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Deerclopsbrain

Based on game build 714014 | Last updated: 2026-03-03

Overview​

Deerclopsbrain is a brain component that governs the AI behavior of the Deerclops boss entity. It uses a Behavior Tree (BT) architecture to orchestrate complex, state-aware actions including combat (chase, attack, face target), base destruction, ice regeneration, and wander patterns. It relies on the combat, burnable, and knownlocations components to make context-sensitive decisions, and integrates with custom behaviors (ChaseAndAttack, Wander, DoAction, AttackWall, Leash, FaceEntity).

Usage example​

local inst = CreateEntity()
inst:AddComponent("brain")
inst.components.brain:Class("DeerclopsBrain")
inst.components.brain:OnStart()

Dependencies & tags​

Components used: combat, burnable, knownlocations, workable, transform, physics
Tags: Reads entity, structure, wall, deerclops; no tags added or removed directly by this brain.

Properties​

No public properties.

Main functions​

OnStart()​

  • Description: Initializes the behavior tree root node hierarchy. It constructs a priority-based BT that handles ice regeneration, wall attacks, cooldown evasion, combat approach/retreat (including ocean-specific distance logic), base destruction, and wander paths.
  • Parameters: None.
  • Returns: Nothing.

OnInitializationComplete()​

  • Description: Records the entity’s initial spawn position as "spawnpoint" in knownlocations. Prevents overwriting an existing "spawnpoint" if already set.
  • Parameters: None.
  • Returns: Nothing.

GetTarget(inst)​

  • Description: Convenience wrapper to retrieve the current combat target.
  • Parameters: inst (entity) — the Deerclops instance.
  • Returns: The current target entity (or nil).

IsTarget(inst, target)​

  • Description: Checks whether the given entity is the current combat target.
  • Parameters: inst (entity), target (entity or nil).
  • Returns: true if target == inst.components.combat.target; otherwise false.

GetTargetPos(inst)​

  • Description: Returns the world position of the current combat target, or nil if no target exists.
  • Parameters: inst (entity).
  • Returns: Vector3 position of target, or nil.

BaseDestroy(inst)​

  • Description: Attempts to find and attack a destroyable structure (e.g., wall) within sight if the "targetbase" location is remembered. Targets must have workable.action == ACTIONS.HAMMER, be a structure, be on valid ground, and not have the "wall" tag in BASEDESTROY_CANT_TAGS (note: "wall" is in the list, so it will be skipped — intended behavior is to exclude walls).
  • Parameters: inst (entity).
  • Returns: A BufferedAction if a target is found and action is issued; otherwise nil.

GetNewHome(inst)​

  • Description: Computes and remembers a new "home" location via GetWanderAwayPoint, and schedules automatic forgetting of "home" after 30 seconds.
  • Parameters: inst (entity).
  • Returns: Nothing.

GetHomePos(inst)​

  • Description: Returns the remembered "home" location, computing a new one if needed.
  • Parameters: inst (entity).
  • Returns: Vector3 position of "home", or nil.

GetWanderPos(inst)​

  • Description: Returns a preferred wander destination in order of priority: "targetbase", "home", "spawnpoint". Returns nil if none are set.
  • Parameters: inst (entity).
  • Returns: Vector3 or nil.

ShouldGrowIce(inst)​

  • Description: Determines whether the Deerclops should currently regenerate ice (e.g., eye ice, aura circle). Considers burn state, combat status, memory flags (noice, noeyeice, circle), and frenzy logic.
  • Parameters: inst (entity).
  • Returns: true if ice should be regenerated; otherwise false.

OceanChaseWaryDistance(inst, target)​

  • Description: Returns a safe minimum chase distance when the target is on water. Returns 0 (can approach fully) if attack range can be reached from shore; otherwise returns a safe buffer distance (OUTSIDE_CATAPULT_RANGE) to avoid being too close.
  • Parameters: inst (entity), target (entity).
  • Returns: number distance.

Events & listeners​

  • Listens to: None directly. (Event-driven actions like "doicegrow" are triggered internally via inst:PushEvent within the BT.)
  • Pushes: "doicegrow" — fired when ice regeneration should begin (within the ShouldGrowIce condition branch of the BT).