Attribute "follow_range" is not working for hostile mobs before they find the target

The bug still exists in 1.14.4. This really messes with a custom map I'm doing since aggro range is a huge part of it. I wonder if it's intended behavior, since it's called 'follow' range.

I still have the same problem as described. Though when I lower the follow rang to below the default 16 block that works. Like if I lower it to 5 blocks, I do have to get that close, but if I raise it to 20, I still have to be get with in 16 blocks. 

This is still a massive issue for me. It has halted all progress on my custom map, as it relays heavily on agro rang. Y level doesn't seem to matter or effect it at all. Just no matter what I set it to a mob will not notice me unless I am with in 16 block no matter how high I set it. And again if a set it to say 7 block I have to be with in 7, so lowering it works but I can't raise it past the default 16.

I have the same problem. followRange is broken.

ultimately what is needed is a targetRange attribute.

Back in pre 1.6 days, internal had target range and follow range as separate values. a zombie would aggro at 16 (targetRange) but follow you up to 40.

But 1.6 introduced attributes and merged these values, resulting in zombies now aggroing at 40 (now 35?)

It seems like mojang realized that was bad and has once again separated the values, but currently hard coded.

Just give a target range attribute and everythings good.

Target Range controls the distance a monster will choose to attack you, and then follow would be how far you have to run from it before it gives up chase.

And if you want both of those values to be high/same, then set both to the same.

The attribute names within the command have been updated in the 1.16 snapshots, and is now 'follow_range'... But, I can confirm the issue nonetheless.

As of today, Java Edition 1.16.1 is available to everyone, and the attribute follow_range still does not work properly. For example, even if a skeleton's follow range attribute is set to 40, it will still only detect players to attack within 16 blocks (its default value).

Once a player is detected by the skeleton, it will follow the player up to 40 blocks, but there is no way to currently allow the skeleton- or any other mob- to target another mob at a distance that is greater than the modified mob's default follow range. A lower value, however (3, for example), does work. A skeleton with a follow_range set to 3 will not follow or attempt to attack anything unless it is within 3 blocks.

This is a game issue that really only effects experienced players and map builders- however, the follow_range attribute is crucial for making custom maps and mobs and remains a major unresolved issue.

Can additionally confirm this bug's existence, and i would really like to see this bug get fixed.

Aikar's comment about adding a target_range attribute would also be good.

I don't think it should be that hard to fix this, and it definitely is a BIG issue for map makers

The only "solution" i have found to this, is when you summon a mob, to first teleport it close enough to the player so the regular follow_range of the mob can detect the player, and only then, teleport it back to where it should be. It is still tho quite a problem, since it involves either the player to see the mob teleport, or even more commands including invisibility, and armor/hand item management, to prevent the player to see the mob teleport. Resolving this bug would make all of this useless once for all.

Can confirm. If i summon a skeleton with a detection range of 512 and stay 16 blocks away from it in survival, it doesn't notice me, however if i hit the skeleton with a bow from very far away, it instantly notices me.

I just wanted to re-affirm that this major issue is still kicking around in current development and release versions of Minecraft.

As far as I am aware the issue in code is fairly short and was introduced after 1.12.2 during an update. In 1.12.2 mobs were able to have (and use) follow ranges of up to 64 blocks (or more) using this feature, and it allowed for creators to make custom creatures fairly easily. Since 1.13-1.14 this changed, and this feature was only able to be used to lower mob vision range.

I am part of a community that used this feature extensively, and we are still trying to figure out how to get around its dysfunctionality in every patch after 1.12.2. Frankly we've come up empty handed, the feature was too integral to use others to replace.

The best we can do right now is slap a zombie on the head of the mob we want to give a longer vision range (as they see 40 blocks away instead of the usual 20), make the zombie silent and invisible, and stick a potion on its head to kill it when the mob below dies. This ends up looking worse, and being incredibly restrictive. It also prevents us from dynamically changing mob AI based on player distance, and creating boss mobs without extensive additional mods or code.

I implore Mojang developers to please fix this issue as many adult content creators like myself want to get back to doing what we love on this game which we still happen to share great interest in.

Would it be possible to get verification that Mojang is working on fixing this issue? It affects a fair number of creators.

Thank you for your time~

Just re-visited this when designing an arena for a 1.17.1 world. Definitely still an issue, and it would be great if this could be fixed. Building a(nother) battle arena in our 1.17 world for people to obtain blocks (the mobs wear the blocks on their heads). My solution in 1.16 was to just build a small arena, which I will do again, but would prefer to have the option to make a large open arena.

Thanks @Juniper H C for the idea to put zombies on the heads to give a follow range of 40. Will be experimenting with that.

~update, I'm adding Invisible Husks as riders to all my mobs in the arena, to give them all an aggro range of 40. I have a repeating command block to cull the riders, /minecraft:kill @e[name=killme,nbt={OnGround:true}]
This at least allows me to have a fairly open arena! Thanks Juniper 🙂

This is due to the AI applying the follow range before it's actually changed.

(Using Mojang mappings) The NearestAttackableTargetGoal is applied to mobs in the creation of the entity (when is actually instantiated), where the follow range is taken from TargetGoal#getFollowDistance, and, at that time, is the default one.

So, the only way to actually make it apply is to leave and join back the world, where, when the entity is created, the mob has already the correct attribute (modifier) and the Goal takes the correct follow range.

One way to fix this is to change the target search to query the mob's follow range every time the distance is needed, but I really don't know how it would affect performance.
I tried doing this in one of my mods and seems like it doesn't affect performance.

A couple of years ago I made an adventure map where some skeletons could see you from a long distance away. I noticed that they only did that if you first hurt them, i.e. shot them with a bow. Then they suddenly started sprinting towards you even from a hundred blocks away. It was unfortunate that the player had to provoke them, but it was also kind of funny and so I ignored it.

Now I tested this again, and the follow_range attribute doesn't work for me at all, even when I try to anger the skeleton from a distance.

EDIT: Well, derr... I revisited my old adventure map, and it turns out it still worked. I just wrote the command incorrectly when I tested this. Still, hopefully Mojang can make it so mobs see you without you having to provoke them.

Here's the command:

/summon minecraft:skeleton ~ ~ ~ {Attributes:[{Name:"minecraft:generic.follow_range",Base:100.0d}],PersistenceRequired:1}

It'd be very useful if you could fix this, Mojang. This really hinders command blockers, datapack makers and map makers, and at the same time this seems like it would be a very easy fix. Please fix this issue.

Hi all, I hopped back over (it's 2 years later) to see if this major issue has been fixed or given an assignee and saw that it as of yet has not, despite reaching 99 votes from registered Mojang accounts (I added mine today as it looks like I genuinely forgot to the first time round [congrats on reaching 100 votes?]).

Is there anything we might be able to do to raise awareness of this ridiculous issue through other means? I'm not saying Mojang's team is not going to find this issue through this bug reporting site, but as of current most "reopened" issues take much longer to get an assignee than new cases, which means we might be waiting a while longer.

It's been 5 years since we were able to make functioning mobs using this particular tag, and I for one am itching to design a modless creature in this game again.

Wow... This is STILL not even assigned (considered low priority too... 😞), & the fix MIGHT even be relatively simple?
Is it an issue of the mob being unable to perceive properly first, in order to then follow? Or is the follow property just plain not adding itself onto the mobs correctly?

Could @unknown be onto something, maybe?