Wyatt Derp's Dynamic AI (WDDA)

WDDA provides standalone, Scenario Framework-style dynamic AI encounters for Arma Reforger. It uses Area / Layer / Slot-style World Editor authoring without requiring Scenario Framework or GameModeSF.

Hostable single-file documentation is included at Docs/README.html.

Features

Distance-activated AI encounters owned by WDDA_Area.
Original encounter AI from structurally nested WDDA_AISlot sources.
Nested WDDA_WaypointSlot routes with optional cycle waypoint support.
Structurally owned vehicle staging for AI, QRF, and Last Stand sources.
Optional QRF with response delay, max waves, external addon support mode, and one-level Last Stand escalation.
Optional repeated-spawn style batches within one Area activation.
Optional ClearArea-style Task System bridge.
Optional Workbench debug shape previews for Areas, AI slots, QRF/Last Stand sources, vehicle staging, and waypoint slots.

Requirements and compatibility

Built for Arma Reforger 1.7 / 1.7.0.41-era Workbench and Enfusion script behavior.
No Scenario Framework or GameModeSF dependency is required.
Compatible with CRX Enfusion A.I. when that addon is installed and loaded by the mission/server.
Optional addons are only required if your mission selects their prefabs, such as a DarcChopper support prefab.

Normal mission-maker workflow

Normal mission makers should drag the provided WDDA prefabs into the world and configure placed instances. Creating custom prefab variants is an advanced reuse workflow only.

A typical setup is:

Place a WDDA_Area to define the encounter's dynamic spawn/despawn enclosure.
Place one or more WDDA_Layer entities under that area for organization.
Place one or more WDDA_AISlot entities under the area/layer for original encounter AI.
Pick an AI Prefab on each AI slot.
Place one WDDA_WaypointSlot per route point under the owning AI slot, either directly or inside any nested WDDA_Layer. Waypoint slots can also be placed under WDDA_QRFSpawn or WDDA_LastStandSpawn when those sources need a staging route such as vehicle boarding before responding.
Optionally place WDDA_VehicleSpawn entities under the AI slot for vehicles that source must stage.
Optionally place WDDA_QRFSpawn and WDDA_LastStandSpawn sources under the same area/layer.
Optionally place WDDA_ClearAreaTaskBridge under the area when a placed ClearArea-style task should complete from WDDA encounter state.

Minimum working encounter:


WDDA_Area
  Spawn Distance = distance where eligible players activate nested encounters
  Despawn Distance = distance where surviving defenders suspend after players leave

  WDDA_Layer
    WDDA_AISlot
      AI Prefab = a valid AI-capable group or editable character prefab

Waypoint slots, vehicles, QRF, Last Stand, repeated batches, and ClearArea task bridging are optional.

Provided prefabs

Current prefab folder standard:


Prefabs/WDDA/

Required provided prefabs:


Prefabs/WDDA/WDDA_Area.et
  GenericEntity + Hierarchy + WDDA_AreaComponent
  Owns dynamic spawn/despawn and structural encounter state

Prefabs/WDDA/WDDA_Layer.et
  GenericEntity + Hierarchy + WDDA_LayerComponent
  Organizational marker only

Prefabs/WDDA/WDDA_AISlot.et
  GenericEntity + Hierarchy + WDDA_AISlotComponent
  Original encounter AI spawn slot/source

Prefabs/WDDA/WDDA_QRFSpawn.et
  GenericEntity + Hierarchy + WDDA_QRFSpawnComponent
  Reinforcement spawn/source location

Prefabs/WDDA/WDDA_LastStandSpawn.et
  GenericEntity + Hierarchy + WDDA_LastStandSpawnComponent
  Terminal final-response spawn/source location

Prefabs/WDDA/WDDA_WaypointSlot.et
  GenericEntity + Hierarchy + WDDA_WaypointSlotComponent
  Route holder with a picked base AIWaypoint_* prefab

Prefabs/WDDA/WDDA_VehicleSpawn.et
  GenericEntity + Hierarchy + WDDA_VehicleSpawnComponent

Prefabs/WDDA/WDDA_AiSettings.et
  GenericEntity + WDDA_SettingsComponent

WDDA_AiSettings.et is optional for missions. If placed once in the world, it overrides shared live-server tolerance settings: dead/empty AI cleanup time and spawned AI group initialization timeout.

