Generic actor

generic_actor is a point entity available in all Source games except Left 4 Dead series. It is a generic NPC purely made for scripted sequence work.

Note:Some keyvalues, spawnflags, effect flags, inputs, or outputs might not affect an NPC, based on the functionality and coding of the NPC.

Note:This npc's max health is 8. If you're a mapper and want to increase the health, you can do an AddOutput with max_health "Amount Of Health", and then a SetHealth input after that. Otherwise you should implement a ConVar for their health like other NPCs.

Bug:In newer engine versions after Alien Swarm, this NPC will appear to "lag" when walking or running.

Confirm:Does this bug also affect monster_generic?

Workaround:Setting the ConVar cl_localnetworkbackdoor to 0 will fix this.

  (tested in: )

In code, it is represented by theCGenericActorclass, defined in thegenericactor.cppfile.

Keyvalues

Model (model) <model path>

Model of the generic_actor

Hull type (hull_name) <choices>

Physical size of the actor. Affects navigation capabilities and hitboxes.^[confirm]

• HUMAN_HULL: Human
• WIDE_HUMAN_HULL: Wide
• TINY_HULL: Tiny
• MEDIUM_HULL: Medium
• LARGE_HULL: Large

BaseNPC keyvalues

CBaseCombatCharacter: Relationship (Relationship) <string> !FGD <string|targetname or classname> <string|disposition> <int|rank> Changes whether this entity likes or dislikes certain other things. Used like the ai_relationship entity, with this entity as the subject. Values for disposition are: D_HT: Hate D_FR: Fear D_LI: Like D_NU: Neutral Physics Impact Damage Scale (physdamagescale) <float> Multiplier for damage amount when this entity is hit by a physics object. With a value of 0 the entity will take no damage from physics. CAI_BaseNPC: Target Path Corner (target) <targetname> The path_corner that this NPC will move to after spawning. Squad Name (squadname) <string> NPCs that are in the same squad (i.e., have matching squad names) will share information about enemies and will take turns attacking and covering each other. Hint Group (hintgroup) <string> Hint groups are used by NPCs to restrict their hint-node searching to a subset of the map's hint nodes. Only hint nodes with matching hint group names will be considered by this NPC. Hint Limit Nav (hintlimiting) <boolean> Limits NPC to using specified hint group for navigation requests. Does not limit local navigation. Sleep State (sleepstate) <choices> Holds the NPC in stasis until specified condition. See also Wake Radius and Wake Squad. 0: None 1: Waiting for threat 2: Waiting for PVS 3: Waiting for input, ignore PVS 4: Auto PVS 5: Auto PVS after PVS Wake Radius (wakeradius) <float> Auto-wake if player comes within this distance. Wake Squad (wakesquad) <boolean> Wake all of the NPCs squadmates if the NPC is woken. Enemy Filter (enemyfilter) <targetname> Filter entity to test targets against. Ignore unseen enemies (ignoreunseenenemies) <boolean> Prefers visible enemies, regardless of distance or relationship priority. DamageFilter: Damage Filter (damagefilter) <targetname> Name of the filter_damage_type entity that controls which entities can damage us.

Parentname:

Parent (parentname) <targetname>

Specifies a movement parent. An entity will maintain its initial offset from its parent. An attachment point can be added to the end of the name, separated by a comma.

RenderFields:

Render Mode (rendermode) <byte choices>

Set a non-standard rendering mode on this entity.

Render Modes

0: Normal 1: Color 2: Texture 3: Glow 4: Solid/Alphatest 5: Additive 6: Removed, does nothing 7: Additive Fractional Frame 8: Alpha Add 9: World Space Glow 10: Don't Render

Render FX (renderfx) <byte choices>

Various somewhat legacy alpha effects. See render effects.

Render Amount / Transparency (renderamt) <byte>

Transparency amount, requires a Render Mode other than Normal. 0 is invisible, 255 is fully visible.

Render Color (R G B) (rendercolor) <color255>

Color tint.

Shadow:

Disable Shadows (disableshadows) <boolean>

Prevents the entity from creating cheap render-to-texture shadows, or lightmap shadows if the entity is a prop_static. Does not affect shadow mapping.

