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Malbatrossbrain

Based on game build 714014 | Last updated: 2026-02-27

Overview​

The MalbatrossBrain is a brain component that implements the decision-making logic for the Malbatross entity using a behavior tree. It manages core behaviors such as chasing and attacking players, fleeing and diving into water, foraging for food, attacking Ocean Trawlers, and transitioning between land and sea. It integrates with components like combat, knownlocations, container, and inventoryitem to make context-aware decisions. This component does not handle rendering or physics directly but serves as the high-level controller for the entity's dynamic behavior.

Dependencies & Tags​

  • Components used:
    • combat: Calls SetTarget, accesses target, and checks combat state.
    • knownlocations: Calls RememberLocation, GetLocation, and ForgetLocation to track home and spawnpoint positions.
    • container: Uses IsFull to determine if Ocean Trawlers contain fish.
    • inventoryitem: Uses IsHeld to verify if fish items are drop-able.
  • Tags: None explicitly added/removed by this component.

Properties​

No public properties are initialized in the constructor. The instance (inst) stores temporary runtime state (e.g., staredown, landtimer, swooptask, willdive, readytoswoop, readytodive, willswoop) as fields on inst, but these are not part of the component class structure.

Main Functions​

GetWanderPos(inst)​

  • Description: Returns the position to use as a wandering target. Prioritizes the "home" location if available, otherwise falls back to "spawnpoint".
  • Parameters:
    inst: The entity instance (Malbatross).
  • Returns: A position table (or nil if neither location is set).

GetNewHome(inst)​

  • Description: Assigns a new "home" location by selecting a point away from the current position using GetWanderAwayPoint, records it in knownlocations, and schedules a delayed forget task (after 30 seconds).
  • Parameters:
    inst: The entity instance.
  • Returns: nil.

GetCombatFaceTargetFn(inst)​

  • Description: Determines whether the Malbatross should face a target for "staredown" during combat. Returns nil if fleeing, outside home range, or if the target is invalid (notarget tag).
  • Parameters:
    inst: The entity instance.
  • Returns: A target entity or nil.

KeepCombatFaceTargetFn(inst, target)​

  • Description: Validates continued engagement with a combat face target. Updates the combat target if a closer player approaches within RETURNTOFIGHT_DIST, resets staredown, and enforces home-range bounds.
  • Parameters:
    inst: The entity instance.
    target: The current face target entity.
  • Returns: A boolean indicating whether to keep facing (true) or break face (false).

GetHomePos(inst)​

  • Description: Retrieves the "home" location; if missing, invokes GetNewHome to assign one before returning.
  • Parameters:
    inst: The entity instance.
  • Returns: A position table.

CheckForFleeAndDive(inst)​

  • Description: Checks if the Malbatross should initiate a dive or swoop attack when near a combat target. Triggers "doswoop" or "dosplash" events and returns the target.
  • Parameters:
    inst: The entity instance.
  • Returns: The combat target entity (if action triggered), or nil.

GetEatAction(inst)​

  • Description: Scans for edible ocean fish within SEE_BAIT_DIST that are not held and not on passable terrain. Returns a buffered EAT action if a valid target is found.
  • Parameters:
    inst: The entity instance.
  • Returns: A BufferedAction (if hungry and a valid fish is found), or nil.

LookForTrawlerAction(inst)​

  • Description: Searches for Ocean Trawlers containing fish. If found, may trigger a "doswoop" or plan a HAMMER attack. Uses random chance to select the attack type.
  • Parameters:
    inst: The entity instance.
  • Returns: The target entity (if action planned), or nil.

ShouldLeaveLand(inst)​

  • Description: Detects if the Malbatross has remained on land for more than 5 seconds. If so, pushes the "depart" event to signal re-entry into the water.
  • Parameters:
    inst: The entity instance.
  • Returns: nil.

MalbatrossBrain:OnStart()​

  • Description: Initializes the behavior tree root node, defining the priority order of behaviors (land departure, fleeing, facing, chasing, eating, attacking trawlers, wandering). Excludes actions during "swoop" state tag.
  • Parameters: None.
  • Returns: nil.

MalbatrossBrain:OnInitializationComplete()​

  • Description: Records the spawn position as "spawnpoint" in knownlocations upon initialization.
  • Parameters: None.
  • Returns: nil.

Events & Listeners​

  • Listens to: None.
  • Pushes: "doswoop", "dosplash", "depart".