Beyond Sandbox
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First Look at NPC Combat AI
🕑 Added 2025-09-13 18:53:42 +0000 UTCWe’ve got a big update for you, one that we’ve been dying to show off. In this new video you can see the AI system in action, and it’s honestly one of the most exciting steps forward so far. Here’s what’s new:
They know you’re aiming at them: If you draw a bead on an NPC, they’ll actually notice and aim back — they’re not just standing targets anymore.
Escalation: Fire a shot, and they don’t just react, they decide to fight back. Their aggressiveness ramps up dynamically.
Smart combat flow: They’ll shoot, reload, move around the level, and actively avoid obstacles. It’s not just random wandering; it’s survival.
Close-quarter: If you get too close, they won’t just keep shooting, they’ll try to smash you with a melee strike.
Tactical cover system: NPCs actually recognize which spots on the map make good cover depending on where you are.
This is still an early WIP but enemies are making decisions on the fly, adapting to your actions, and treating the environment like you do. A lot more to come This has been a big step in bringing the world to life, and honestly, it feels so good seeing it in motion. Can’t wait to hear what you think! PS: This is our debug environment, so bullets and life are unlimited, and weapons don't need to be reloaded to make testing faster.
Comments
Alex
Hi beyond sandbox, I know it may be unlikely but a cool feature would be to implement more realistic body balance so instead of being shot and tanking without a flinch maybe the npc could loose its balance temporarily of loose stability and stumble in the direction the were shot similar to how gta does it even if that means they stop firing for a second. Thanks.
Zach Winkley
Those goons!
Michael
I wounder what date this will come out
Beyond Sandbox
They won’t be shooting with AKs, but we’re working on their AI as well, more to show soon.
Tobey Pace
What happened to the zombies? Are they gonna have the combat AI soon?
Beyond Sandbox
Probably in the future yes!
Wilson the moderator of beyond sandbox
ANOTHER W UPDATE🔥🔥🔥
Tobey Pace
Could you guys add props like bottles that have liquids in them like Half Life Alyx? It would mean a lot to me
Beyond Sandbox
I don’t know all the details of how Nextbot pathfinding works, but our AI can already determine walkable surfaces, choose the best route, and use a sophisticated system to dynamically identify possible cover positions. With these three foundations, we can build much more complex behaviors on top.
Beyond Sandbox
A lot more melee in the future!
Midas
love how it looks so far, will the AI you're working on be like nextbot path finding, or more sophisticated?
Goomba
I too think it would be cool if for a melee attack, if they got out a knife and tried stabbing you with it. Or maybe if they run out of ammo, or lose their gun, they would pull out a knife.
Small Goodman
i too creamed at the sight of this
Scott
My whole screen is white now
Beyond Sandbox
Thanks! For the next few weeks we’re focusing on firearms and zombies, after that we’ll switch to melee.
Kirk
Was hoping to see some more melee, but the ranged combat looks amazing. I’m excited to see how they fight in groups.
