Colonists on fire (annoying AI)

[Toshis8]

Maybe you've noticed that pretty much every time colonists catch on fire during the fight, they B lines straight into the direction of the enemy. Obviously this cant be a coincidence and probably programmed intentionally to dwindle the number of your colonists. Is there a mod that makes colonist movement truly random when they are on fire, instead of this annoying nonsense? Couldnt find one.

[Kittenpox]

While not the solution you're looking for, https://www.rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Firefoam_popper have more uses than just installing into your Freezers + Hospitals. :-)

[Toshis8]

Originally posted by Kittenpox:

While not the solution you're looking for, https://www.rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Firefoam_popper have more uses than just installing into your Freezers + Hospitals. :-)

Yeah, got few around my base. Problem is when you go out to clear mech clusters which have those fire cannons.

[Kittenpox]

Originally posted by Toshis8:

Originally posted by Kittenpox:

While not the solution you're looking for, https://www.rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Firefoam_popper have more uses than just installing into your Freezers + Hospitals. :-)

Yeah, got few around my base. Problem is when you go out to clear mech clusters which have those fire cannons.

The way I tackle those is to have one of my pawns wielding a https://rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Smoke_launcher , targeting the centre of my huddle. Turrets will only aim at targets not-in-smoke, so while being bunched up inside a cloud makes my people more vulnerable to bullet-spray it also makes them effectively immune to turrets.

It's not perfect, and again doesn't solve the issue at heart - but it might help. :-)

[The Manual]

@Toshis8

I know a mod that enhances AI behaviour when pawns are set on fire.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2362707956

Take a look at the description and make know if it satisfies you.

[Jaggid Edje]

I actually get a LOL every time it happens in my game.. pawns can be so stupid, I can't help but laugh.

That's a decent looking mod, @The Manual. I don't know how OP will like it, but I appreciate you sharing the link.

[Morkonan]

This was the subject of another thread, recently. (Within a month or so?) Same OP? (Can't remember.)

In any case, my response would be the same - They're on fire. "Good Judgement" is not involved, here. If there was a pool of gasoline, they'd probably jump into it given that their reptile-brain state induced by "being on fire" only sees that the pool looks like water...

[Markus Reese]

I am trying to figure out when this AI did change, I dont remember it being so invasive in the past when on fire. I think a big part of it is they run around so fast, cannot stop them or put them out.

[Toshis8]

Originally posted by The Manual:

@Toshis8

I know a mod that enhances AI behaviour when pawns are set on fire.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2362707956

Take a look at the description and make know if it satisfies you.

Thanks, will give it a try.

[gimmethegepgun]

Originally posted by Toshis8:

Originally posted by Kittenpox:

While not the solution you're looking for, https://www.rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Firefoam_popper have more uses than just installing into your Freezers + Hospitals. :-)

Yeah, got few around my base. Problem is when you go out to clear mech clusters which have those fire cannons.

So then set up some firefoam poppers near the combat area. Easily accomplished if it's dormant. If not, well, that's what a shield belt is for.

[The Manual]

@Jaggid Edje Thanks, always appreciate compliments.

@Morkonan, I understand and partially agree about "Good judgement" and your argues, but I think too that the implemented AI about pawns on fire is a bit annoying, especially with mech clusters that using fire cannons. If you are a beginner/relaxed player or have a little distraction in equip your pawns properly, fire can be a matter of "I lose in 5 seconds". for me. And the mod "Stop, Drop and Roll" that I suggested, even there in my opinion, is a better way to deal with pawns on fire.

[Henry of Skalitz]

Originally posted by Morkonan:

This was the subject of another thread, recently. (Within a month or so?) Same OP? (Can't remember.)

In any case, my response would be the same - They're on fire. "Good Judgement" is not involved, here. If there was a pool of gasoline, they'd probably jump into it given that their reptile-brain state induced by "being on fire" only sees that the pool looks like water...

I think this aspect could be improved upon in rimworld itself to make it more realistic.

