So after getting tired of the follower the game has, generally for being pretty lame and limited (and in the case of the magic casters, more dangerous to me than to the enemy), I've decided that I want to make some custom followers using the CK. However, I know that it is incredibly complicated to make NPCs, particularly since they will need AI and skills, etc. So I've come here looking for help, hoping that I can get enough help that I don't wind up ruining it, since the only mods I've made are ones that modify Dragon Shouts. In regards to specific things I'm looking to have them do,here is a list:

1 - Help making custom dialogue for lore and entertainment purposes

2 - Make it so that certain followers will not use certain armors or weapons, even if they given to them (IE: The follower will never put light armor on, even if it is superior to their own armor, or will only wear robes, etc)

3 - Make some hire-able by paying (mercenary), some through a fist-fight/combat, and eventually some through a quest.

4 - Use generic/already included follower voice-overs to voice them for non-specific dialouge, since I lack VAs and a way to record them. (IE: Give one of them Lydia's generic dialouge for actions/combat)

5 - Possibly align them with certain factions (IE: Dark Brotherhood, Imperials etc.)

6 - Make them scale in level with the player

7- Give them the generic follower abilities (Trade items, move, do things, etc.)

I've learned the basics of how to make an NPC and set them as a potenial follower, but other than that I don't know anything.

Thanks in advance for the help.

(You will need a repeatable "invisible to the player" Quest, that is switched on/off as the player uses your followers)

1. May well be too system intensive (or maybe someone can think of a better way than I can). You could do it by adding the relevant spell to the NPC's Spell-List and then write a script with an OnUpdate - on the NPC with the spell - that checks the Player's health (using the example here: http://www.creationkit.com/GetActorValue_-_Actor)

2a. Weapons: Check the RACE Form of the NPC to see what weapons it can use. If it uses the wrong things then DUPLICATE the RACE and amend the duplicate, then change the NPC's race (you may/will get some Voice Issues, if you plan to do a Voice for your NPC). Also check the CombatStyle of the NPC (again, duplicate and amend if not right) and finally check the CLASS (duplicate/amend if needed). Then check that the NPC has all of the correct Attack/Combat data (it should have).

2b. Armor: Not as easy. You will have given your NPC a basic outfit. By default it will wear that if you give it nothing else. Whatever armor is better for the NPC it will use (any armor is better than no armor). There does not appear to be a "GetOutfit" Script Command ... There is a SetOutfit that you could use to change it if wearing the wrong thing (in an OnUpdate) ... but without being able to get the outfit currently worn, that is a bit useless. This will probably end up using Packages ... Maybe somebody else knows how to get the CurrentOutfit?

3. To be a merc, NPC's need the correct dialogue/script ... Have a look at FollowerDialogue Quest. DO NOT AMEND IT! Instead, make your own MyFollowerDialogue Quest and add the relevant Hire Lines (and the script behind them). This is actually pretty straight forward ... Once you get a handle on the Dialogue/script side of things. Same for Non-Hirable. It's all script running behind dialogue options ... Like I say check out the Vanilla FollowerDialogue and see if you can figure it out.

4. If you use the same VOICE-TYPE for your NPC as a Vanilla Follower, it will use all the same lines. The only other (practical) way is to record your own voice (or a mates). So, just set the voice type to the one an existing follower uses and you will be all good (though see No3 above, as well ...)

5. Easy. You just use AddtoFaction (http://www.creationkit.com/AddToFaction_-_Actor) either on the NPC Forms, or in script if you want to be fancy about it

6. Easy: Take a look at the top couple of paragraphs (http://www.creationkit.com/Stats_Tab) and then search the CK for more info if you need it

7. All Dialogue driven - Again see the FollowerDialogue Quest

Have fun (post here often)

EDIT: After further reading the tutorials and such for script-making, while I'm not confident I could make a working script, I realized why making the script that I wanted would be a terrible, terrible game-destroying idea that would potentially ruin a lot of people's games, so I'm going to skip it.

However, I would like help making scripts for a couple of other things, like making a character a follower only after you brawl with him (like Uthgerd the Unbroken) or after you bring her a certain number of things.

Also, I'm not sure on how to do dialogue, or custom dialogue.

While making this mod, I've run into an issue - I'm not sure how to make my custom followers return to their original locations after dismissing them like normal followers. How does this work?

Just give the actor a set of AI packages that constitute their "normal" routine--what they do and where. That's what the actor will fall back to when they're not following you. They'll do the necessary travel pathfinding to return to that routine.

Hmm.....most of them I had to give the "DefaultSandbox" option because there wasn't a sandbox option for that city, with a few exceptions. I can't make scripts, so I can't do custom packages.....

You don't need to write scripts to make custom packages. You can take something like the Sandbox package template, give it a new ID to create a copy, and then change the sandbox location to the cell of the inn in the desired city, or something like that. Then add that package to the actor's package stack.