Ok so, update time. First let me note that I have not installed any updates to any mods (including SS/WSFW) since my last post, although I have made a couple mod changes listed below.
Happiness is working again! Strangely. I'm not sure exactly when the fix/change occurred, I just noticed on a mouse over to fast travel to Sanctuary that happiness wasn't 20 anymore, and it was also moving in the WS when I was in Sanctuary. Confirmed that it is creeping up in my other populated settlements as well. Below is what I've done since last post, as best as I can remember, and when I noticed happiness moving again.
Mods:
- I re-installed Scrap Everything and in the FOMOD selected the Ultimate Edition and in the Options section selected ONLY the scrap expansion. I left both the sprint fix and the disappearing objects-terrain fix unchecked. (Prior install had disappearing objects selected as well.) I also installed the optional file for Scrap Everything - Automatron invisible mesh fix, and disabled the SE-Grey Garden idle fix esp. (I did all this in an effort to reduce disappearing walls and floors in some interior cells, giving views of a bright yellow/white void, which apparently SE can cause problems with. It 90% worked.)
- I installed Reestablished Minutemen Castle
- I installed Pip-Boy Flashlight
Quests:
Lots. Mostly companion related or similar side quests. None to do with settlements I don't think, except maybe the below.
- Completed Taking Independence and Big Guns, as well as a couple additional "this settlement needs your help" quests from Preston. (Namely, National Guard Armory for Greentop Nursery, and Revere Beach Station for County Crossing.) Note: Preston was not giving me these quests. I went out and manually recruited a settlement (Abernathy Farm) before Preston would offer me Taking Independence. He has been offering settlement recruitment/Minutemen radiant quests as normal since.
- Completed Dangerous Minds. While at the Memory Den, I also completed Emergent Behavior.
One other note. Mere moments after completing Emergent Behavior, I got a system message saying that one of my settlers had improved their plot in Ten Pines (only place I currently have plots) to Level 2. This is the first of these messages I have seen, and no idea if this is coincidence or not. Plots have been at Ten Pines for a couple in-game weeks. I had of course also just completed Dangerous Minds a couple minutes before. Shortly after, when I went to leave Goodneighbor, is when I noticed happiness had spiked to 73 in Sanctuary. Maybe issue tied to main questline?
Edit 1 - I was also having an issue where settlements were never being attacked. Like, at all. Not a big deal, as with BS Defence set up properly it's not something I pay attention to anyway. So it was a non-issue. Well today I was in Ten Pines, and it was attacked while I was there. First settlement attack in a 49-hour save. As before, no idea if related, but thought I would mention.