Monster AI Problems & Solutions

[SuperApe]

Managing Waves of Creatures:

Originally Posted by outpt.co.uk

Here's a toughie At the end of my map I have monsters spawn. I want these monsters to be counted when killed (using a counter), and when it reaches a point, to trigger the next wave of enemies. Unfortunately, the counter won't count spawned enemies.

You're right the Counter approach will not work with spawned enemies. For one thing, in some instances using CreatureFactories, you don't know how many Creatures there will be.

One way I've been advertising is to use the PlayerAloneTrigger, a nifty little actor designed to only work as long as there are no Monsters within the CollisionRadius. It works just like a Normal Trigger actor.

So, you can set one in the middle of your space, set the CollisionCylinder to cover the whole area (make as big as you need). You can set it to Object -> InitialState = OtherTriggerToggles and Trigger -> InitiallyActive = False. Set this PlayerAloneTrigger to activate (Toggle it On) after the Creatures are spawned. As long as there are any of the current wave of Creatures still within the CollisionCylinder, the Player won't be activating the PlayerAloneTrigger. Only after the last Creature in the wave is dead will the PlayerAloneTrigger fire, so you can have a simple ScriptedTrigger wait for that Event to spawn the next wave.

Otherwise, like old Unreal engine versions, the CreatureFactory can automatically respawn new creatures upon the death of a creature it has already spawned. It automatically matches the Event of each spawned Creature to the Tag of the Factory. So, when the Creature dies, it triggers the Factory to spawn a new Creature. My CreatureFactories has an extra bAutoRespawn property that must be True in order for this to work. This method won't result in "waves" like Invasion does waves, but it's an alternative.

[OUTOFANSER]

You can also assign triggers to volumes, that way you don't have to adjust the collision radius.

[SuperApe]

Hm. I don't think that would help in this particular case. Please keep this thread clear of discussion. I use it to respond to specific problems with the creature AI in OSMT. See top post of this thread. If you have any question about this, please PM me.

[SuperApe]

Problems Seeing All the OSMT Actors Listing on the Component List
- or -
Advanced OSMT Setup For Mappers and Modders:

Originally Posted by lineman

We have noticed that we don't have all the actors you are listing on this site; like SmartBrute, SmartSkaarj and so forth. Sometimes SmartSkaarj is there in my editor (when unchecking "placeable actors.."), but never SmartBrute for example.

The OSMT.u package file can be re-opened from the Actor Browser in UnrealEd and you will see all the OSMT actors listed on the Component List. Without opening the OSMT.u package file, you will only see those OSMT actors that already existed in your current UnrealEd session. The quick and easy remedy is to re-open the OSMT package file each UnrealEd session.

Originally Posted by Lord_Simeon

...instead of loading (OSMT.u in the Actor Browser) every time, as all i'm making is OSM lately, what's the correct line for having it default in the (.ini)?

Well, I only recommend this for advanced users; mappers who will be working in OSMT, who know what they're doing in terms of editing the .ini files.

1) Open .../UT2004/System/UT2004.ini (Configuration File) as a simple text file.

2) Scroll down to find the block of settings that begin with:

[Editor.EditorEngine]

3) Scroll down to the end of the list of settings that say, "EditPackages=", and add:

EditPackages=OSMT

... to the bottom of that list.

4) Save this .ini file.

Warning: Now someone just asked me if OSMT overwrites config files and messes up your "clean" UT2004 install, and I replied "no". Because it doesn't. However, doing this *will* alter your default UT2004.ini and you are then responsible for remembering this edit, as you may need / want to remove it in the future. This is not a default configuration, it is only for advanced users who know what they're doing with .ini files. (Legal department is now satisfied.)

[outpt.co.uk]

What animations can I use with these creatures as part of a scripted sequence?

Trying to get a death anim going but it aint happening

[SargeDavid]

EDIT:it was hidden!

another problem im having is friendly monsters shoot you when your trying to shoot the enemy in the heat of combat...is there a way to setting them on the same team as you so they wont shoot you or themselfs if they make an accident?

[SuperApe]

Sorry, I didn't see these posts until now, but Please if you have a Problem you'd like to see addressed here, you have to PM me. This thread was started so that I could post the more common problems and their solutions for all to see, but to post arbitrary problems/questions/concerns will definately convert this thread from useful resource to a seriously lengthy read, a la the original Old Skool Monsta Toolz thread.

