Starfield: Aggressive Enemy AI, v0.06
So this is what I've been working on over the last couple of weeks. I can't do a PANPC port until Creation Kit comes along, but honestly some work needed to be done just to get Starfield's NPC combat AI to even an acceptable release state.
At this point, I'm not even disappointed anymore - now I'm pissed off. It's one thing to disagree with the dev direction, to have a different take on good gameplay, but this isn't even that: the simple truth is that Starfield was released with its AI configuration half finished. Then they painted over a lot of it and hoped that no one would notice.
Well, after looking closely at the game files, I noticed. And so I made a video to help you notice it, too.
This does a comparison of the early game (player level 4) Nova Shipyards level, using the same weapon (Eon pistol), with Sarah as a companion, first in vanilla and then with my AI update. You can be the judge.
This AI update - hopefully - bring Starfield's AI configuration to at least the level of Fallout 4, as it was first released in 2015.
Features include:
All enemies made Aggressive instead of Unaggressive
Updated game settings: better search, better reactions
Combat styles updated for better cover use and manuever
Everyone has better aim
Model S and A bots updated to be more effective in combat
Companions given actual combat AI (which they didn't have in vanilla)
IMPORTANT NOTE: Until Creation Kit is released, these should be considered experimental. There's a lot we still don't know yet about this game, and they may have unintended effects. But this is true for any mods released for Starfield right now.
As always, this prototype patch can be found on the GreslinGames Discord, in the #aggressive-enemy-ai channel.