Can Good AI Be Bad?
Posted: Sunday, 24th July 2011, 09:17
Some enemies purposely have bad AIs. Orc priests and centaurs come to mind but there are others too. If their AI was improved the game would be too hard... just imagine centaurs that kite you and keep firing those branded arrows even when you're in melee range and orc priests that smite spam and never give you a break. What if every orc wizard blinked when you were in melee range and spammed throw frost when you aren't?
To be blunt, the AI improvement for ranged enemies did nothing more than remove tactical options from the player and widened the gap between melee and casters even more. If this was the goal then why not improve the AI for orc priests and centaurs?
I've been playing a lot of melee classes recently and even won with a MDFi. Before I would try to tactically use the environment to get an edge... now my only option is to mindlessly run up to enemies and hope for the best.
I know the change won't be reverted after existing for so long. I guess I just want to ask the point of it all. What was accomplished that wouldn't also be accomplished by improving orc priests and such?
Also, it would be interesting if every enemy played as tactically as the hypothetical orc wizard if melee characters had more options to deal with them like making wands of confusion more common or something or allow the throwing of potions (yes, I know it's never going to be done, but I'm just tossing ideas out there).
To be blunt, the AI improvement for ranged enemies did nothing more than remove tactical options from the player and widened the gap between melee and casters even more. If this was the goal then why not improve the AI for orc priests and centaurs?
I've been playing a lot of melee classes recently and even won with a MDFi. Before I would try to tactically use the environment to get an edge... now my only option is to mindlessly run up to enemies and hope for the best.
I know the change won't be reverted after existing for so long. I guess I just want to ask the point of it all. What was accomplished that wouldn't also be accomplished by improving orc priests and such?
Also, it would be interesting if every enemy played as tactically as the hypothetical orc wizard if melee characters had more options to deal with them like making wands of confusion more common or something or allow the throwing of potions (yes, I know it's never going to be done, but I'm just tossing ideas out there).