DLC2PillarBuilderActorScript Tweak

This mod is now obsolete. Please use SCROTE instead which includes this mod and many other fixes in a single package.

Description

The standing stones in the Solstheim DLC have been corrupted by Miraak in his attempts to return to the world. Each NPC or creature which is currently working or will go to work on them during the night are given a script, which assigns them to a special faction when they start working on the stone, that will cause other enemies to ignore them and not attack: the DLC2PillarBuilderActorScript. The same script also handles removing that faction from the NPC when they stop working for the night or when the stone is destroyed.

Unfortunately this script is very inefficient and buggy in its implementation. First of all, it has no checks whatsoever if the standing stone is cleansed or if Miraak is defeated and as a result will keep updating itself in the background for no reason long after the DLC's main quest is completed. Furthermore, it doesn't check if the NPC currently is assigned the faction it's trying to remove, causing the NPC to be given the faction again if it's removed when they don't have it, but with a negative rank.

This mod is a complete rewrite of the script from scratch for better performance and scenario handling. It now utilizes states to determine when it should update itself and when to get shut down for now (the player hasn't been in the area for a while) or for good (the stone has been cleansed and/or the main quest is completed). It also improves the faction handling in some situations that the vanilla script never considers (e.g. cleansing the stone when the NPC isn't around, which means the faction can't be removed at the time). And lastly, it reduces the amount of unnecessary external calls for things that can be handled more quickly locally instead.

Installation

Install with your favourite mod manager.

New game is RECOMMENDED. You could get away with installing this before ever going to Solstheim OR if you've already completed the Dragonborn DLC's main quest, but avoid installing at a point inbetween. Nothing catastrophic will happen, but functionality may be limited.

Compatibility and load order

Not compatible with anything that changes the DLC2PillarBuilderActorScript script.

Compatible with USSEP and everything else.

No need to concern yourself with load order, as there is no ESP. However, due to the way the game loads its files, loose file mods like this one will always take priority over mods packed into BSA regardless where they load. If a mod happens to edit