This is a conversion and patch of the original “Amazing Follower Tweaks” suite of mods made by the original AFT author Dheuster. Made to workproperly for SE/AE. I wanted the AFT mods to work as well as they did in LE - while still having AFT work well with other mods. I like clean and focused mods, i.e., mods that do one thing well. This version of AFT works in a similar fashion. Full functionality, stablility and compatibility were the goals.
Install order, List order and Load order for the AFT files are all the same:
- “Amazing Follower Tweaks” (REQUIRED): The main mod.
- “Managed Follower Boost” (REQUIRED):Increases the number of managed followers to 64. Adds ability to have 7 active followers.
- “No Friendly Spell Damage” (REQUIRED):Followers won't start fighting each other cause so-and-so can't shoot straight.
- “Amazing Follower Tweaks – UpgrayDD” (REQUIRED):This ensures the 3 original mods work with each other in SE & AE.
- "Follow Tweaks” (Optional - It improves how Followers physically follow you. Asimple mod made in the CK; delete it if you don't like it.)
Required Pre-Requisites:
Skyrim, Update, Dawnguard, HearthFires and Dragonborn (the base game and the official DLC for SE).
Mod List & Load Ordering:
- Base game & all the DLC
- USSEP & USMP
- External Dependencies
- Mods & Frameworks that enable other mods (SkyUI, SPID, etc)
- Meshes and Textures
- Player Homes
- Armor
- Follower Mods
- Custom, Unique or Special Followers
- NPC Overhaul / Tweak / Replacer mods
- Landscape and Flora
- Weather & Lighting
- Multiple Adoptions
- MHIYH
- Amazing Follower Tweaks suite of mods
- Follow Tweaks
- Horse mods
- Appearance/Body mods
- Animation/Posing
- Alternate Start mods
- Papyrus Scripting modification(extender, tweaks, etc)
- Bodyslide / Immersive modified armor
- High-Poly NPC's
- Modern Brawl Bug Fix
- Custom Patches & Overrides (inlc. Bashed patch)
Important Notes
AFT only works properly on a brand-new game!Only use or install AFT for a brand-new game with a brand new character. Going through the opening sequence and the carriage ride to Helgen always works. You can useASLAL but thus far I have only tested a few of the options.AFT will not work properly if it’s installed after you have already started.
I implore you, please read the documentation!The original “Read Me” files are still included; the AFT Book still shows up in your inventory.You only have read these once, it's worth it. I've included theoriginal AFT descriptionas a pdfin the Misc Files section, this lists all of the features and functions of AFT.
If a mod changes NPC's in any way it should be placedAfter your Follower mods and, Before AFT in you mod List.AFT must be low in your modList:AfterOverhauls, NPC, and Follower mods. AFT files do not conflict with other mods generally but some mods may override or change game data that AFT needs.
AFT must be very low in your Load order. The only mods that should be lower than AFT should be patches, ASLAL, Modern Brawl BugFix,etc. If LOOT or a mod manager sorting function places AFT in the middle or close to the top,you need to manually move the AFT ESP’s very close to the bottom of your Load order.Using LOOT is a good place to start, but check your load order and make sure it's ordering is what your mod list needs and, it's what you want.
If you make patches (Wrye Bash, xEdit) make sure the patch records do not override "Amazing Follower Tweaks - UpgrayDD". The exception would be appearance/trait modifying records, these do not affect AFT. Armor records will not affect AFT either. When in doubt, let AFT win conflicts with other mods.
If you have a slower computer
or you have mods that are script heavy, your best bet is to leave them disabled when first starting your game. Then, after you start the main quest line (the quest to go to Whiterun): Save, Quit, enable those script heavy mods and then, Reload your save game. AFT scripts are quick and clean but this is not the case with alot of other mods.
I recommend the following mods that work great with AFT and improve NPC’s, Immersion and Followers:
- I’m Walking Here NG
- To Your Face
- No Follower Attack Collision
- BUVARP
- Missing Follower Dialogue
- Relationship Dialogue Overhaul Lite
- AI Overhaul
- Hearthfire Multiple Adoptions
- My Home Is Your Home (MHIYH)
- Simple Horse SE
- The Disciplinary Switch (for when your followers get out of line, lol)
Custom unique followers will work alongside AFT. I've tried a few and they work fine Dog Followers: You can use appearance, skill and trait/perk changers for any dog followers wihtout issue.
Amazing Follower Tweaks was made by “Dheuster”:https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/15524
Additional Information
AFT is, and probably always will be, the best Follower Manager. I played with a similar version with patches without issues for a couple of years,from SE through all the AE updates. I kept promising to upload a workingbug-free version, so here it is. If you encounter any problems with this conversion and patch of AFT, with the base game and DLC, please let me know.
The problems some folks had with the first SE conversion of AFT were not caused by bad AFT files or code. Most issues were caused by game updates, conflicts with other mods not as well-written as AFT, or user error. The first SE conversion was just the generic process of porting a LE mod to SE.The major differences between this new version and the first SE conversion is the fixing of: dialogues, factions, horses, player homes, marraige, AI, and other content - AND it includes the AFT Manged Follower Boost.
AFT was written without any external dependencies. It manages the in-game follower system/framework – but it does not change it. AFT has 365 different scripts and 3 main esp's. Even though AFTis a large mod, it is very focused and very clean - AFT only affects Followers. Therefore, it is very compatible with other clean, well-written and focusedmods. It does not require many resources and this version should run very smooth in SE/AE.
