I'm fairly certain this is a common bug. So I create a custom unique npc, plop it into the world and it wont appear in game. Any help? For clarification and if it means anything, my npc does have packages, one for sleeping and one for writing that both have references in the cell.

I'm having the exact same issue. I just created my NPC, placed him in the square at Riften. Made him a few packages. (Wander the bazaar at day, the nearby Inn at night, and go on a walk in the evening) All packages are controlled through the Schedule tab, no conditions. I checked everywhere he could possibly be and he is nowhere to be found.

I don't know why, but when it happened to me ,if i do a change to the associated package (for example changing the start time for the schedule) they appear.
Hope this helps.

No luck, unfortunately. Still wont appear.

Anyone else? Not having my NPC exist kinda stops most of my work... :/

there is currently an issue causing navmeshes in .ESPs to stop working if you travel a few cells away from where they are placed. NPCs stop moving and will not resume until the game is restarted. This issue is being addressed, and a fix is in the works.

That has absolutely nothing to do with our NPC's not appearing in the vanila game world....

My new girlie was disappearing on me, although she was there when I would first enter the game. I plunked her down in Rorikstead with a default sandbox at editor location package. She would be there when I first entered the game, but then after I left the cell (FT or on foot) and travelled around, when I came back she would have disappeared. Now that I've moved her to her permanent location in the cell where I've built her house and have given her a new package that I've made specifically for her she is always there. I don't know if the package I've made specifically for her is what's got her staying put now or not...

Well, all three of the packages on my guy are custom made. Two of them sandbox, and one patrol. He is along no patrol points, or in either sandbox area. I may delete all but one of his packages and reduce his AI down to the basics until I can get him to show up...

I placed a couple actors in a cell and have no idea why the are not there, I haven't even added packages to some of them.

I made my guy show up. I just took off two of his three packages, leaving the default sandbox one and now he shows up. I guess it was an error on my part with one of the other two packages that I'll have to look into.