diff --git a/sp/src/game/server/ai_basenpc.cpp b/sp/src/game/server/ai_basenpc.cpp
index 2149a19d..ea1b71d5 100644
--- a/sp/src/game/server/ai_basenpc.cpp
+++ b/sp/src/game/server/ai_basenpc.cpp
@@ -14674,7 +14674,12 @@ void CAI_BaseNPC::CalculateValidEnemyInteractions( void )
 		// If we have a damage filter that prevents us hurting the enemy,
 		// don't interact with him, since most interactions kill the enemy.
 		// Create a fake damage info to test it with.
+#ifdef MAPBASE
+		// DMG_PREVENT_PHYSICS_FORCE can be used to identify dynamic interaction tests
+		CTakeDamageInfo tempinfo( this, this, vec3_origin, vec3_origin, 1.0, DMG_BULLET | DMG_PREVENT_PHYSICS_FORCE );
+#else
 		CTakeDamageInfo tempinfo( this, this, vec3_origin, vec3_origin, 1.0, DMG_BULLET );
+#endif
 		if ( !pNPC->PassesDamageFilter( tempinfo ) )
 			continue;
 
diff --git a/sp/src/game/server/baseentity.cpp b/sp/src/game/server/baseentity.cpp
index fa8843fc..5f371eee 100644
--- a/sp/src/game/server/baseentity.cpp
+++ b/sp/src/game/server/baseentity.cpp
@@ -8012,10 +8012,31 @@ void CBaseEntity::DispatchResponse( const char *conceptName )
 #ifdef MAPBASE
 	if (response[0] == '$')
 	{
-		response[0] = '\0';
-		DevMsg("Replacing %s with %s...\n", response, GetContextValue(response));
-		Q_strncpy(response, GetContextValue(response), sizeof(response));
-		PrecacheScriptSound( response );
+		const char *context = response + 1;
+		const char *replace = GetContextValue(context);
+
+		if (replace)
+		{
+			DevMsg("Replacing %s with %s...\n", response, replace);
+			Q_strncpy(response, replace, sizeof(response));
+
+			// Precache it now because it may not have been precached before
+			switch ( result.GetType() )
+			{
+			case RESPONSE_SPEAK:
+				{
+					PrecacheScriptSound( response );
+				}
+				break;
+
+			case RESPONSE_SCENE:
+				{
+					// TODO: Gender handling?
+					PrecacheInstancedScene( response );
+				}
+				break;
+			}
+		}
 	}
 #endif
 	switch ( result.GetType() )
diff --git a/sp/src/game/server/hl2/npc_combine.cpp b/sp/src/game/server/hl2/npc_combine.cpp
index 64ae37dd..84ee9fa7 100644
--- a/sp/src/game/server/hl2/npc_combine.cpp
+++ b/sp/src/game/server/hl2/npc_combine.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ int g_fCombineQuestion;				// true if an idle grunt asked a question. Cleared wh
 #ifdef MAPBASE
 ConVar npc_combine_idle_walk_easy("npc_combine_idle_walk_easy", "1");
 ConVar npc_combine_unarmed_anims("npc_combine_unarmed_anims", "1");
-ConVar npc_combine_altfire_alliesonly("npc_combine_altfire_alliesonly", "0");
+ConVar npc_combine_altfire_not_allies_only( "npc_combine_altfire_not_allies_only", "1" );
 #endif
 
