NPCs and tribals reacting to decoy cans

Several different reactions to a decoy can be distinguished.

1. Reaction to hearing the decoy can.
2. Reaction to seeing the decoy can.
3. Reaction to being hit with a decoy can.

Reaction to hearing the decoy can

The reaction to hearing the decoy is, in turn, subdivided into:

1. Reaction to hearing the decoy can hit the geometry.
2. Reaction to hearing the decoy can fly past an NPC.

Reaction to hearing the decoy can hit the geometry

This reaction is relevant to the case where the NPC hears the decoy hit the geometry but does not see it.

If the NPC is in the free/disturb/light_alert/ state and hears the sound of the decoy can falling:

1. The NPC hears an alert sound.
2. The NPC comments on what they heard.
3. The NPC turns to the place where the decoy first hit the geometry.
4. The point of interest is the place where the decoy first hit the geometry. The can receives a bonus for a while and becomes more interesting.

If the NPC is in the alert state and hears the sound of the decoy can falling:

1. The NPC hears the alert sound.
2. The NPC comments on what they heard (with a different VO).
3. The point of interest is the place where the decoy first hit the geometry. The can receives the bonus for a while and becomes more interesting.

If the NPC is in the uber_alert state and hears the sound of the decoy can falling:

1. The NPC hears the alert sound.
2. The NPC comments on what they heard (with the different VO).
3. The NPC turns to the place where the decoy first hit the geometry.
4. The point of interest REMAINS UNCHANGED, i.e. the NPC now knows somebody’s trying to distract them and disregards the decoy attempt.

If the NPC is in the danger state and hears the sound of the decoy can falling:

1. The NPC hears the alert sound and does not have any additional reactions to it.

Reaction to hearing the decoy can fly past the NPC

• If the decoy flies very close to the NPC, yet they don’t see it, they hear it.

Reaction to seeing the decoy can

The reaction to seeing the decoy can is, in turn, subdivided into:

1. Seeing the can in flight.
2. Finding the can after it lands.

Reaction to seeing the decoy can in flight

If the NPC sees the can in flight, while it lands, or within X seconds from the moment it lands while in the free – alert state:

1. The NPC switches to uber_alert.
2. The NPC comments on what they just saw.
3. The NPC turns to face the location from which the can was thrown.
4. The location from which the can was thrown becomes the NPC’s interest target.

If the NPC sees the can in flight, while it lands, or within X seconds from the moment it lands while in the uber_alert state:

1. The NPC comments on the can they just saw.
2. The NPC turns to face the location from which the can was thrown.
3. The location from which the can was thrown becomes the NPC’s interest target.
4. If the NPC does not see the enemy, the location from which the can was thrown gets marked with the player’s ghost.

If the NPC sees the can in flight or when it lands while in the danger state:

1. The NPC comments on the can they just saw.

If an NPC finds the can after it lands

If the NPC in the search state finds the can after it lands:

1. The NPC updates the can’s position as a threat (i.e. now they're walking towards the can) and investigates it just like your average threat.
2. The NPC comments on finding the can.

If the NPC in uber_alert finds the can after it lands:

1. The NPC comments on finding the can.
2. The NPC reacts to it like it is a disturbed threat.

Reaction to being hit with a decoy can

If the player hits the NPC with a decoy can and the NPC isn’t in the danger state:

1. The NPC comments on being hit.
2. The NPC switches to danger, just like after being hit by a bullet.
3. The NPC turns to face the location from which the can came from.
4. If the NPC does not see the enemy, the location from which the can was thrown gets marked with the player’s ghost.

If the NPC gets hit with the decoy can while in the danger state:

• The ghost functionality is imitated, i.e. for some time the NPC must think they just saw the enemy and shoot at the place where the can was thrown from.

Hostile monsters reacting to decoy cans

Several different reactions to the decoy can be distinguished:

1. Reaction to hearing the decoy can.
2. Reaction to seeing the decoy can.
3. Reaction to being hit with a decoy can.

Reaction to hearing the decoy can

The reaction to hearing the decoy is, in turn, subdivided into:

1. Reaction to hearing the decoy can hit the geometry.
2. Reaction to hearing the decoy can fly past the monster.

Reaction to hearing the decoy can hit the geometry

This reaction is relevant to the case where the monster hears the decoy hit geometry but does not see it.

If the monster is in the free/disturb/light_alert/alert state, and hears the sound of the decoy can falling:

1. The monster hears an alert sound.
2. The monster growls.
3. The monster turns to the place where the decoy first hit the geometry.
4. The monster’s new point of interest is the place where the decoy first hit the geometry.

If the monster is in the uber_alert state and hears the sound of the decoy can falling:

1. The monster growls.
2. The monster turns to the place where the decoy first hit the geometry.
3. The monster’s point of interest is not changed.

If the monster is in the danger state and hears the sound of the decoy can falling:

1. The monster ignores it.

Reaction to hearing the decoy can fly past the monster

• If the decoy flies very close to the monster, yet it doesn’t see it, it hears the decoy.

Reaction to seeing the decoy can

The reaction to seeing the decoy is, in turn, subdivided into:

1. Seeing the can in flight.
2. Finding the can after it lands.

Seeing the can in flight

1. The monster switches to uber_alert.
2. The monster growls.
3. The monster turns to the place where the decoy first hit the geometry.
4. The monster’s new point of interest is the place where the can was thrown from.

If the monster finds the can after it lands

• When a dog finds the can, it picks up the player’s scent and can track him.
• All other monsters react to the can as a regular threat.

Reaction to being hit with a decoy can

If the player hits the monster with the decoy can:

1. The monster growls.
2. The monster switches to danger, just like after being hit by a bullet.
3. If the monster does not see the enemy, the location from which the can was thrown becomes its interest target.

Neutral creatures (deer, rabbits) reacting to decoy cans

• All the creatures share reactions to decoy cans with their Species Behavior logic.
• Any interaction with the can makes the creatures run away, just like when encountering the player.

Description of mechanics used 

Comment mechanic

 1. NPCs use Speech Activity to comment on situations:

• bait_heard – for cases when the NPC hears the can.
• bait_see – for cases when the NPC sees the can.
• bait_found – for cases when the NPC finds the can.
• bait_hitted – for cases when the NPC gets hit by the can.
• Activities.

 2. Group comments:

• In case several NPCs which belong to the same AI group see/hear the decoy can, only one of them will comment on it.

Searching for the decoy

1. The decoy can be the last threat for this NPC.
2. If the NPC calms down, i.e. switches to the free state, the NPC exits the search state.

Discovering the decoy can in flight or the moment it falls

 1. The can has an invisible restrictor attached to it. If the NPC or a monster enters the restrictor, they check:

• Are there any obstacles on the way to the can?
• Is the can right in front of them?

 2. If both checks return true, it is assumed that the can was noticed in flight.

 3. If false, the NPC reacts to the can as if the NPC heard its sound.

 4. After falling, the can is still considered to be in flight for a definite period of time, i.e. if it is noticed by the NPC during that time, it is treated as noticed in flight.

Discovering the decoy can on the ground

The can is considered to be lying on the ground, if it hits the geometry and the “still in-flight” interval elapses.

The can is added to the NPC's interest lists and can thus be noticed.

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