patrol

patrol coordinates a group of stalkers around a commander. Use it when several NPCs should move as one patrol instead of each running an independent walker path.

The scheme is a stalker scheme. It registers each participating object in a shared patrol manager. The first registered object becomes commander unless a section has commander = true.

Parameters

path_walk

Type: string. Required. Default: none.

Commander movement path. Relative names are resolved against the active smart terrain.

path_look

Type: string. Optional. Default: null.

Optional look path for the commander. It must not equal path_walk.

formation

Type: string. Optional. Default: back.

Formation used by followers. Supported values are defined by the patrol formation config.

silent

Type: boolean. Optional. Default: false.

Disables automatic patrol movement sounds.

move_type

Type: string. Optional. Default: patrol.

Stored movement type for patrol logic compatibility.

commander

Type: boolean. Optional. Default: false.

Marks this NPC as the patrol commander when registering in the patrol manager.

def_state_standing

Type: string. Optional. Default: null.

Suggested standing animation state.

def_state_moving

Type: string. Optional. Default: def_state_moving1.

Suggested commander moving animation state.

def_state_moving1

Type: string. Optional. Default: null.

Compatibility fallback for def_state_moving.

The section also supports common switch fields such as on_info, on_signal, on_timer, and actor-distance checks.

Usage

Give all members of the same patrol the same path_walk. If the NPCs belong to a squad, the engine keys the shared patrol manager by path name plus squad id, so separate squads can use the same route without sharing one runtime manager.

Followers update their target roughly once per second. They follow the commander’s current path, direction, movement state, and formation offset. If a follower falls too far behind, the patrol manager can return an accelerated movement state based on the commander’s current state.

The commander can change formation from waypoint callback return values:

0

line

1

around

2

back

Example

[logic]
active = patrol@route

[patrol@route]
path_walk = squad_patrol_walk
path_look = squad_patrol_look
formation = back
commander = true
def_state_moving = patrol
on_info = {+base_alarm} patrol@alarm

[patrol@alarm]
path_walk = squad_alarm_walk
formation = line
silent = true
def_state_moving = rush

Use the same section on the intended patrol members. Set commander = true on the NPC that should drive the formation.

Notes

• path_walk is required.
• path_look cannot be the same as path_walk.
• A patrol manager rejects attempts to register more than seven objects.
• Objects unregister from the patrol manager on scheme deactivation, death, or offline switch.