Crazy Hunters: Manhunt AI

Version 2.0 (The Hunt Evolves)

🛠️ Security & Performance

Replaced heavy spatial chunk scanning (inflate(2500)) with a high-performance centralized ACTIVE_HUNTERS caching registry to eliminate server tick drops (MSPT) and memory leaks.

Hardened multiplayer security by adding server-side operator permission verification (hasPermissions(2)) to ConfigSyncPacket, preventing unauthorized clients from exploiting or modifying match settings.

Enforced strict version matching checks in ModMessages instead of wildcard acceptance, completely protecting vanilla or outdated clients from registry mismatch crashes.

⚔️ Combat AI & Meta Evolution

Implemented 1.9+ PvP Shield Countering: Hunters now dynamically equip axes to disable blocking player shields, automatically swapping back to primary swords once the shield is disabled.

Integrated jump-attack simulation routines to replicate competitive PvP critical hits for maximized damage output.

Expanded asset loot matrices to support 1.16+ competitive items, including Netherite upgrades, Totems of Undying, Respawn Anchors, and tactical dimension-dependent bed-bombing.

🏹 Projectiles & Defensive Clutches

Re-engineered HunterPearlGoal to incorporate predictive target positioning based on the runner's velocity vector, fixing the "back-throwing" silent-aim visual desync bug.

Added emergency Pearl Clutches to automatically rescue hunters from high-velocity fall damage, deep Nether lava oceans, and End dimension void drops

Upgraded HunterTntGoal with "Bomber Mode" ledge drops, precise 2D horizontal escape vectors, and automated off-hand shield blocks timed exactly to the fuse detonation frame.

Rewrote HunterShieldGoal using vector Dot Product math to ignore non-threatening missed arrows, preventing hunters from paralyzing themselves under fake fire.

Block barricades placed during arrow cover sequences now remain permanently in the world as natural path obstructions instead of auto-destroying on exit.

🧪 Resource & Recovery Handling

Synchronized HunterPotionGoal with vanilla item usage handlers, eliminating potion duplication exploits and item-clutter issues inside the container arrays.

Introduced instant 1-tick Splash Potion triggers for speed and strength self-buffs, alongside offensive Slowness and Poison debuffs to disrupt the runner's momentum.

Modified HunterRetreatGoal to force consumption routines strictly into the off-hand slot, allowing entities to drop blocking barriers backward based on inverse velocity tracks.

Solved item-deletion bugs on container loops by capturing simple inventory leftovers arrays during chest pillaging and drop harvesting.

**🌍 World Mechanics & Command Updates ** Rebuilt ManhuntCommand spawn calculations to utilize dimension-safe heightmaps, preventing hunters from clipping through the Nether bedrock ceiling or dropping into End void spaces.

Upgraded MimicSheepEntity to register tool interactions (shearing), display standard damage flashes, and execute a sudden physical "Backstab Leap" out of transformation clouds.

⚠️ IMPORTANT NOTE: Version 2.0 is a massive, ground-up rewrite of the core AI, dimensional tracking, and networking logic. While it has been heavily tested in multiplayer, major code overhauls can always introduce unexpected edge cases or hidden bugs.

If you encounter any server stalls, janky bot behavior, or multiplayer desyncs, please report them immediately in our Discord server. Your feedback is crucial to making these hunters truly flawless!

📝 Changelog v1.9 🚀

✨ New Mechanics & Modes

🤖 "Terminator" Mode: Added the ultimate difficulty mode for the bravest speedrunners.

⏳ Head Start (Freeze): Hunters are now frozen for 10 seconds at the start! Added a new bossbar - "Hunters are frozen, run!" - to help you make your escape.

⚔️ Gear Progression: Hunters' armor and weapons will now automatically upgrade over time (the maximum gear level depends on the chosen difficulty).

💀 Respawn Cooldowns: Hunters no longer return instantly after death. Added a respawn timer, as well as temporary protection to prevent hunters from teleporting right after you respawn.

🗣️ Hunter Taunts: Hunters now react to your mistakes! They will mock you in the chat if you take fall damage, get hit by a zombie, or get shot by a skeleton. 

🧠 AI & Behavior

🎣 Fishing Rods: Hunters have learned how to use fishing rods in combat to pull you in and break your momentum.

🌊 Speed Swimming: Fixed the "ocean drifting" bug. Hunters now aggressively and quickly swim towards you using the Dolphin's Grace effect.

⚖️ Difficulty Rebalance: "Easy" mode is now truly for beginners (complex AI behaviors like parkour, clutching, and trapping have been disabled).

⚙️ Ability Toggles: Added new options in the configuration menu to easily disable hunter traps and ender pearls.

🛠️ Fixes & Optimization

🔧 General minor bug fixes and overall code optimization.

⚠️ Important Note: Version 1.9 brings massive system rewrites and a lot of new features. Due to the scale of this update, you might encounter unexpected bugs. Please report any issues you find on our Discord server - it helps us fix them quickly! 🐛🔨

Changelog v1.8 - The Relentless Update

🔥 Major AI Improvements:

Anti-Freeze Global Tracker: Fixed the biggest issue where Hunters would freeze when chunks unloaded (due to distance or optimization mods). The server now uses a "leash" system: if you manage to get more than 80 blocks away, the Hunter will instantly teleport 35 blocks behind you. You can run, but you can never truly escape.

Swimming AI Upgrade: The ocean is no longer a safe haven. Hunters now receive a hidden Dolphin's Grace effect while in water and will actively swim upwards to reach you.

