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style

In Halo 3, all AI behaviors are hard-coded, but Bungie needed a way to dynamically determine which of these behaviors (which may contradict each other) are active on specific units, this need gave us the style tag.

The style tag allows us to enable or disable behaviors entirely, allowing us to customize character tags with their own style tags to make each unit type distinct from each other.

General

General flagsIndexDescription
GENERAL0Requires research
root1Requires research
null2Requires research
null_discrete3Requires research
obey4Requires research
guard5Requires research
follow6Requires research
ready7Requires research
smash_obstacle8Requires research
destroy_obstacle9Requires research
perch10Requires research
cover_friend11Requires research
blind_panic12When enabled, AI will panic and run around in terror when stuck with any attaching projectile with the AI stimulus when attached flag,
combat13Requires research

Broken

Behaviors relating to the underlings in a squad when their leader is killed

Broken flagsIndexDescription
BROKEN14Requires research
broken15Requires research
huddle_impulse16Requires research
huddle17Requires research
kamikaze18When enabled, and the broken kamikaze chance passes, charge at the enemy and blow them up!
broken kamikaze impulse19When enabled, allows the broken kamikaze chance value to play when leader is killed
broken berserk impulse20Requires research
broken flee impulse21Requires research
broken scatter impulse22Requires research

Engage

Engage flagsIndexDescription
ENGAGE23Requires research
equipment24Enables AI to use equipment in combat
engage25Requires research
fight26Requires research
melee_charge27Requires research
melee_leaping_charge28Requires research
surprise29When enabled, allows AI to sneak up on unaware enemies with their crouch mode animations
grenade_impulse30When enabled, allows grenade throwing behavior, character tag still controls chances and conditions to throw
anti_vehicle_grenade31Requires research
stalk32Requires research
flank33When enabled, forces AI to try and flank to the sides of enemies, avoiding combat until on the flank
berserk_wander_impulse34Requires research
stalker_camo_control35Requires research
leader_abandoned_berserk36Requires research
unassailable grenade impulse37Requires research
perimeter38Requires research
perimeter@timeout_morph39Requires research
perimeter@infection_spew40Requires research

Berserk

Berserk flagsIndexDescription
BERSERK41Requires research
shield_depleted_berserk42When enabled, forces AI to berserk upon shield depletion
last_man_berserk43When enabled, the last man standing in a squad will berserk
stuck_with_grenade_berserk44When enabled, AI will berserk when stuck with any attaching projectile with the AI stimulus when attached flag, make sure the blind_panic flag is disabled

Presearch

Presearch flagsIndexDescription
PRESEARCH45Requires research
presearch46Requires research
presearch uncover47Requires research
destroy_cover48Requires research
suppressing fire49When enabled, allows AI to suppress a target who has recently entered cover and whos position we are confident of
grenade_uncover50Requires research
leap_on_cover51Requires research

Leader

Leader flagsIndexDescription
LEADER52Requires research
search_sync53Requires research
engage_sync54Requires research

Search

Search flagsIndexDescription
SEARCH55Requires research
search56Requires research
uncover57Requires research
investigate58Requires research
pursuit_sync59Requires research
pursuit60Requires research
refresh_target61Requires research
sense_target62When enabled, allows the AI to magically sense the true location of a target under certain conditions, needs research
postsearch63Requires research
coverme_investigate64Requires research

Self-Defense

Behaviors relating to cover and self-preservation when fighting a foe, closely tied to the cover properties in the character

Self-defense flagsIndexDescription
SELF-DEFENSE65Requires research
self_preservation66Requires research
cover67Requires research
cover peek68When enabled, allows AI units to use cover stances that let them peek around cover to fire while partially protected
avoid69Requires research
evasion_impulse70Requires research
dive_impulse71When enabled, allows AI to perform a dive animation to avoid danger such as grenades, if disabled simply try to walk/run from the danger instead
danger cover impulse72Requires research
danger crouch impulse73Requires research
proximity_melee74When enabled and a target gets within our proximity melee distance while we are trying to back away or get into cover, smack them
proximity_self_preservation75When enabled, causes AI to avoid targets when they get within their proximity self-preserve distance
unreachable_enemy_cover76Requires research
unassailable_enemy_cover77Requires research
scary_target_cover78Requires research
group_emerge79Requires research
shield_depleted_cover80Requires research

Retreat

behaviors relating to how AI determines when to retreat from a foe, closely tied to the retreat properties in the character tag

Retreat flagsIndexDescription
RETREAT81Unknown, perhaps no function
retreat82Enables/disables all retreat behavior
retreat_grenade83Enables AI to throw a grenade right before beginning a retreat, uses retreat grenade chance value, needs additional research
flee84When enabled and a retreat stimulus is received, lower weapons and run away
cower85Requires research
low_shield_retreat86Requires research
scary_target_retreat87When enabled, will cause retreat behavior if a target matches or surpasses our scary target threshold value
leader_dead_retreat88Requires research
peer_dead_retreat89Requires research
danger_retreat90When enabled, will cause retreat behavior if a target surpasses our danger threshold value
proximity_retreat91When enabled, will cause retreat behavior if a target enters our proximity threshold radius
charge when cornered92Requires research
surprise_retreat93Requires research
overheated_weapon_retreat94Requires research

