Vahzilok r dum - PROOF!

So as most vet players know, Vahzilok zombies are "dumb" ESPECIALLY when their "human" type associates are taken out. New players might not be aware of this, so I figured I'd capture it on video to show them.

So here you go, proof that the V-zoms are dumb as a brick once you take away the brains of the operation.

You will notice that they instantly come after me once I start to attack their "hooman", but once he's dead and I get out of their line of sight, they immediately go from having the intelligence of a chicken to the intelligence of a shoe.

Also note that once this happens, they don't even try to attack me until I'm right ON TOP of them. And attacking one doesn't make the other one want to kill me like it does with every other mob type in the game.

Zombie #2 only starts attacking once I get "too close".

So, why is this? Well there's two possibilities that I can think of:

1. Zombies have EXTREMELY low natural perception, and the human types carry with them some sort of inherent Leadership power that increases their perception as long as they are alive.
2. The zombies actually have a different AI than the rest of the mobs in the game and are CODED to be "dumber" once the humans are gone.

It's definitely an AI thing since the human Vahz don't have any sort of powers that would help.

The humans ain't no brain trust either. Their understanding of defensive tactics is a little suspect...



No, don't get up, I'll see myself out.



Vahzilok are fun all around, except for the 'fighting' part.

I believe in regular encounters, the vahz zombies have low perception and low threat-aggro that adds to their appearance of stupidity.

I have easily broken aggro when health was low by running a few yards away from the zombies. If it were clockwork, they would chase you from the Bloody Bay helicopter to the Atlas Park gate, maybe I exaggerate. That, said there is a difference in how long you can keep attention of various villain types in the game.

The funniest thing about vahzilok are their silly ambushes. You get all the moritficators and reapers all at once and five minutes later, the abominations and embalmed arrive, stumbling along.

I was under the impression that their raging stupidity was intended to provide game balance since they're so tough individually.

I also find it odd that animated corpses who don't notice their comrades getting picked off right next to them still have the capacity for snappy banter and witty repartee. (i.e. "Here comes the meat aisle." or "Dinner and a movie, perhaps?") Apparently, Dr. Vahzilok chose to keep that part of the brain intact over other, more expendable, parts. Who needs situational awareness or an understanding of basic tactics when your undead minions can do standup?

Can't wait for the Vahzilok/Banished Pantheon All Dead Comedy Tour. Those guys rot... I mean rock.

I'm willing to bet it's all in the threat level AI. Vahz zombies have their threat levels against you quickly aged out if you move out of perception range (which is low to begin with). When their 'leaders' are around, the leaders keep refreshing their minion's threat charts and so, they stay on you when the leaders are around.

Clockwork age out their threat level very slowly. You need to get out of their awareness range and not just their perception range to shake them, and that's without having done damage to them, at which point, they will hunt you down FOREVER.

Once upon a time one of the devs posted something about the enemy AI. One thing I remember was that there are quite a few variables which they can tweak. Every enemy uses the same AI programming, but with a different set of values for those variables. At least, that's my understanding of it.

Brain cells are harder to rejuvinate then most others.