 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.


