SWtoR "groundbreaking AI" - stolen from LotRO's boars!

[LagunaD]

I came across this five-page hands-on review of SWtoR from E3.

One whole page of the five is devoted to gushing over SWtoR's AI behavior, and one of the main elements they swooned over gave me a good chuckle:

Artificial intelligence is something many MMOs are lacking when compared to single player games. Many times MMO enemies seem binary, with only a couple different states to choose from. The two primary enemies are instantly aggressive or aggressive when engaged. While The Old Republic does have these mobs, they add a tertiary option: aware. This third mob type appears to acknowledge players when they enter a certain range, but will not engage unless the player moves closer or possibly stays in this "aware range" for a prolonged amount of time. This third option, while subtle, does help to make players feel like they are part of the world by reducing the "gamey" feeling accompanied with the "on/off" mobs in many MMOs.

There is also a handy diagram to illustrate this cutting edge innovation in advanced MMO AI:

I thought to myself, "Gee, the stupid boars in LotRO have been doing that for a couple years..."



(It's still a good review, BTW, if you're interested in SWtoR)

[Raskolnikov]

Haha, nice. We can actually make any mob behave this way that we want, not just boars. There's a "delay aggro" script that we attach to monsters we want to threaten before they attack. That script controls the length of the delay as well as any animations/sound the monster performs during this 'threaten' action.

That is a pretty fancy illustration though.

[Reillan]

Haha, nice. We can actually make any mob behave this way that we want, not just boars. There's a "delay aggro" script that we attach to monsters we want to threaten before they attack. That script controls the length of the delay as well as any animations/sound the monster performs during this 'threaten' action.

That is a pretty fancy illustration though.

Don't suppose you'd mind doing that with goblins and orcs at some point?

no?

A man can dream!

[semjaza]

Haha, nice. We can actually make any mob behave this way that we want, not just boars. There's a "delay aggro" script that we attach to monsters we want to threaten before they attack. That script controls the length of the delay as well as any animations/sound the monster performs during this 'threaten' action.

That is a pretty fancy illustration though.

That's actually one of my favorite things about this game, even though it seems "small". The idea that every animal either hates me or doesn't is just kind of goofy. I like that they act territorial and are cool if you want to run away.

This reminds me of something else that would be kind of neat... I don't know if this is possible? Sometimes I wonder why enemies should be still 100% powerful when they're on their deathbed. It'd be neat to see their abilities either degrade or, conversely, seem more "last resort" attacks from them.

I think there's some examples of that in-game already... but sometimes it's kind of weird to me that a 10 morale goblin is as strong as a 4,000 morale goblin of the same level haha.

[gildhur]

Yeah, I read that this morning and didn't make the connection with threatening behavior here.

LotRO: Three years ahead of "groundbreaking AI"!

[cedwin]

I came across this five-page hands-on review of SWtoR from E3.

One whole page of the five is devoted to gushing over SWtoR's AI behavior, and one of the main elements they swooned over gave me a good chuckle:

I saw that earlier, first thing I thought of was the Trolls on the road in the Trollshaws.

[geoboy]

I always thought that the 'threaten to attack' mobs were based on a timer instead of proximity. It might not be exactly the same thing..

Oh, and nice to see ya LagunaD!

[cedwin]

I always thought that the 'threaten to attack' mobs were based on a timer instead of proximity. It might not be exactly the same thing..

It's based on both. You have to be in proximity before the boars "growl" at you. If you stand there for a certain amount of time, then they attack you. The radius of proximity seems to be different on different mobs.

It seems like SWtoR went one step further and added in a smaller "aggro" radius. If you stand in the "Aware" radius, they will just continue to "growl" at you, or maybe they will eventually attack. But then there is a smaller circle which is closer to the mob that makes them auto aggro.

[Wisdomandlore]

I read some of that and wasn't sure what was so groundbreaking about the AI either. LOTRO does a lot of the same things. FFXI had mobs that aggroed and tracked by sound, sight, smell, and magic. That was 8 years ago.

[cedwin]

FFXI had mobs that aggroed and tracked by sound, sight, smell, and magic. That was 8 years ago.

DDO does something like that too. You can throw something at the ground or wall, and the mobs will walk over to it and investigate. If you try to sneak by, they can hear you and follow the sound of your footsteps.

