Mod only for sse.
What about AE ?

While creating my first mod — Stamina Matters, I started REing Skyrim first time. Faced to CombatAI stuff. And… it is absolutely RANDOM! If you think that NPC thinks, you wrong.

After a lot of REing & coding I created my combat AI. I am good at RE, also at coding. But not in game design. I have a huge opportunity of changing AI to my own, but it is hard to me to create logic itself.

Anyway, I think now it is worthy to upload this to nexus. Enjoy!

I have a discord server now, where you could find useful info about my mods, suggest your ideas for released or new mods and give me a feedback.

Combat AI changed for

• Melee
• Block
• Movement
  

Thanks again to ellder4mk we have awesome review!



Combat AI

Now NPCs actually think before action. I tried to implement my own style. I imagined that I am an NPC and tried to “explain” how I should act.
Basically, there are some ideas I implemented:

Melee:

• NPCs chose more suitable moment to attack (enemy is staggered, finishing attack, turned his back)
• NPCs more aggressive against weak enemies (e.g. damaged hp/stamina a lot)
• NPCs do not attack when enemy is blocking and looking to it
• NPCs do not perform power attack to staggered enemy
• NPCs perform power attack only if he has many stamina
• NPCs do not perform attacks with low stamina
  

Block

• NPCs block only if cannot escape
• NPCs bash when enemy power attacking (to shoot down the attack)
• NPCs bash when enemy just staying to stagger it and then make many safe attacks
• NPCs bash after successful block. (was in vanilla, why not)
• NPCs do not block with low stamina
  

Movement

• NPCs circle when enemy is blocking (to attack not on the shield)
• NPCs circle when enemy is not attacking (to confuse)
• NPCs dodge when in danger, choosing best direction.
  This is also corresponds with pathing. Unlike other NPC dodging mods…… :(

Low stamina behavior

• No attacks/blocks
• Fallback
  

How it works

Skyrim uses Behavior trees technique for CombatAI. I completely REd some of them and changed trees for melee, block & movement.
I have some ideas In my head and implemented it.

Dodging
You can choose dodging method for NPC.
Set ModIndex to corresponding mod in .toml file. Currently available mods:

• (-1) My vanilla hacks. My approach to create dodging by vanilla tools.
• (0) TK Dodge RE. Also you can use replacers.
• (1) The Ultimate Dodge Mod. Even correct dodge directions...
  

Future plans

• AE: no.
• Make dodging only with light armor, stamina consumption, decisions between step & roll dodge (With TK Dodge RE)
• Make PR (with explanation all this stuff) to po3’s clib to make possible other modders to change behavior trees.
• Create API (because 2 plugins cannot change one tree) to make possible to somehow merge plugins
• Change ranged, mage, equipment trees
• Fix issue with parallel execution
• Start using combatstyles
• Make realistic sneak detection!!!
• …
• After some time use genetic algorithm to synthesize trees….
  

Compatibility

Combat styles
Since this day I declare this mod the only one Combat AI mod.
Come on, changing combatstyle in CK/xEdit is NOT combat AI modding… Moreover, I am sure that such mod authors didn’t even know how styles work!

Ok. I broke all combatstyles. Current version just didn’t access them. Guess why? Because they used for random, and my mod DO NOT use random. Almost. So yeah, time to throw away “mods” changing for some reason combatstyles.

Bad side is that all NPCs are too identical. Yeah, all NPCs are too smart, I mean. In future I’ll think about using at least some part of combat styles. Like, make NPC more offensive with big “offensive mult” value (don’t think, in vanilla this means absolutely different thing (don’t create such “Combat Style” mods ever)). Same with “defensive mult”. Other parts are quite useless.

Game settings
Absolutely same story about some game settings. “fCombatBlockChanceWeaponMult” is definitely used for “Chance”… Ok, I think you get the point. With this plugin some game settings become unused.

Mods
Stamina Matters’s forced denying part will replaced by real AI — NPCs will save stamina if has few, also will leave you if stamina ends.

Other.. I have no idea, you can just test and say me in comments, I appreciate it.
Don't ask me, I do not know too much about mods. Just try and share in comments.

Known issues (also see “bugs” section)

Feel free to report bugs in comments, I’ll do my best to fix that.

• Movement and Melee trees are run in same time, and for some reason NPCs could not “listen” Movement tree
• Smth wrong with bows. NPC may switch to bow even if too close. But damn it happens toooo rarely so I cannot debug :(
  

Installation

• Choose a dodge method (see changelog).
• Install your dodge mod. (for TK Dodge RE you also need IFrameGenerator)
• If you want dodge feature only for NPC, keep only “meshes” folder from the mod.
  For TUDM you can disable “NPC AI” feature in MCM.
• Do not forget to run Nemesis.
• Install my plugin.
• Set in .toml correct ModIndex.
  

Uninstallation
Do not uninstall it during fights.

Requirements

• SKSE
• Address Library for SKSE Plugin
• SSE Engine Fixes
• If you want, any (supported) dodge mod. Feel free to point me on unsupported dodge mods and I likely add support for them.
• IFrameGenerator if you are using TK Dodge RE.
  

Changelog

v0.2

• Better attack cancellation.
  If enemy attacks, NPC cancels attack and try to dodge/block. There is some condition of attack cancellation, so it looks quite smooth.
• You can choose dodging method for NPCs.
• Improved behavior while enemy is blocking.
  Now NPCs still try to circle from enemy’s eyes, but lower range. Also they may perform power attack.
• Improved low stamina behavior.
  NPCs can block while escaping (actually it was intended, just a bug). However, they still in some cases think that they are safe and just escaping. E.g. when enemy is chasing NPC with long weapon and attacking at the same time. I think it is prediction issue (if enemy too close, all fine). I still poor in it.
• First attempt of keeping distance.
  NPCs try to fallback after attacks, to not be around all the time.

Source
Available on my github.
Also wait my RP and API.

Наше пати

• Lastrium
• Discord
  

My other mods

• Resurrect Me - reliable resurrection mod.
• Fires Hurt RE - burn while walking on embers.
• LimbsInjuries - combat overhaul.
• Parrying - bounce weapons on impact.
• CoolStaggers - my stagger system.
• Everyone’s stamina matters - stamina overhaul.
• Numerical dialogue options - choosing dialogue options by 1-9 on keyboard.
• Just take books - allows you to take books while sneaking.
• New game sound on continue - plays New Game sound when you load last saved game.
• Where s the key - lists all key owners.
• Print F (modders recource) - adds printf functionality in Papyrus.
• FenixDisenchanter (modders recource) - adds reliable disenchanter (both player created and found in game disenchants).