I'm looking for simple populating mods

[lupus_hegemonia]

Hey there.

One of the major thing the game suffers, is the... emptiness. You traveling here and there and you meeting very few people all over the region.

I tried Steve's (smr1957) idea, to add a lot followers to "populate" the Skyrim region, but it needs a lot work in xEdit, because a lot followers mods having issues, bad cell records, etc.

So... I'm asking you to tell me which "simple" populating mods I could check.
I know for long time that "Populate Skyrim" series, but suffers from issues. I want something newest, some mods that adding simple NPCs here and there; like the "More Kats" & "More Argonians", which I so love these two mods...

Any suggestions?

[Mephitic]

Interesting NPCs[www.nexusmods.com] is a good start.

Followed by Immersive Wenches[www.nexusmods.com]. Even if you don't (ahem) "employ" them. there are interesting quests and dialog with the ladies.

[Nabinkemper]

I use "Populated Skyrim - Hell Edition" and "Immersive World Encounters"

[lupus_hegemonia]

Interesting NPCs is a huge mod, with a lot patches (to install).
I just like something simple, like this:

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/58208

[lupus_hegemonia]

Originally posted by Mephitic:

Interesting NPCs[www.nexusmods.com] is a good start.

Followed by Immersive Wenches[www.nexusmods.com]. Even if you don't (ahem) "employ" them. there are interesting quests and dialog with the ladies.

I'm not even starting a new build without the wenches.

[lupus_hegemonia]

Originally posted by Nabinkemper:

I use "Populated Skyrim - Hell Edition" and "Immersive World Encounters"

That "Populated Skyrim" has issues, friend.
As for the second, yeah, adding enemies.

But I'm not talking about enemies; I want simply to see more people around Skyrim.

[HazakTheMad]

This mod makes NPCs more lively and adds generic travelers on the road and in inns,
AI Overhaul,
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/21654

[lupus_hegemonia]

Originally posted by HazakTheMad:

This mod makes NPCs more lively and adds generic travelers on the road and in inns,
AI Overhaul,
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/21654

I know that; makes more lively the NPCs, but I need something to ADDING MORE NPCs to towns, Skyrim in general.

[HazakTheMad]

It does add travelers on the road and in inns.

[jss1138]

Lively Inns and Taverns (LIAT)

[cfs111]

Populated Series by Sands of Time Team
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/users/213669?tab=user+files&BH=1

[HazakTheMad]

Originally posted by cfs111:

Populated Series by Sands of Time Team
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/users/213669?tab=user+files&BH=1

Haven't seen you in a while, how goes it?

[DAMNED, NOT DOOMED]

All of the ones I current have enabled:

Interesting NPCs (Adds Over 250+ fully voiced NPCs, 25+ followers, 15+ marriage NPCs, and 50+ quests). You'll want this mod the most. It seems like it's exactly what you're looking for.

Populated Lands Roads Paths Legendary has always been completely stable for me after 200+ hours with ~72 other mods, including all in this post. It adds ~140 new NPCs that you'll encounter mostly on roads or nearby.
Traveling merchants are always nice to come across.

Immersive Citizens + the mod Relationship Dialogue Overhaul are favorites of mine (they need a patch to work together). Neither add any new NPCs, but they seriously change the way regular NPCs act to the point where Immersive Citizens is always a staple.

Daedra SE doesn't add NPCs, but it adds some pretty damn cool Daedra.

Avoid Immersive Patrols. Just trust me, it's very buggy and mixes with other NPC mods like oil and water. Especially Populated Lands Roads Paths.

Two odd recommendations:
Common Clothes and Armors is a really immersive mod that adds different types of regular clothing (so NPCs wear different things sometimes instead of the same outfit every day for years). For example, bandits usually have make-shift armor or something similar. By doing such, it adds more character to certain NPCs, including any added through mods.
Either way, still a great mod. Not enough people know about it.

Same with Open Face Guard Helmets. It could potentially somewhat give the impression of added NPCs, but that would be entirely subjective. It does for me. They otherwise are statues.

As you already know, adding too many mods that add NPCs can cause compatibility problems so just make sure you check first. All mine above work well together.

Have fun with your new followers!

[lupus_hegemonia]

Thxs a lot for your suggestions.

[Quevik]

Originally posted by DAMNED, NOT DOOMED:

Avoid Immersive Patrols. Just trust me, it's very buggy and mixes with other NPC mods like oil and water. Especially Populated Lands Roads Paths.

Could you be more specific please?

[DAMNED, NOT DOOMED]

Originally posted by Quevik:

Originally posted by DAMNED, NOT DOOMED:

Avoid Immersive Patrols. Just trust me, it's very buggy and mixes with other NPC mods like oil and water. Especially Populated Lands Roads Paths.

Could you be more specific please?

No problem at all. Immersive Patrols is somewhat notoriously known for being unstable.
https://www.reddit.com/r/skyrimrequiem/comments/4kpb84/immersive_patrols_stability_discussion_thread/
This guy does a great job of explaining the issue most have with the mod and why he had to uninstall it.

My game of 300+ hours never had any issues at all with any mods, including Immersive Patrols. No CTDs or anything...then, further into my playthrough, Immersive Patrols started causing CTDs like crazy.
As for Populated Lands...
Many have random CTDs as stated in that post, yes, but I also noticed there was a consistency specifically in my game with them sometimes that wasn't random- unlike others: when NPCs from Populated Lands were spawning nearby. It made the issue much, much worse. Which is strange because the two mods should be perfectly compatible with each other otherwise and were for the entire play-through up until the random CTDs.

But there is something to note:
Immersive Patrols is safe to remove whenever. So there's no harm in trying it out if you really want to. It's safe, just buggy. Hell, it only gave me problems after hundreds of hours into the game. So even if it works at first that doesn't mean there won't be stability issues down the line.
Immersive Patrols was one of my favorite mods. Top 5. The battles were always really entertaining to watch/fight in.
Such a shame, really. I thought it was getting along with my game just fine. I had to head back to my home in Riften to wait 11 days indoors.