Encounter Manager
The Encounter Manager in idStudio is an essential tool used for controlling all combat scenarios in single-player levels. It is the primary tool responsible for any type of AI interaction, spawning, and combat in the game. The Encounter Manager provides features for creating combat encounters, ranging from simple fights to orchestrating very complex battles.
Encounter Manager Interface
| Section Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Script Section | Displays your encounter script as you add commands. |
| 2 | Comment Section | Use this section to describe specifics about the encounter (useful when searching through several encounters). |
| 3 | Properties Section | Define properties for each command (will populate with a command selected). |
| 4 | Commands Section | Available commands that can be dragged into the Script section (click to open each topic). |
Command Types
| Trigger Commands | Various trigger commands to activate a target. |
| System Commands | Encounter Manager-specific system commands - affect how the encounter system works. |
| Combat Grouping Commands | Granularity in how combat is grouped and controlled. |
| Wait Commands | Logic commands – telling the script to wait until a specific condition is met. |
| Spawn Commands | Commands for the live creation of AI. |
Encounter Entities
To setup a basic encounter, you’ll need to add the following entities:
| Entity | Menu path | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Encounter Manager | New Entity → Encounter → Manager | Controls the contents of the encounter |
| Commit Trigger | New Entity → Encounter → Trigger → Commit | Controls when the encounter will start |
| Exit Trigger | New Entity → Encounter → Trigger → Exit | Controls when to force an encounter to end |
| Spawn Group Parent | New Entity → Encounter → Spawn Group → Parent | Controls which AI can be spawned in (holds a list of all potential AI) |
| Spawn Group - Zones & Cylinders | New Entity → Encounter → Spawn Group → Zone/Cylinder | Controls a group of Spawn Targets |
| Spawn Target | New Entity → Target → Spawn | Where an AI can be spawned from |
| AI | New Entity → AI → [SELECT AN AI] | The AI that will be spawned |