npc_vortigaunt is a point entity available in 
Half-Life 2 series, 
Portal, and 
Black Mesa.
This NPC allows multiple models (for slaves), but defaults to vortigaunt.mdl. Also see the Half-Life Continuity page about the vortigaunt.
AltNames: In , this entity is also tied to npc_alien_slave and npc_xorteb. Keyvalues
- Name
(targetname) <string>
- The name that other entities refer to this entity by, via Inputs/Outputs or other keyvalues (e.g.
parentname or target).
Also displayed in Hammer's 2D views and Entity Report.
- World model
(model) <model path>
- The model to appear as. Use this to create slave vorts.
- Allow Armor Recharging
(ArmorRechargeEnabled) <boolean>
- Can this vort recharge the HEV suit?
- Regenerate Health
(HealthRegenerateEnabled) <boolean>
- Whether or not the vortigaunt will recover his own health over time like vital allies, while in combat.
PlayerCompanion:
- Always transition
(AlwaysTransition) <boolean> (in all games since 
)
- This NPC will always teleport to a Player Squad Transition Point if they're not within the
trigger_transition.
- Prevent picking up weapons?
(DontPickupWeapons) <boolean> (in all games since )
- This NPC will NOT be allowed to pick up weapons they find on the ground.
- Is this a vital ally?
(GameEndAlly) <boolean> (in all games since )
- This NPC will cause the game to end if killed.
TalkNPC:
- Use Sentence
(UseSentence) <string>
- Sentence spoken when the NPC gets
+used by a player
- Un-Use Sentence
(UnUseSentence) <string>
- Sentence spoken NPC gets used again
- Don't Use Speech Semaphore
(DontUseSpeechSemaphore) <boolean>
- Friendly NPCs are not allowed to speak if another friendly NPC is speaking. In some cases, we don't want speaking NPCs to prevent other NPCs from speaking (for instance, if there is a friendly NPC speaking for a long time on a monitor). To make this NPC not prevent other NPCs from talking, make it not grab the semaphore when it speaks.
BaseNPC keyvalues
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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: HateD_FR: FearD_LI: LikeD_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.
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Flags
BaseNPC flags
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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.
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Inputs
EnableArmorRecharge, DisableArmorRecharge- Allow or prevent armor recharging on players
ExtractBugbait <targetname>- Causes the vortigaunt to extract bugbait from the named target passed in.
ChargeTarget <targetname>- Force the vortigaunt to charge the named target.
EnableHealthRegeneration, DisableHealthRegeneration- Allow/stop the vortigaunt to start regenerating his health over time, like vital allies.
TurnBlue <boolean>- "If true, turn blue. If false, turn green." Used to toggle the blue-purple skin tinting on vortigaunts with the "vortigaunt_blue.mdl" model variant. This is used for the Transcendent Vortigaunts in Episode 1's opening sequence and the Episode 2 sequence in which Alyx is being healed. It does not, however, cause their eyes to become light blue.
TurnBlack <boolean>- "If true, turn black. If false, be seen."
Todo: Eh?
BeginCarryNPC (in all games since )- Override our animations for 'carrying' an NPC.
EndCarryNPC (in all games since )- Stop overriding our animations for 'carrying' an NPC.
Dispel (in all games since ) !FGD- Forces vortigaunt to perform its shockwave attack, killing every antlion around it no matter if vortigaunt is engaged in combat or not.
PlayerCompanion:
OutsideTransition (in all games since )- Use this input to teleport the NPC to a hint node with the "Player Squad Transition Point" hint type.
EnableAlwaysTransition (in all games since )
DisableAlwaysTransition (in all games since )- If enabled, this NPC will always teleport to a Player Squad Transition Point even if they're not within the
trigger_transition.
MakeGameEndAlly (in all games since )
MakeRegularAlly (in all games since )- Determines whether the game should end if this character dies.
EnableWeaponPickup (in all games since )
DisableWeaponPickup (in all games since )- Enables/disables weapon pickup.
GiveWeapon <classname> (in all games since )- Gives the NPC a weapon immediately.
ClearAllOutputs (only in )- Clears every output that this NPC has.
TalkNPC:
SpeakResponseConcept <string> (in all games since )- Speak the specified response concept immediately.
BaseNPC inputs
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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 <targetname>- 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 <float>- Ignore danger sounds for the specified number of seconds.
InsideTransition !FGD
OutsideTransition !FGD
SetBodyGroup <integer>- HACK: Sets this NPC's body group (from 0–n).
SetEnemyFilter <string>
SetHealth <integer>- Set the NPC's health.
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: HateD_FR: FearD_LI: LikeD_NU: Neutral
SetSquad <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 <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 <string>- Sets the entity to use as damage filter. Pass in an empty string (no parameter) to clear the damage filter.
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Outputs
OnFinishedExtractingBugbait- Fires when the vortigaunt's finished extracting bugbait from a target.
OnFinishedExtractingTauCannon- Fires when the vortigaunt's finished extracting the tau cannon from the jeep.
OnFinishedChargingTarget- Fires when the vortigaunt has finished charging a target.
OnPlayerUse- Fires when a player +USEs the vortigaunt. (
!activator is the player.)
PlayerCompanion:
OnWeaponPickup- Fires when this NPC picks a weapon off the ground or a gun rack.
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>- 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>- 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.
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Dedicated Console Variables
| Cvar/Command | Parameters or default value | Descriptor | Effect |
|---|
sk_vortigaunt_armor_charge | 30 (in ) / 15 (in ) | int | Amount of energy to charge the player with |
sk_vortigaunt_dmg_claw | 10 | int | Damage from a claw melee attack |
sk_vortigaunt_dmg_rake | 25 | int | Damage from a rake melee attack |
sk_vortigaunt_dmg_zap | 50 (in ) / 25 (in ) | int | Damage from a zap range attack |
sk_vortigaunt_health | 100 | int | Vortigaunt spawn health |
sk_vortigaunt_armor_charge_per_token (only in ) | 5 | int | Amount of charge per token |
See also
Class hierarchy