A pawn who is experienced (either in shooting, having a special job in the past, a firefighter maybe or something, or a special trait) should be able to think more clearly, not panic as much and try to extinguish himself by less... catastrophic means (up until a certain point of course, I don't think it's possible to think clearly when your whole BODY is on fire, but it's a whole different scenario if only a part of your clothing catches fire), while the vast majority of pawns should retain the way they deal with fire as it is right now (panic in random directions because hey, you are on fire and it hurts like hell and keeps getting bigger)

[gimmethegepgun]

Originally posted by Spooky Fish:

Originally posted by Morkonan:

This was the subject of another thread, recently. (Within a month or so?) Same OP? (Can't remember.)

In any case, my response would be the same - They're on fire. "Good Judgement" is not involved, here. If there was a pool of gasoline, they'd probably jump into it given that their reptile-brain state induced by "being on fire" only sees that the pool looks like water...

I think this aspect could be improved upon in rimworld itself to make it more realistic.

A pawn who is experienced (either in shooting, having a special job in the past, a firefighter maybe or something, or a special trait) should be able to think more clearly, not panic as much and try to extinguish himself by less... catastrophic means (up until a certain point of course, I don't think it's possible to think clearly when your whole BODY is on fire, but it's a whole different scenario if only a part of your clothing catches fire), while the vast majority of pawns should retain the way they deal with fire as it is right now (panic in random directions because hey, you are on fire and it hurts like hell and keeps getting bigger)

Another possibility would be to make it so the severity of their crazy behavior is based on them taking fire damage itself, not simply being on fire. Thus, clothing that protects them from fire damage would make them act more rationally and try to put it out on the spot.
Should still make them flee a tile that's on fire though.

[ichifish]

I don’t see the problem, honestly. Yes, pawns occasionally catch fire and occasionally run into fire when on fire. That’s just how the mechanic works. It encourages you to attend to fire-wielding enemies more carefully and sweat those encounters in the same way that you have to worry about lancers one-shotting your fav.

I’m as guilty of this as anyone else, but once you go down the rabbit hole of “it doesn’t make sense that…” Literally nothing makes sense. Why can pawn A build a wind turbine in the same space of time it takes pawn B to walk 500 meters? How can Industrial Lubricants beam my ratty t-shirt up to their spaceship and pay me 6 silver for it? How come my tribal who can’t build a chair can hack out a lung, leave it on the cave floor for 3 years, then stuff it into somebody else?

They’re just mechanics.

[Astasia]

The entire point of fire based weapons is to cause units to run around out of cover. Those weapons do basically no damage by themselves, if a pawn wasn't pulled out of cover or was instantly patted out by somebody standing next to them that would entirely invalidate the weapon type. Yes it's annoying and yes it can get colonists shoot, but that's the point, that is the danger of those weapons, and that determines your strategy in a battle. Units with fire weapons are basically support units, they confuse enemy units so their allies can shoot them more easily, so if you see a fire unit in a large raid with other units with dangerous ranged weapons you would want to target them early, but if the other units have weak ranged weapons, or none, then that fire unit is no longer as much of a priority.

That said the on fire AI obviously doesn't always run at the enemy, it is truly random where they decide to run. They are just as likely to run away from enemies and out of combat than to run toward the enemy.

Having enough armor on colonist essentially removes the risk of death by gunshots in this game, something like 120% is good enough in most cases with only high AP weapons being a potential threat. So if you have colonist armored enough, which shouldn't be too difficult considering the point fire weapons become common on enemies, then being out of cover and in the middle of the crossfire while on fire isn't that much of a danger. They might be downed pretty fast, but they probably wont bleed out or suffer permanent injury.

Phoenix armor is another way to reduce the risks, that lowers pawn flammability so they can put themselves out faster.

[gimmethegepgun]

Originally posted by Astasia:

Units with fire weapons are basically support units, they confuse enemy units so their allies can shoot them more easily, so if you see a fire unit in a large raid with other units with dangerous ranged weapons you would want to target them early, but if the other units have weak ranged weapons, or none, then that fire unit is no longer as much of a priority.

True, but that also makes fire resistant apparel largely pointless. It doesn't do anything to stop them from catching on fire, it doesn't do anything to keep them sane while on fire, and with the minimal damage fire deals it doesn't even do much to help keep them safe.