Ambush

Behaviors related to the AI being able to engage an enemy they are fleeing from under special circumstances

Ambush flagsIndexDescription
AMBUSH95Requires research
ambush96Requires research
coordinated_ambush97Requires research
proximity_ambush98Requires research
vulnerable_enemy_ambush99Enables AI to cease fleeing from a target if the target falls under the awareness ambush threshold, and instead turn around and attack
nowhere_to_run_ambush100Enables AI to cease fleeing from a target if they reach a dead-end, and instead turn around and attack

Vehicle

Behaviors related to vehicle combat and usage

Vehicle flagsIndexDescription
VEHICLE101Requires research
enter_vehicle102Requires research
enter_friendly_vehicle103Requires research
vehicle_enter_impulse104Requires research
vehicle_entry_engage_impulse105Requires research
vehicle_board106Requires research
vehicle_fight107Requires research
vehicle_fight@boost108Requires research
vehicle_charge109Requires research
vehicle_ram_110Requires research
vehicle_cover111Requires research
damage_vehicle_cover112Requires research
exposed_rear_cover_impulse113Requires research
player_endagered_cover_impulse114Requires research
vehicle_avoid115Requires research
vehicle_pickup116Requires research
vehicle_player_pickup117Requires research
vehicle_exit_impulse118Requires research
danger_vehicle_exit_impulse119Requires research
vehicle_flip_impulse120Requires research
vehicle_flip121Requires research
vehicle_turtle122Requires research
vehicle_engage_patrol_impulse123Requires research
vehicle_engage_wander_impulse124Requires research

Postcombat

Behaviors used when combat has ceased and the AI returns to idle/active

Postcombat flagsIndexDescription
POSTCOMBAT125Requires research
postcombat126Requires research
post_postcombat127Requires research
check_friend128Requires research
shoot_corpse129Requires research
postcombat_approach130Requires research

Alert

Alert flagsIndexDescription
ALERT131Requires research
alert132Requires research

Idle

Idle flagsIndexDescription
IDLE133Unknown, perhaps no function
idle134Enables/disables all further idle behaviors when the AI is not active
wander behavior135Idle AI will wander between firing points, uses idle animation mode
flight_wander136Requires research
patrol137Allows idle AI to use the patrol system to navigate between point sets regardless of assigned zone/area
fall_sleep138Enables AI to be put into the sleep state, does not require sleep mode animations but will use them if available

Buggers

Bugger flagsIndexDescription
BUGGERS139Requires research
bugger_ground_uncover140Requires research

Swarms

Swarm flagsIndexDescription
SWARMS141Requires research
swarm_root142Requires research
swarm_attack143Requires research
support_attack144Requires research
infect145Requires research
scatter146Requires research

Combatforms

Behaviors relating to flood combatforms

Combatform flagsIndexDescription
COMBATFORMS147Requires research
combat form berserk control148Enables the AI to use the combatform berserk distance and berserk chance fields, causes the unit to berserk at a target under the given condition
eject parasite149Requires research

Sentinels

Sentinel flagsIndexDescription
SENTINELS150Requires research
enforcer weapon control151Requires research
grapple152Requires research

Guardians

Guardian flagsIndexDescription
GUARDIANS153Requires research
guardian_surge154Requires research
guardian_proximity_surge155Requires research
guardian_danger_surge156Requires research
guardian_isolation_surge157Requires research

Pureforms

Behaviors related to flood pureforms, including their ability to morph into different characters on the fly based on the current combat situation

Pureform flagsIndexDescription
PUREFORMS158Requires research
group_morph_impulse159Requires research
arrival_morph_impulse160Requires research
pureform_default_impulse161Requires research
search_morph162Requires research
stealth_active_camo_control163Requires research
stealth_damage_morph164Requires research
stealth_stalk165Requires research
stealth_stalk@thwarted166Requires research
stealth_stalk_group167Requires research
stealth_charge_recover168Requires research
ranged_proximity_morph169Requires research
tank_distance_damage_morph170Requires research
tank_throttle_control171Enables following the throttle distance fields in the character tag where the AI will slow their movement as they gain on a target
stealth_morph172Requires research
tank_morph173Requires research
ranged_morph174Requires research
ranged_turtle175Requires research
ranged_uncover176Requires research

Scarab

Scarab flagsIndexDescription
SCARAB177Requires research
scarab_root178Requires research
scarab_cure_isolation179Requires research
scarab_combat180Requires research
scarab_fight181Requires research
scarab_target_lock182Requires research
scarab_search183Requires research
scarab_search_pause184Requires research

ATOMS

ATOMS flagsIndexDescription
ATOMS185Requires research
go_to186Requires research

Activities

Activity flagsIndexDescription
ACTIVITIES187Requires research
activity188Requires research
posture189Requires research
activity_default190Requires research

Special

Special flagsIndexDescription
SPECIAL191Requires research
formation192Requires research
grunt scared by elite193Requires research
stunned194Enables stunned behavior, causing units to play stunned animations and disengage in combat until their stunned timer expires
cure_isolation195Requires research
deploy_turret196Enables AI to automatically deploy equiped turret weapons onto turret deployment areas

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the following individuals for their research or contributions to this topic:

  • odchylanie_uderzenia (writing and research)