NPCMod and Addons

[khzmusik]

3 hours ago, BFT2020 said:

I believe it is Guns, Nerds, and Steel, but your name would be a great parody for his channel  😁

 

And a shameless plug for his channel

 

https://www.youtube.com/c/GunsNerdsandSteel?app=desktop

 

 

Ha ha, actually, his channel name is a parody of a book called Guns, Germs, and Steel. It's a good book. That's why I was confused.

 

And yeah, his videos have great editing. Pretty good music too.

[ghostsniper]

Hi there! I've been on and off playing. It's a fun mod. The only thing that's sort of time consuming is in case my other family members join; I have to make them "mod" and explain to them how to do things since they're not always on. Lol. (Speaking of which, I should write it and tape the instructions on my laptop on a space somewhere). 

 

Anyway, what I'm really posting for is I have a question with the mod. For example, when I want to go somewhere, and I want to leave my "NPC friendly" behind at my area, few minutes later or so he/she dies. I see that on the left where all the texts, and notifications are. Anyone know if this is really what happens, is it a glitch, or am I missing a code or something? Waiting on any1's reply.

 

P.S.: I would like to show a screenshot, but I'm currently not on at the moment.

 

[khzmusik]

4 hours ago, ghostsniper said:

when I want to go somewhere, and I want to leave my "NPC friendly" behind at my area, few minutes later or so he/she dies. I see that on the left where all the texts, and notifications are.

 

This was a recurring problem when I was still on the team. There was a lot of work done to solve it, but there were always edge cases that seemed to crop up. I believe that when it happens now, it's due to vanilla bugs that the NPC Core team can't do much about.

 

@arramus You're still on the team and were trying hard to understand and explain this when I left. Do you have any details that I don't have?

[arramus]

The disappearing hired NPC issue still stands. It appears to be linked to chunk loading/unloading where the NPC is potentially falling under the World. They are either totally disappearing for good with all hire status removed or get trapped in the chunk to reappear at a later date. The hire status can remain or be removed in that instance. This is a Vanilla thing. The traders also appear to have this issue, but have a safeguard in place to respawn them. This shows up in the server log periodically.

 

There has been much testing and attempts to find a workaround. Attempts come and go in phases depending on what other priorities exist. In fact, there is some testing going on right now that considers the trader safeguard. If anything comes of it, it'll naturally be pushed to the community as this has been a long standing issue from the outset.

[ghostsniper]

Ok, thank you guys! At least I'm not the only one. 👍 Maybe I'll just have to live with it and bring npc(s) with me wherever I go. I like that too! More protection😁

[Ganeshakw]

Thanks. 

[Ganeshakw]

On 1/6/2023 at 12:37 AM, khzmusik said:

 

Ha ha, actually, his channel name is a parody of a book called Guns, Germs, and Steel. It's a good book. That's why I was confused.

 

And yeah, his videos have great editing. Pretty good music too.

 

I visited his channel and started watching WOTW Series.

Nice play style and editing like you said.

Thanks.

[Khlorbolt]

I installed the NPC mod but I do not get a dialog box when I talk to the NPC's. I assume there is a fix I just cannot figure it out. has anyone run into this and been able to get it to work? I am installing on Undead Legacy if that's what is creating the issues. Thank you.

[Canute]

14 minutes ago, Khlorbolt said:

I installed the NPC mod but I do not get a dialog box when I talk to the NPC's. I assume there is a fix I just cannot figure it out. has anyone run into this and been able to get it to work? I am installing on Undead Legacy if that's what is creating the issues. Thank you.

Not every NPC is hireable.

 

[Khlorbolt]

9 hours ago, Canute said:

Not every NPC is hireable.

 

Yes I understand that but when I go into creative and spawn them I can interact with them there is just no dialog box.

[mooseman]

This could be a dumb question but i was just curious is there a way to have the raiders to not have such perfect aim or something. we have tried just getting to the trader on fresh game and have died like 20 times between the 2 of us in a very short distance.

[xyth]

3 hours ago, mooseman said:

This could be a dumb question but i was just curious is there a way to have the raiders to not have such perfect aim or something. we have tried just getting to the trader on fresh game and have died like 20 times between the 2 of us in a very short distance.

