What influences cacodemons to fly or not?

[ryg]

I have created an outside area (288 units high) with different height levels (64x64 stairs) and I had hoped for the cacos to attack the player on the stairs above them but they stay on the ground and attack from below but don't rise. Why? 

[Graf Zahl]

2 hours ago, Vermil said:

In vanilla Doom it would only be changes in floor height.

 

Though many source ports change the behaviour of flying enemies to be more 3D so things may differ in some/all of them.

 

I don't think any source port changes this part of monster AI, it'd be too gratuitous.

 

[Graf Zahl]

They only change height if their horizontal path is blocked. As long as they can approach without changing height, they do.

 

[ryg]

Will objects like trees also be regarded as blocking or has it to be a change in floor height?

[Vermil]

In vanilla Doom it would only be changes in floor height.

 

Though many source ports change the behaviour of flying enemies to be more 3D so things may differ in some/all of them.

[Gez]

I think there was something about cacos being unable to go lower than their starting altitude, unless pushed by a moving sector. Or was it higher? I forgot the details, but there's an oddity with them.

[seed]

19 minutes ago, Graf Zahl said:

I don't think any source port changes this part of monster AI, it'd be too gratuitous.

 

I wonder if he's thinking of vertical thrust from explosions.