AI shooting and flinching, how?

[taro8]

Hi folks I would like to ask a few questions in hopes that we can work out something here.

I did a mods that allow to severely limit the number of guns and ammo in Fallout, but such mods always create some kind of new problems. This time its the AI shooting routine, they just point guns at you and fire as fast as they can. I find this VERY immersion breaking and i would like to add some kind of delay between each shot/burst to simulate the AI aiming. AI is a very good shot, so an "aiming" delay would make things more sensible. I have no idea how to approach this, Im decent when it comes to GECK, so I just need some pointers.

^Done thanks to Gribbleshnibit8's help

Another thing I would like to add/see is flinching when actor or player is hit. When I was watching The Last of Us play videos I noticed that bullets made actors flinch very hard or fall down often. That made fights very strategic as you couldnt just stand there and trade fire. I would like to see something like this in FO. There are already animations for flinching is its only a matter of activating them when actor is hit (not always, but some % of times).

[TrickyVein]

If the PC were just as vulnerable to damage as NPCs are and suffered a similar effect after being shot than this may be fair/balanced. I haven't played TLOS but I bet you can't just stand there and take rounds from magainzes like you can in Fallout.

The player is so over-powered IMO that staggering NPCs is like knocking them down - you can just spam them into oblivion. It's kind of funny how long some of the 'crippling' animations take. It renders an NPC completely defenseless right in the heat of battle. This is also why you can spam-hit a super mutant to death with just a lead pipe at lvl. 2 because at some point they're going to be staggered and give you the opportunity to land half-a-dozen free hits. 

[plumjuice]

The AI aiming time thing is beyond my hazy recollections of the geck, but I'm pretty sure there is some form of Stop command available. Is it possible to script it to be applied whenever an actor is shot? Might be a bit clunky, and could cause issues with rapid fire weapons though. I would suggest staying away from stagger and falling over animations though. As has been said, they take forever. Doesn't matter how dangerous you've modded combat to be if your enemies spend 90% of combat on their backs, so to speak.

[taro8]

I asked that you dont bring balance as a counter argument to my ideas. Im not forcing you to use my mods so let me mod my game as I see fit. I need help doing so though.

[Gribbleshnibit8]

People are just offering opinions and ideas. If you don't want people saying what they think, don't ask questions in a public forum.

Now, what you probably want to look at are the Combat Styles used by different creatures and NPCs. I've never messed with them, but changing them can really change the way the combat in game paces and plays out. There are all kinds of timers and other things in there that determine how long actors will fire before seeking cover, how long they'll spend searching when not in cover, etc.

[taro8]

Sorry, but Im a bit touchy about using balance as a counter argument when all Im asking for is help.

Still, many thanks for the combat styles tip, I will check out this for sure as it has exactly what I need for delay between shots.

EDIT: I have edited the Combat Styles and it was exactly I needed, enemies now take random breaks when shooting that give the impression of them taking aim.

[plumjuice]

To clarify, I wasn't talking about balance so much as entertainment. I have a pretty lethal modded combat as well, and for me, that is the exciting bit. The stagger animations and in particular the fall down->get up sequence were a little too long for my taste, that's all.

Glad to hear you got the first thing done though. Sounds interesting.

[taro8]

Hmm now that I think of it the stagger should only have chance of triggering only if you hit a bodypart that is already crippled. I think this would make things more fair.

Or is it already in the game and only would require some fiddling with settings.

[Darian Stephens]

Perhaps a download for that mod, or a guide on how to do it yourself?

[Darkersun]

A combat styles  mod combined with a realistic damage mod should be a nice combination.

For example: If NPC would take time to aim (your mod idea) use ammo (Gribble has a mod for that) and NPCs and player take the same damage I don't see an issue. It would make the game even harder. Fighting more than one enemy would become extremely dangers because of the knockdown. Knocking down a Super Mutant with a lead pipe or small caliber weapons should not be possible. Maybe connecting the knockdown % with Str and Kon attribute (this would also make it harder to knock down people in Power Armor).

Combining all this should make combat really exiting and tactical.