Knock on doors to gain access to houses, SKSE free, works dynamically on all dlc locations plus mod added locations wich have handled the RefType of locations correctly (Like CRF etc.). So no need to major patches. No DLL or updates of SKSE involved. Crime system on intimidation failure. VR ok
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 are not allowed to earn Donation Points for your mods if they use my assets
Author notes
File credits
- Inspired by "Simply Knock" Mod by Chesko - Bethesda and Creation Kit
Donation Points system
Please log in to find out whether this mod is receiving Donation Points
Removed the Message Menu for House Owner interaction and replaced it with a more immersive NPC-style dialogue system.
Implemented a single Talking Activator dynamically, minimizing asset usage compared to Simply Knock.
Fixed the Say message bug, ensuring subtitles do not remain on screen after execution.
All behaviors are now handled directly when knocking on a door, maintaining the same mechanics.
Added a 5-minute real-time cooldown for Persuade and Intimidate attempts to prevent spamming.
Ensured the Talking Activator remains functional while being non-interactable.
Version 2.9
- Uploaded a Simpler Knock USSEP patch, please refer to the article for information.
- Modified a condition to search for house owner to include also who 1 key of his house or more.
- Removed all conflictual cell or worldspace edits.
Version 2.8a
I'm very sorry for this update, but i didn't notice then when i ticked the "run once" this blocked any kind of resets on the knockknock quest, this didn't show on any of my hundreds of test because the problem could only pop up on a new save.
I figured that some ppl were having issue for a reason.
Also, there are probably some new dynamics added by the recent beth update on the handling of editing a file that always seems kinda instanced on fresh saves.
Again, very sorry, with my actual work and the fact that i don't play Skyrim a lot anymore i couldn't do this sooner, it's the downside of experimenting new uncharted things.
Version 2.8
- I discovered that some npc, differently from other npc failed to be detected by the search of the House resident because of not being their house their editor location. Like 99% of the other npc.
An example of this is Maul Black briar, having his editor location in riften and not in black Briar Manor, and thus not even resulting of being considered part of black briar family even tho he comes back home to sleep and has the key of his house.
So i modified the conditions accordingly to this issue, when you knock, will answer whoever has the key of the house or is the RefType boss of the location this should include the totality of the resident of the habitation, or anyway whoever has the authority to answer at the door.
Version 2.7
- By analyzing the script i find out i could completely remove the while statement, since apparently the house owner given the calculation is founded with 100% precision, thus ultimately making the knocking and the feedback of the owner of the house (if any inside) instant.
So i proceeded to remove all lines of script that were redundant, simplifying yet again the mod, and hopefully fixing some issues some peapole were having (quest firing multiple times, UI of lock picking overlapping with the knocking feature).
Please give me feedback about this. In my test, all seems to work fine.
Version 2.6b
- Added a condition check to exclude "Knock" activation from distance (that could happen while asking favors to followers)
- Removed the "Knock on door" message choice and applied a text activate label, a yellow text will say "Knock" imho a smoother experience considering the quicker response time. Conditions for knocking remains the same.
Version 2.6a
- On a closer look the conditions for filtering some types of doors were completely wrong... /facepalm now is fixed thanks for the feedbacks
Version 2.6
- Reworked completely the approach on obtaining the house location of NPCs, this led me to ulterior reducing the calculation time of answering the door. Which now i can proudly say is instantaneous. No min or max times!
An example is that few versions ago to obtain the residents of the house the calculation was around the 100 checks, now is 5 (probably also 3 could work, but is like 1 second for popping the nobody's home text if someone is not in the house).
The waiting time was so reduced that i removed the halftime message and the leaving the threshold message altogether.
- The changing in the approach has allowed me to remove some cell and locations edit that now are no longer necessary.
- This version should fix some issues some users were having.
Version 2.5
- Drastically reduced the waiting time for someone to answer the door.
We are now to a average 8-12 second (animation included). It may peak to 15-20 seconds on rare occasions. I can say now it feels seamless and almost instantaneous.
We are way beyond the unspoken agreement of videogames now, i think.