 

The accuracy is adjustable in xml per weapon.  By default we use the player default xml values for the most part.  Increasing the passive variance setting for each weapon should help make them miss more.  <passive_effect name="SpreadDegreesVertical" operation="base_set" value="2" tags="perkGunslinger"/>
                <passive_effect name="SpreadDegreesHorizontal" operation="base_set" value="2" tags="perkGunslinger"/>   Try doubling those values 2 -> 4 , and do the other weapons as well.  

[xyth]

Updated mod to 20.6.1.3     Requires very latest SCore, due to code dependencies..  Added a new UAI AITask created by Khzmusik, Guard and Return.  He will detail its function and limits in the next post.

Edited January 18, 2023 by xyth (see edit history)

[khzmusik]

As promised, here are details about the new guard functionality.

 

Guard and return

 

This command shows as "Guard and return to where I am standing" in the NPC dialog (or "Guard and return here" for companion animals like the fox). When the command is issued, the NPC will initially go to where you were standing and will face the same direction you were facing (like the "Stay where I am standing" command).

 

But unlike the "Stay" commands, the NPC will leave its post to attack enemies. If it doesn't die from the fight, the NPC will return to its guard position and resume watch.

 

Be forewarned, NPCs can have a tendency to jump off of high places when they are going after enemies. This might leave them unable to get back to their guard positions. So if you want things like guard towers, the existing "Stay" commands are probably a better choice. But the "guard and return" is a good choice for guard dogs, melee NPCs, or just NPCs that are in places they can easily return to.

 

For POI designers, you can issue that command to NPCs that spawn into sleeper volumes, using the SCore pathing cube. Just put "task=guard" as the text of the pathing cube.

 

This requires the very latest versions of both SCore (20.6.381.1359) and NPC Core (20.6.01.03).

 

The latest version of SCore also fixes an NPC-related bug with the vanilla drone code. A drone that was shot by a ranged NPC would cause an exception, and afterwards the NPC would become invulnerable. This has been reported by a few people who installed the GNS WarMod (from the Guns, Nerds, and Steel series), so if you're one of those people, you definitely will want that version.

[Ganeshakw]

10 hours ago, khzmusik said:

 

What happens if the NPC goes "Where I am standing" and no enemy shows up. For how long he/she will remain at that position ?

[Canute]

Until you tell them "follow me" like the "Stay here" command.

Basicly the new command is an extention of the "Stay here" which put the NPC into a "turret mode".
The new command allow them to move and attack, and once the thread is gone they going back to the spot.
Very useful for mellee only NPCs like animals, so they can attack ranged attackers and don't be target dummies.

 

 

[khzmusik]

14 hours ago, Ganeshakw said:

What happens if the NPC goes "Where I am standing" and no enemy shows up. For how long he/she will remain at that position ?

 

@Canute has it right. If you tell an NPC to guard where you are standing, and no enemies ever show up, they'll just remain there.

 

Of course, you can always talk to them again and issue a different command. (Or even issue the "Guard and return" command again if you want to give them a different guard position.) You can also talk to them while they're in the process of going back to their guard position, if you want.

[gwydion62]

Hi Guys, what a great job...

3 observations:

The NPC's are alwas running on my spikes and barbed wires - lot of uhs and ohs and then the are dying... any idea to fix that?

The guys with the rocket aunchers are a disaster - destroying everything randomly. Maybe skipping that - I did and it's much better.

If your paid NPC is behind a fence or bars and Z's are coming they do not shoot regulary only sometimes. 

 

And is there a possibility to rename them? I mean in game? Would be great for animal friends...

Talking NPC's are a bit a pain - repating alwas the same and very loud - especialy some officers 😉 

 

Thank's for makinging the game more fun.

[khzmusik]

10 hours ago, gwydion62 said:

Hi Guys, what a great job...

3 observations:

The NPC's are alwas running on my spikes and barbed wires - lot of uhs and ohs and then the are dying... any idea to fix that?

The guys with the rocket aunchers are a disaster - destroying everything randomly. Maybe skipping that - I did and it's much better.

If your paid NPC is behind a fence or bars and Z's are coming they do not shoot regulary only sometimes. 

 

And is there a possibility to rename them? I mean in game? Would be great for animal friends...

Talking NPC's are a bit a pain - repating alwas the same and very loud - especialy some officers 😉 

 

Thank's for makinging the game more fun.

