A simple change that prevents your companion from charging up your posterior at full speed whenever you enter stealth. Also slightly increases their follow distance. Now also prevents Dogmeat from entering player crosshairs every damn time you stop!
This mod does not have any known dependencies other than the base game.
Permissions and credits
Credits and distribution permission
Other user's assetsAll the assets in this file belong to the author, or are from free-to-use modder's resources
Upload permissionYou are not allowed to upload this file to other sites under any circumstances
Modification permissionYou must get permission from me before you are allowed to modify my files to improve it
Conversion permissionYou are not allowed to convert this file to work on other games under any circumstances
Asset use permissionYou must get permission from me before you are allowed to use any of the assets in this file
Asset use permission in mods/files that are being soldYou are not allowed to use assets from this file in any mods/files that are being sold, for money, on Steam Workshop or other platforms
Asset use permission in mods/files that earn donation pointsYou must get permission to earn Donation Points for your mods if they use my assets
Console modding permissionThe author did not upload this mod to Bethesda.net for console users yet, but he or she will at some point
Author notes
This author has not provided any additional notes regarding file permissions
File credits
registrator2000 for FO4 Hotkeys and Companion Command and Tactics, linked in the main description, for inspiring me to look at WTF companions were doing and why. Until I found their mods, I was just about ready to give up on using companions at all.
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Changelogs
Version 7.0
Arghlbalhgfduishoug7;43ghishjsiydfsds GDMFSOB
all better now
Version 6.0
Possible bugfix for Dogmeat weirdness.
Version 5.2
Broken reference in the ESL version - affected 5.1 definitely, 5.0 ESL possibly
This might have been the source of some user reports that Dogmeat was reverting to his old dogbutt-in-crosshairs tricks....
Version 5.0 and 5.1
Choice of normal ESP file, or ESPFE aka ESL-flagged ESP. Use just one!
Made tweaks to CombatStyle for all companions to compliment the AI package changes.
They should prefer to maintain a good distance and use their ranged weapons, strafing out and away from the player if they need to get back into range
There should be less "charge straight forward past the player while he's firing at the target and get shot in the back like a schmuck"
Should be better at staying in or near cover and firing from range, and only move significantly if the target breaks LOS
Version 4.1
Tightened up the human(oid) follower min-max ranges so they get lost around corners or on terrain less.
Tweaked Dogmeat further so you see him now and then while travelling, instead of always far behind you, while still having him avoid directly in front of the player.
Slightly reduced the follow distances from my previous values overall - additional distance contributing to companions getting left behind. Should keep up with player better and respond to movement sooner.
Version 4.0.1
Emergency rollback to remove the "Hold Position" stuff. Broke combat AI for companions.
Tweaked Dogmeat's idle behaviours so he doesn't look dizzy when you stand still for a few seconds.
All 4.0 changes to Dogmeat, removing his "zoom into crosshairs" behaviour, are kept.
Version 4.0
Figured out the settings that control Dogmeat's "ranging" behaviour. Should not be magnetically drawn to player's crosshairs.
Changed the "Hold" packages to ignore combat. Activating "follow" again, by any means (vanilla or hotkey or CCaT) will restore normal combat awareness.
Version 3.0
Revision to almost all "ranging" behaviour by Dogmeat, which should keep players from tripping over him as much, and reduce his neurotic compulsion to charge full speed into your crosshairs whenever you turned your head.
I think the original idea was "the player should always see Dogmeat on the screen," but sense did not prevail when that turned out to not work so good. Fixt now.
Version 2.1
Silly bug I caused with multiple companion mods caused one of them to stop on stealth.... f o r e v e r
Version 2.0
Reworked! New method that shouldn't conflict with other Companion mods, work with custom companions / multi companions, etc.
Increased the default companion follow distance, a little more noticeably over vanilla
FOMOD installer! Choose between smaller or larger increase to default follower distance (stealthed or not). If you still feel crowded with the original release, try the new option.
Version 1.1
Five minutes after initial upload when I realized I'd packaged the wrong file.
Version 1.0
Initial upload.
‘I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it’
NO FREE HUGS
Ever notice that no matter where they are, your companion tries to Archon Merge with you as soon as you crouch? This stops that. They crouch and stealth also, but they maintain the default "Medium" distance.
As of 5.0 it also reduces how often your followers charge an enemy right in front of you... and into your line of fire. I have further tweaked basegame follower AI to prefer to maintain range, and to strafe out and away from the player, as much as possible without scripts or extensive additions. Followers now prefer to flank, shoot from range, and seek cover, in most cases.
But wait, there's more!
This also greatly reduces Dogmeat's zooming back and forth in front of you, especially when you're trying to (bleep)ing activate or loot something.
Main Files now also has an ESL-tagged ESP, or ESPFE. They have the exact same file name, so it's safe to choose whichever one you want. Use only ONE of the Main Files!
CCaT lets you change the distance companions follow you at. With this mod added, they'll maintain the distance you set with CCaT, whether you're sneaking or not.
All three distances you set with CCaT - Near, Medium, Far - are increased and spaced out slightly (whether sneaking or not).
CCaT restores functionality that Bethesda cut before release; highly recommended. Using all three mods, I have found exploring with a companion is a verrrrrry different experience than Vanilla!
You might also wish your companions were More Smarter. Deathlock47 can help you with that.
Installation
If you've never installed a mod before, you must first follow these instructions.
Using NMM: click the button, do the thing, you know the drill.
Manually: download the file and unzip it with something like 7-zip. Drag the .esp file into your Fallout 4\Data directory, activate the .esp as you would any other, and you're all set![font=Verdana]
Thanks to The White Collar Players for their review! You can find this mod reviewed right after, appropriately, FO4 Hotkeys and CCaT near the end of the segment, but watch the whole thing to learn about some more QoL mods you may not know about!
Massive credit also goes to Wenderer for his FOMOD Creation Tool. This thing is awesome and saves a TON of time getting stuff packed up.
