# 1788 can't force trade with companion, companion drops weapon he has ammo for

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/1788-cant-force-trade-with-companion-companion-drops-weapon-he-has-ammo-for/6809>\
**Category:** The Garage\
**Created:** [July 17, 2014, 2:05am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/1788-cant-force-trade-with-companion-companion-drops-weapon-he-has-ammo-for/6809 "2014-07-17T02:05:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 14\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HunterAlpha1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@HunterAlpha1](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/HunterAlpha1)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2014, 2:05am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/1788-cant-force-trade-with-companion-companion-drops-weapon-he-has-ammo-for/6809/1 "2014-07-17T02:05:18Z")

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So my companion dropped his heavily modded M14 EBR-RI for some reason or other(but that’s a story for another bug report thread), but when I try to trade it back to him by pressing “T” to “force trade” it doesn’t work, nothing happens.

What the heck, I guess I’ll address both bugs here: He dropped the M14 EBR-RI even though he had several hundred rounds for it.

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**Author:** ![HunterAlpha1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@HunterAlpha1](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/HunterAlpha1)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2014, 2:16am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/1788-cant-force-trade-with-companion-companion-drops-weapon-he-has-ammo-for/6809/2 "2014-07-17T02:16:27Z")

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[quote=“HunterAlpha1, post:1, topic:6809”]1. So my companion dropped his heavily modded M14 EBR-RI for some reason or other(but that’s a story for another bug report thread), but when I try to trade it back to him by pressing “T” to “force trade” it doesn’t work, nothing happens.

1. What the heck, I guess I’ll address both bugs here: He dropped the M14 EBR-RI even though he had several hundred rounds for it.[/quote]

After further examination I think both of these bugs may have to do with the NPC’s inventory being full. I’ll make a suggestion in the proper forum to add a “don’t loot” order to the NPC dialog menu.

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**Author:** ![acidia](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/acidia/32/2347_2.png) [@acidia](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/acidia)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2014, 2:57am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/1788-cant-force-trade-with-companion-companion-drops-weapon-he-has-ammo-for/6809/3 "2014-07-17T02:57:30Z")

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Two things to note:  
-For the force trade did you exit the window that says “Use (T) to force the trade” then hit ‘T’? It is a bit strange but you can’t actually force trade until the popup goes away.  
-If we do implement a ‘Don’t pick anything up!’ It is going to take a high level of speech skill/trust because an NPC is tagging along with the expectation of getting the gear they need along the way. If you are stationing them as a guard, they won’t/shouldn’t pick up any items if they accept your request to guard the point.

Double check the force trade thing… but if their inventory is full I’m not sure there is a bug.

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**Author:** ![HunterAlpha1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@HunterAlpha1](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/HunterAlpha1)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2014, 3:46am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/1788-cant-force-trade-with-companion-companion-drops-weapon-he-has-ammo-for/6809/4 "2014-07-17T03:46:04Z")

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Ok I get him to accept the item, but he still won’t use it despite having a crapton of ammo for it.

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**Author:** ![acidia](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/acidia/32/2347_2.png) [@acidia](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/acidia)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2014, 4:36am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/1788-cant-force-trade-with-companion-companion-drops-weapon-he-has-ammo-for/6809/5 "2014-07-17T04:36:20Z")

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Was he using it fine for a while?  
What did he change it out for?  
Could you use debug and check his skills?  
If you spawn a zombie does he swap his weapon out?

I’ve never given an NPC a modded weapon… I don’t think it would matter but we’ll see.

Thanks

EDIT: Give him all types of ammo that are compatible with the gun… I have no idea if the ammo variants all work. That would make sense if he fired off the 10-14 rounds in the clip then swapped weapons. If the weapon was empty when he dropped it, reload it for him and give it back to him to see what he does.

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**Author:** ![KA101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/278dde/32.png) [@KA101](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/KA101)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2014, 7:05am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/1788-cant-force-trade-with-companion-companion-drops-weapon-he-has-ammo-for/6809/6 "2014-07-17T07:05:21Z")

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[quote=“acidia, post:5, topic:6809”]Was he using it fine for a while?  
What did he change it out for?  
Could you use debug and check his skills?  
If you spawn a zombie does he swap his weapon out?

I’ve never given an NPC a modded weapon… I don’t think it would matter but we’ll see.

Thanks

EDIT: Give him all types of ammo that are compatible with the gun… I have no idea if the ammo variants all work. That would make sense if he fired off the 10-14 rounds in the clip then swapped weapons. If the weapon was empty when he dropped it, reload it for him and give it back to him to see what he does.[/quote]

Pretty confident that I’ve seen NPCs reload their firearms, FWIW.

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**Author:** ![acidia](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/acidia/32/2347_2.png) [@acidia](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/acidia)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/1788-cant-force-trade-with-companion-companion-drops-weapon-he-has-ammo-for/6809/7 "2014-07-17T14:15:41Z")

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The issue could be that the NPC may not realize FMJ/hand reloaded/etc would be a compatible ammo. I’ve only ever tested NPCs with their default ammo for a given weapon, which is what they spawn with. I know that reloads fine (a few exceptions exist).

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**Author:** ![HunterAlpha1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@HunterAlpha1](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/HunterAlpha1)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 4:25am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/1788-cant-force-trade-with-companion-companion-drops-weapon-he-has-ammo-for/6809/8 "2014-07-18T04:25:29Z")

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He was using it perfectly fine for awhile and then just randomly dropped it and equipped a crowbar instead.

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**Author:** ![acidia](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/acidia/32/2347_2.png) [@acidia](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/acidia)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 5:36am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/1788-cant-force-trade-with-companion-companion-drops-weapon-he-has-ammo-for/6809/9 "2014-07-18T05:36:15Z")

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Any way I could get a save if he is still around?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![HunterAlpha1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@HunterAlpha1](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/HunterAlpha1)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 4:09pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/1788-cant-force-trade-with-companion-companion-drops-weapon-he-has-ammo-for/6809/10 "2014-07-18T16:09:14Z")

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How exactly do I do that?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KA101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/278dde/32.png) [@KA101](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/KA101)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 1:23am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/1788-cant-force-trade-with-companion-companion-drops-weapon-he-has-ammo-for/6809/11 "2014-07-19T01:23:59Z")

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> [@HunterAlpha1](#):
>
> How exactly do I do that?

1. Load up DDA, make a note of the world and character you’re playing where you encountered this NPC
2. Go find the NPC, if xe isn’t around
3. Save near the NPC, presuming the NPC is staying in one spot
4. Compress a copy of the folder named for your character (in the relevant world folder)
5. Upload the compressed copy to your file host of choice
6. Post a link somewhere Acidia can get at it
7. Let us know about 6, so Acidia can grab the save

BAM done.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![HunterAlpha1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@HunterAlpha1](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/HunterAlpha1)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/1788-cant-force-trade-with-companion-companion-drops-weapon-he-has-ammo-for/6809/12 "2014-07-19T01:39:15Z")

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Damit I died and the world got deleted ☹

I’ll try to recreated the bug in the next experimental I DL, it’ll probably persist.

Anyone can do it, just drop a weapon and ammo for it for an NPC companions to pick up, hang around the NPC for awhile and it’ll eventually drop the gun.

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**Author:** ![acidia](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/acidia/32/2347_2.png) [@acidia](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/acidia)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 2:46am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/1788-cant-force-trade-with-companion-companion-drops-weapon-he-has-ammo-for/6809/13 "2014-07-19T02:46:05Z")

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I haven’t duplicated it exactly but from what I can see:

-NPCs will drop guns when out of ammo if their inventory is already full and the gun is a worse melee weapon than something else they have… Working as intended I suppose… Unless we should somehow have the NPC reserve enough room in their inventory to always store their main weapon, but that brings up a lot of issues for low volume capacity NPCs (most).  
-If I give an NPC a M14 loaded with reloaded .308 rounds and a box of normal .308 rounds it kicks up a debug reload error even if debug mode is off. You didn’t mention any debug errors popping up (unless they did) so it could be something else… did the m14 have an under-slung weapon that also needed ammo?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![HunterAlpha1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@HunterAlpha1](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/HunterAlpha1)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/1788-cant-force-trade-with-companion-companion-drops-weapon-he-has-ammo-for/6809/14 "2014-07-19T18:14:39Z")

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Nope, no m203 or other similar attachments, and I have debug messages turned off.

So I guess my best bet, until a “don’t loot” command is added, is to simply equip my companions with the best melee weapon I can find.