npc_clawscanner

npc_clawscanner is a point entity available in Half-Life 2: Episode One.

Entity Description

The Claw/Shield Scanner is commonly used by Combine forces to drop Hopper Mines in combat areas and is equipped with a large pincer arm which is kept concealed behind an armored plate.

Bug:If the player grabs a scanner while it holds a combine_mine, the scanner will not drop it until the player lets go.  [todo tested in?]

• This is a flying NPC that uses info_node_air, info_node_air_hint or path_tracks for AI navigation.

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

Dedicated Console Variables

sk_scanner_health <int>

A scanner's spawn health.

sk_scanner_dmg_dive <int>

Given damage by the scanner.

Keyvalues

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.

SpotlightLength (spotlightlength) <integer>

Lenght of the Scanner's spotlight.

SpotlightWidth (spotlightwidth) <integer>

Width of the Scanner's spotlight.

SpotlightDisabled (spotlightdisabled) <boolean>

Disables the Scanner's spotlight.

Should inspect (ShouldInspect) <boolean>

Only Inspect Players (OnlyInspectPlayers) <boolean>

Ignores NPCs completely and instead only inspects and blinds the player.

Never Inspect Players (NeverInspectPlayers) <boolean>

Ignores the player completely and instead only inspects and blinds the NPCs.

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.

• 65536 : No Dynamic Light
• 131072 : Strider Scout Scanner

This scanner moves faster and follows an npc_strider.

Bug:This doesn't work properly due to developer oversight. See below for possible fixes and workarounds.  [todo tested in?]

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 <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. SetMaxLookDistance <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 <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.

DisableSpotlight

Disables the Spotlight on top of the scanner when activated.

InspectTargetPhoto <target_name_or_class>

Tells the scanner to photograph the given entity, named by classname or by target name. !activator or !player works here also.

InspectTargetSpotlight <target_name_or_class>

Tells the scanner to spotlight the given entity, named by classname or by target name. !activator or !player works here also.

SetFlightSpeed <integer>

Sets the flight speed of the scanner.

InputShouldInspect <boolean>

Set whether should inspect or not.

SetFollowTarget <target_name_or_class>

Set target to follow until told otherwise.

ClearFollowTarget

Stop following our target.

SetDistanceOverride <float>

Override the distance the scanner will attempt to keep between inspection targets and itself.

DeployMine

Drop landmine (if carrying one).

EquipMine

Equip with landmine.

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> 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.

OnPhotographPlayer

Fired any time the scanner takes a picture of the player (!activator is the player.).

OnPhotographNPC

Fired any time the scanner takes a picture of an NPC (!activator is the NPC).

Strider Scout Issue

Because there were no strider scouts in Episode One, information from this entity isn't treated the same way by striders as information from npc_cscanners. There are two ways to fix this.

If you're making a mappack

If there are no ordinary City Scanners in the map where you want strider scout scanners, you can add "d3_c17" to the start of the map's name and then use an npc_cscanner. It will spawn as a claw scanner and the strider will treat it as a proper scout.

If you're making a mod with its own binaries

There are several ways to modify the code so the strider treats npc_clawscannners properly. One way is to change the identification of scanners from by classname to by C++ class. This is how to do that in the Orange Box/Source 2007 code.

1. Include the appropriate header

Open npc_strider.cpp and find #include "eventqueue.h". Add another line after it:

#include "npc_basescanner.h"

2. Change the verification method

Scroll down and find bool CNPC_Strider::UpdateEnemyMemory.

Replace:

if( pInformer && FClassnameIs( pInformer, "npc_cscanner" ) )

with:

CNPC_BaseScanner *pScanner = dynamic_cast<CNPC_BaseScanner *>(pInformer);
if( pScanner )

3. Compile

That's it! Now any Scanner-based entity that tips off a strider about somebody will invoke the proper scout behaviour.

Source 2006/Episode One version

The above method is impossible in Source 2006. Instead, open npc_strider.cpp and replace:

if( pInformer && FClassnameIs( pInformer, "npc_cscanner" ) )

with:

if( pInformer && ( FClassnameIs( pInformer, "npc_cscanner" ) || FClassnameIs( pInformer, "npc_clawscanner" ) ) )