goldeneye-pc-port/docs/dev/game-behavior-reference.md

GoldenEye 007 — game-behavior reference

Community-documented account of how the retail N64 game is supposed to behave: the combat/AI/stealth model, difficulty scaling, per-level objective sets, timers, weapon data, and the original game's known quirks and glitches.

Status of this document. This is secondary source material, not ground truth. The decompiled game code in src/ is authoritative for behavior (see AGENTS.md). Use this doc to know what correct looks like when playtesting the port — which objectives a level must expose, what a timer value should be, whether a weird behavior you just saw is an original-game quirk or a port regression.

Sources (subjective commentary stripped; mechanical/factual data only):

• GameFAQs walkthrough by Brett "Nemesis" Franklin, v1.01, July 2001 — overview, mechanics, objective lists, weapon/gadget data, glitches.
• marshmallow, Extensive 00 Agent Walkthrough v3.0 (GameFAQs) — the 00 Agent difficulty-delta list and the AI-exploit notes in §3.

Distilled from goldeneye_007_reference.md (the full raw walkthrough dump); the walkthrough's per-stage tactical routes were dropped as not behavior-defining.

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1. Difficulty modes

Three tiers. 00 Agent is a strict superset of Agent and Secret Agent — every objective required at a lower tier is also required at 00 Agent, so one 00 Agent run satisfies all three.

Mode	Rank	Layout	Objectives
Agent	starting rank	small/simple	fewest
Secret Agent	+1	average	more
00 Agent	highest	big/complex	maximum (superset)

What 00 Agent changes mechanically

Relative to the lower tiers:

1. Guards are tougher — body-armoured guards can survive a headshot (a DD44 headshot may not kill).
2. Better AI — enemies fire sooner, roll/dodge more often, and "hear" the player from further.
3. Picked-up guns start with only 10 rounds.
4. Body armour is nearly absent (a few fixed locations only).
5. More objectives per level.
6. Low player health — roughly 8× KF7 Soviet hits or ~5× AR33 hits is lethal.
7. Higher enemy accuracy.
8. Explosions (crates, grenades, chairs) are near-instant-kill unless the player clears the radius fast.
9. Security cameras acquire the player in ~3 s (vs ~10 s on Agent).

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2. Combat, stealth & AI model

Damage

• Body-part damage system — different hit locations do different damage; head shots are the fastest kill and are the intended way to conserve ammo.
• Auto-Aim (option) — snaps to the nearest enemy under the crosshair when firing; ~90% reliable at target selection.
• Manual aim (R / L-R) — zooms for precise body-part targeting.
• Full-auto accuracy falls off with sustained fire and with distance: "pecking" 1–2 rounds is more accurate than spraying; spray only wins against groups.

Alerting

• A loud weapon fired within earshot of 2+ guards triggers an area alert (they converge on the player's position and can call reinforcements). A lone guard may not call for help.
• Silenced weapons (PP7 Silenced, D5K Silenced, silenced pistols, knives) never alert.
• Security cameras: if a camera acquires the player it raises an alert that spawns black-clad guards armed with DD44s and KF7s. Shoot the camera center for a one-shot kill.
• Retreating breaks pursuit — most guards stop following after a set distance, letting the player reload / heal / reposition.

AI line-of-sight & animation quirks (exploitable, i.e. defining behavior)

• A guard behind a wall, low barrier or railing cannot shoot the player, even point-blank — it must path around the obstacle. Exception: a guard behind a crate can shoot through/over it.
• Turrets / sentry guns drop target beyond a set range.
• Most guards play a kneel animation before firing (takes ~1–2 s). Circling a kneeling guard makes it fire at the player's previous position.
• Point-blank: a guard the player is pressed against cannot fire until it steps back.

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3. Player state

System	Behavior
Health	restored by health packs; no regen. 00 Agent pool ≈ 8 KF7 hits (§1).
Body armour	separate absorbing layer; fixed pickup locations (e.g. by the Jungle drone guns, start of Antenna Cradle). Nearly absent on 00 Agent.
Explosive barrels/crates	shootable for area damage; can kill the player. In Water Caverns, detonating the barrels before using the radio destroys the radio and fails that objective.

