Mod:Placing characters

In items.txt found in the Dead Rising 2\data\datafile.big folder are around 165 different survivors and psychopaths. This file controls the actions and behavior of the survivors. See: Mod:Placing characters/list for a partial sortable list of survivor attributes.

Placing in game survivors in new locations
In game survivors are survivors which Chuck can interact with in the game, whereas cinematic characters (below) are characters in the cutscenes.

Gibbed's is required to first unpack datafile.big to access the missions.txt. See the Gibbed's article for more information on how to unpack a file.

You need to open:
 * Dead Rising 2\data\datafile.big\missions.txt

Add the character into a mission.


 * Example:

The following is added right below the 	cMissionLevelReady Lush_Americana section in missions.txt: cMissionSpawnNPC Lulu {	DefaultBehaviour = "Idle" NPCName = "srv_lulu" Rotation = "0.6" SpawnPoint = "-311.7, -5.6, -86.1" }

cMissionSpawnNPC Julius {		DefaultBehaviour = "Idle" NPCName = "srv_dale3" Rotation = "2.3" SpawnPoint = "-313.8, -5.6, -83.9" }

Now Lulu and Julius will appear in the Lush-ious Lady mission in the same room as Kristin.

Up to nine characters (not including Chuck) can be added to Fortune City at any one time. And while there can be more then nine characters in the city at once, missions will not spawn unless the total number of survivors is eight or less (Psychopaths and Rebecca do not count towards that limit)

Adding cinematic characters
With Cine (cinematic) characters there is an extra step to add them to the game.

Spawning the "Cine_xxxx" entries from items.txt alone will not work, because these cine characters do not have the necessary data.

Instead, copy one of the srv Entries in items.txt. Then paste the copied srv entry in items.txt.

Then edit the asset file name and title of this copied srv entry.

Example:


 * Original: AssetFilename = "data/models/npcs/srv_kristopher"


 * New: AssetFilename = "data/models/npcs/cine_pa_t1"


 * Original: cSurvivorItem srv_kristopher


 * New: cSurvivorItem srv_victor

See the collapsed Copying and modifying an existing character to allow a cinematic character in the regular game below for an example.

These new entries will not have the correct names though, they will have the names or the survivor data you copied unless you alter the str_en.bcs file, see changing text.

In missions.txt you will use this new name to make the cinematic character appear, so to use the example from above:

cMissionSpawnNPC neardoor // near door {		DefaultBehaviour = "Idle" NPCName = "srv_victor" Rotation = "2.3" SpawnPoint = "-313.8, -5.6, -83.9" }

Will spawn cine_pa_t1 the TiR Employee in the Americana Casino near where Lush-ious Lady appears. The TiR Employee is seen in the beginning cutscenes and is killed by a zombie in the Green Room with Katey.

Psychopath placement


Attempting to spawn a psychopath resulted in a character with their arms out, which slowly floats until it hits a solid object. By adding the line "IdleChooser", this line prevents a psychopath from having their arms out and slowly floating.

This was created using the same format as above:

cMissionSpawnNPC boss_chef {	DefaultBehaviour = "Idle" NPCName = "srv_boss_chef" Rotation = "0.6" SpawnPoint = "-311.7, -5.6, -86.1" }

Simplest character placement
The crewman in items.txt has one of the most simple codings to place. This can be used for other character placements. {	Age = "33" AssetFilename = "data/models/npcs/crewman" CinematicSkeletonSlotName = "SkeletonCinematicPlayer" Description = "67948" DisplayName = "85801" DR2 = "true" FullName = "85802" InteractDistance = "1.5" NPCAnimationChooser = "0" NPCType = "1" PickupOffset = "-0.0977, 0.8128, 0.9583" PortraitTextureName = "portrait_helicopter_pilot1.bct" ShowUpInNoteBook = "true" SkeletonSlotName = "SkeletonPlayer" Tier = "2" }

Case Zero and deleted entries
An almost full list of entries is found at on this page A more detailed partial list Mod:Placing characters/list.

Below is a list of characters from Case Zero, scrapped entries which did not make it into the final game, confusing named sections, or characters who are not named in the game but are named in the files.


 * The name of the Tape it or Die survivors are meg (Gretchen), jeff, mike and matt.

Add case zero and scrapped survivors in Chuck's notebook
Change

ShowUpInNoteBook = "false"

to

ShowUpInNoteBook = "true"

There are duplicate entries for many of the main characters, most of which will crash because they share coding. In debug mode red warning  text flashes across the screen, but the game does not crash.

The maximum number of notebook entries, when all ShowUpInNoteBook are changed from false to true is around 158.

List of attributes
List of attributes for characters found in Dead Rising 2\data\datafile.big\items.txt

Zombified characters


Iszombifyable = true is in the items.txt file.

If a survivor has a zombie variation, then they'll have another model with the "_zombie" extension.

For example, there is "srv_denyce", and right below it is "srv_denyce_zombie".

If you zombify a character with no zombie model, then you will get a "missing prop" box instead.

If the zombie model is renamed with the regular models name in NPCs.big, a terribly distorted character results.

The textures of the zombies are the same as the survivors. Here the zombie survivor Walter's textures are shown.

Characters carry weapons
Spawned characters can carry weapons, including combo weapons, add: WithProp = "SpikedBat"

For example:

cMissionSpawnNPC dick00 {	DefaultBehaviour = "Idle" NPCName = "srv_prologuepawnshop" SpawnPoint = "-301,-5.642,-66" WithProp = "Machete" }

Spawns Dick with a Machete.

Other characters mention in debug string
There are other characters mentioned in the debug string, and also in the game text.

Animation and Hostile Behavior
Survivors attack Chuck or rock out

The actual animations are found in: data\anim\survivor_custom\survivor_custom_big

Also in sgraph.txt they are listed in the section:
 * cGenericAnimState 725

Idle behavior
By changing the line "IdleChooser" you can control what the survivor or psychopath does if they do not have an animation behavior.

This line prevents a psychopath from having their arms out and slowly floating.

There are 4 idlechooser options: 0, 1, 3, and 4.

Hands on hips
 * IdleChooser = "0"




 * IdleChooser = "1"




 * IdleChooser = "3"

Tammy's default.


 * IdleChooser = "4"

Hands out, every minute the survivor turns and paces before returning to original spot.

Nature
Occasionally idlechooser is overridden by the line "nature" which also effects the survivors idle state. Below is a picture of the 7 nature states with Camille. The 7 camilles are all placed in the same location, without any rotation, all of the rotation in the photo is controlled by the nature line.

Attacking animations in safehouse
Further information:

notebook and safehouse

 * Anyone who is already in or added to the notebook, listed as "Safe", can randomly show up in the safehouse.

Placing survivors files
Instructions and locations to download files.