[auximenes]

There's a "delay aggro" script that we attach to monsters we want to threaten before they attack. That script controls the length of the delay as well as any animations/sound the monster performs during this 'threaten' action.

I'd like to see grey-con enemies that would normally attack you immediately have a 'threaten then fight' response. It troubles me that we can stand in the midst of scores of goblins for example, and just because they're grey-con they will never attack. Also, how about having grey-con enemies that normally threaten first threaten you then run away if you remain close?

[semjaza]

I'd like to see grey-con enemies that would normally attack you immediately have a 'threaten then fight' response. It troubles me that we can stand in the midst of scores of goblins for example, and just because they're grey-con they will never attack. Also, how about having grey-con enemies that normally threaten first threaten you then run away if you remain close?

I'd like that too. Maybe they have a longer timer and only get aggro at very close range... but what would be nice is that once they do get aggro, more enemies than usual would join in. Kind of like they know you're overpowered and are desperate.

[FormulaTroll]

I'd like to see grey-con enemies that would normally attack you immediately have a 'threaten then fight' response. It troubles me that we can stand in the midst of scores of goblins for example, and just because they're grey-con they will never attack. Also, how about having grey-con enemies that normally threaten first threaten you then run away if you remain close?

This would be beautiful. I too think it's odd that I can run unimpeded through an orc camp. Are my muscles really that big? And if so, they should be running away from me. Not just standing there while I loot their chests for lowbie materials.

[Nitfol]

Maybe they have a longer timer and only get aggro at very close range... but what would be nice is that once they do get aggro, more enemies than usual would join in. Kind of like they know you're overpowered and are desperate.

Or maybe they all start toward you, and then all but one turn and run the other way, leaving a single orc standing in front of you wondering where the heck everyone else went.

How's that old saying go, you don't have to be faster than the 65th level freep, just faster than the rest of your squadron?

[Nefarym]

or be able to break the leg of the person running beside you.

[Darej]

Or maybe they all start toward you, and then all but one turn and run the other way, leaving a single orc standing in front of you wondering where the heck everyone else went.

How's that old saying go, you don't have to be faster than the 65th level freep, just faster than the rest of your squadron?

You have been given the task of defeating the warlock Krill.

sorry for the derail but Nit's name/sig caused a flashback...

[geoboy]

Or maybe they all start toward you, and then all but one turn and run the other way, leaving a single orc standing in front of you wondering where the heck everyone else went.

How's that old saying go, you don't have to be faster than the 65th level freep, just faster than the rest of your squadron?

This sounds like a 'moors raid.

[Rolfie]

I have told people you don't have to be the fastest, just faster than the hobbit you just knocked over.

[Forohir]

Threatening boar sez:

rrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRUUUU UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHhhhh hhhhh!

[FatsTheBlob]

So... when I went out to get my mail this morning I looked up and saw there was a bright ball of light in the sky. I thought to myself; "Oh thats why it's bright outside during the day", what a groundbreaking discovery!




Wait what do you mean someone did that already?

[auximenes]

I have told people you don't have to be the fastest, just faster than the hobbit you just knocked over.

That reminds me of a time back in High School when a few of us were hanging out near a drainage pond behind a friend's home at night. We were passing the time as a Hobbit would (snacks and pipeweed ) when suddenly there was a motion in the dark water, nearby in the reeds. What did we see? An alligator. Probably not more than a few feet long, but big enough to send us running. I ran straight towards the house. My one buddy solidly bumped into the other and started zig-zagging to safety, leaving the bumped buddy off-balance and slowed. Moral of the story: You only have to be faster than the slowest person.

[Artanisul]

I have always heard it as "I don't have to out run Mom, I just have to out run you."

It's groundbreaking!

The more I read about that game the more I wonder if it is just the 5 bajillion dollars spent on voice actors they just don't want to make seem like stupidity...

[welden]

I really don't see anything 'groundbreaking' in this thread but I would like to point out that Loremasters have a neat little skill that is truly 'groundbreaking'.

Welden

[gildhur]

I really don't see anything 'groundbreaking' in this thread but I would like to point out that Loremasters have a neat little skill that is truly 'groundbreaking'.

[TheCrusher]

The night trolls in the Moors do this, but I wish they'd just attack.