Disable Receiving Shadows (disablereceiveshadows) <boolean>

Prevent the entity from receiving dynamic shadows on itself.

Shadow Cast Distance (shadowcastdist) <integer> !FGD

Sets how far the entity casts dynamic shadows. 0 means default distance from the shadow_control entity.

Disable Shadow Depth (disableshadowdepth) <boolean> (in all games since )

Used to disable rendering into shadow depth (for projected textures) for this entity.

Disable flashlight (disableflashlight) <boolean> (in all games since )

Used to disable projected texture lighting and shadows on this entity.

Projected Texture Cache (shadowdepthnocache) <integer choices> (in all games since )

Used to hint projected texture system whether it is sufficient to cache shadow volume of this entity or to force render it every frame instead.

Choices

0 : Default 1 : No cache - render every frame 2 : Cache it - render only once

Flags

BaseNPC flags 

Wait Till Seen : [1]

Prevents this NPC from seeing (or being seen) until it enters a player's viewcone.

Gag : [2]

Won't make IDLE sounds until it's angry.

Fall to ground (unchecked means teleport to ground) : [4]

Drop Healthkit : [8]

Causes this NPC to drop an item_healthvial upon dying.

Efficient : [16]

Don't acquire enemies or avoid obstacles

Wait For Script : [128]

Forces this NPC to "wait" in an idle state until it finishes playing a scripted_sequence.

Long Visibility/Shoot : [256]

By default, increases a NPC's sight range to 6,000 units and allows it to attack from anywhere within that distance.

Fade Corpse : [512]

Think outside PVS : [1024]

Allows this NPC to run its regular AI outside of any player's PVS.

Template NPC : [2048]

Marks this NPC as a template for entities like npc_template_maker. The NPC will not spawn on its own. This is not needed for point_template.

Do Alternate collision for this NPC (player avoidance) : [4096]

Note:This flag is disabled in episodic for player companions, because the StartScripting input does this.

Don't drop weapons : [8192]

Ignore player push : [16384] (in all games since )

Entity won't give way to player.

Inputs

BaseNPC inputs 

CAI_BaseNPC:

ActivateSpeedModifier  !FGD

DisableSpeedModifier  !FGD

Break

Smash into pieces. If this is not possible, disappear.

BecomeRagdoll  (in all games since )

Remove itself and instantly become a ragdoll with zero force (just go limp). OnDeath, etc. outputs will NOT be fired.

ForceInteractionWithNPC <string> <string>  (in all games since )

Force the NPC to use a dynamic interaction with another NPC. Syntax is <targetname> <dynamic interaction>.

ForgetEntity <targetnameRedirectInput/string>

Clears out the NPC's knowledge of a named entity.

UpdateEnemyMemory  (in all games since )

Update (or create) this NPC's memory of of the given entity.

GagEnable

GagDisable

Gagged NPCs won't speak (or moan, caw, etc.) unless made to be a choreographed scene.

HolsterWeapon  (in all games since )

UnholsterWeapon  (in all games since )

Force the NPC to holster or unholster their weapon. Ignored if the NPC is scripting or if the NPC doesn't use weapons.

HolsterAndDestroyWeapon  (in all games since )

Same as HolsterWeapon, except the weapon is destroyed once it has been concealed.

IgnoreDangerSounds <floatRedirectInput/float>

Ignore danger sounds for the specified number of seconds.

InsideTransition  !FGD

OutsideTransition  !FGD

SetBodyGroup <integerRedirectInput/integer>

HACK: Sets this NPC's body group (from 0–n).

SetEnemyFilter <stringRedirectInput/string>

SetHealth <integerRedirectInput/integer>

Set the NPC's health.

SetMaxLookDistance <floatRedirectInput/float> (only in )

Sets the maximum look distance for the NPC. Defaults are 2048 and 6000 for long range NPCs.

SetRelationship <string|targetname or classname> <string|disposition> <int|rank>

Changes whether this NPC likes or dislikes certain others. Used like the ai_relationship entity, with this NPC as the subject.

