Create Dual-Mode Enemy Skill

This skill creates GameMaker enemies that intelligently switch between melee and ranged attacks based on tactical context.

Core Requirements

1. Object Setup

• Create object inheriting from obj_enemy_parent
• Call event_inherited() in Create event before setting properties

2. Enable Dual-Mode System

// In enemy Create event (after event_inherited())
enable_dual_mode = true;

3. Configure Attack Preference

preferred_attack_mode = "ranged";  // Options: "none", "melee", or "ranged"

Attack Preferences:

• "melee": Prefers close combat, uses ranged as backup
• "ranged": Maintains distance, retreats when player gets close
• "none": No preference, purely distance-based decisions

4. Set Both Attack Stat Sets

Melee Stats:

attack_damage = 5;           // Base melee damage
attack_speed = 1.0;          // Animation speed multiplier
attack_range = 32;           // Pixels for melee range
damage_type = DamageType.physical;

Ranged Stats:

ranged_damage = 3;           // Base ranged damage (often lower than melee)
ranged_attack_speed = 0.8;   // Animation speed multiplier
ranged_attack_range = 150;   // Pixels for ranged range
ranged_damage_type = DamageType.physical;

5. Configure Tactical Behavior

Range Thresholds:

melee_range_threshold = attack_range * 0.5;  // Distance below which melee is preferred
ideal_range = attack_range * 0.75;           // Preferred standoff distance for ranged

Retreat Behavior (for ranged-preferred enemies):

retreat_when_close = true;   // Retreat if player breaches ideal_range

6. Sprite Requirements

47-Frame Layout (dual-mode enemies need ranged animations):

• Frames 0-10: Idle (down, left, right, up)
• Frames 11-22: Walking (down, left, right, up)
• Frames 23-31: Melee attacking (down, left, right, up)
• Frames 35-46: Ranged attacking (down, left, right, up) ← Required for dual-mode
• Frames 32-34: Death animation

Note: Melee-only enemies use 35-frame layout (no ranged frames).

7. Sound Configuration

Set separate sounds for melee vs ranged attacks:

custom_attack_sfx = "snd_sword_hit";    // Melee attack sound
custom_ranged_sfx = "snd_arrow_fire";   // Ranged attack sound

Variant Support: Use numbered variants (e.g., snd_sword_hit_1, snd_sword_hit_2) for automatic randomization.

8. Apply Traits via Tags

array_push(tags, "fireborne");  // Example: fire immunity, fire damage
apply_tag_traits();             // Call after adding all tags

Common Tags: fireborne, arboreal, aquatic, glacial, swampridden, sandcrawler

See /docs/TRAIT_SYSTEM.md for tag definitions and trait bundles.

Attack Mode Decision Logic

The enemy uses this priority order to decide melee vs ranged:

1. Formation Role Override (if in enemy party)

   • "rear" or "support" → Force ranged
   • "front" or "vanguard" → Force melee

2. Distance Thresholds

   • dist < melee_range_threshold → Prefer melee
   • dist > ideal_range → Prefer ranged

3. Cooldown Availability

   • If chosen mode is on cooldown, try other mode

4. Line of Sight (for ranged)

   • No LOS → Fall back to melee

Complete Example: Orc Raider

// obj_orc_raider Create event
event_inherited();

// Dual-mode configuration
enable_dual_mode = true;
preferred_attack_mode = "melee";
melee_range_threshold = 48;
ideal_range = 60;
retreat_when_close = false;  // Aggressive positioning

// Base stats
hp_total = 20;
move_speed = 1.0;
detection_range = 200;

// Melee stats (primary)
attack_damage = 5;
attack_speed = 1.0;
attack_range = 32;
damage_type = DamageType.physical;

// Ranged stats (backup)
ranged_damage = 3;
ranged_attack_speed = 0.8;
ranged_attack_range = 150;
ranged_damage_type = DamageType.physical;

// Sounds
custom_attack_sfx = "snd_sword_hit";
custom_ranged_sfx = "snd_arrow_fire";

// Traits
array_push(tags, "fireborne");
apply_tag_traits();

// Flanking behavior
flank_chance = 0.3;
flank_trigger_distance = 120;

// Sprite (must have 47-frame layout with ranged animations)
sprite_index = spr_orc_raider;

Key Files Reference

• /docs/ENEMY_AI_ARCHITECTURE.md - Complete dual-mode documentation
• /objects/obj_enemy_parent/Create_0.gml - Parent initialization
• /scripts/scr_enemy_state_targeting/scr_enemy_state_targeting.gml - Attack mode logic
• /scripts/scr_enemy_state_ranged_attacking/scr_enemy_state_ranged_attacking.gml - Ranged state
• /docs/TRAIT_SYSTEM.md - Trait and tag system

Important Notes

• Dual-mode enemies have independent cooldowns for melee (Alarm[0]) and ranged (Alarm[1])
• Ranged attacks allow movement while shooting (unlike melee which commits to position)
• Retreat behavior only triggers for preferred_attack_mode = "ranged" enemies
• Formation role (from enemy party system) overrides distance-based decisions
• Always test line of sight blocking with walls/obstacles in your test rooms

Testing Checklist

After creating a dual-mode enemy:

• [ ] Test melee attack at close range
• [ ] Test ranged attack at medium range
• [ ] Verify switching between modes based on distance
• [ ] Test retreat behavior (if ranged-preferred)
• [ ] Verify both cooldowns work independently
• [ ] Test line of sight blocking (ranged should fail, fallback to melee)
• [ ] Verify sprite has all 47 frames with ranged animations
• [ ] Test sounds play correctly for both attack types
• [ ] Verify traits apply correctly from tags