Typical World Editor layout


Area_Town_01
  WDDA_Layer_Encounter
    WDDA_AISlot_Patrol
      WDDA_WaypointSlot_01_Move
      WDDA_WaypointSlot_02_Defend
      WDDA_WaypointSlot_03_Cycle
      WDDA_VehicleSpawn_TruckLine
    WDDA_QRFSpawn_Roadblock
      WDDA_VehicleSpawn_Truck
    WDDA_LastStandSpawn_Hill
      WDDA_VehicleSpawn_Jeep

Vehicle sources are structural: place WDDA_VehicleSpawn entities under the AI/QRF/Last Stand source that owns that vehicle staging.

Debug shape previews

WDDA components include optional debug shape previews to make mission layout easier to read in Workbench:

WDDA_Area shows spawn and despawn radius spheres.
WDDA_AISlot, WDDA_QRFSpawn, and WDDA_LastStandSpawn show their spawn marker or configured spawn radius as flat cylinders.
WDDA_VehicleSpawn shows each staged vehicle position using the same spacing pattern used at runtime.
WDDA_WaypointSlot shows its waypoint completion radius as a flat cylinder.

Each component type uses a distinct color so nested slot markers are not obscured by the Area sphere:

| Component | Shape | Color | |---|---|---| | WDDA_Area spawn radius | sphere | white | | WDDA_Area despawn radius | sphere (dim) | white | | WDDA_AISlot | cylinder | cyan | | WDDA_QRFSpawn | cylinder | orange | | WDDA_LastStandSpawn | cylinder | red | | WDDA_VehicleSpawn | cylinder per vehicle | green | | WDDA_WaypointSlot | cylinder | yellow |

Each marker-owning WDDA component follows the base-game / Scenario Framework-style Debug section with Show Debug Shapes In Workbench and Show Debug Shapes During Runtime. To hide vehicle markers, select the placed WDDA_VehicleSpawn instance(s) and uncheck Show Debug Shapes In Workbench on WDDA_VehicleSpawnComponent. Use the same field on AI slots, QRF/Last Stand sources, waypoint slots, or Areas to hide those markers. To change a whole marker type, edit the WDDA prefab default or multi-select placed instances of that type in Workbench and change the field together.

Waypoint workflow

WDDA route discovery is structural. With Assign Waypoints checked on an AI slot, QRF source, or Last Stand source, place WDDA_WaypointSlot route holders under that source. For AI slots, a route may be direct children or inside any nested WDDA_Layer. For QRF and Last Stand sources, placed waypoints are assigned before the internal incident move waypoint, so they run first — use this for vehicle boarding or other staging steps that must happen before the force moves to the fight.

Waypoint behavior:

WDDA_WaypointSlot is a route holder, not the waypoint itself.
Each waypoint slot spawns the selected base AIWaypoint_* prefab at the slot transform.
Completion Radius controls the spawned waypoint's completion radius and the Workbench preview cylinder.
Use one slot per route point.
For a loop, set the final slot's prefab to AIWaypoint_Cycle.
Logical child traversal checks normal runtime children, Workbench editor-linked children, and editable hierarchy children.
WDDA does not use names, comma-separated waypoint lists, proximity/radius searches, or global scans for waypoint route discovery.
Waypoints are sorted by entity name for deterministic order.
If the final waypoint is AIWaypoint_Cycle, WDDA configures it to cycle the previous non-cycle waypoints.