I hope you will appreciate the improvement. Also added a keyword "Dwelling" to anneke house (a USSEP fix i suppose the will fix it in the future) And fixed a little the timing sound of knocking.
Version 2.4b
This update is safe to process with an ongoing save.
- Fixed some wrong conditions for knocking doors (thanks for the feedback)
- Fixed magical effect casting only once if reading the SK note, now always fires and the system for adding or removing doors references to knock works as intended.
Version 2.4a
- Corrected start of the mod conditions to not fire twice (is not big deal if you already started a game)
Version 2.4
- Ulterior shortened the waiting time after knocking, by optimizing aliases positions and conditions. Now the response is consistent 5-10 (which in my testings happens 90% of the time) to a max of 40 sec.(Average 15-20 sec) After the animation. Feedback is appreciated.
- Removed some cell modifications left some versions ago.
- The mod is now just start game enabled, no more cc style startup.
- Fixed some conditions about "Not knockable" doors. Now working properly.
- Minor assorted fixes
Version 2.3
- Added an amulet that can be founded in the pool of the temple of Dibella, with it equipped you knocking on doors will always be a success (if there is someone home)
- Updated the instructions
Version 2.2
- Ulteriorly optimized the waiting time, this is quantified on a 12ish seconds less on waiting time. Bringing the average waiting time to less than 1 minute (from 30 sec. to 45 sec. average).
- Cleaned some usless edits and objects.
- Updated formlist of not knockable doors. (this is why you need a new save)
- Merryfair farm was missing a unique key for the habitation rendering that location unsuited to be knocked, this has been fixed by also adding keys of the farm to the owners. (A proper attention for conflict has been given).
Version 2.1
- Removed ccstartafterchargen script from the .bsa to avoid future conflicts.
- Now leaving the habitation threshold (250 unit from the door you knocked on) will stop the search of an habitant, thus resetting the search counter (you will need to knock again) wich in some cases can help in getting shorter waiting times. A message will play when this happens.
Version 2.0a
- Fixed some condition that where wrong.
Version 2.0
- Ulteriorly optimized the search for the resident system.
- Now a message will appear when at half time before not finding anyone in the house. "This is taking a while"
- Implemented some advices and choices of storytelling.
- Now if only one person is present in the house, the dialogue menu will appear directly with him responding to the knocking.
- Merryfair farm didn't have the key and none of its owners had it on them even if the place is locked.
- The list of doors type that cannot be knocked and the doors reference that cannot be knocked has been updated.
- To add to the black list a door that shouldn't be knocked, read the simpler knock instructions, a Magic effect will be applied to you, then activate the door as you want to knock. This process can be reverted only with doors that you blacklisted.
- The simpler knock note is a quest item now.
Version 1.9
- Perfectioned the elaborations to obtain with 100% certainty the presence of the npc inside the house, in the precedent calculations didn't limited properly to the actual house location, but mostly didn't got the actual presence in the house.
I throughly tested the response time of the knocking, and i modified the time for the message "Looks like nobody is home" message would appear, since i found out that most of the response times are from 14 sec from knocking to 1 min and 20 i've increased the time for waiting for a response. The response times have remained unchanged and always based on how much boss npc there are in a location, and how many locations are in a Habitation locref type location.
Since i've increased the time to wait for a response at the door, i've made so the 2 message options when knocking would: "knock on door" will reset the calculations of looking for the owner, and the "don't bother" message will stop the calculations.
I made speechcraft a little more matterful on persuasion checks. Also increased the speechcraft skill ups.
I'm quite satisfied about the features of this mod and of what can achieve, if there aren't other request, or bugfix i suppose this mod has reached and surpassed my expectations of its purpouse. Please let me know if i can improve it in some ways.
Version 1.8
- Added "Choose the resident" feature:
A menu will appear with the list of all the resident inside the home, you can choose the resident to look for who will answer the door.
- 1/7th less of script cycles are required. Improved script performance.
- If an inside main door is missing in an house location the house owner would go to the location center marker, wich could have been in an exterior cell, this has been fixed by moving to his editor location wich is always his residence.
- Removed the red hit effect of the nuisance condition, now just looks like getting a regular disease.
