DLG Encounters

# DLG Encounters

Enemy AI encounters, a map index and missions, all defined in JSON by the server owner.

Encounters puts enemies at map locations and near players, and runs missions with vanilla tasks.
Every encounter and every mission is a *type*: a JSON file with the same baseline settings and
optional spawns, objectives and actions. Change the shipped types or add your own, no scripting
needed. Built on DLG Core.

## Features

- **Encounters:** enemy zones, encampments with compositions, patrols, ambushes and squads. A random
  encounter picks one of them.
- **Missions:** 16 shipped templates, among them clear, destroy, eliminate, defend, recon, free the
  HVT, rescue a pilot or informant, sabotage, secure, hunt, intel, checkpoint, supply cache, outpost
  and last stand. A random mission picks one of them.
- **Objectives:** kill all, kill a target, destroy, hold, reach, rescue a hostage, extract.
- **Pre and post actions:** delays, random choices, spawns, attack waves, rewards, money, executions,
  exfiltration, despawns, follow-up missions, task text changes, event mode.
- **Vanilla tasks:** every mission gets a task. Missions with several objectives get child tasks that
  move with their target and show progress.
- **Map index:** the server finds the named locations of any terrain (cities, towns, villages, bases,
  airports, ports, hills) and tracks where players are.
- **Enemies at locations** by rules per location type. Locations with a player spawn point are left
  alone.
- **Dynamic content:** encounters appear near players in the open, missions start at locations away
  from players.
- **Encounter Directors:** sectors that set the enemy faction, difficulty and content for everything
  inside. One director alone covers the whole map.
- **Rewards:** reward items, and money in DLG Shop accounts for every player group near the mission
  when it completes, split between the members there.
- **Game Master:** place Encounter Zone, Random Encounter, Encampment, Patrol, Mission and Encounter
  Director. Pick the type and change every setting in the attributes. Start, stop and reset missions
  and sectors. Everything placed or changed is saved.
- **Performance:** enemies spawn only when players come near and go dormant when they leave. There is
  a cap on encounter AI.
- **Any faction:** vanilla or modded, through the faction's group catalog.

## Required on server and clients

The mod must be loaded on the server and by every player.

## Dependencies

- DLG Core

Optional: DLG Shop, for money rewards. Without it, missions pay reward items only.

## Configuration

Everything is set in JSON files in the server profile:

```
$profile:DLG/<namespace>/Encounters/
  Encounters.json      server settings, location rules, dynamic encounters, directors
  Types/<id>.json      encounter and mission types
  Forces.json          groups, compositions and targets per faction
  Areas.json           encounter profiles and standalone encounters
  Missions.json        missions, task faction, reward items
  CustomLocations.json your own locations, and detected ones to ignore
  Locations.json       the map index (written on every start, read only)
```

The files are created with defaults on the first start. Missing keys are added on later starts, your
values are kept. The full reference is in the mod's README.

## Setup

1. The scenario's game mode needs the DLG Core component (e.g. the DLG Core game mode prefab).
2. Tasks need the vanilla task system in the world.
3. Optional: add the DLG Encounters component to the game mode for scenario defaults, and place the
   encounter, mission and director prefabs.

## Other DLG mods

- **DLG Core:** persistence and the base of every DLG mod (required).
- **DLG Shop:** traders and player accounts. Pays the money rewards.
- **DLG Loot Spawner:** map-wide loot.
- **DLG Game Master Additions:** Map Entity Hider and Safe Zone.
- **DLG Vehicle Lock:** owned vehicles, keys and locks.

## Known limitations

- Location enemies are rolled again on every restart. Mission progress doesn't persist over
  restarts.
- Freed hostages follow only a player who is in a group.