What if the Controller could REALLY CONTROL mutants, NPCs and the player itself even? It can now... Controllers have become something different. They will be more frightening than before. "Leave while you are still yourself..." This is a really complex addon, with many configurable options please, READ THE README BEFORE INSTALLING!
CHANGELOG:
UPDATE 1.1:
* Suffering animations and screaming sound effects (by DesmanMetzger) for freshly controlled NPCs, including Hip. Now the player will know when an NPC got controlled, and will have 10 seconds to get ready for the situation.
* Improved failsafe measures for controlled NPCs who target either the controller or the minions still. (Engine issue)
INSTALLATION:
Unpack the gamedata folder into your Anomaly folder.
COMPATIBILITY:
Compatibility patch for Soundscape Overhaul 3.0 Included. To install it, unpack the gamedata folder in folder "Compatibility_Soundscape_overhaul_3" into your Anomaly folder AFTER you installed the addon!
The addon changes mutant to mutant relations! These relations were altered to make the Zone both realistic, and mutants to handle the controller properly. This addon is not compatible with mods who wants to change mutant to mutant relations!
Special thanks:
Rezy, tdef for technical support.
Searge for both integrating my addon and making in more balanced in many aspects.
DesmanMetzger for his amazing psy sound effects, like the whispers while having low psy health, the psy death scene sound and the new controller presence sound.
GhenTuong for both support and sharing his AI scheme solution with me.
Mora for further support regarding AI schemes.
Meatchunk and Red Forest Cake for feature ideas and support regarding lore.
Arti and OnegRiot for keeping the spirit in me :D
And for many others.
The Controller Overhaul
The controller was never true to its reputation in the stalker games. In Shadow of Chernobyl it had a tube attack and a psy aura. Later he lost even the aura too. But it is over now. The controller's fearsome reputation will be reflected in its skills! The "controler" os like a composite enemy now, consisting of its abilities and minions as one.
It will provide difficult encounters, but with sniper rifles, explosives and smart tactics (Or a switft escape) these situations can be handled.
All the setting can be found in the file: gamedata/scripts/arszi_controller.script, at the top of the file.
Apart from altering the controller, I altered the relations of every mutants towards each other. This is required to make the controller to behave properly. Not_Marked made an addon like this before called "Hungry Hungry Mutants", the file in this one is not the same! We had the same idea, but mine uses different settings!
* The controller can control up to 10 entities.
Controlling both NPCs and mutants can be disabled by setting the switch "c_controller_control_enabled = true " to "c_controller_control_enabled = false".
* The controller can control NPCs. It can control your companions, who won't take your side anymore... The controller does have to have vision on the NPC to take control. Story NPCs will be forced on the ground during combat. You can free NPCs by killing the controller. If you leave the map, controll will be permanent. The NPCs will be lost to the Zone, and story NPCs will join combat actively the next time you see them. There is NO WAY TO FREE PERMANENTLY CONTROLLED NPCS! This feature might interfere with story mode, make sure that you do not leave story NPCs behind! If you do, it will stop your progression in story PERMANENTLY!
* The controller can control some mutants: Zombie, Snork, Boar, Flesh, Bloodsucker, Cat. Dogs can not be controlled because of lore reasons. They can develop psy abilities, and resisting control. The rest of the mutants can not be controlled because both balance and lore reasons. Suitable mutants will be controlled in 50 meters of radious around the controller automatically.
* The controller can control the player! It will jam the player's controls. Since this is the most controversial feature, it is disabled by default. The chance to jam the player's controls is distance and chance based. It can be countered with psy protection. You try to move, but your legs won't move. You try to fire your gun, but your finger does not respond. With this feature enabled, you can experience the dread of being controlled!
This feature can be enabled by setting the switch "c_controller_control_player_enabled = false" to "c_controller_control_player_enabled = true".
* The controller will start with 4-6 random minions, based on the actual map. Urban maps have higher chance for zombies, "green" maps like Red Forest will have higher chance for animals as starter minions. Some maps won't give starter minions for the controller for balance reasons. (Dead City for example.)
This feature can be disabled by setting the switch "c_controller_spawn_minions_enabled = true" to "c_controller_spawn_minions_enabled = false"
* The controller's tube damage received a maximum range. This range is 100 meters, with every one meters of distance, the controller's tube damage will be lower with 1%. It won't be able to snipe you out from the opposite end of the map, but it will be still lethal from close range.
* The controller received a Psy aura. The Psy aura is a little bit stronger then a Strong Psy Anomaly and has the maximum range of 35 meters. The closer you are to the controller, the stronger the Psy aura's damage will become.
* New controller "presence" sound by DesmanMetzger. Also the yellow tint is removed from the aura.
I allow my mod to be used in other mods as long as I receive the necessary credits!
Trying this rn, sounds interesting!
I definitely won't be wishing for control with this installed.
Great! Slight problem though.
My game crashes when I add this mod to the following setup:
I.ibb.co
Savegames and new games crash in the loading screen.
Cheers
Could you please copy the end of the crash log?
Sure
FATAL ERROR
[error]Expression : <no expression>
[error]Function : CScriptEngine::lua_error
[error]File : ..\xrServerEntities\script_engine.cpp
[error]Line : 191
[error]Description : fatal error
[error]Arguments : LUA error: ...ll of pripyat\gamedata\scripts\sim_squad_scripted.script:639: attempt to index global 'utils' (a nil value)
stack trace:
Are you using it with RC? Oo This is for Update4Hotfix8
Yeah I do.
