Ref ID or Base ID?

[Maul Scarreign]

When using console commands pertaining to items, NPCs, etc. how do you know when to use the Red ID or the Base ID? What is the difference?

[cfs111]

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Console

That is how I do it, look up the code I want to use.

[Bomb Bloke]

Indeed, each command has documentation telling you which type of ID to use, so unless you're well versed in what each command does it's easiest to just go and read that.

As for what the difference is, the baseID refers to the "template" for the actor, and the refID refers to an "actual instance of" the actor.

For example, let's say you want to summon Balgruuf. You've got two choices: placeatme, or moveto.

placeatme creates a clone of Balgruuf. As such, it requires a baseID, because you're generating a fresh copy from the template. You then have multiple Balgruufs in the world - they have the same baseID (and hence the same facial features, level caps, and so on), but since they each have their own unique health bars (and inventory contents, character levels, and so on), they have different refIDs.

moveto shifts a specific Balgruuf to a specified location. As such, it requires a refID, because if there happens to be more than one in the world (eg because someone's been messing with placeatme...), then the baseID couldn't be used to tell them apart.

Note that you'll just about never want to use placeatme on an NPC, unless you're wanting to create a clone army for ♥♥♥♥♥ and giggles or something. Pretty much every quest relating to NPCs uses their refIDs, so generating new NPCs with new refIDs will result in actors the quests don't recognise.

[Maul Scarreign]

Originally posted by Bomb Bloke:

Indeed, each command has documentation telling you which type of ID to use, so unless you're well versed in what each command does it's easiest to just go and read that.

As for what the difference is, the baseID refers to the "template" for the actor, and the refID refers to an "actual instance of" the actor.

For example, let's say you want to summon Balgruuf. You've got two choices: placeatme, or moveto.

placeatme creates a clone of Balgruuf. As such, it requires a baseID, because you're generating a fresh copy from the template. You then have multiple Balgruufs in the world - they have the same baseID (and hence the same facial features, level caps, and so on), but since they each have their own unique health bars (and inventory contents, character levels, and so on), they have different refIDs.

moveto shifts a specific Balgruuf to a specified location. As such, it requires a refID, because if there happens to be more than one in the world (eg because someone's been messing with placeatme...), then the baseID couldn't be used to tell them apart.

Note that you'll just about never want to use placeatme on an NPC, unless you're wanting to create a clone army for ♥♥♥♥♥ and giggles or something. Pretty much every quest relating to NPCs uses their refIDs, so generating new NPCs with new refIDs will result in actors the quests don't recognise.

That makes much more sense. Thank you!