CAI_BaseNPC

Code classes:

• CAI_BaseNPC (NPCs)
• CBaseCombatCharacter
• CBaseFlex
• CBaseAnimatingOverlay
• CBaseAnimating (models)
• CBaseEntity (all ents)

CAI_BaseNPC is a code class inherited by NPC entities (but not NextBots). Entities that inherit this class are "real" NPCs.

ConVars/Commands

ConVar/Command	Parameters or default value	Parameter Type	Effect
ai_show_think_tolerance	0	Milliseconds	Shows a red arrow over any NPCs that take more than the specified time to think. 0 disables.
ai_debug_dyninteractions	0	0 disables, 1 enables	Shows info about dynamic interactions.
ai_test_moveprobe_ignoresmall	0	0 disables, 1 enables	Allows some large NPCs to become non-solid to small VPhysics NPCs if the large NPC's movement is urgent.
sk_npc_head	2	Multiplier	Multiplies damage done when the NPC is hit on the head.
sk_npc_chest	1	Multiplier	Multiplies damage done when the NPC is hit in the chest.
sk_npc_stomach	1	Multiplier	Multiplies damage done when the NPC is hit in the tummy wummy.
sk_npc_arm	1	Multiplier	Multiplies damage done when the NPC is hit in the arm.
sk_npc_leg	1	Multiplier	Multiplies damage done when the NPC is hit in the leg.
showhitlocation	0	0 disables, 1 enables	Prints to the console where player attacks hit NPCs.
ai_debug_squads	0	0 disables, 1 enables	Shows an arrow over each NPC that's part of a squad. NPCs that are part of the same squad will have a line connecting them.
ai_debug_loners	0	0 disables, 1 enables	Shows an arrow over each NPC not in any squad.
ai_reaction_delay_idle	0.3	Seconds	Upon spotting an enemy, idle NPCs will take this long to react.
ai_reaction_delay_alert	0.3	Seconds	Upon spotting an enemy, alert NPCs will take this long to react.
ai_block_damage	0	0 disables, 1 enables	NPCs stop taking damage.
ai_debug_avoidancebounds	0	0 disables, 1 enables	Shows solidity of QPhysics NPCs in a scripted sequence with blue boxes. A box will turn pink if the player ends up inside it.
ai_report_task_timings_on_limit	0	0 disables, 1 enables	Prints more verbose information when an issue is reported by think_limit.
ai_think_limit_label	0	0 disables, 1 enables	Shows information above an NPC when an issue is reported by think_limit. To do: What do these things mean..?
ai_setupbones_debug	0	0 disables, 1 enables	Shows NPC skeletons.
ai_no_select_box	0	0 disables, 1 enables	Disables the red box drawn when the NPC is selected with npc_select.
ai_lead_time	0		Do not alter. NPCs will try to aim ahead of enemies when the target is moving, including NPCs that fire bullets (causing them to miss very frequently).
ai_auto_contact_solver	1	0 disables, 1 enables	Small physics objects resting on an NPC's head become non-solid and get pushed away.
sv_test_scripted_sequences	0	0 disables, 1 enables	"Tests for scripted sequences that are embedded in the world. Run through your map with this set to check for NPCs falling through the world."
npc_height_adjust	1	0 disables, 1 enables	Makes NPC movement on stairs look more realistic.
ai_debug_efficiency	0	0 disables, 1 enables	Confirm: No effect.
ai_debug_doors	0	0 disables, 1 enables	No effect.
ai_debug_enemies	0	0 disables, 1 enables	No effect.
ai_rebalance_thinks	1	0 disables, 1 enables	No effect.
ai_use_efficiency	1	0 disables, 1 enables	No effect.
ai_use_frame_think_limits	1	0 disables, 1 enables	No effect.
ai_default_efficient	0	0 disables, 1 enables	No effect.
ai_efficiency_override	0	0 disables, 1 enables	No effect.
ai_use_think_optimizations	1	0 disables, 1 enables	No effect.
ai_shot_stats_term	1000	Arbitrary number	No effect.
ai_shot_stats	0	0 disables, 1 enables	No effect.
ai_debug_think_ticks	0	0 disables, 1 enables	To do: Effect description.
ai_frametime_limit	50		To do: Effect description.
ai_shot_bias	1		To do: Effect description.
ai_spread_defocused_cone_multiplier	3		To do: Effect description.
ai_spread_cone_focus_time	0.6		To do: Effect description.
ai_spread_pattern_focus_time	0.8		To do: Effect description.
ai_strong_optimizations	0	0 disables, 1 enables	To do: Effect description.
ai_LOS_mode	0	0 disables, 1 enables	To do: Effect description.