The Return of Traps (Lava & Cobwebs): Trapping AI makes a comeback and has been completely rebuilt! Hunters once again seamlessly throw lava in your path or trap you in cobwebs while sprinting. This is balanced with a 30% trigger chance to prevent annoying spam.

What should we add in v1.9? Join our Discord server and share your craziest ideas for the Hunter AI!

Changelog v1.7.6

Added Mimic Sheep.

Added a new setting in the GUI to adjust the spawn chance of Mimic Sheep.

Updated localization files.

Made minor tweaks to the Hunter AI.

Disclaimer: This mod is still in active development. You may encounter bugs or unexpected behavior during gameplay.

📑ChangeLog v1.7.5

NEW FEATURES

Settings Menu (Key "K"): Adjust the number of spawned Hunters for every difficulty (from 1 up to 20).

Global Persistence: Hunters are now tied to your UUID and will track you across dimensions and long distances.

⚠️ WARNING

This is a technical update with major internal code changes. Expect potential bugs. Please report any issues!

1.7 (AI Overhaul & Global Update)

🤖 AI & Combat Evolution

Smart Movement: Hunters now perform dynamic parkour. They can jump over gaps and perform "block clutches" to prevent fall damage.

Tactical PvP: Bots now actively use shields against projectiles, drink potions, and eat golden apples based on their current health and situation.

Destruction System: If you wall yourself in, Hunters will now mine through obstacles using the correct tools.

Improved Navigation: Fixed the AI "confusion" bug when a player rapidly changes elevation.

🌍 World & Pursuit

Cross-Dimensional Chase: Hunters are now guaranteed to follow players into the Nether and the End. If you change dimensions, they will appear nearby within seconds.

Persistent Stalkers: Upon death, Hunters no longer vanish. They respawn nearby (40-70 blocks away) while keeping their inventory and Nightmare status.

Global Tracking: Rewritten target search logic. Bots no longer "freeze" in inactive or unloaded chunks.

👹 Nightmare Mode

Nightmare 2.0: In this mode, Hunters receive full Netherite gear, high knockback resistance, and infinite resources for building and TNT traps.

🛠 Technical Changes & Optimization

Distributed Ticks: Heavy AI calculations are now spread across server ticks, significantly improving server performance (TPS).

Armor Rendering: Fixed a major bug where armor equipped on Hunters was invisible to players.

⚠️ Risk of Bugs

Experimental AI: Due to the complete AI overhaul, Hunters may occasionally get stuck in complex structures like Strongholds or Bastions.

Dimension Latency: If you jump through portals too quickly, there might be a 5-10 second delay before the Hunter teleports to your new location.

Performance: On low-end CPUs, spawning more than 10 Hunters simultaneously may cause temporary TPS drops.

🏆 Milestone Thanks (1,000+ Downloads on Curseforge!)

A huge thank you to our community! We have officially reached 1,000 downloads. Your support, bug reports, and feedback have been the driving force behind this massive 1.7 update. We're just getting started!

1.7-BETA

WARNING: This is an experimental beta. The mod has undergone a global architectural rebuild. It may be highly unstable. This version is released for community testing to identify bugs and balance issues.

Major Changes:

Global Refactor: HunterEntity and AI logic have been completely rewritten from scratch for better performance.

Smart PvP: Goal priorities have been retuned. Hunters now act more like pro-players: prioritizing survival and healing, then switching to aggressive combat.

Fixed Pillar Building: Resolved the "wobbling" issue when towering up. Hunters now build stable vertical pillars without falling.

Resource Intelligence: Hunters now check their inventory. If the target is high up, they will prioritize Ender Pearls; if none are available, they will start building.

Nightmare Mode: Activating Nightmare mode now instantly upgrades hunters with elite gear (Netherite, Notch Apples, TNT).

Loot System: Fixed death drops. Hunters now drop their entire inventory, with resources scaling based on world difficulty.

MLG Water: Refined water clutch logic. Hunters now correctly place and pick up water buckets.

BUG REPORTING: Please report all bugs in our Discord. The faster I know about the issues, the sooner we get to a stable 1.7 release!

🛠 Update v1.6.1 - "The Fair Chase" (Hotfix)

A critical balance and stability patch addressing issues found in the 1.6 "No Dimension Is Safe" update.

⚖️ Gameplay Balance: The 100-Block Rule

Fair Respawn System: I have fixed a major balancing issue where Hunters would respawn almost instantly on top of the player.

Guaranteed Head Start: Hunters now respawn at a tactical distance of 80–120 blocks from the player. I've implemented a new circular spawn algorithm to ensure they never spawn "in your face" again. This finally gives players a well-deserved window to heal and regroup after a kill.

🌐 Global Localization Fix

The "Trap Message" Bug: I resolved an oversight where trap-related phrases (hunter.msg.trap) were only present in Russianand Ukrainian files.

Community Thanks: Huge thanks to our Discord community members who quickly spotted and reported this issue! Your screenshots helped me find the cause and release this fix immediately.

Universal Support: I have added the missing translation keys for the other 8 languages. Players using English, French, German, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Korean, or Japanese will no longer see technical string IDs in chat.

🐛 Bug Fixes & Optimization

Stuck Logic Refinement: I optimized the hunters' behavior — they are now more efficient and "cleaner" when breaking blocks to get unstuck, reducing unnecessary item drops and lag.

Portal Pursuit Gap: Adjusted the arrival distance when hunters follow you through a portal to match the new "Fair Chase" logic.

Performance: Optimized tracking radius to reduce CPU load during long-distance pursuits.

⚙️ Technical Note

I apologize for the localization issues in v1.6. It was a classic developer oversight where I only tested new features in two languages. v1.6.1 officially makes the mod globally stable.