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4. Timers (exact values — verify against decomp)

Level	Trigger	Value	On expiry
Silo (M3)	level start	8:30	facility self-destructs; must reach the escape elevator
Bunker 2 (M5)	Natalya activates the main control panel	~60 s	alarm; must escort Natalya to the exit
Train (M6)	hostage scene, if Xenia is not killed	4 s	escape window before failure

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5. Companion AI — Natalya

• Present in Bunker 2, Jungle, Control Center, Water Caverns, Train (Missions 5–7).
• Carries a Cougar Magnum; engages enemies autonomously.
• Must survive — her death fails objectives.
• Scripted roles: hacks the mainframe in Control Center (player defends both staircases); freed from a cell and escorted out under the timer in Bunker 2; hacks a terminal in Train while the player laser-cuts the grate bearings.

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6. Objective system

Each sub-level exposes a fixed set of primary objectives shown at level start; completing the final one ends the sub-level. Objective count scales with difficulty (§1). Some are conditional / fail-state objectives — "Minimize scientist casualties", "Minimize civilian casualties" — tracked by a running kill count against that class.

21 sub-levels across 9 missions:

M	Location	Sub-levels
1	Aarkangelsk	Dam → Facility → Runaway
2	Severnaya	Surface → Bunker
3	Kirghizstan	Silo
4	Monte Carlo	Frigate
5	Severnaya (return)	Surface 2 → Bunker 2
6	St. Petersburg	Statue Park → Military Archives → Streets → Depot → Train
7	Cuba	Jungle → Control Center → Water Caverns → Antenna Cradle
8	Teotihuacán	Aztec Complex
9	el-Saghira	Egyptian Temple

Per-level objective sets (00 Agent — the superset)

Dam — neutralize all alarms · install covert modem · intercept data backup · bungee jump from platform. Facility — gain entry to lab · contact double agent (Dr. Doak) · rendezvous with 006 · destroy all tanks in bottling room · minimize scientist casualties. Runaway — find plane ignition key · destroy heavy gun emplacements · destroy missile battery · escape in plane. Surface — power down comms dish · obtain safe key · steal building plans · enter base via ventilation tower. Bunker — disrupt all surveillance equipment · copy Goldeneye Key and leave original · get personnel to activate computer · download data · photograph main video screen. Silo — plant bombs in fuel rooms · photograph satellite · obtain telemetric data · retrieve satellite circuitry · minimize scientist casualties. Frigate — rescue hostages · disarm bridge bomb · disarm engine-room bomb · plant tracking bug on helicopter. Surface 2 — disrupt all surveillance equipment · break comms link to bunker · disable Spetznaz support aircraft · gain entry to bunker. Bunker 2 — compare staff/casualties lists · recover CCTV tape · disable all security cameras · recover Goldeneye operations manual · escape with Natalya. Statue Park — contact Valentin · confront and unmask Janus · locate helicopter · rescue Natalya · find flight recorder. Military Archives — escape interrogation room · find Natalya · recover helicopter black box · escape with Natalya. Streets — contact Valentin · pursue Ourumov and Natalya · minimize civilian casualties. Depot — destroy illegal arms cache · destroy computer network · obtain safe key · recover helicopter blueprints · locate Trevelyan's train. Train — destroy brake units · rescue Natalya · locate Janus secret base · crack Boris' password · escape to safety. Jungle — destroy drone guns · eliminate Xenia · blow up ammo dump · escort Natalya to Janus base. Control Center — protect Natalya · disable Goldeneye satellite · destroy armored mainframes. Water Caverns — destroy inlet pump controls · destroy outlet pump controls · destroy master control console · use radio to contact Jack Wade · minimize scientist casualties. Antenna Cradle — destroy control console · settle score with Trevelyan. Aztec Complex — reprogram shuttle guidance · launch shuttle. Egyptian Temple — recover the Golden Gun · defeat Baron Samedi.