Version 1.7
- Improved script speed, specifically, reduced a lot the calculation time required for the house owner to answer the knock at the door.
Version 1.6
- Finally managed to create sequence, knock on the door, and wait for the response that could work properly.
- Improved script precision to 100%. All owners will be accounted for but only the one inside will properly respond.
- After all calculations a message will notify that no one is home (3 and half minutes). Wich is a logical timing.
- On persuade positive access, now a help message will play the first time to explain you have 30 seconds to interact as a guest in the house, after that time the owner will escort you out his house. His cell will return as private.
Version 1.5
- I took some time to play an entire savegame to test my mods, so i managed to hit some brick walls of this one. Starting from the list of the types of knockable doors wich was updated.
- I individually removed from knockable doors some quest doors wich was kind of odd for the player to knock to or might caused issues even tho the following safety measure is definitive to prevent issues.
- Now "Wondering about knocking" is a state, in wich the player stays for a specific number of house checked, this number should cover the max time it takes to pop the quest marker in the game ("You can knock this door" quest marker). In fact if by chance this number is surpassed it basically means we are talking about a special door wich shouldn't be knocked (if you want to be sure about a door repeat the "wondering about knocking" twice but in theory this shouldn't be necessary.
The message "Wondering about knocking this door is kind of weird..." will appear at the end of this count wich can mean basically:
- This door is special (Doesn't have a specific key to open it, It opens in a special way, no one of the bosses of the door location carries the key of the door, the door is not an house door)
This is primarly an additional safety measure and to eliminate completely loops and ensuring complete other mods compatibility.
- Gave to the HonningBrew meadery front door a key, and gave it to Mallus Maccius (this will activate at the start of a new game).
- Fixed some minor issues
Version 1.4a
- The price of roaming the uncharted lands of modding...
While i thought i was fixing a hole in the boat, unluckly i created another one.
-I was convinced that several npcs didn't had their key properly added, instead i found out that only 3 are inconsistent. Anneke, Verner and Geimund. I've added via script the key of their house to these neglected npc by bethesda. (If for any reason USSEP or CRF will fix this, i will gladly reverse this issue).
- I fixed my own script wich led to adding key of the knocked door house, to other house owners. Now should work properly. If you already have knocked several houses, you will find different keys of different houses on the npcs of the same location. The only way to remove the key is by pickpocket those npc or use console command to open their inventory.
With a new save all should be working as intended...
Version 1.4
- I think i was able to recreate the issue some ppl where having wich deleted their journal entries.
The real cause of this issue wasn't specifically this mod but some kind of loop. This loop creates because some houses (the one that this mod looks for in the script) in Skyrim DO have their specific key wich usually their owner has but NOT ALL of them. The script would keep looking for the owner that should had the key, never finding it... Piling up (i think) journal space, wich would eventually caused to erase the old objectives or missions, as i could see starting from the older one. I was able to see this in the papyrus log btw...
Case specific that caused this issue, DarkWater Crossing Anneke and Verner's house, the key of their house exist but those 2 losers don't have it on them... Bethesda impress me to this day. Apparently is an issue never handled by the ussep too... Anyway i've putted another safeguard to make sure that if the door has his key, their owner should have it.
This should cover all the case scenario of knocking on a house door.
Version 1.3
- Added a new activation prompt "Maybe i shouldn't bother..." this will make you cancel the unwanted search of doors to knock
- A new filter has been added to avoid activation on type of doors that shouldn't been knocked (like gates, traps, cellar doors, cages)
- A new behaviour has been added to house owners who gives you access after the "good"persuade check. The player will have 30sec after not being welcome anymore and be told to leave. Dialogues pauses this timer. Also now the person who answers to the knock will be found close to the door or standing in the center of the house (not sleeping... XD)
- Removed some script nonsense i made.
Other minor fixes.
Version 1.2b
- The nuisance condition still didn't wore off, now it is. But i have to change something in the magic effect. (The effect will last 1 ingame hour but is not shown)
If you are still affected by the condition simply use the CONSOLE COMMAND without quote (unequip everything before this command): "Dispelallspells". Or if you don't want to unequip use this OTHER CONSOLE COMMAND : "player.Dispel aaawimpcondition"
- Now a condition has been put so you cannot knock doors in Interior cells.