Values for disposition are:

• D_HT: Hate
• D_FR: Fear
• D_LI: Like
• D_NU: Neutral

SetSquad <stringRedirectInput/string>

Change the name of this NPC's squad. Leaving the parameter blank will remove the NPC from any existing squad.

StartScripting

StopScripting

Enter/exit scripting state, where NPCs ignore a variety of stimulus that would make them break out of their scripts. They ignore danger sounds, ignore +Use, don't idle speak or respond to other NPCs' idle speech, and so on.

Wake

Wakes up the NPC if it is sleeping.

CBaseCombatCharacter:

KilledNPC  !FGD

Tells the entity it killed something. Despite the name, this can include a player. This input will be automatically sent by the victim when they die.

physdamagescale <floatRedirectInput/float>

Scales damage energy when this character is hit by a physics object. With a value of 0 the NPC will take no damage from physics.

DamageFilter:

SetDamageFilter <stringRedirectInput/string>

Sets the entity to use as damage filter. Pass in an empty string (no parameter) to clear the damage filter.

Parentname:

SetParent <stringRedirectInput/string>

Move with this entity. See Entity Hierarchy (parenting).

SetParentAttachment <stringRedirectInput/string>

Change this entity to attach to a specific attachment point on its parent. The entity will teleport so that the position of its root bone matches that of the attachment. Entities must be parented before being sent this input.

SetParentAttachmentMaintainOffset <stringRedirectInput/string>

As above, but without teleporting. The entity retains its position relative to the attachment at the time of the input being received.

ClearParent

Removes this entity from the the movement hierarchy, leaving it free to move independently.

RenderFields:

Alpha <integer 0–255>

Sets the entity's transparency to a number from 0 (invisible) to 255 (fully visible). Requires the entity to have its rendermode set to a number other than 0.

Color <color255RedirectInput/color32>

Sets an RGB color for the entity.

Shadow:

DisableShadow

Turn dynamic shadows off for this entity. Identical to applying  EF_NOSHADOW.

EnableShadow

Turn dynamic shadows on for this entity.

DisableReceivingFlashlight  (in all games since )

This object will not receive light or shadows from projected textures.

EnableReceivingFlashlight  (in all games since )

This object may receive light or shadows from projected textures.

Outputs

BaseNPC Outputs

OnDamaged Fired when this NPC takes damage (!activator is the damage inflictor). OnDamagedByPlayer Fired when this NPC is hurt by a player (!activator is the attacker or vehicle driver [if friendly fire]). OnDamagedByPlayerSquad Fired when this NPC is hurt by a player OR by one of the player's squadmates (!activator is the attacker or vehicle driver [if friendly fire]). OnDeath Fired when this NPC is killed (!activator is the killer). OnDenyCommanderUse Fired when this NPC has refused to join the player's squad. OnForcedInteractionAborted Fired when the NPC aborts a forced interaction for some reason (target NPC died, couldn't be pathed to, etc.). OnForcedInteractionStarted Fired when the NPC starts a forced interaction. OnForcedInteractionFinished "NPCs in actbusies can no longer perform dynamic interactions." Todo: What does this mean? OnHalfHealth Fired when this NPC reaches half of its maximum health. OnHearCombat Fired when this NPC hears combat sounds. OnHearPlayer Fired when this NPC hears the player. OnHearWorld Fired when this NPC hears a sound (other than combat or the player). OnFoundEnemy <targetname*RedirectOutput/ehandle> Fired when this NPC establishes line of sight to its enemy. OnLostEnemy Fired when this NPC loses its enemy. Usually due to the enemy being killed/removed, or because this NPC has selected a newer, more dangerous enemy. OnLostEnemyLOS Fired when this NPC loses line of sight to its enemy. OnFoundPlayer <targetname*RedirectOutput/ehandle> Fired when this NPC establishes line of sight to its enemy, and that enemy is a player. OnLostPlayer Fired when this NPC loses its enemy, and that enemy was a player. Usually due to the enemy being killed/removed, or because this NPC has selected a newer, more dangerous enemy. OnLostPlayerLOS Fired when this NPC loses line of sight to its enemy, and that enemy is a player. OnSleep Fired when this NPC enters a sleep state. OnWake Fired when this NPC comes out of a sleep state.

See also

• monster_generic