AI and the Imperial City

[Lanceor]

I'm creating a mod that blocks off the external entrances to the Imperial City for a period of time, sewer entrances and all. For how long depends on how fast the player completes the quest, but let's say up to three or four game days. Once blocked off, NPC's can easily get out, but not back in.

The question is, will this adversely affect the default NPC's? Will it cause problems like NPC's getting lost never to be seen again?

Is it worthwhile making some invisible doors for them to get back inside, and will NPC's find them if they are really tiny (like 1 pixel)?

[Hanaisse]

How are you blocking them off?

[Lanceor]

A script adds doors that cover up the original entrances so that the player can't get to them. These new doors either lead nowhere, or lead to a different worldspace.

In case you're wondering, it's been done in such a way that it won't break anything.

[WindmillTilter]

It SHOULDN'T cause any issues. Whenever the player rests or transitions between cells the NPCs should be loaded where their AI tells them to be without having to actualy GET there. The game can't keep all those wilderness cells loaded when you're not around for the NPCs to walk/ride through so it just fakes it. You may see some odd behaivour if you're standing at the doors and NPCs are trying to leave, but perhaps that fits if the doors are supposed to be blocked.

WT

[Hanaisse]

Well, I asked because you said NPC's can get out but not back in. If you're only trying to prevent the player from getting out then why block the doors coming in?

But, my confusion aside, WT is most likely correct.

[Lanceor]

Thanks WT - I can breathe a sigh of relief now. It will be a while before the mod can be released so I should have enough time to spot if NPC's are piling up outside the doors or acting stranger than they usually do.

Hana - I'm going to trash the Imperial City. What I've done is duplicate the entire IC so that I can destroy it without breaking the game. Those scripted doors will lead to the "fake" IC and during this time, nobody will be able to get into the "real" IC.

I'll be releasing these new worldspaces separately as a modder's resource in case anyone has the urge to destroy a city.