a patch. Give me, maybe, an hour, tops? I'll remove the DD items from Herra and the couriers and see if that fixes it for you...