Bug Fixing, For bugs and troubleshooting

[Iceburg333]

This thread is for troubleshooting bugs for A Friend of Time
First bug:

Some people have noticed a bug where Aetas doesn't speak to them after activating the hourglass. If you experience this bug please let me know.The more info you can give, the faster I can get rid of the bug. Thanks!


Here is an esp that hopefully will diagnose the problem. I added two lines of dialogue, one that should show up at all times for Aetas, and one that should show up for everyone everywhere, all the time (no conditions).

If you're having trouble getting Aetas to talk, try coping this esp over the origional and see what he does.
(perhaps try a 'clean' save).

Thanks!

EDIT: Now that the bug has been fixed, I've removed that attachment to save space / avoid confusion.

This post has been edited by Iceburg333 on Jun 11 2012, 08:11 PM

[lightsentry]

Hey it's lightsentry from the skyrim nexus.

Alright I posted that I got it to work on skyrim nexus and I did on a different save file. I switched back to my main file and it stopped working, so maybe it's just an issue with that particular file. Another thing that I noticed was that even when I got it to work that Aetas kept asking me to put out Alduin's fire and master time, which I'm assuming is the prerequisites. However that file did already have those prerequisites completed and no other options showed up. If I can ask, what sort of mods are you using just so I can see what could possibly be wrong with my file.

[Iceburg333]

Hey Lightsentry!
Glad to here it's working on a different save. Try doing the following:
1)Turn my mod off
2)save (called a clean save)
3) turn mod back on
4) Load the clean save and try it there.

Is Aetas saying "shout at me?"

It'supposed to go like this:
Aetas- when you've mastered the words of time and the fire of alduin is quenched, return to me
you- I've returned
Aetas - shout at me

You then do the full slow time shout. (If you do it right a debug notification in the top left corner of the screen will say he's observed you. Make sure to hold that shout power until you do all three levels)
Then the quest proceeds.
Are you getting the 'I've returned line'? If so, you just need to cast the shout.

As far as mods go, I've attached my plugins list.

EDIT: So, you got it to work on a different save, as well as when no other mods were running?

If you don't mind, could you upload your plugin list for me to look at as well? That would be extremely helpful, especially if we can get plugin lists from 2 users who are having the same problem, then we can cross check.

To find your plugin list, look in the folder: C:\Users\*username*\AppData\Local\Skyrim

Attached File ( Number of downloads: 25 )
 AK__Plugins.txt (2.19 kb)

[lightsentry]

Yes I did get the mod to work on another save file and I got the dialogue. I'll have to check if the shout thing is working and I'll try the clean save and see if that works.

Currently the dialogue has been going like this though:
Aetas- when you've mastered etc etc
Me- I've returned
Aetas- Have you mastered etc etc
Me- No

If I'm understanding you correctly though I have to just shout the full thing and I'll get a message saying he's observed me and then I can progress through the questline?

I'm not sure how to attach, but here's just a copy paste version of my modlist:

Update.esm
ApachiiHair.esm
CLARALUX - More and Brighter Lights.esm
JSwords.esp
LFArmors.esp
HighResTexturePack01.esp
retreat.esm
HighResTexturePack02.esp
Bardfix.esp
DragonBoneWeaponsPack01_v01.00.esp
TrissArmorRetextured.esp
Lost Art of the Blacksmith.esp
DeadlySpellImpacts.esp
HighResTexturePackFix.esp
female mannequins.esp
barenziahquestmarkers.esp
portal2mod.esp
Woodcutter's Wife.esp
Cloaks.esp
Cloaks - PC Only.esp
Cloaks - No Imperial.esp
R18Pn - Leere Armor.esp
R18Pn - Eisen Platte Armor.esp
Blade_of_Olympus.esp
LOTR Shield Pack.esp
RealisticWaterTextures.esp
Uncapped Perks - Combat + Stealth.esp
Uncapped Perks - Magic.esp
StaticMeshImprovementMod.esp
skyradio.esp
Realistic Lighting Patcher.esp
GreenWaterFixForWATER.esp
WATER - Get Wet.esp
WATER.esp
isilNarsil.esp
Unique Region Names.esp
The Dance of Death.esp
ApachiiHairStylesELVES.esp
ApachiiHairStyles.esp
Realistic Lighting.esp
Better Dynamic Snow.esp
Natural Skyrim Rain.esp
The Asteria - Dwemer Airship.esp
GandalfLightstaff.esp
DSpSoB.esp
Chesko_WearableLantern.esp
a perfect circle.esp
AK- A Friend of Time.esp

I also had some texture replacers (Stuff like sexy whiterun, covereyes, feminine running, feminine idle pose) that don't show up as esp files.

EDIT: Hey I have to go out for most of this evening, but I hope you guys figure out a fix.
EDIT2: Oh right I noticed this before I forget. On the one save file that doesn't work, Aetas appears around the shrine before I start the quest. On the save file that works, Aetas doesn't appear until I activate the shrine. Don't know what that means, but could be useful to know.