Flags

• 1: Wait Till Seen

• 2: Gag (No idle sounds until angry)

• 4: Fall to ground (unchecked means teleport to ground)

• 8: Drop Healthkit when dead

• 16: Efficient - Don't acquire enemies or avoid obstacles

• 128: Wait For Script^[Clarify]

• 256: Long Visibility/Shoot

• 512: Fade Corpse

• 1024: Think outside PVS

• 2048: Template NPC - Does not spawn immediately. For use with npc_template_maker.

• 4096: Do Alternate collision for this NPC (player avoidance) Note: This flag is disabled in Episodic for player companions because the StartScripting input does this.

• 8192: Don't drop weapon on death

• 16384: Ignore player push - Don't give way to player.

Keyvalues

Weapon Held (additionalequipment) <choices>

Gives the NPC a weapon. NPCs may attack oddly or not attack if they don't know how to use a particular weapon. Values available vary by game. Any weapon classname may be inserted.

Health (health) <integer>

How close to dying the entity is. Note: Most NPCs will not read this keyvalue, instead preferring a convar associated with them.

Maximum Health (max_health) <integer>

Health cannot exceed this amount.

Squad Name (squadname) <string>

NPCs that are in the same squad will share information about enemies, and will take turns attacking and covering each other.

Target Path Corner/Track (target) <target_destination>

If set, the name of a path_track entity that this NPC will move to after spawning or when told to Wake. If that entity is part of a path, the NPC will move through all of it.

Sleep State (sleepstate) <choices>

Holds the NPC in stasis until specified condition. See also Wake Radius and Wake Squad.

• 0: None
• 1: Waiting for threat^[Clarify]
• 2: Waiting for PVS
• 3: Waiting for input, ignore PVS
• 4: Auto PVS^[Clarify]
• 5: Auto PVS after PVS^[Clarify]

Wake Radius (wakeradius) <float>

Auto-wake if player is within this distance, in world units.

Wake Squad (wakesquad) <boolean>

If yes, wake all of the NPC's squadmates if this NPC is woken.

Ignore unseen enemies (ignoreunseenenemies) <boolean>

Prefer visible enemies, regardless of distance or relationship priority.

Hint Group (hintgroup) <string>

Hint groups are used by NPCs to restrict their hint-node searching to a subset of the map's hint nodes. Only hint nodes with matching hint group names will be considered by this NPC.

Hint Limit Nav (hintlimiting) <boolean>

If yes, limits NPC to using specified hint group for navigation.

Enemy Filter (enemyfilter) <target_destination>

Filter by which to filter potential enemies.

Waiting to Rappel? (waitingtorappel) <boolean>

If yes, this NPC spawns suspended in air and awaits a BeginRappel input. It will then spawn a zipline and slide down. When it hits the ground, NPC will cut away the line and try to move forward a few feet to make room for the next NPC. The NPC will not attempt to clear its landing space if it cannot do so by taking a few steps forward.

Inputs

SetRelationship <string>

Sets a relationship for this entity, without requiring an ai_relationship entity to be set up.

Format: target_name_or_class disposition priority

SetEnemyFilter <target_destination>

Sets Enemy Filter.

SetHealth <integer>

Sets Health.