Again, if you want to see something addressed here, please PM me instead of posting here. This thread should be kept as clean as possible in order to be a useful resource for others. Thank you.

(Sarge, I'll PM you regarding your question.)

Available Creature Animations:

Originally Posted by outpt.co.uk

What animations can I use with these creatures as part of a scripted sequence?

The monsters are able to use the animations found in the Mesh Browser. To access this browser, hit the button with the Eye on it. You can then browse the different vertex mesh animations, most of which are monsters, and see their animations. (Note: I've noticed that sometimes a fresh (empty) Ued is needed to see the mesh animations in the browser window.)

For the ScriptedCharacters, you instead can browse the Animation Browser and see the available animations for the various characters. If not the default ThunderCrash model, you may need to import the Animation file you're interested in seeing.

[SuperApe]

Reviewing the Available Animations for Old Skool Creatures:

Originally Posted by lineman

I need to use some animation sets at certain points (using PlayAnim). I know three of Krall (sleep1, sleep2 and sleep3), but there must be more? I have Googled for it, but found nothing.
Is there a list of animations for Krall (or SmartKrall) somewhere? Would be very grateful for all help!

Sure. These are available to view in UT2004 UnrealEd using the Mesh Browser, as opposed to the Animation Browser, which only shows skeletal animation meshes.

Please note: You do *not* need Unreal 1 to see the available animations for the various creatures used in OSMT. (In fact, some of those animations are *not* available in UT2004) These are "old skool"-style vertex mesh animations (as opposed to skeletal animations) and are available in the Mesh Brower. The Mesh Browser is brought up in UnrealEd (for UT2004) like this:

1) Open a fresh UnrealEd (it just solves a bug in the browser display)
2) Hit the button on the toolbar with the Eye on it (see the pic below)
3) Find the creature you're interested in and browse the animation list
4) You can play or scroll through the animations to see how they look

(The Mesh Browser display bug rears it head when you try to view these Vertex Mesh Animations while a Vertex Mesh is in the map space. Nothing displays. Although the list of available animations is still there, you can't see the mesh. Again to fix, simply open a fresh UnrealEd first.)

[SuperApe]

Followers, Teams and Monster Teams:

Originally Posted by DJProcyon

how do I set enemy ScriptedCharacters to attack those following me and vice-cersa? I had a brief flick through the code, which brought up that they seemingly have the ability to 'hate player team opponents'. How would I go about setting that up?

There's a few elements of the ScriptedMonster code that effect behavior in terms of follow-like behavior.

AttitudeToPlayer (set to ATTITUDE_Follow by default for ScriptedCharacters), will set the initial behavior to any player. Because their Intelligence is BRAINS_Human by default, they are able to not only greet the player as if Friendly, but they're able to essentially make the player their leader and follow them. While following, they will check to see who might be your enemy and engage them, however the best mechanism for that requires that the player engage first. IOW, they're following, not leading or intuitively interpreting who is your enemy. For all they know, the other ScriptedCharacters are also friendly, but if you fire on a Pawn, then they know to engage.

Another way to organize ScriptedMonsters is by assigning them to player teams. This can be done in teamgames, where the creatures are effected by a ScriptedAction ACTION_AssignMonsterToTeam. This has a similar effect as follow, as they will follow any teammate player, but they will also engage any team opponent, player or creature.

Yet another way to set team behavior in ScriptedMonsters is by assigning them to monster teams. In the AI group of properties you have bTeamLeader and TeamTag. If you set a creature to be bTeamLeader (only one) and set a group plus that leader to the same TeamTag, they will organize around the leader and follow them. If the leader was set to Patroling Orders, they will all patrol. If the leader acquires an Enemy, they will all attack that enemy. In fact, the leader has the code to actually stop and give orders (speak orders) to other creatures. (Of course, they have to be set up in the code to speak orders. Skaarj are IIRC.)

Of course, there's also brute force methods. See the previous posts on Forcing Creatures to Fight Each Other and Triggering Creatures to Attack or Patrol.

[DJProcyon]

Cheers for all the help on that, SuperApe You really do know your stuff, don't you?
I'll keep plugging away with that, and see what happens. And cheers for the welcome!
*takes cover and pulls-out a gun*