Key scripted mechanics per level

• Bunker / Surface 2 — cameras must be killed to avoid the black-clad alert spawn.
• Silo — Ourumov is killable here (he normally flees; Invisibility stops him); drops DD44 + briefcase. He still reappears later regardless.
• Frigate — hostages held at gunpoint; shoot the guard not the hostage. Bomb Diffuser used on two terminal-mounted bombs.
• Streets — tank vehicle; running over a civilian fails the mission; street land-mines apply damage-over-time to the tank.
• Train — kill Xenia + Ourumov simultaneously in the hostage scene; if Xenia survives, the 4 s timer starts and extra guards spawn.
• Jungle — Xenia boss on the bridge: uses RCP-90 + Grenade Launcher, rolls when hit, drops both weapons.
• Control Center — Boris pulls a gun ("I am Invincible!") and fades out rather than being killed.
• Water Caverns — contact Jack Wade by radio before detonating the barrel room; Code Cards A/B/C drop from guards in sequence.
• Antenna Cradle — Trevelyan final boss reappears alternately at the two sheds/catwalks; player kills him at each appearance, final fight point-blank in the shed under the cradle.
• Aztec Complex — first terminal starts the launch sequence + opens a door; a second terminal must be destroyed to reveal a hidden hallway before the launch finishes.
• Egyptian Temple — Golden Gun glass case lowers only after a fixed tile-path is walked; Baron Samedi appears twice, uses Lasers, dies only to the Golden Gun.

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7. Weapons — data table

Clip / max-capacity / behavior. (Balance and capacity numbers to cross-check against the decomp's weapon tables.)

Weapon	Type	Clip	Max	Behavior notes
PP7	pistol	7	800	default sidearm
PP7 (Silenced)	pistol	7	800	no alert on fire
DD44 Dostovei	pistol	8	812	high power, Magnum-like recoil
Cougar Magnum	pistol	6	200	high per-shot damage; Natalya's sidearm
Gold PP7 / Golden Gun	pistol	7 / 1	800 / 100	one-shot kill anywhere; Golden Gun = 1 round/clip
Silver PP7	pistol	7	800	cosmetic
Klobb	SMG	20	812	weakest automatic
KF7 Soviet	auto rifle	30	400	ubiquitous early-game weapon
AR-33	auto rifle	30	400	stronger than KF7; zoom
D5K Deutsche	auto rifle	32	800	zoom
D5K (Silenced)	auto rifle	32	800	no alert; one level
Phantom	auto rifle	50	800	very loud; one level
RCP-90	auto rifle	80	800	fastest fire rate in the game
ZMG (9mm)	heavy auto	32	800	dual-wieldable
Automatic Shotgun	auto shotgun	5	200	Statue Park only (SP)
Shotgun	pump shotgun	5	200	slower reload; via All Guns cheat
Sniper Rifle	bolt rifle	8	400	longest zoom; best stealth weapon
Grenade Launcher	launcher	6	12	arcing grenades
Rocket Launcher	launcher	1	3	large blast, can kill player
Grenades	thrown	12	12	—
Throwing Knives	ranged melee	12	12	low damage
Hunting Knives	melee	—	—	fast silent takedowns
Proximity Mines	placed	10	10	triggers on proximity
Remote Mines	placed	10	10	detonated by Remote Watch; no timeout
Timed Mines	placed	10	10	detonate ~8 s after placement
Taser	gadget	—	—	non-lethal stun
Moonraker (Military) Laser	energy	—	—	fires through walls/doors; kills Jaws
Tank Shells	vehicle	—	—	Runaway, Streets

Availability: weapons are level-scoped and do not carry between missions unless noted. All Guns cheat unlocks everything.

