File: Experimental_AI.cfg This configuration controls the installation and tweaking of third-party AI enhancements and tweaks. They have not been fully tested. =============== Grenadier by xStream ZaGaR has adapted xstream's Grenadier mod for the ZRP. When this is installed, NPCs will be able to use grenades. Life will be much more fragile and fleeting in the Zone. If you wish to use only this feature, this version is more efficient than the same one used in the complete AIPack version. If you install it after installing the AIPack, it will disable most of the AIPack's features, so you should just choose one or the other. =============== Live Stalker Ranking Mr. Fusion has provided a means of simulating the advancement of other NPCs in the game. You can install a couple of scripts here that can give you some competition in the rankings. =============== xStream's AIPack, Rulix (AKA Bak)'s AI Additions These are special versions of the famous AI enhancements by xStream and Rulix, customized for easy install and configuration with the ZRP. The main documentation can be found in the gamedata\docs\mod_docs\ subdirectory. These mods are meant to be installed on an unmodified ZRP gamedata subdirectory, and then configured for use. The install will overwrite a few ZRP files, so any Modifier changes you have made may need to be repeated. Some of the functions affected (if you have changed them): time on HUD, sleeping bag, smart autosaves, automatic quests (all in bind_stalker.script), and store weapons in backpack (death_manager.script). There may be others. You will first need to install either xStream's AIPack, Rulix's AI Addition package, or both enhancements. You can also use the installation entry to restore the ZRP default behavior. The AIPack has four options: NPCs as medics, NPCs can use grenades, NPCs can upgrade their armor, and NPCs can remove dead bodies from camp areas. The first three options require the AIPack installation, while the fourth is a standalone option. All four are pre-installed when you install the AIPack. Rulix's AI Additions are also separately configured for use. The installation default is all nine features enabled. Additional configuration is possible via the rx_*.ltx files located in the gamedata\config\misc\ subdirectory after Rulix installation. You can easily adapt the collection of mini-mods to your preferences. The Revert function of the Modifier is not likely to work properly after your second AI Installation choice because the original backups won't be overwritten, so you should not use that feature -- just install anew, configure your game and play. Some important notes: 1) These are provided "as is". The ZRP supporters are not under any obligation to fix any issues arising from the use of these addons. 2) The extra items added to the game are not removed when the addons are disabled or removed. This prevents possible game crashes due to items remaining in saves but no longer defined in the configuration files. 3) When enabled, these options impose an additional processing load on the game. There may be longer load times, lower framerates and more and/or longer game pauses or stuttering. The use of faster PCs with more memory should mitigate the severity of these issues. 4) While you can mix and match and use existing saves, you should not make these AI changes via the Modifier while the game is running. Exit the game, install/uninstall/configure the mods, optionally reconfigure other features, then relaunch the game and load an existing save -- or start a new game. These AI abilities are quirky and there are some idiosyncrasies present. Here are some I've noted: a) Stalkers will heal themselves if they can't see enemies, but they can still be seen; the Freedom sacrifice victims can self-heal in the middle of the slaughter (A crash has been reported here. Disable the invisible self-healing as a test if you have trouble.) b) Inventory boxes can be left behind by the code. c) You can change levels and immediately be assaulted with a melee attack that disarms you and leaves you briefly stunned -- and maybe even dead after that. You won't have the opportunity to avoid this except by waiting for the enemy to move on before you reattempt your level change. d) A dialog option with Skull's minion after the slaughter can turn you enemy. You will be a melee victim before the dialog window even disappears. e) The Duty defense of the Yantar bunker becomes much easier when they can use their attached grenade launchers. f) Not everyone gets healed. But there will be very few "walking wounded". g) Battles can be a bit more confusing when bandits wear Duty uniforms. h) Stalkers wounded while attempting to throw might remain standing despite a test for move.crouch. i) I experienced flashing triangles during rainfall after alt-tabbing out and back into the game. I used the ZSU Temporary Weather Reset, but one can also quit and restart the game to correct this re-initialization bug. j) The NPCs never healed their buddies while both the AIPack and Rulix's AI Additions were used, but that might be just coincidental, perhaps due to no spare medkits. k) There might be some conflicts with scripted events. With just Rulix running, a member of the initial Pripyat Loner assault team was heading toward the underground parking garage when he just stopped. His health was 51, so perhaps he was intending to heal himself in the absence of any immediate threat and had already applied a bandage (+10). =============== NPC Sawn-Off Fix NPCs prefer sawn-off shotguns over rifles because the game tells them the sawn-offs are better. Checking this option allows NPCs to choose a rifle instead, as long as the rifle has ammo or the NPCs have at least one ammo type for that rifle. They might take a few moments or even a save/reload to select the rifle. A side-effect to selecting this is that the NPCs will often rapidly fire both barrels of the sawn-off while they have one. See also "Sell Guns/Ammo to NPCs" in _ZRP.cfg. =============== NPC Smart Flashlights You can allow NPCs to turn off their flashlights if they perceive an enemy while underground or at night. This might actually improve framerate by reducing the load on the video card's hardware transform and lighting support during firefights, something useful in Pripyat at night. Note that NPCs can still leave their lights on while on alert, if they don't see any enemies. =============== NPC Use Single Item Rule Vanilla defaults to prohibiting non-trader NPCs from holding more than one item of a single type (e.g., rifle). This has been exploited to obtain perfect weapons or to repeat certain quests, so the ZRP default is to let NPCs hold as many weapons and other items as they wish. A disadvantage: this interferes with the ability of NPCs to use better weapons in vanilla. Unchecking this can restore the vanilla behavior. The Rulix weapons manager requires that this be checked. This avoids the problem entirely at the cost of some extra processing.