http://xfo-nv.com

1/28/2011: Version 2 is out! AI should be *significantly* more responsive!

Find it at: http://newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=39058 -- or as an optional part of the whole XFO mod at http://newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=37871


Full Enemy AI Revamp (incl creatures) - more cover, smarter NPC tactics and teamwork, more creature differences; optional and scalable NPC Healing/stimpak tactics.

"Watch them heal in cover and wait to come out; attack in waves; suppress and flank; flee and regroup; hide and snipe; bob and weave in melee; much more!"

Part of the XFO Package at XFO-NV.com -- readme is there in "Group 9" of the mods section.

This is the beginning, alpha stage of a long project, and I need a lot of feedback!

Here's the rundown so far, from xfo-nv.com:

"AI Revamp"
Well, I redid the combat AIs for almost every type of NPC and creature. It's a LOT of changes to get into, and a lot of tactics/logic. I tried to make changes that make sense to each faction and creature/NPC type - some fairly extreme (like the now-relentless and psycho deathclaws, the zealous raiders, the creepy ghouls, and the overconfident supermutants) - but most, especially NPCs like NCR, will be more cautious, tactical, and work more cohesively as a group. This may be quite difficult with any of the 9d options! If I get forum requests for the "spoilers," I will add the specific changes here, but here are some general examples:

Far more actors will attempt to flee to cover if damaged or a crucial weapon is lost and attempt to either wait out the fight or find the right time to counterattack (previously disabled). Groups will attack in ranged "waves," retreating to heal, strafing, and suppression-firing for others' cover. Typical ranged NPCs will spend more time in cover, firing shorter bursts. Dual enemies are more randomized and will switch tactics more often. Melee enemies will attempt to kite and to flank more often, and will try to keep the pressure on when backed up by ranged allies. Snipers will do their best to stay behind cover, taking distant and cautious shots, but are less likely to flee or move from explosives. Creatures are now quite varied depending on the creature, many of which are smarter or dumber, faster or slower, dodgier or more direct, depending on how I envisioned them. Oh, and some NPCs (including followers?) should now be able to use stealthboys!

Please give feedback on your experiences! (There may be bugs!)


"NPC Healing":

This is my first attempt at what will be a large arry of enemy tactical revamps. I heal a lot; I depend on it. But I've been disappointed at NPC healing. With the AI revamp, NPCs retreat to cover or a nearby cell (eg, indoors) much more often, and love to strafe obnoxiously. I figured they should be a lot more prone to heal, as well. This will allow them to basically spawn stimpaks randomly, under very select and further randomized situations, which they will immediately use (so you won't find them on their corpses, ruining loot rarity). The low version and medium versions should be pretty safe; the high version may be ridiculous. Be prepared to see a lot of people pulling out stimpaks and sticking them into their stomachs! This will also cause NPCs to be much more likely to flee/hide/cover until the stimpak has finished healing them.

I tested a "debug" version of this script, which had them healing like crazy (almost invincible), but I haven't been able to check all of my nested conditions and randomizations: they may heal too often or not often enough. I've forced the stimpak animation, so you'll know when it's my script (by vanilla usage, they won't show the animation while in active combat) -- so this is quite "alpha," and I could again use feedback. If I get this working, I have a lot of other ideas which could be similarly implemented!

Do NPCs use stims from inventory or otherwise have some limit on the number of stimpacks they will use during combat?

Have there been any changes to the way enemies hunt for hiding players?

How does this affect companions?

NPCs get a stimpak added to their inventory then used in the same frame, appropriately to AI considerations and reactions (but also preventing you from picking up extra stims and ruining item rarity balance). It would be very rare and unlikely for an enemy to get do this more than once, though a long fight (or using the hardest version) makes this more likely. There are timers, randomizations ("dice rolls"), AI considerations, flee considerations, HP considerations, etc., built in, so for an NPC it's just a matter of lightning striking twice. I thought about marking them so they couldn't do it more than once, but it should be unnecessary unless someone notices and gives feedback otherwise.

Yes. A lot! (To be more specific is hard since it's different for different factions, creatures, and battle-types -- long/short/melee range, etc.; I tried to make it all appropriate and difficulty-increasing at the same time.)

I didn't directly alter companion AI. For several reasons.... But the different battle layout should add to a different feel and different reactions on their part. I can mess with them individually if feedback shows a need.