SOMETIMES there is no [X] Talk option for an NPC

[jack63ss]

I have had the problem a couple of times that I get no Talk option for some NPCs. Some, like Guards will show it, others that are quest characters, will not. The last time I actually backed up to a save that was almost 6 months old before "I thought" I fixed it, or had a save file that was okay. Unfortunately after a couple of save I see it again, sometimes. I have a save that is okay (the one I backed up to), but in the next save it fails, then the two after that are okay, then it fails for the next two.

I ran through the Master File Validate process and it did not help. I also tried running a save file "cleaner" but it did not help either. It is not there is no voice or dialog, I do not get the Talk option at all.

ANY suggestions would be deeply appreciated.
Thanks

[Lord Zapharos]

Regarding save cleaners—their purpose is not for fixing broken saves and they can be extremely destructive to your save file unless you know exactly what you're doing. If a misbehaving script is causing your problem, it's baked into your save forever; a save cleaner won't be able to "fix" that.

If you have mods, please post your load order. Otherwise, does the problem persist even when you restart Skyrim? Sometimes I have had the talk option disappear for a few NPCs, but closing and restarting Skyrim fixed it in each case.

Also, if you press the [X] button on an affected NPC, do they still talk? A mod might just be disabling the crosshair for that interaction.

[jack63ss]

I actually ran the save cleaner more to see if it found anything wrong than to get it fixed. And it didn't find anything so I assumed the problem was a little more complex.

As for mods, the load order is:
CompanionArissa
TraverlersofSkyrim
HighResTexturePack02
HighResTexturePack03
HighResTexturePack01
EasyLockpicking
Immersive Weapons
SPTDiverseGuardsSkyrim
AmazingFollowerTweaks
TraverlersofSkyrim - Vanilla
Sneak Tools
Sneak Tools Vanilla Masks
Sneak Tools Vanilla Hoods
SMIM-Merged-NoDragonborn
The Paarthurnax Dilemma

And the problem is I don't see the [X] on the affected NPC. I see it on my followers and on most guards (not all though), but not on the other NPSs. So they don't talk to me, but I hear them talk to other people. And they know I am there, as their eyes will follow me. Closing and restarting does not seem to have an impact as there are some saves where things are okay after I load them, and some that are not.

If you think it might be a mod issue I'll look and see what the date is of the first savefile that has the issue and compare it to when the mods were installed. Most have been there a long time though.

Thanks
Jack

[DrNewcenstein]

I'm sure more than one of those mods relies on the Unofficial Patch. If not, I'd be shocked that there were actually people who were allowed to post mods that didn't, and were not hunted like witches.

Not all NPCs can be spoken to, as I recall, especially if they either don't have anything to say, or you haven't completed the quest they gave you.
And then you have Fame/Infamy to account for, which will prevent some NPCs from talking to you.

[Grumpy]

#1 does the problem appear in a new game?

#2 just wondering but why not unofficial patch or skyUI. sneak tools needs SkyUI for example for configuration.

[jack63ss]

#1 - Have not tried it in a new game. I will but given this is an intermittent problem I wouldn't be surprised if I did not see the problem.
#2 - Why no Unofficial Patch, good question, as I thought I had installed it a while ago (I have been playing this game since mid-2015). I checked in NMM and it said I had installed Unofficial Skyrim Legendary Edition Patch 1/16/2017, BUT I don't have the Legendary Edition, so it won't work. I have to say, I am confused myself. I'll back everything up, install the regular Unofficial Patch and see what happens.
As for why no SkyUI, I had instyalled it, used it a while and found I actually didn't like the UI portion as much as the standard one. Call me a masochist ...

Thanks for the replies, I'll try the patch, and check the Fame/Infamy, and see what happens.
Thanks
Jack

[Uncle64]

If you have all DLC:s you have legendary edition more or less.

You can lose the ability to talk to npc:s if your papyrus load getting high or you have removed mods from the save.

About SkyUi, you need it, there is one mod that removes the grafical changes it does.
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/29440/

[jack63ss]

Uncle64 - Thanks for the reply. After a LOT of pain and misery it appears I may just be PRETTY DAMN STUPID. I think what was happening was that I had a Dragon Priest Mask ON, which conceals your identity. So if I tried to talk to an NPC they did not recognize me, hence no [X]. Once I took the mask off, everyone is happy and they will interact with me. If that turns out to be the actual cause of the problem I'll .... myself, as like I said I rewound the game a ccouple of months in the effort to fix the issue. Fortunately I still have all the Save files though, so I might be okay. Anyway ... thanks again. - Jack

[Mr. Monday]

You must have a mod causing that then. I wear Morokei all the time and never had such an issue.

[Uncle64]

You can talk to npc:s whit one mask on as Mr.Monday says. You have some other issue in you game. Like one mod or perhaps remains of one mod in your data folder.

When you did remove your game did you delete manually all files after you have uninstalled it?