npc_barnacle

From Valve Developer Community
Jump to navigation Jump to search
English (en)Русский (ru)Translate (Translate)
Class hierarchy
CNPC_Barnacle
CAI_BaseNPC
CBaseCombatCharacter
CBaseFlex
CBaseAnimatingOverlay
CBaseAnimating
CBaseEntity
npc_barnacle.cpp
Barnacle

npc_barnacle is a point entity available in Half-Life 2 Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Episode One Half-Life 2: Episode One, Half-Life 2: Episode Two Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Half-Life 2: Deathmatch Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, and Black Mesa Black Mesa. It is a stationary, ceiling-mounted 'fishing' monster that tries to eat anything its tongue touches. Barnacles were originally devised in Half-Life as a simple way to limit movement in levels, and their function remains relatively the same in Half-Life 2.

PlacementTip.gifPlacement Tip:Most players will prefer not to get caught by a barnacle, and prefer avoiding it altogether, so unless it would be part of a puzzle, you might want to provide a way to get past the barnacle without killing it.
Note.pngNote:Some keyvalues, spawnflags, effect flags, inputs, or outputs might not affect an NPC, based on the functionality and coding of the NPC.
Warning.pngWarning:You must build structures from player clip similar to those in the picture, otherwise if barnacle grabs player - player may get stuck and barnacle will eventually release him. In Black Mesa Black Mesa this case cause to a very severe breakdown of barnacle.


(click to view enlarged images)
Note.pngNote:Initially, barnacle can only grab and eat only chosen in game code NPCs. Can be customized using relationships.

Keyvalues

Rest Distance (RestDist) <float>
Distance above the ground that the tongue should lie when the barnacle is at rest
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.

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.pngNote:This flag is disabled in Half-Life 2: Episode One Half-Life 2: Episode Two episodic for player companions, because the StartScripting input does this.

Don't drop weapons : [8192]
Ignore player push : [16384] (in all games since Source 2006)

Entity won't give way to player.
  • Cheap death : [65536]
Don't puke gibs immediately upon eating enemy. This does not stop them from randomly spitting out ribcage gibs after eating an enemy!
Icon-Bug.pngBug:Doesn't work in Black Mesa Black Mesa

  [todo tested in ?]

  • Ambush Mode : [131072]
Don't start with tongue down.
  • Tongue will not penetate water : [262144] (only in Black Mesa)
Barnacle's tongue will not penetrate water if this flag used.
  • Don't spawn human skull on death : [524288] (only in Black Mesa)
Barnacle will not spawn human skull on death if this flag used.
Icon-Bug.pngBug:Doesn't work.  [todo tested in ?]

Inputs

DropTongue <void>
Drop tongue towards the ground. Use in conjunction with Ambush Mode spawnflag.
SetDropTongueSpeed <integer>
Set Drop Tongue speed.
Note.pngNote:If the barnacle itself fires the "OnGrab" output to change this setting, it will also alter the "reel in" speed. Too fast speeds for reeling enemies in will cause the ragdolls to fly around.
LetGo <void>
Let go of anything I am holding.
TongueTipUpdated <void> (only in Black Mesa)
BaseNPC inputs

CAI_BaseNPC:

ActivateSpeedModifier  !FGD
DisableSpeedModifier  !FGD
Break
Smash into pieces. If this is not possible, disappear.
BecomeRagdoll  (in all games since Half-Life 2: Episode Two)
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 Half-Life 2: Episode One)
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 Half-Life 2: Episode One)
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 Half-Life 2: Episode One)
UnholsterWeapon  (in all games since Half-Life 2: Episode One)
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 Half-Life 2: Episode One)
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.
SetMaxLookDistance <float> (only in Garry's Mod)
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 <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.

Outputs

OnGrab <void>
OnRelease <void>
Fired when I attach/detach my tongue to/from something.
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.

