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Pre Combat Behaviour

This guide covers the setup process for Pre-Combat Behaviours using the Boss AI Toolkit in Unity. This covers how to configure non-offensive tactical actions—such as target-relative strafing or environment destruction—while waiting for main combat cooldowns.

1. Global Pre-Combat Settings

Select your enemy GameObject (Bull Boss New) and locate the Pre-Combat Abilities section in the Inspector.

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│               PRE-COMBAT GLOBAL SETTINGS                │
├──────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────┤
│ Property                 │ Recommended Default Value   │
├──────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────┤
│ Initial Pre-Combat Delay │ 2.0 s                       │
│ Min Pre-Combat Wait      │ 3.0 s (or 5.0 s for testing)│
│ Max Pre-Combat Wait      │ 3.0 s (or 5.0 s for testing)│
│ Sequential               │ Enabled (Checked)           │
│ NavMesh Search Range     │ 40.0 (Visualized by Gizmos) │
│ Stopping Distance        │ 3.0                         │
└──────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────┘

Parameter Explanations

  • Initial Pre-Combat Delay: The waiting duration (in seconds) after the game starts before the AI enters its pre-combat loop.
  • Min / Max Pre-Combat Wait: The delay between consecutive pre-combat abilities. Setting this (e.g., 3-3 or 5-5) ensures a fixed resting period before triggering the next action.
  • Sequential: When enabled (✓), abilities execute in order from top to bottom. If disabled, abilities are selected randomly.
  • NavMesh Search Range: Defines the radius within which the AI looks for valid movement points or breakable objects. Can be visualized via Inspector Gizmos.
  • Stopping Distance: Distance at which the AI completes its movement relative to the target point.

2. Setting Up the Strafing Ability

Strafing allows the AI to stay mobile while awaiting attack availability, switching movement direction based on target proximity.

Step 1: Configure Ability Properties

Click Add Pre-Combat Ability and set up the following parameters:

  1. Ability Type: Set to Normal Ability.
  2. Move to Point: Enable (✓).
  3. Max Move Time: Set to 6 seconds (caps movement duration even if the target point is far away).
  4. Movement Radius: Set to 20.
  5. Allowed Directions: Select Left, Right, and Backward.
  6. Check Interval Seconds: Set to 2 seconds (frequency at which the AI evaluates its movement direction relative to the target).
  7. Configurations Count: Set to 3 (matching the number of allowed directions).

Step 2: Download & Import Mixamo Animations

Download three strafing animations from Mixamo: * Right Strafe Walking * Left Strafe Walking * Unarmed Walk Back

Asset Import Settings
  1. Select all three imported animation clips in Unity.
  2. Rig Tab: Change Animation Type to Humanoid and Click Apply.
  3. Animation Tab:
  4. Enable Loop Time and Loop Pose (✓).
  5. Set Based Upon (Root Transform Rotation) to Originaland Click Apply.

Step 3: Register Animations in Animator & Script

  1. Select Bull Boss New and expand Animation Setup Tool.
  2. Assign the clips and parameters:
Source Clip Assigned Parameter Name
Left Strafe Walking Left Strafe
Right Strafe Walking Right Strafe
Unarmed Walk Back Walk Back
  1. Click Add to Animator and Optimize Animation Clips. (You can delete the imported raw .fbx files after optimization).
  2. Inside the Pre-Combat Ability inspector, map each direction:
Direction Configuration Matching Direction Animation to Play Move Speed
Option 1 Backward Walk Back 2.0
Option 2 Right Right Strafe 2.0
Option 3 Left Left Strafe 2.0
  • Set Fallback Move Animation to Walking.
  • Set Idle Animation to Idle.

Tip (Smooth Transitions): In the Animator Controller, select the transitions originating from Any State to each strafe clip and increase Transition Duration from 0.1 to 0.5 for smoother animation blending.

3. Setting Up the Break Objects Ability

The Break Objects ability instructs the AI to locate and destroy destructible environmental props during pre-combat.

                     ┌────────────────────────┐
                     │  AI Finds Breakable    │
                     │  Object in Radius      │
                     └───────────┬────────────┘
                                 │
                                 ▼
                     ┌────────────────────────┐
                     │   Navigates to Object  │
                     │  (Walking Animation)   │
                     └───────────┬────────────┘
                                 │
                                 ▼
                     ┌────────────────────────┐
                     │ Plays Attack/Punch Anim│
                     └───────────┬────────────┘
                                 │
                                 ▼
                     ┌────────────────────────┐
                     │ Weapon Collider Hits   │
                     │  Object Trigger Box    │
                     └───────────┬────────────┘
                                 │
                                 ▼
                     ┌────────────────────────┐
                     │ Static Mesh Hidden     │
                     │  Fragments Activated   │
                     └────────────────────────┘

Step 1: Add and Configure the Ability

  1. Click Add Pre-Combat Ability (+).
  2. Set Ability Type to Break Objects.
  3. Check Find Closest Object (✓).
  4. Set parameters:
  5. Move Speed: 2.0
  6. Stopping Distance: 3.0
  7. Final Animation Delay: 2.0
  8. Move Animation: Walking
  9. Punch Animation: Attack 1 (Assign your melee attack clip via the Animation Setup Tool).

Step 2: Environment Object Setup (Breakable Object)

For an object to be breakable by the AI, it must meet the following structural requirements:

  1. Tag: Set GameObject tag to BreakableObject.
  2. Trigger Collider: Add a Box Collider with Is Trigger enabled (✓).
  3. Script: Attach the Breakable Object script.
  4. Child Objects:
  5. Static Object: Active by default; contains the clean Mesh Renderer.
  6. Destructible Object: Inactive by default; contains individual fractured mesh pieces, each with a Rigidbody and Collider attached.
  7. Assign both references in the Breakable Object script and set Break Delay to 1.0 second.

Warning (Weapon Collider Requirement): The enemy's weapon (or attacking body part) must have an active collider (e.g., a Capsule Collider attached to a child Damage Point object). If no collider triggers the object's hit area, the break action will fail to initiate.

Step 3: Mesh Fracturing Tool (Optional)

To create custom destructible models directly inside Unity:

  1. Open Tools < Boss AI Toolkit < Mesh Fracture.
  2. Drag and drop your static mesh (e.g., Stone Pillar) into the window.
  3. Set Number of Pieces:
  4. Mobile Platforms: Recommended 8 – 10 pieces max to maintain physics performance.
  5. PC / Console: Higher piece counts allowed.
  6. Click Start Fracture Process.
  7. Click Save as Mesh and choose your target directory.

4. Execution Logic & Testing Workflow

Sequential Execution Flow

When multiple abilities are added with Sequential enabled:

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                        PRE-COMBAT RUNTIME FLOW                         │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  1. Game Start ──► Wait [Initial Pre-Combat Delay: 2s]                 │
│  2. Execute Ability 1 (e.g., Break Object 1)                          │
│  3. Wait [Pre-Combat Delay: 5s]                                        │
│  4. Execute Ability 2 (e.g., Strafing for Max 6s)                      │
│  5. Wait [Pre-Combat Delay: 5s]                                        │
│  6. Execute Ability 1 (Target next closest Breakable Object, if any)   │
│  7. If no breakable objects remain ──► Fall back to Strafing            │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Testing Checklist

  • [x] Verify enemy switches from Left, Right, and Backward strafings dynamically as the player shifts positions around the enemy.
  • [x] Ensure weapon Capsule Collider properly contacts the object trigger zone.
  • [x] Adjust Break Delay value per object to sync the physical break effect precisely with the impact frame of the attack animation.