DKCustomBosses - Configurable Boss Spawn Pool

DKCustomBosses - Configurable Boss Spawn Pool

A standalone server mutator that lets you replace vanilla boss spawns with custom bosses from other Workshop mods. Fully configurable per-boss wave ranges, spawn weights, replacement chance, and custom nameplate text.

Features

• Replace vanilla boss spawns with any custom boss that extends a vanilla boss class
• Configure which waves each custom boss is eligible to spawn on
• Weighted random selection when multiple custom bosses are eligible
• Adjustable replacement chance (0-100%) — vanilla bosses can still appear
• Boss intro cinematic plays with the custom boss model visible during the camera sequence
• Boss health bar displays correctly with the custom boss name
• Custom nameplate with the boss name and flavor text during the intro
• Configurable flavor text per boss via INI — personalize every boss intro
• Built-in flavor text for popular custom boss mods (Zeds, ZEDSx)
• Non-ASCII characters automatically stripped from boss names for clean display
• Compatible with Safe Mut Loader (SML)
• Works with Endless and Survival game modes
• Config auto-generates on first run

Installation

[olist] [*] Subscribe your server to this Workshop item [*] Subscribe your server to any custom boss mod(s) you want to use (e.g. Zeds, ZEDSx) [*] Add the mutator to your server launch parameters:

?Mutator=DKCustomBosses.DKBossMut[/code]
With Safe Mut Loader:
[code]?Mutator=SML.Mut,DKCustomBosses.DKBossMut

[*] Start the server once to generate the default config file [*] Edit the config and restart [/olist]

Configuration

The config file is located at:

KFGame/Config/KFDKCustomBosses.ini[/code]

[h3]General Settings[/h3]
[code]
[DKCustomBosses.DKBossMutConfig]
bEnabled=True
ReplacementChance=0.50
bLogEnabled=True

bEnabled — Enable or disable the mutator entirely. ReplacementChance — Probability (0.0 to 1.0) that a vanilla boss gets replaced. Set to 1.0 for guaranteed replacement, 0.5 for 50% chance. bLogEnabled — Enable detailed logging for debugging. Check your server log for lines starting with "DKBossMut:".

Boss Pool

Add one line per custom boss:

BossPool=(BossPath="PackageName.ClassName",MinWave=0,MaxWave=999,Weight=1)

BossPath — Full class path of the custom boss (Package.Class format). MinWave — Earliest wave this boss can appear (0 = any wave). MaxWave — Latest wave this boss can appear (999 = no limit). Weight — Relative spawn weight. Higher = more likely when multiple bosses are eligible.

Example Boss Pool

BossPool=(BossPath="ZEDSx.Metal_Hans",MinWave=0,MaxWave=999,Weight=2)
BossPool=(BossPath="ZEDSx.Hateriarch",MinWave=5,MaxWave=999,Weight=1)
BossPool=(BossPath="ZEDSx.Corrupted_Fleshpound",MinWave=10,MaxWave=999,Weight=1)
BossPool=(BossPath="Zeds.Patriot",MinWave=0,MaxWave=999,Weight=1)
BossPool=(BossPath="Zeds.Vacuum_Cleaner",MinWave=15,MaxWave=999,Weight=1)

In this example, Metal_Hans has Weight=2 so it spawns roughly twice as often as the others. Hateriarch only appears from wave 5 onward, Corrupted_Fleshpound from wave 10, and Vacuum_Cleaner from wave 15.

Custom Flavor Text (Optional)

Override the intro nameplate subtitle for any boss:

BossCaptions=(ClassName="Metal_Hans",Caption="Your custom text here")
BossCaptions=(ClassName="Vacuum_Cleaner",Caption="A different subtitle")

ClassName — The exact class name of the boss (use underscores, e.g. Metal_Hans). Caption — The subtitle text shown below the boss name during the intro.

If no BossCaptions entry exists for a boss, built-in defaults are used. If no default exists either, no subtitle is shown.

Console Commands

Admin-only commands (type in console after using adminlogin):

mutate dkbosslist    — Show all loaded bosses and their wave eligibility
mutate dkbossinfo    — Show current config settings

How It Works

When a boss wave starts, the game spawns a vanilla boss as normal. DKCustomBosses detects this, selects a custom boss from the pool, and performs a swap: the vanilla boss is hidden (but continues driving the intro cinematic camera), while the custom boss is spawned at the same location and made visible. After the intro finishes, the hidden vanilla boss is destroyed and the custom boss receives its AI controller and begins fighting.

The nameplate and health bar are overwritten with the custom boss's clean name and flavor text via a lightweight replicated helper actor.

Requirements

• Custom bosses must extend a vanilla boss class (KFPawn_ZedHans, KFPawn_ZedPatriarch, KFPawn_ZedFleshpoundKing, KFPawn_ZedBloatKing, or KFPawn_ZedMatriarch)
• Custom bosses must return IsABoss()=True (inherited automatically if extending a vanilla boss class)
• The custom boss mod's Workshop item must be subscribed on the server

Known Limitations

• The intro cinematic camera animation is driven by the vanilla boss — it always plays the vanilla boss entrance animation (the landing, camera sweep, etc). The custom boss is visible during this sequence but does not perform its own entrance animation unless it has compatible theatrics data.
• The intro nameplate briefly flashes the vanilla boss name (~0.5 seconds) before being overwritten with the custom boss name. This is a timing limitation of the replication system.
• Custom bosses that do not extend a vanilla boss class (e.g. entirely custom boss types extending KFPawn_Monster directly) are not supported and will not have health bars or intro cinematics.

Compatible Custom Boss Mods

This mutator includes built-in flavor text for bosses from these popular mods: