Failed to place NPC in a valid location near (98,5,-3)

[Fris0uman]

So I’ve lost my NPC companion in a Lab and I got that message, does that mean that the companion is stuck somewhere or is it an unrelated error about a failed attempt at spawning another NPC ?

I’m on build 8066

DEBUG : Failed to place NPC in a valid location near (98,5,-3)

FUNCTION : void npc::place_on_map()
FILE : src/npc.cpp
LINE : 843

[Drakasin]

I had something similar but instead it was also “because location is already occupied”. And it was outside in a forest.

[Kadian]

Did this message show up randomly while you were in the laboratory, or did it show up shortly after you used stairs or moved between z-levels in some other way?

From what I understand from the game, this sounds mostly like you switched z-levels, the game tried to let your npc follow you, but there wasn’t any free space for him, so it couldn’t spawn him.

If it just showed up really randomly…maybe he, by pure accident, stepped into a teleportation trap, that might have caused it too.

[Fris0uman]

It seems to show up when I’m above ground and it seems to happen around the same location.
But I noticed I had lost the NPC before going above ground and getting the error. So the teleportation trap looks like a good candidate.
Is there a way for me to find the NPC back or is he lost in limbo forever ?

EDIT : I went back through the lab “searching” for him and teleported him next to me via debug menu

[Eastwardrope91]

He might have teletraped into a locked room but I believe that error is for spawns not teleporting.