Military Tactics, AI and stuff.

After seeing the CoH2 thread I thought I'd post about something I've been thinking about.

I've often though it'd be cool to see more advanced AI in the game (or maybe a CoH2 in the future). One of my biggest problems is that all the enemies behave the same (more or less). That is, stand there are cycle powers.
Obviously, limits with the engine and the internet (only so much info can be forced down the series of tubes!) mean that these sort of things aren't currently possible in an MMO... but it always irked me that say, groups like the Council, Nemesis and Malta more or less behave exactly like Freakshow, Trolls and Vahzilok.

Now, I don't know a whole lot about military tactics, but they probably utilise cover, traps and hit and run tactics. Not standing in the open firing their guns.
So, I often though it'd be cool to see groups use cover and things like that to avoid our attacks.

However, now we get to what I'm really talking about. I don't think those tactics, in CoH's world would actually be realistic. After all, even the weakest defended Hero has bullets bounce off their skin and most can shrug of RPGs like they were a water balloon... any cover would become next to useless as the guy you're hiding from would just brave the gunfire and come get you.

So, what do you think would be appropriate tactics for fighting Super Powered beings and could they ever be implemented in a game?

Well, there are a lot of enemies already doing hit and run: Swarms, Scrapyarders, Spectrals, Wolves, etc.

Well I can sorta see what your saying,for example it would be cool if Longbow actually hid behind stuff and fired their weapons from cover,ducking and shooting,say 2/3 of the mob die then the rest sorta run and fire or retreat.

Monsters would be different of course once they got hurt depending on what they were they could take off running or go berserk and get a +dam buff but a -acc.

Alot of possibilities with what you have suggested.

I've got to say no to changing minion AI.

I like the AI as it is, even if its a bit dumb. When the game revolves around mowing down large groups of minions, its frustrating enough when they hit and run or display otherwise intelligent behaviour.

More advanced AI for bosses or AVs would be nice, even more in the way of special units liek Tsoo Sorcerors or Paragon Protectors who require some special attention, but I'd leave the majority of grunts as they are.

It would be very cool to see a few more player powers used by the higher tier enemies - Wormhole and Trip Mines (after running round a corner) are two that spring to mind.

If the NPC AI improves, their damage and abundance of secondary effects drops, and mezzes shouldn't be so ubiquitous. The reason they have all that is because they're brick-stupid and predictable. If one level rises, the other falls. Raise BOTH too much, and bam, forced teaming to do anything, outside of some very specific builds, as you'd NEED debuffers, buffers, and a tank, rather than those just being helpful.

And how long should each mission take, really? If enemies are taking cover and you have to coordinate a plan to get them, you can end up with a lengthy mission, which can hurt the "I can log in and finish a mission during lunch" appeal this game has. I also question if PuGs would be as easy to join, since there's coordination involved now; I suspect that SGs and groups of friends would soon become the biggest (or only)game in town, rather than the fringe groups they are now. Fine for some, the game's death knell for others. Seen it happen in other MMOs.

There are bits of AI I'd like to see change - heck, it wouldn't really need to be "AI" as such.

For instance, patrols that actually alert others in the area (not "spawn an ambush") when attacked or when they see you. I think I posted about this before - I'm thinking of (several) mobs in Aion that either call out "Enemies spotted!" (and gather everyone in an area to them as they attack you,) or that aggro other enemies to you as they run away wounded.

It's just odd, here, to (say) fire at a Crey Security guy, have them run right into another mob as they get finished off... and have that other mob just sit there like nothing happened. Hello, one of your own security guys died right in front of you and bled on your $800 Italian leather shoes!

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If our enemies showed any kind of intelligence they would just start running as soon as they saw us, and never stop. That doesn't sound like much fun.

Maybe include some 'smarter' A.I. in groups like Nemesis and Malta, high level groups. But I agree with the majority of points. It really is a fine balancing act though.

I just wish pet A.I. was less brick stupid.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zwillinger GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.

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Originally Posted by Captain_Photon NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.

I wish there was some sort of "Scale of Courage" where from minion to EB, the NPCs are more likely to stand and fight to the bitter end. I would like NPCs with a wider array of powers to have the ability to use them better. As it stands the NPCs simply cycle through their powers reguardless of what they are or what the target is.