I thought because this is a new upload and a Beta version it is meant for the open Beta Oo
My bad :D
Ouch, You have a point. I will rewrite the name so it won't confuse people.
Was this meant for RC18?
No, Update4Hotfix8. RC one will be released separately.
Thought so. Looking forward to the RC version :)
POG MOD! :D
This seems to be one of the best mod ideas for gameplay.
Controller deserve this modification.
Your addons truly are an awesome addition to not only Anomaly, but also STALKER as a whole as you bring us some long lost, but never forgotten features. We shall sing praises to your name until all CCon can hear us!
Thank you :D Do you mean the CCon discord server?
No haha I literally meant the "real" C-Consciousness/Noosphere! ;)
It should have been like this from the very beginning of Stalker :D
Controller has a semi-working engine control. It is capable to control a few mutants. But it is broken. Mutants will sit down in front of the controller, and wont attack you anymore. I tried to mimic this behaviour too. When the controller is not in combat, mutants which has the proper animations will lie down in front of it.
Hey! Long time no see, Vasyan!
The Addon is updated to RC18+! Please, READ THE DESCRIPTION PROPERLY TO INSTALL THE RIGHT ONE!
Thank you Arszi :)
thx 4 this. your addons best as always!
I noticed that m_burer.ltx isn't using soundscape Overhaul settings but m_controller is. Was that intended? Not a big deal as I've changed it myself.
OO Whops... Did it cause any crashes?
No it wouldn't cause a crash as its not taking sound from soundscape db0, its just a different distance sound and range. I've changed burer.ltx to match soundscape as I can't play Anomaly without it :D
EDIT: I just checked m_controller.ltx and the distant sound is taken from soundscape db0, doubt it would crash, just show an error in the log and you wouldn't hear the sound.
Thanks! I will fix this tomorrow and make a compatibility patch. I completey forgot about Soundscape...
Just a note that Soundscape Overhaul is not directly compatible with RC18, I had to alter it to work in my game since RC15.
Well, in that case I would be grateful if you could upload the files for the controller and burer. It would make my life easier :)
Wow! This is such a great idea for a mod! I really love the idea of the Controller being able to jam a player's controls. As a masochist, this is a must have for me.
sick bro.
''The controller received a Psy aura''. My prayers are heard... Godlike modder! ;)
Once again the Zone is calling me, probably those new contollers. xD
Hey, quick question:
Is it possible to edit the files to disable the "suicide on zombification" mechanic? I only play Warfare/Azazal mode so "losing progress" doesn't really matter to me. Also, I think it would be neat dealing with the consequence of not keeping tack of your psi-health
In arszi_psy.script if you cahnge "fate_of_player_zombfication = false" to "fate_of_player_zombfication = true" you will become zombified. This feature is not done yet and was sealed by purpose. You will be immune to telepatic damage and can do quests for monolith and greh, but emissions will kill you still. On the other hand, you can survive psy storm as long as you do not stay directly under the exploding thingy.
Okay, thanks for the reply. IDK how to edit thoese files so I guess I'm SOL. Interested in seeing where it goes, tho.
You can edit them with even notepad. They are normal text files.
Ah, so you can. thanks again for the reply. : P
Ok... Controllers are now my most feared mutant OO
Just how it should be :D
Well, I think they deserved to be feared like Chimeras or Pseudo Giants.
This, sir, sounds amazing. Thank you :-0
Ahh yes, it is finally here.
Yes, it took a while for sure. I think I won't ever do anything more complex than this one. It was a beast to tame...
Amazing mod! Can Controllers still one-shot you?
Thank you :) Only from 1 meters. Controller received range-based tube damage. It does 100% psy health damage at one meters, and the damage will be 1% less with every meters of distance. The controller's maximum range is 100 meters now. Psy aura's range is 35 meters. But if you have an exo or military helmet at least, which is average psy protection you can win like 5-10 meters of "safe" range. With high psy specialization even more.
Was this addon made purely out of scratch or was it just some kind of unused feature?
I made the whole thing out of scratch in LUA based on the psy system of Shadow of Chernobyl and the already existing engine control for the controller (it can be activated in Anomaly but it is buggy as hell). So based on the behaviour of the engine control and the informations on the russian stalker wiki I reimplemented the whole thing from zero, and added own ideas too.
Holy Crap! Wow, that's really impressive! I just tested it and I find it scary that it only takes a few controllers to zombify the entirety of Rostok. RIP Vronin
Thank you :)
If you want to try out engine control, then use this file only from my addon: game_relations.ltx
Engine control was active always, but every mutants were neutral towards the controller. So it never used it. If you spawn some dogs to attack the controller, they will be controlled and will sit down. But won't attack you or anything. It is sad that the guys at GSC did not have time to finish these kind of things properly :(
Sometimes one controller is enough to eliminate half of Rostok. Half only, because the Arena guy is immortal, and the controller will get stuck on him when it reaches him. :D
Arena Chief: "Oh, are you aproaching me?"
...sorry for the overused jojo reference lol
great addon btw, well done Stalker.
Arena Chief: "Yare Yare Daze"
pog