Remember, AFT is only for followers and follower mods that adhere to the in-game follower system and NPC packages.Most follower mods add a new basic NPC, have face and body files, modify perks, and add armor - none of this will cause issues with AFT. The vast majority of follower mods can be managed by AFT or any follower manager.
I recommend Simple Horse SE. It has an option to have "Followers Ride". It is better than AFT's "Followers Ride Extra Horses"; Simple Horse SE spawns a horse for your follower that disappears when they dismount as opposed to AFT's requirement to actually have enough owned horses. If you use Simple Horse SE, or any other Horse mod, turn Off AFT's"Followers Ride Extra Horses", which is On by default. I worked hard on AFT's horses and stabling so it does work but, it is very easy for other mods to interfere with with this aspect of the game.Simple Horse SE may need to be re-engaged from time to time if followers stop riding.If a Horse mod adds in new horses that are not part of the base game/ DLC then AFT will not be able to manage some aspects of these horses including re-naming them.This would include both versions of Wild Horses. AFT will not interfere with these mods but AFT cannot fully manage these new horses. Armor, saddles, appearance and riding of new horses should not be an issue, but AFT wont be able to manage them properly because AFT only has slots for the 20 or so horses originally included in the base game and DLC.
Compatible: (as of 1/2023)
- USSEP (4.2 and higher)
- USMP
- Wet & Cold
- Run For Your Lives
- BUVARP
- Missing Follower Dialogue
- Relationship Dialogue Overhaul LITE
- Mysticism
- Race compatibility
- AI Overhaul
- My Home is Your Home
- Hearthfire Multiple Adoptions
- Simple Horse SE (works great, very compatible with other mods)
- SchakenFM
- ASLAL
See the Optional Files Section for Compatibility PatchesI have over 700 mods in my list, and I load500+ mods, so this version of AFT is very compatible with an awful lot of othermods. As far as the big unofficial DLC like Falskaar, Legacy, or similar - someone else will have to do the extensive testing these mods will require. I may check a couple but it will take time.
Not Compatible (probably):
- Other Follower Frameworks or Managers (this includes Nether's, UFO, etc.)
- Immersive Citizens (Any mod that makes serious changes to NPC’s will cause issueswith AFT - especially IC)
- Interesting NPC’s (it would need a serious a patch, disabled functionality and long-term testing)
- iAFT
- Serana Dialogue Add-On aka SDA(if you must, use the original version, still available for download)
- Relationship Dialogue Overhaul SE(use RDO Lite instead)
- Mods that change Marriage, Follower, Hireling or Housecarl: Factions, AI, Quests or Packages
- Wild Horses (Nexus version probably incompatible; it does something to Horse or NPC factions that affects NPC's reactions to all horses)
Dheuster's Original Video for AFT:
Compatability & Custom Unique Followers
Some followers are special: Sofia, Recorder, Inigo, Ambriel, and others. Custom and unique followers may have special AI, packages, voices, scripts, modify base game quests, special built-in management functions, etc.Serana and Cicero are special base game followers.Most follower mods are not custom or unique and, most follower mods and non-essential NPC's can be managed by any follower manager including AFT. Customfollower mods should state if they work with Follower Managersor not. It really depends on wether or not the follower mod author made the custom follower compatible with follower manager mods.Custom follower features that should work fine with AFT include: custom quests outside of base game quests, custom AI that does not change base game follower AI, armor, traits, skills, perks, combat styles, custom dialogues that do not override base game dialogues, custom packages that do not interfere with base game follower packages and, custom sounding voices or custom idle chatter. If you want AFT to manage a custom follower that does not necessarily work with follower management mods:Wait until you have completed any custom quests the follower mod has added and, any base game quests the custom follower modifies, Custom followers may cause issues, especially if you have more than one loaded up.If a custom follower was completely stand-alone then they might not affect anything but, if they interact at all with base game data then, Custom followers may also effect Navmesh and pathing, make world or terrain edits, or change/interfere with quests - crazy right? Again, you'll have to make a patch for your specific mod list and load order. AFT has records that affect base game spells and combat. So if you have mods that effect spells or combat you will have to decide which mod wins. For instance, AFT changes the strength of some spells so followers don't become overpowered using base game spells. There is a patch for I'd upload my own custom follower but I made a mistake with her voice and she doesn't speak out loud... or maybe she's perfect! There are at least a couple of
Additional Mod Recommendations:
- Migal's mods, off-site on his own page, he's the author of Bathing Beauties Luxury Suite - one of the best player homes you can find. Tons of space and beds for followers and, you can have followers live there without taking up a follower slot using recruitment through AFT. Also, he has awesome Housecarl replacers including making the male Housecarls female. Eli placed her AE/CK Home right where BBLS was, so they are not compatible.
- SchackenFM, off-site.A non-intrusive well-written follower manager mod that works well with AFT - it will sense if you have AFT installed. Very helpful tools! Follower tracking, some Racemenu changes in-game, teleporting, inventory tools, and much more.
- Ayleid Palace,Large popular player home,been around for a long time. Tons of space and beds for followers. There is one issue with AE, the CK mod Umbra puts a Cave in the same spot!! Ayleid works but you won't be able to access the CK mod assets there.
- Animated Wings Ultimate here on Nexus and the Flying Overhaul mod. Works with followers and AFT once you learn how to use it properly.
- I personally like the "Waterview" player home here on Nexus and the other player home mods made by that author.
- Female Hirelings, make Marcurio and/or Berland female.
- My Home Is Your Home, compatible with AFT and a very useful tool for followers sleep/home location and work assignments.
- Run Haven and associated mods. Off-site.
To Do