Monsters that Wall Jump/Wall Run towards Target [WIP]

[Psychojack88]

Looking to make a code for a monster that whenever it notices a target at a higher elevation either wall runs (if it detects a wall) or simply leaps upwards towards the target and tries to strike, making for great agile enemies who will target players/other monsters even when they seem beyond it's range.

This may be useful in making ninja-like custom monsters or monsters that are melee based that can't reach the player due to height elevation. Anyone have an idea how to handle this? Maybe a custom monster that already does this? (Or close to it.)

[Psychojack88]

Okay so far I am thinking of simply using a temporary FLOAT tag. Can I change this at will using the A_ChangeFlag function in ZScript? If not, how can I temporarily make an actor float during a state in ZScript. I think that alone would be the main foundation to at least maybe make this work.

[Psychojack88]

Was able to get my Daisy Eternal mod jumping towards an enemy based on elevation (z-height). If they're higher than her somewhere, she jumps, if not then she acts regular. There's a hard limit for the jump at the moment but this can probably be altered later on Zscript to be more dynamic and adapted for different enemies. Not perfect but it does the job well enough to be really useful despite being a melee-intended companion.

[Heisanevilgenius]

Okay so far I am thinking of simply using a temporary FLOAT tag. Can I change this at will using the A_ChangeFlag function in ZScript? If not, how can I temporarily make an actor float during a state in ZScript. I think that alone would be the main foundation to at least maybe make this work.

In Zscript, all you have to do is put bFLOAT=true inside brackets.

Eg:

Code: Select all

TROO A 1 {
     bFLOAT=true;
}

[Heisanevilgenius]

I can think of one way that an enemy can "detect" a wall but it's a little hacky and a lot of work. You have the monster fire two invisible projectiles to their left and right that disappear if they travel more than a short distance. If the projectiles collide with something, you can have separate states depending on what they hit, so you can determine whether or not they hit a wall. If the projectile hits a wall, it sends a signal back to the monster (whether it be by giving inventory to the monster or setting a variable or whatever). Then you use A_ChangeVelocity to move towards that wall as it moves towards you so it will stick to it. You'll have to have the monster keep launching projectiles to make sure the wall doesn't abruptly end.

Maybe there's an easier more direct way but that's what I think of.