 #define COMBINE_SKIN_DEFAULT		0
@@ -3362,7 +3362,7 @@ bool CNPC_Combine::CanAltFireEnemy( bool bUseFreeKnowledge )
 	// "Our weapons alone cannot take down the antlion guard!"
 	// "Wait, you're an elite, don't you have, like, disintegration balls or somethi--"
 	// "SHUT UP!"
-	if ( npc_combine_altfire_alliesonly.GetBool() && !pEnemy->IsPlayer() && (!pEnemy->IsNPC() || !pEnemy->MyNPCPointer()->IsPlayerAlly()) )
+	if ( !npc_combine_altfire_not_allies_only.GetBool() && !pEnemy->IsPlayer() && (!pEnemy->IsNPC() || !pEnemy->MyNPCPointer()->IsPlayerAlly()) )
 #else
 	if( !pEnemy->IsPlayer() && (!pEnemy->IsNPC() || !pEnemy->MyNPCPointer()->IsPlayerAlly()) )
 #endif
diff --git a/sp/src/game/server/hl2/npc_playercompanion.cpp b/sp/src/game/server/hl2/npc_playercompanion.cpp
index 981f5692..b8a5725d 100644
--- a/sp/src/game/server/hl2/npc_playercompanion.cpp
+++ b/sp/src/game/server/hl2/npc_playercompanion.cpp
@@ -160,7 +160,6 @@ bool CNPC_PlayerCompanion::gm_bFindingCoverFromAllEnemies;
 #ifdef MAPBASE
 string_t CNPC_PlayerCompanion::gm_iszMortarClassname;
 string_t CNPC_PlayerCompanion::gm_iszGroundTurretClassname;
-string_t CNPC_PlayerCompanion::gm_iszRollerMineClassname;
 #else
 string_t CNPC_PlayerCompanion::gm_iszMortarClassname;
 string_t CNPC_PlayerCompanion::gm_iszFloorTurretClassname;
@@ -206,9 +205,8 @@ bool CNPC_PlayerCompanion::CreateBehaviors()
 void CNPC_PlayerCompanion::Precache()
 {
 #ifdef MAPBASE
-	SetGlobalString(gm_iszMortarClassname, "func_tankmortar");
-	SetGlobalString(gm_iszGroundTurretClassname, "npc_turret_ground");
-	SetGlobalString(gm_iszRollerMineClassname, "npc_rollermine");
+	gm_iszMortarClassname = AllocPooledString( "func_tankmortar" );
+	gm_iszGroundTurretClassname = AllocPooledString( "npc_turret_ground" );
 #else
 	gm_iszMortarClassname = AllocPooledString( "func_tankmortar" );
 	gm_iszFloorTurretClassname = AllocPooledString( "npc_turret_floor" );
diff --git a/sp/src/game/server/hl2/npc_playercompanion.h b/sp/src/game/server/hl2/npc_playercompanion.h
index 2165db1c..150eaec0 100644
--- a/sp/src/game/server/hl2/npc_playercompanion.h
+++ b/sp/src/game/server/hl2/npc_playercompanion.h
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ protected:
 	#define gm_iszFloorTurretClassname gm_isz_class_FloorTurret
 	static string_t gm_iszGroundTurretClassname;
 	#define gm_iszShotgunClassname gm_isz_class_Shotgun
-	static string_t	gm_iszRollerMineClassname;
+	#define gm_iszRollerMineClassname gm_isz_class_Rollermine
 	#define gm_iszSMG1Classname gm_isz_class_SMG1
 	#define gm_iszAR2Classname gm_isz_class_AR2
 #else
diff --git a/sp/src/game/server/mapbase/GlobalStrings.cpp b/sp/src/game/server/mapbase/GlobalStrings.cpp
index 665e2811..011e9d99 100644
--- a/sp/src/game/server/mapbase/GlobalStrings.cpp
+++ b/sp/src/game/server/mapbase/GlobalStrings.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ string_t gm_isz_class_Dropship;
 string_t gm_isz_class_FloorTurret;
 string_t gm_isz_class_CScanner;
 string_t gm_isz_class_ClawScanner;
+string_t gm_isz_class_Rollermine;
 #endif
 
 string_t gm_isz_class_Bullseye;
@@ -68,18 +69,6 @@ inline bool EntIsClass( CBaseEntity *ent, string_t str2 )
 	return ent->m_iClassname == str2;
 }
 
-inline void SetGlobalString( string_t &string, const char *text )
-{
-	//string = AllocPooledString(text);
-
-	// Entities usually allocate global strings every time one of them spawns, meaning the string could've already been allocated either
-	// by the same type of entity already being spawned or some other means.
-	// If it's already allocated, we could easily just use "Find" instead of "Alloc". There's a fallback if we don't find it in the string pool.
-	string = FindPooledString( text );
-	if (string == NULL_STRING)
-		string = AllocPooledString( text );
-}
-
 // We know it hasn't been allocated yet
 #define INITIALIZE_GLOBAL_STRING(string, text) string = AllocPooledString(text) //SetGlobalString(string, text)
 
@@ -104,6 +93,7 @@ void InitGlobalStrings()
 	INITIALIZE_GLOBAL_STRING(gm_isz_class_FloorTurret, "npc_turret_floor");
 	INITIALIZE_GLOBAL_STRING(gm_isz_class_CScanner, "npc_cscanner");
 	INITIALIZE_GLOBAL_STRING(gm_isz_class_ClawScanner, "npc_clawscanner");
+	INITIALIZE_GLOBAL_STRING(gm_isz_class_Rollermine, "npc_rollermine");
 #endif
 
 	INITIALIZE_GLOBAL_STRING(gm_isz_class_Bullseye, "npc_bullseye");
diff --git a/sp/src/game/server/mapbase/GlobalStrings.h b/sp/src/game/server/mapbase/GlobalStrings.h
index 2dadb5d4..22d2e494 100644
--- a/sp/src/game/server/mapbase/GlobalStrings.h
+++ b/sp/src/game/server/mapbase/GlobalStrings.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ extern string_t gm_isz_class_Dropship;
 extern string_t gm_isz_class_FloorTurret;
 extern string_t gm_isz_class_CScanner;
 extern string_t gm_isz_class_ClawScanner;
+extern string_t gm_isz_class_Rollermine;
 #endif
 
 extern string_t gm_isz_class_Bullseye;
@@ -68,8 +69,6 @@ extern string_t gm_isz_name_activator;
 // This function is for comparing global strings and allows us to change how we compare them quickly.
 extern bool EntIsClass( CBaseEntity *ent, string_t str2 );
 
-extern void SetGlobalString( string_t &string, const char *text );
-
 // -------------------------------------------------------------
 
 extern void InitGlobalStrings();