 

I don't think there is any way to make NPCs avoid spikes. It's baked into the game's pathing algorithms.

 

It is possible to make NPCs destroy spikes when they walk on them. I'm not sure that's what you want, but if it is, then add the "StompSpikes" property to the "npcMeleeTemplate" entity class in the NPC Core entityclasses.xml file. If you're using XPath, this is the code:

<append xpath="//entity_class[@name='npcMeleeTemplate']">
    <property name="StompsSpikes" value="true" />
</append>

 

If you don't want the rocket launcher NPCs in game, then you can remove them from the entity groups in entitygroups.xml. Note, you'd have to do that for any NPC Packs too. For that reason, a modlet using XPath probably best because it can remove all the rocket launcher NPCs, as long as the modlet is named such that it will load after all of the NPC Packs. This is the XPath to use:

<remove xpath="//entitygroup/entity[contains(@name, 'RocketL') or contains(@extends, 'RocketL')]" />

 

The issue with bars and fences might have to do with visibility issues. If an NPC can't damage an entity because there is a block in the way which blocks their attack, they behave as if they can't see the entity. (Or at least that's the idea.) Also, NPCs have a view cone, they don't see 360 degrees around them. If they didn't do this, stealth against them would be impossible, they'd run after enemies they can't even reach, etc.

 

Renaming them is not currently possible. (Maybe next alpha?) For entities that haven't spawned yet, you can re-define the list of names that they can spawn with. They are in the "Names" property of the character's entity class in entityclasses.xml. Each entity has a different list of names, so you'd have to hunt down which one(s) you want to change.

 

You can change the frequency of NPCs making their random sounds. That is in the "SoundRandomTime" property of the entity's class in entityclasses.xml. The NPC Core template sets the default as 200 seconds (real time). But NPC Pack authors often override this, especially when they use custom sounds, so you might have to hunt down which specific NPC is making the sound you don't like, and modifying that.

 

Hope this helps!

Edited January 21, 2023 by khzmusik (see edit history)

[bdubyah]

3 hours ago, khzmusik said:

I don't think there is any way to make NPCs avoid spikes. It's baked into the game's pathing algorithms.

There is the SmarterEntities property in SCore's config stuff in its blocks.xml. But it is under zombie features so it might apply to all entities, which wouldn't be ideal. I thought NPCs were supposed to avoid them on their own, but maybe not.

[swmeek]

MageJosh made that nice little modlet that removes rocket launcher A-holes so look for it in this thread.

[smithsguild]

Hello all, I once tripped over a thread showcasing three "Wandering Merchant" NPC's that were made using NPCMod/SCore.

 

 

Was this idea abandoned, or is there any news on its progress for A20 with this ideas development?

 

I would love to have access to a functional wandering merchant mod.

Edited January 23, 2023 by smithsguild (see edit history)

[smithsguild]

I have another question, has anyone experimented with making a 'grenadier' style NPC?

 

(My brain is screaming for a Raider styled after "The Tick's" mad bomber what bombs at midnight). Randomly throwing out Molotov's, Pipe Bombs, Grenades, Contact Grenades, & maybe a shaped charge when encountering a locked door. W/t a Demo styled explosive vest 😉)

After all what's an Apocalypse without a random "Trashcan Man" setting the world on fire just to watch it burn?

 

 

(image from ArtStation by Brad Groatman, all rights his)

 

Occasional grenadier utility I'm sure would work nice on static watchtower guards etc...

Edited January 23, 2023 by smithsguild (see edit history)

[smithsguild]

On 1/21/2023 at 3:52 AM, gwydion62 said:

The guys with the rocket launchers are a disaster - destroying everything randomly.

 I know right... It'd be less volatile if Launcher dudes were equipped to fire only the AP rounds.

[smithsguild]

On 1/21/2023 at 2:38 PM, khzmusik said:

It is possible to make NPCs destroy spikes when they walk on them.

After reading this last page of this thread, I realize that a Resident Evil 'Nemesis' T-Type Tyrant inspired "Uber Zed" that stomps spikes while wielding a rocket launcher has become low hanging fruit to those of you who understand the mysteries of modding. I am once again in awe.

 

Sorry, my enthusiasm has made me hijack the thread with multiposts... hard to contain myself.

Edited January 23, 2023 by smithsguild (see edit history)