Improve the AI

[Munchkin9]

Seriously this is something that really needs to be done as the AI is the most frustrating thing in this game. It wouldn't even be that hard: just base it off what players do in multiplayer.

1.While moving/charging they should spread out so that they have room to swing their weapon (even if there aren't enemies right there)
2.There should be a major preference to block if they see an attack coming
3.They should also try to step out of the way of attacks
4.After blocking or dodging an attack they should know that it is unlikely the enemy can swing again so they should press an attack
5.Also at all times they should be trying to move around there opponents to get a better angle
6.They should not shove themselves against there enemy, but instead keep them at maximum weapon range as much as possible.
7.They should focus their attention on the nearest enemy, with a preference for those not engaged. Instead of always focusing their attention on the player.

and optionally:

1. While charging (especially if they know the enemy has archers) they should aim for cover. However, this would probably be very hard to do.
2.While in a large fight (5 or more people on each side, for example) their intelligence regarding blocking and dodging could be reduced to represent confusion.

If these things were done the AI would actually be much funner to play with, more realistic, and save the single player mode from just being dropped for preference of the multiplayer where you can fight people without tearing your hair out.

-Munchkin9

 

[PrinceGhaldir]

Its not hard because humans do it? WTF

1. I dont see any problems currently.
2. If the AI is set to good.
3. Mwah, doesnt combine well with 2 IMO.
4. Indeed.
5. No, thats just rubbish. That would make fights look like any movie with Yakety sax as music.
6. Good.
7. Dont they?

1. Cover? What cover?
2. Large? 10 people? Yeah right... But it might be good yes.

 

[Munchkin9]

You misunderstood me: what I meant was that if you look at what players do during multiplayer, you will immediately notice that they act very differently from the AI in game (obviously admittedly) however they all act in a very similar fashion such as the points noted above.

1.Admittedly this one isn't the worse, they just tend to group up a little too much. Once again I was basing myself off what most players do.
2.Even with the AI set to good they just spam attacks and rarely block. And yes my AI is on good.
3.It combines perfectly fine (though it would be hard to code in) its just based on whether or not they can step out of the attack range (it actually combines well with 6).
5.No it would look like multiplayer.
7.Not that I have seen, sometimes I am standing in front of them and they just ignore me and sometimes I am behind three lines of my troops and they just run right past and head straight for me, which in both RL an multiplayer this would be suicide. From what I can tell they seem to aim for the person who has hurt them last, if this is true it is an idiotic system (no offense to the developers).

1.I don't know, trees maybe? This was a big maybe and really isn't necessary.

 

[PrinceGhaldir]

But you certainly cant compare singleplayer and multiplayer. Singleplayer is very different from multiplayer, AI improvement yes, but not in a multiplayer way.

 

[Razuul]

i think that was the whole point of this post. targeting single player. nothing to do with multiplayer.

i agree with the OP. way too much bunching up on when charging. AI has to make space for themselves so they can function in their attacks.

though AI in games is tough to make effective, Munchkin is right, there are some things that could be adjusted to make the AI more realistic.

 

[PrinceGhaldir]

I somehow agree that cavalry should give more space to eachother, charging in with an army of pure heavy cavalry doesnt leave anything for you to chop.

But what you see in multiplayer is the best way to fight with the game, while singleplayer should focus more on realistic combat. No jumping.

 

[Razuul]

right, but again i dont think this is about multiplayer.

its not just the calvalry because the footmen move in the same way. too bunched up and no room to breathe.

 

[PrinceGhaldir]

But that is the way infantry should fight, cavalry should have space to keep riding instead of standing still. Infantry dont have to move like that.

 

[Razuul]

still should not stop the infantry from bunching up like a chain of car crashes instead of just running around the outsides of the pile up and attacking from the sides or behind.

the topic is about enhancing the AI altogether.

 

[Ramong]

Yes, making the AI better both inside and outside of combat is a must, and should be focused upon!

 

[Munchkin9]

Hey sort of a bump but I actually have something to add to this:

I recently just watched the new Robin Hood (Which was actually pretty good) and realized why the battles are cooler in the movie then in the game and less deadly to the 'hero'. In Mount and Blade the two lines charge each other and end up in one tight clump as the two lines run at the center of each other. In the movie as in every battle scene ever rendered (and what seems most logical to me) the initial clash might be a bit packed, but VERY quickly the combat spreads out a lot so that there is only small clusters of men fighting. And related to this everyone does not charge the hero on sight which is what it feels like in Mount and Blade.

Don't know how clear that came across I'm pressed for time right now, might edit later.

 

[someboddy]

Overall, I agree that the AI has much room for improvement. However, basing it on multiplayer is just wrong - multiplayer is a bunch of protagonists ganged together, while singleplayer is an army of redshirts.

1.While moving/charging they should spread out so that they have room to swing their weapon (even if there aren't enemies right there)
2.There should be a major preference to block if they see an attack coming
...
5.Also at all times they should be trying to move around there opponents to get a better angle
...
1. While charging (especially if they know the enemy has archers) they should aim for cover. However, this would probably be very hard to do.

And break formation? No thanks.

7.They should focus their attention on the nearest enemy, with a preference for those not engaged. Instead of always focusing their attention on the player.

I disagree. A single AI has no chance against the player(unless it's a low level character on the highest difficulty, or if the player just sucks), and the AI tactics should take that into account. If the AI spread their attack instead of ganging on the player, the player can just wander around the battlefield, easily take out the small portion of the enemy that chooses him or her as it's enemy, and interrupt AI vs AI battles one by one. At the end of the battle, the player will suffer little to none looses thanks to the companion's healing skills.

Not very challenging, right? The current AI behavior, where the enemy tries to gang on the player, forces you to use your army well.

2.While in a large fight (5 or more people on each side, for example) their intelligence regarding blocking and dodging could be reduced to represent confusion.

In multiplayer, 5 vs 5(in a single fight - not in 5 different fights around the map) is a large fight. In singleplayer, it's half of your first clash with bandits. And there shouldn't be that much confusion - those men are trained to fight in ranks!

Hey sort of a bump but I actually have something to add to this:

I recently just watched the new Robin Hood (Which was actually pretty good) and realized why the battles are cooler in the movie then in the game and less deadly to the 'hero'. In Mount and Blade the two lines charge each other and end up in one tight clump as the two lines run at the center of each other. In the movie as in every battle scene ever rendered (and what seems most logical to me) the initial clash might be a bit packed, but VERY quickly the combat spreads out a lot so that there is only small clusters of men fighting. And related to this everyone does not charge the hero on sight which is what it feels like in Mount and Blade.

Don't know how clear that came across I'm pressed for time right now, might edit later.

The multiplayer is like that. The singleplayer is more like 300 - two shield walls facing each other. I like it that way - there are many games that let you slice your way through hordes of enemies, with some challenging foes here and there, but how many games let you lead personally a formation of 100 troops?