Editing Alien Configurations
This page covers the functionality of the Alien Configuration editor. Some properties roles are presumed, so may be inaccurate. If any issues are spotted, please raise them on the GitHub Issues tab.
The alien configuration is split into frontstage and backstage states, both of which are described below. Further core alien configurations can be carried out within the Character Attribute Editor, with other parameters being available across a number of other editors such as the Sense Editor and Vision Editor.
To load a configuration to edit, select one in the top right dropdown and press "Load Config".
Configurations define the different alien behaviour types, which are changed during gameplay depending on the situation through Cathode's NPC_AlienConfig node. For example, when in the scripted vent section that is part of the Crew Expendable DLC, the configuration "CREWEXPENDABLE_VENT" will be used.
The alien's "frontstage" state is active when it is out of the vents and can be visible by the player. A number of parameters are available for this state to ensure that encounters are tense and that scare is kept to the max!
The "menace gauge" is a system that is used by the game's AI director to keep encounters with the alien tense. For more information on this, there's a great video by "AI and Games" (5:12 onwards) which explains how the menace gauge is utilised in the game's subsystems to ensure tension when required.
The time required to pass before a menace gauge to begin to decrease.
The cooldown time between menace gauge logs.
The time to pass before something is deemed worthy of triggering the menace gauge.
The maximum number of concurrent menace logs allowed by the director AI.
The number of seconds it would take to fill a menace gauge.
The frontstage sweep (also referred to as "stalk") is an action carried out by the alien when searching for its target. The alien will sweep an area that it is told its target is within (by the director AI, or its own prior sense) and either back out upon failure to find its target, or attack if found. The size of the area can be customised, and is modified per difficulty level.
The time that the alien will take to increase its search radius around the target.
The time that the alien will take to decrease its search radius around the target.
The width for half of the sweep area around the target (larger area = less chance of alien spotting target).
The minimum length for half of the sweep area around the target (larger area = less chance of alien spotting target).
Exclusion zones can be specified around the target or objective's location to ensure that the alien doesn't immediately discover the target when performing a sweep. This enables lengthier stealth sections and more chance of a player's survival. It also encourages repeat sweeps of the same area, where the alien will then have a better chance of finding the target.
The minimum/maximum exclusion radius around the target the alien is searching for when performing its first stalk.
The minimum/maximum exclusion radius around the target the alien is searching for when performing its second stalk.
The minimum/maximum exclusion radius around the objective the alien is set to when performing its first stalk.
The minimum/maximum exclusion radius around the objective the alien is set to when performing its second stalk.
Miscellaneous attributes
The template for which to pull default values from (these default values show in the greyed out fields - load the default template to modify them for all configurations which use it as a base.
The minimum/maximum time it takes for the alien to be attracted to the player-accessible vent system. This timer can be controlled via the behaviour trees, however it is also partly managed in the game's code (starts when the player enters a vent).
The opposite of "frontstage", "backstage" is when the alien goes up into the ceiling vent system and becomes invisible. This alien state is limited in that it can never directly reach the player as it is out of the playable zone.
An ambush can be performed on a target, referred to as a "killtrap". This is when the alien will grab the player from the vent in a scripted death sequence if the player walks underneath.
The time that a killtrap state is active.
The time that the ambush state is active before timing out.
Similar to the frontstage sweep described above, however limited to outside the playable space. If the alien becomes sure of a target's location and wishes to attack, or alternatively becomes alert to a target and wishes to frontstage sweep, it can make the transition from backstage to frontstage to do so.
The minimum/maximum time taken before a backstage sweep times out.
The minimum/maximum distance that the alien will sweep from the target's position.
The minimum/maximum time to go idle when performing a sweep of a backstage area.