[Iceburg333]

Regarding the 'have you quenched the fire of Alduin' topic:

The question he asks sprouts two answers, yes and no.
No is default.
Yes shows up if:
You're talking to Aetas - YES
You're at the right part in the quest - YES
You've gotten to or farther than stage 200 in main quest..
If you have already done that / beaten the main quest, try setting that stage through the console:
"setstage mq305 200"

Let me know.


I'll comb through your load list; hopefully another person with the bug will show us their loadlist as well and by comparing them we'll find the compatability problem. The other best way to discover the problem is more time consuming, but how I did it for the mods I found incompatable:
Grab a notebook. Write the first mod in the mod list and a mod about halfway down. Check off those mods and all of the mods in between them off. Now only half your mod list should be active. Run the game. If it works, then the incompatable mod isn't in that group. (Flip those mods back on and the other mods off). If it crashes, the incompatable mod is one that you checked off. Turn half of those mods back on (remember to document it somehow so you know what mods you've already tested). Using that method you can keep halving it until you find the mod that's causing the problem. It takes some time, but it works.

EDIT: KK, take your time.
Thanks for that info: that's an interesting connection. I'll look into it. I'm glad you noticed it.




This post has been edited by Iceburg333 on Jun 8 2012, 11:50 PM

[Iceburg333]

Lightsentry! That extra info you provided was the key I think!

Try placing this updated script in your data/scripts folder. It will replace the old one.


Basically, Aetas starts disabled, outside the hourglass. The first stage of the quest-script warps him inside the hourglass, and enables him.
Touching the hourglass warps him back out.

On the saves that weren't working, it wasn't moving him, which means it probably wasn't enabling him either (hence- he wouldn't talk). The hourglass just moved him back in his limbo state.
The new script moves him back, but it also enables him as well, hopefully solving the problem.

After installing the script make a clean save and then activate the hourglass. When Aetas re-appears, he should speak with you.
If it works, please let me know!

EDIT: Now that the bug has been fixed, I've removed that attachment to save space / avoid confusion.

This post has been edited by Iceburg333 on Jun 11 2012, 08:12 PM

[TheLegendaryNord]

Hey I'm gonna re-install Skyrim with only your mod and skse 1.5 in and see if it works. If it works ill update your on here, the nexus forums, or skyrim nexus.

[Dae]

Hello Ice! Thanks for the PM, I wouldn't have discovered this place otherwise! I've downloaded both the files you've uploaded and with a clean save have not been able to successfully start the quest. I also compared my mods with lightsentry's and found the only ones we have in common are Cloaks and Lost Art of the Blacksmith (both of which I disabled when loading the aforementioned clean save). But, if it helps, here is my active mods list:

Update.esm
FluxMOD_ArtifactEffectPerk.esm
SkyMoMod.esm
WARZONES - Civil Unrest.esm
SleepingTreeSanctuary.esm
Conjuration & Summoning fixes.esp
Conjuration Perks Overhaul Beta 0.1.esp
SkyMoMod_lists.esp
SkyMoMod_morespawns_animal.esp
SkyMoMod_morespawns_bandit.esp
SkyMoMod_morespawns_draugr.esp
SkyMoMod_morespawns_dwerven.esp
SkyMoMod_morespawns_falmer.esp
SkyMoMod_morespawns_forsworn.esp
SkyMoMod_morespawns_mage.esp
SkyMoMod_morespawns_vampire.esp
KeeningFix.esp
Craftable_DPMasks.esp
Apocalypse - The Spell Package.esp
Lost Art of the Blacksmith.esp
LegendarySmithingUpgrades.esp
MBMaster.esm
MBAxe.esp
MBBow.esp
MBDagger.esp
MBSword.esp
MidasSkyrim.esp
DeadThrall.esp
tGBoA-4_volumes.esp
Tytanis.esp
UniqueEnchantEffectsSkyforge.esp
Unlimited_Rings.esp
Unlimited_Amulets.esp
Black lightened Alchemy.esp
UFO - Ultimate Follower Overhaul.esp
Cloaks.esp
cMKCustomStorageSpells.esp
WeaponsOf3E-beta.esp
FollowerWander2.esp
Grab Moveable Statics.esp
GriptzionTeleportMenuSpellv3.1.esp
Spousetocustomhome.esp
TelekinesisImproved.esp
UnlimitedBookshelves.esp
AV1Dragon_Lords.esp
DeadlyDragons.esp
New Encounter zone Levels.esp
Tougher named NPCs.esp
New Leveled Encounter Levels - VERY HARD.esp
Nightmare Mighty Dragons.esp
Super Mighty Dragon Priests.esp
Enchant Plus.esp
IPutASpellOnYou.esp
banditraids.esp
MartialArtist.esp
Ancient Spells.esp
Essential_Shadowmere.esp
OpenUnlock.esp
EternalShineArmorAndWeapons.esp
BaratheonArmor.esp
matys knights of the nine armor 2.1.esp
Scouter.esp
Radiance.esp
AK- A Friend of Time.esp
AIRangeIncrease.esp
Mart's Savegame DeBloatifier.esp

Oh, and my Skyrim version is 1.6 , if that matters.