Use names such as:


WP_01_Move
WP_02_Defend
WP_03_Cycle

What each WDDA component does

WDDA_AreaComponent owns the Scenario Framework-style dynamic spawn/despawn enclosure. It checks eligible player presence at a low frequency, asks nested AI slots to start/suspend/resume, makes one structural QRF request when total original-force strength reaches the configured remaining-percent threshold, and marks the Area encounter clear only after original AI plus pending/active QRF or Last Stand state are eliminated.

WDDA_AISlotComponent owns one original encounter AI spawn location: AI prefab, repeated-spawn count/timer, spawn radius, child waypoint slots, child vehicle staging, spawned batch cleanup, and logical suspension/resume.

WDDA_QRFSpawnComponent owns a reinforcement source: response prefab, repeated-spawn style batches, batch spawn radius, response delay, max waves per accepted call, optional child waypoint route, structurally owned vehicle staging, optional External Addon Support mode, and optional one-level structural Last Stand escalation.

WDDA_LastStandSpawnComponent owns the terminal Last Stand response source. It shares the same spawn/batch/wave/waypoint/vehicle behavior as QRF sources, but intentionally does not expose another Last Stand escalation option.

WDDA_WaypointSlotComponent is the route holder for original AI slots. Place one waypoint slot per route point under the owning AI slot or nested route layer, then pick the desired base AIWaypoint_* prefab on each slot.

WDDA_VehicleSpawnComponent owns a staged vehicle/support source: vehicle prefab, count, spacing, and cleanup choice. It does not command AI or assign seats.

WDDA_ExternalSupportTrackerComponent is an optional adapter contract for self-contained support prefabs. Attach it, or a derived component in an optional integration addon, when WDDA needs to know whether external support is still active.

WDDA_ClearAreaTaskBridgeComponent is an optional Area-owned bridge to a placed ClearArea-style SCR_Task. Disabled bridges do no runtime work.

WDDA_LayerComponent is a lightweight structural organization marker.

WDDA does not duplicate the Editor's built-in component Enabled checkbox with separate addon-level enabled fields. Runtime components respect the component enabled state so disabled components stay inert.

QRF and Last Stand

Area owns the structural QRF request threshold.
QRF sources never spawn from player presence. They only respond when called by the owning Area encounter.
The Area makes one QRF call per encounter.
Max Waves on the QRF source controls how many sequential waves can answer that one call.
Original AI batch count never multiplies QRF calls.
QRF first moves to the caller/requesting force position and fights there. It does not inherit the original AI slot route. If a QRF or Last Stand source needs its own staging route — for example, boarding a staged vehicle before responding — enable Assign Waypoints on that source and place WDDA_WaypointSlot entities under it. Those waypoints are assigned before the incident move waypoint.
Child WDDA_VehicleSpawn sources under a QRF or Last Stand source are staged before that source dispatches.
External Addon Support lets a QRF/Last Stand source stage child support assets without spawning WDDA AI. This is for self-contained support addons, such as DarcChopper, where that addon owns support AI/crew behavior.
External support assets are not counted as defenders for ClearArea, repeat, or encounter-clear logic unless a tracker reports active support.
Last Stand is one-level escalation.
To use Last Stand, place an enabled WDDA_LastStandSpawn under the Area/layer as a structural sibling or child of the QRF source.
The Last Stand source's component Enabled checkbox is the on/off switch.
Set Last Stand Request Remaining Percent on the primary QRF source to the final QRF wave strength that should request the Last Stand source.
Last Stand is requested by the active QRF source after its final configured wave has been dispatched and that final wave is getting beaten down.

Repeat cycles

WDDA batches map closest to Scenario Framework repeated-spawn behavior: repeated spawn count/timer inside one Area activation. Repeat timing starts only after the full encounter force is eliminated. If the encounter called QRF or Last Stand, original AI plus the called QRF/Last Stand chain must be gone before repeat timing begins.