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8. Gadgets

Gadget	Level(s)	Activation / effect
Covert Modem	Dam	toss onto a computer screen to install
Bomb Diffuser	Frigate	use on a terminal-mounted bomb
Camera	Bunker, Silo	photograph a target (video screen / satellite)
Key Analyzer	Bunker	copies a key and destroys the original
Data Thief	Bunker	download data from a terminal
Tracking Bug	Frigate	place on the Pirate helicopter
Watch Magnet	Bunker 2, Train	pull a key / metal object at range
Watch Laser	Train	cut metal (grate bearings)
Remote Mines + Remote Watch	Facility, Control Center, Water Caverns	place, then detonate at range
Door Decoder	Facility	from Dr. Doak; opens the locked bottling-room door

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9. World-interaction objects

Object	Rule
Red alarm boxes	shoot to complete "neutralize all alarms"; a guard reaching one spawns reinforcements
Security cameras	destroy (center = one-shot); acquisition raises the black-clad alert
Sentry guns	fixed turrets (Bunker 2 striped corridor, Depot); destroy to pass
Drone guns	remote turrets (Jungle, Control Center, Water Caverns, Aztec); some pairs must be destroyed together
Locks / grates	shootable (e.g. the 4-lock vent grate at the end of Surface)
Doors	B to open; some need keycard / key / code
Gate switches	red/green buttons control gates (Dam)

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10. Vehicles

Vehicle	Level	Rules
Tank	Runaway, Streets	cannons + missiles (Runaway); may crush enemies, must not crush civilians (Streets); street mines = DoT
Plane	Runaway	final escape after the missile battery is destroyed
Train	Train	car-to-car traversal; a brake unit (red/yellow wires) in every car must be destroyed

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11. Controls / input options (relevant to port/src/input.c)

Default mapping (control style 1.1): A switch weapon/device · B action / reload · Z fire / use gadget · L/R aim · C-Up/Down look · C-Left/Right strafe · Stick move · D-Pad mirrors C.

Four SP control styles (1.1–1.4) permute which of {aim, fire} is on Z vs A/L-R and whether the stick moves or looks. Derived actions: crouch = Aim + C-Down, stand = Aim + C-Up.

Options that change feel: Reverse Pitch (invert vertical aim), Look Ahead (camera leads movement), Head Roll (full 360° look), Auto-Aim (snap to nearest on fire), Aim Control = Hold or Toggle.

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12. Original-game quirks & glitches

These are retail N64 behaviours. If the port reproduces them it is faithful; if you see one while testing, it is probably not a port bug.

• Guard AI freeze under Invisibility — kill one guard in a group and the rest aim at the player's last known position but can never re-acquire (player is invisible); they hold the aim pose until the player moves or dies.
• Ourumov / Jaws killable via Invisibility — both normally can't be engaged (Ourumov flees, Jaws is near-indestructible); with Invisibility the AI can't see the player, so both become killable with any weapon.
• Trevelyan respawn loop (Antenna Cradle, 00 Agent + Invisibility) — killing Trevelyan on the catwalk can respawn him alive at the far shed, repeatable indefinitely. A pathing/AI bug, not intended.
• Invulnerable 006 in Water Caverns — with Invisibility, one of the "guards" leaving the elevator is actually a static, invulnerable Trevelyan model (his AI never detects the invisible player). An easter egg, not a spawn error.
• Post-dialogue allies become killable — after an ally's scripted conversation ends (e.g. Valentin in Statue Park) the player can kill them; no mechanical penalty.
• Ourumov's key opens the Silo launch doors — the briefcase/key dropped by Ourumov has no objective use, but "firing" the key (action button) near the rocket opens the giant launch doors. Otherwise both items are inert.
• Cut content left in levels: the Dam has the unused geometry of a canceled boat mission out on the water; the Train's rear region past Alec/Trevelyan leads nowhere; the Facility's starting vent has a second path blocked purely cosmetically and shootable ceiling glass.

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13. Multiplayer (brief)

Up to 4 local players. Deathmatch + variant modes. Level list = all SP levels plus dedicated MP maps. Character/costume/face are swappable (the raw dump has the full GameShark costume/character ID tables if ever needed for the MP character system).