[Iceburg333]

Thanks Dae!
Man this is the weirdest problem ever. Someone suggested looking into factions, but at this point I may just have to get on some of the official forums.
=/

[TheTimelordofSkyrim]

Why, hey there Iceburg!!! I still cannot get the mod to function. And Aetas is already at the monument before I activate it if that is any help.

I also have the list of mods that I got from the plugin list, I hope this helps:

moonpath.esm
CLARALUX - More and Brighter Lights.esm
ApachiiHair.esm
a shack by the springs.esp
barenziahquestmarkers.esp
HighResTexturePack01.esp
HighResTexturePack02.esp
lightweight potions and poisons.esp
malukahmainmenu.esp
portal2mod.esp
Lost Paradise.esp
LovelyHairstyles.esp
FenrirGreatsword.esp
moonpath_questdata.esp
Uncle Sheo.esp
apocalypse.esp
SoS - The Wilds.esp
skyradio.esp
Shadow Striping Fix.esp
notched.esp
Tytanis.esp
HighResTexturePackFix.esp
Ghostifish-Magical Alchemy Harvest-o-tron.esp
HomeTree.esp
StaticMeshImprovementMod.esp
WhiterunREVISION.esp
WhiterunFortified.esp
RRBetterWhiterunInt.esp
Dr_Bandolier.esp
Cloaks.esp
Cloaks - No Imperial.esp
Cloaks - Player Only.esp
workhorse.esp
Apocalypse - The Spell Package.esp
Golden Egg Treasure Hunt.esp
better fences.esp
AK- A Friend of Time.esp



Other than that information, I feel as though I should mention that I am attempting this on my original character.

Oh, one more thing, should I try just using the full slow time shout on Aetas?

[Iceburg333]

Thanks Timelord. Having 3 seperate load lists really helps narrow the mods that could be incompatable. Thanks for confirming that if Aetas is at the shrine before the quest, the bug is present. There's something too that for sure.
You can surely try the slow time shout; I don't know what will happen.

I have compared your mod lists. I listed the mods that each of you have that someone else with the bug also has:


DAE

Update.esm
Apocalypse - The Spell Package.esp
Lost Art of the Blacksmith.esp
Tytanis.esp
Cloaks.esp


TheTimelordofSkyrim

CLARALUX - More and Brighter Lights.esm
ApachiiHair.esm
barenziahquestmarkers.esp
HighResTexturePack01.esp
HighResTexturePack02.esp
portal2mod.esp
skyradio.esp
HighResTexturePackFix.esp
StaticMeshImprovementMod.esp
Cloaks.esp
Cloaks - No Imperial.esp
Apocalypse - The Spell Package.esp


Lightsentry

Update.esm
ApachiiHair.esm
CLARALUX - More and Brighter Lights.esm
HighResTexturePack01.esp
HighResTexturePack02.esp
Lost Art of the Blacksmith.esp
HighResTexturePackFix.esp
barenziahquestmarkers.esp
portal2mod.esp
Cloaks.esp
Cloaks - No Imperial.esp
StaticMeshImprovementMod.esp
skyradio.esp
GreenWaterFixForWATER.esp
WATER - Get Wet.esp
WATER.esp




Total out of 3
Update.esm 2
ApachiiHair.esm 2
CLARALUX - More and Brighter Lights.esm 2
HighResTexturePack01.esp 2
HighResTexturePack02.esp 2
Lost Art of the Blacksmith.esp 2
HighResTexturePackFix.esp 2
barenziahquestmarkers.esp 2
portal2mod.esp 2
Cloaks.esp 3
Cloaks - No Imperial.esp 2
StaticMeshImprovementMod.esp 2
skyradio.esp 2
GreenWaterFixForWATER.esp 1
WATER - Get Wet.esp 1
WATER.esp 1 (May be incompatible)
AK- A Friend of Time.esp 3

That means that all 3 of you have cloaks.esp. While I'm testing today, could you guys try ticking off your cloaks mod (as well as my mod), entering a cell with no people wearing cloaks (including followers), making a clean save, and trying it again with cloaks off?
Thanks. I'll keep you updated on any other tests I run.

[Iceburg333]

Another friend told me that it didn't work for him, and he isn't using cloaks.esp.
He suggested I uninstall Skyrim completely, download the mod, and run it on a clean install.
I'm currently backing up my 33 gig skyrim desktop folder. After that I'll uninstall, reinstall, and test. Hopefully then I'll get the bug everyone else is getting, and from there be able to analyze and fix it.

[TheTimelordofSkyrim]

Boy, this is sure turning into a handful.

[TheTimelordofSkyrim]

Alright, I'm gonna create a brand new character with both Cloaks and Moonpath to Elsweyr deactivated.

[TheTimelordofSkyrim]

Well, not even that helped, also, Aetas was still already there when I arrived.