Vehicle notes

Vehicle spawning is separate from AI spawning.
Vehicle sources usually spawn empty vehicles for normal WDDA AI transport.
External Addon Support may use a self-contained support vehicle prefab from an optional addon.
Structurally owned child vehicle sources are treated as staging requirements for the AI/QRF/Last Stand source or AISlot that owns them.
WDDA does not assign seats, drivers, or vehicle commands.
Use AIWaypoint_GetIn / AIWaypoint_GetInNearest in the route if AI should use vehicles.
Vehicles are not counted as alive defenders for encounter-clear logic.

Suspension / resume model

WDDA persists encounters logically, not physically. When players leave while defenders remain, WDDA remembers remaining force strength and deletes spawned AI entities for performance. When players return, WDDA respawns roughly that remaining force strength.

WDDA does not serialize individual soldier health, ammo, exact position, vehicle seat, suppression, current target, or exact combat state.

Task System integration

WDDA currently supports ClearArea-style task completion through WDDA_ClearAreaTaskBridgeComponent.

ClearArea-style completion means:


original WDDA AI eliminated
AND any called QRF / Last Stand eliminated

Update Task Progress can show approximate ClearArea progress on tasks that support SCR_ExtendedTask progress. Progress is based on the original encounter force and remains below completion while called QRF or Last Stand is pending or active.

Destroy, Defend, Hold, and Deliver tasks should remain native workflows unless a future dedicated adapter is designed.

Server AI limit handling

WDDA does **not** define its own global AI cap. Server admins should use the base-game/server AI limit.

If the server AI limit is reached, WDDA defers spawning when possible and warns in the server log. Spawn failure is treated as setup/runtime failure, not as an encounter clear.

What WDDA does not do

WDDA does not replace Reforger AI behavior, combat decisions, driving, or pathfinding.
WDDA does not require CRX Enfusion A.I. or call CRX-specific APIs.
WDDA does not assign vehicle seats, pick drivers, or command vehicles directly.
WDDA does not call DarcChopper APIs or control DarcChopper helicopters.
WDDA does not count vehicles as defenders for encounter-clear logic.
WDDA does not serialize exact individual AI state during suspension.
WDDA does not add a duplicate global AI cap.

Troubleshooting

Waypoints=0: check that Assign Waypoints is enabled and that WDDA_WaypointSlot entities are structurally nested under the owning AI slot or response source, directly or inside a nested WDDA_Layer.
Enable Debug Diagnostics on the Area, AI slot, QRF/Last Stand source, or vehicle spawn for detailed log output. WDDA_VehicleSpawn uses this flag to enable per-vehicle spawn and delete messages; without it only lifecycle events appear in the log.
QRF did not spawn: confirm a WDDA_QRFSpawn source is structurally under the encounter Area/layer, its component is enabled, the source is not cooling down or busy, and it has either a valid reinforcement prefab or External Addon Support with a valid child support source.
Last Stand did not spawn: confirm a WDDA_LastStandSpawn source is enabled and structurally available to the active QRF source as a child or exactly one enabled sibling under the same parent/layer.
External Addon Support did not dispatch: confirm it is enabled on the source, a WDDA_VehicleSpawn is nested under that source, and the selected support prefab belongs to any optional addon your mission uses.
Vehicle staging blocks AI/QRF spawning: confirm any nested WDDA_VehicleSpawn has its component enabled, Vehicles To Spawn greater than 0, and a valid vehicle/support prefab.
AI group initialization timed out or produced no agents: confirm the selected AI/reinforcement prefab works as a normal AI-capable prefab in the mission, check server AI limits and required optional addons, and raise Group Initialization Timeout Seconds on WDDA_AiSettings for heavily modded or loaded servers.
Wrong GUID or {0000000000000000} resource errors: re-pick the affected prefab/resource field with Workbench's resource picker and save.
Vehicle AI enters but drives poorly: WDDA only stages vehicles and assigns normal waypoints. Native Reforger vehicle AI owns driving and pathfinding, so keep vehicle routes simple and open.
ClearArea task does not complete: confirm the bridge component is enabled, Target Task Name matches a placed SCR_Task, and any called QRF/Last Stand has also been eliminated.