Version 1.2a
- Fixed the spell worning on the "Nuisance" Condition. Now work as intended
This version can be safely updated on a ongoing save.
Version 1.2
- Simplified the "Knocking procedure", no more fist raised...
1- Stand in front the locked door habitation without moving.
2- Activate the door and choose "wonder about knocking" and wait for the quest marker to pop.
3- Hit the door to knock or hold E(Activate, like grabbing) to Knock.
- Now if you activate another door the door check will reset
- Now only one instruction will be given to the player at the start of the mod.
Since i was concerned about comments, i also had a complete testing round starting by new games scenario to already ongoing saves, the mod worked all the time, from .esp to esp flagged as .esl. So i can be sure for a large degree that the mod is and was working as intended.
Version 1.1c
- For some reason door activation was blocked. Now is fixed.
Version 1.1b
- Added a note of instructions at mod start
- Removed some leftover script properties
As of now i consider the mod complete as it is.
Version 1.1a
- To avoid possible stuck situation a script function has been removed.
Version 1.1
-Added animations and knock sounds.
When the quest marker appears sheathe the fist and activate.
Simpler Knock is a dynamic and simple door-knocking system that doesn't require SKSE, offering a more immersive and less intrusive approach compared to "Simply Knock" by Chesko. This mod uses Skyrim's built-in systems to retrieve house resident data, ensuring a minimal asset footprint and high compatibility with the original game.What does this mod do?
Knocking Mechanism: To knock on a door, simply activate it. If you're not moving or sneaking, the activation label will display "Knock." A notification will appear telling you whether someone is home.
Who answers the door? A menu will appear with the current residents of the house, allowing you to choose who to speak with.
Response Options:
If you're a friend of the house owner:
The owner will open the door and let you in. No trespassing involved.
If you're not a friend:
Persuade: Try to persuade the owner to let you in. Success means entering without trespassing. If you fail, you enter a "Nuisance" state, preventing further knocks until the state wears off.
Intimidate: Try to intimidate the owner. Success means entering, but the owner's response depends on their confidence:
They may flee in fear (still no trespassing).
They may ambush you along with other residents (still no trespassing).
New Features and Updates:
Immersive Dialogue System: The previous Message Menu for house owner interactions has been replaced with an NPC-style dialogue system, enhancing immersion and realism.
Minimal Asset Usage: A single, dynamically used Talking Activator is now responsible for all interactions, greatly reducing asset usage compared to "Simply Knock."
Fixed Subtitles Bug: The issue with subtitles staying on-screen after dialogue has been fixed, ensuring a cleaner experience.
Cooldown for Persuade/Intimidate: To prevent spamming, there's now a 5-minute real-time cooldown between attempts to persuade or intimidate.
Non-Interactable Talking Activator: The Talking Activator remains functional but non-interactable, ensuring that it fits seamlessly into the game without causing interruptions.
Additional Features:
Amulet of Nuisance: Found in the Temple of Dibella, this amulet makes you always considered a "friend" when knocking on doors, preventing you from entering "Nuisance" state.
Skill Improvement: Successfully persuading or intimidating the owner will increase your Speechcraft skill.
Compatibility: Some doors (like gates or trapdoors) cannot be knocked. However, you can add custom doors to the knock list using the "Simpler Knock Instruction" spell in your inventory.
Pros vs. "Simply Knock":
No SKSE Required: This mod is completely SKSE-free, meaning no DLLs and no worries about SKSE updates breaking it.
Uses Skyrim's Built-In Systems: It uses Skyrim's native systems to retrieve house resident information, minimizing asset usage and ensuring greater compatibility with the base game.
Fast Responses: The wait time is almost instant, with no mid-time message or leaving message interrupting gameplay.
Known Issues and Patches:
JK Skyrim Patch: A patch for JK Skyrim's custom merchant houses has been authorized and uploaded in the download section.
USSEP Inconsistencies: There are some inconsistencies with the base game and USSEP patches, which have been noted. Hopefully, USSEP will fix these issues in the future.