BeginRappel

If this is a rappelling NPC, tells it to begin rappelling.

SetSquad <string>

Changes what squad the NPC is a part of. Leaving the parameter blank will remove the NPC from any existing squad.

Wake

Takes the NPC out of sleep. It will move toward Target Path Track regardless of if it was sleeping (if it does, ever).

UpdateEnemyMemory <string>

Update (or create) this NPC's memory of the given entity.

ForgetEntity <string>

Clears out the NPC's knowledge of a named entity.

IgnoreDangerSounds <float>

Ignore danger sounds for the specified number of seconds. Clarify: What is a "danger sound"?

Break

Makes the NPC die and disappear. Some NPCs (e.g. manhacks) may leave behind evidence of their death.

StartScripting

Puts the NPC into a "scripted" state. It will ignore a variety of stimuli, such as +use, danger sounds, and idle speech.

ExitScripting

Puts the NPC into their normal AI again.

GagEnable

Prevents the NPC from making any vocalized sounds or speech, unless they are in a choreographed scene.

GagDisable

Allow the NPC to make vocalizations again.

InsideTransition (Not in FGD)

Tells the NPC to stop any choreography (but not scripted speech) its a part of. Usually this is only done by a trigger_changelevel when the NPC is inside the associated trigger_transition and a level transition occurs.

HolsterWeapon

Makes the NPC put their weapon away. They may take it back out if sent the UnholsterWeapon input.

UnholsterWeapon

Makes the NPC take out their weapon, if they have one.

HolsterAndDestroyWeapon

Makes the NPC holster their weapon and then never unholster it again.

Note: The weapon is not destroyed if the NPC already has it holstered.

ForceInteractionWithNPC <string>

Force the NPC to use a dynamic interaction with another NPC.

Format: [target NPC name] [dynamic interaction name].

To do: Where do you find a dynamic interaction name?

ActivateSpeedModifier (Not in FGD)

Does nothing.

DisableSpeedModifier (Not in FGD)

Does nothing.

SetSpeedModRadius (Not in FGD)

Does nothing.

SetSpeedModSpeed (Not in FGD)

Does nothing.

Outputs

OnDamaged

Fires when this NPC takes damage.

OnDeath

Fires when this NPC is killed.

OnHalfHealth

Fires when this NPC reaches half of its maximum health.

OnFoundEnemy <target_destination>

Fires when this NPC establishes line of sight to an enemy. Automatically puts the targetname of the found NPC as the input parameter, unless overridden by the mapper.

OnLostEnemy

Fires when this NPC loses its enemy, usually due to the enemy running away, or because this NPC has selected a newer, more dangerous enemy. This output will not fire if the enemy had just died.

OnLostEnemyLOS

Fires when this NPC loses line of sight to its enemy.

OnFoundPlayer <target_destination>

Fires when this NPC establishes line of sight to an enemy player. Automatically puts a pointer to the player as the input parameter, unless overridden by the mapper.

OnLostPlayer

Fires when this NPC loses sight to an enemy player.

OnHearWorld

Fires when this NPC hears a "world" sound.

OnHearPlayer

Fires when this NPC hears a "player" sound.

OnHearCombat

Fires when this NPC hears a combat sound.

OnDamagedByPlayer

Fires when this NPC is hurt by a player.

OnDamagedByPlayerSquad

Fires when this NPC is hurt by anyone in the player squad.

OnDenyCommanderUse

Fired when this NPC has refused to join the player's squad.

OnRappelTouchdown

If this NPC rappels, fires when the NPC is done rappelling.

OnWake

Fired when this NPC comes out of a sleep state.

OnSleep

Fired when this NPC enters a sleep state. To do: What can cause this?

OnForcedInteractionStarted

Fired when the NPC starts a forced interaction.

OnForcedInteractionAborted

Fired when the NPC aborts a forced interaction for some reason (target NPC died, couldn't be pathed to, etc).

OnForcedInteractionFinished

Fired when a forced interaction is finished as it was meant to.