Dedicated Console Variables

Cvar/CommandParameters or default valueDescriptorEffect
sk_barnacle_health35intBarnacle spawn health.
npc_barnacle_swallowboolEnable prototype swallow code. This makes the ragdolled yummy play the ACT_GESTURE_BARNACLE_STRANGLE activity. Cut in Black Mesa Black Mesa.
sk_barnacle_357_dmg_scale (only in Black Mesa)1floatMagnum damage scale.
sk_barnacle_blunt_dmg_scale (only in Black Mesa)1floatBlunt damage scale.
sk_barnacle_buckshot_dmg_scale (only in Black Mesa)1floatBuckshot damage scale.
sk_barnacle_bullet_dmg_scale (only in Black Mesa)1floatBullet damage scale.

Bugs/Limitations

Todo: Should we really keep the Portal related bugs? The barnacle is never even meant to be used in portal anyways, and the example gifs are not adding anything.

All

Tongue ignores objects with "$contents grate" and brush entities

If a Barnacle is placed above a prop using $contentsgrate, the tongue will clip through that object and the barnacle will release any object it grabs immediately.
The same will happen with brush entities, with the exception of func_physbox and func_physbox_multiplayer. func_detail and func_ladder are world brushes, so they are unaffected by this bug.

Todo: Does this affect all CONTENTS_GRATE entities, such as brushes with %CompilePassBullets?
example with func_brush.

Eating its own gibs

Barnacles will sometimes try to eat on its own gib models, and often try to eat the same few gibs nonstop. This has been fixed in Portal 2: Community Edition Portal 2: Community Edition.

Half-Life 2 Half-Life 2 and Portal Portal

Some NPCs becomes invisible

Some NPCs becomes invisible grabbed by a barnacle.

Todo: Which ones?

Some NPCs cause crash

If any of the following NPC's are being grabbed, the game will crash: npc_combine_camera, npc_advisor, npc_rollermine, npc_portal_turret_floor, and npc_poisonzombie.
The only possible npc's that could realistically be grabbed to begin with are the rollermine and the poisonzombie. So make sure your map has clips around barnacles to prevent these NPC's to ever meet each other.

Todo: Find if there are more npc's that may cause crashes.

Portal Portal

Rocket turret's broken ragdoll

If a barnacle somehow manages to grab a npc_rocket_turret, the turret's ragdoll freaks out. Which is caused by the rocket turret not being meant to ever enter Ragdoll mode.

PlacementTip.pngWorkaround:Fix the model or make barnacle friendly to npc_rocket_turret.
Click to play.


Gibs don't traverse portals

Gibs spawned by barnacles do not pass portals, as they are flagged as debris.

Click to play.

Decals stay behind

Blood decals created by barnacles will not be removed when a portal is placed on the decal. This is more related to decals themselves just not moving, rather than a barnacle specific issue.

PortalIssue3 1.jpg
PortalIssue3 2.jpg

Black Mesa Black Mesa: Definitive Edition

Note.pngNote:Most of these issues do not appear in Black Mesa Black Mesa: Source.

Disappearing Barnacle

Barnacles will delete themselves if the player is stuck on something when getting reeled in Instead of player release, in Black Mesa Black Mesa this case cause to a very severe breakdown of barnacle. Not in Black Mesa Black Mesa 2012 (Mod).

PCAB BlackMesaBug.gif

Incorrect tongue placement

The barnacles tongue appears to be clipping through the camera.

BarnacleTongeBugBMS.jpg

TongueTipUpdated spam

For some reason, the TongueTipUpdated input fires every 0.01 seconds.

Pulling is broken

Sometimes the barnacle will grab a player, but not reel them in for a few seconds, until it catches up and pulls the player faster than usual.
This does not seem to happen in Black Mesa Black Mesa 2012 (Mod).

Grabbed NPCs disappear if barnacle dies

Npc's that are grabbed by a barnacle will immediately disappear when the barnacle that grabbed it dies.
This does not seem to happen in Half-Life 2 Half-Life 2 and Black Mesa Black Mesa 2012 (Mod).

Eating Headcrab Only

Barnacles inHalf-Life 2 Half-Life 2 will eat the whole zombie NPC, while in Black Mesa Black Mesa 2012 (Mod) the headcrab is ripped off the head. This does not depend on the type of zombie, it works with any zombie type.