I want enemies to use tactics we usually apply, too

[Alrik_Fassbauer]

Hello, everyone,

today I thought in an discusion : "we usually take out casters FIRST - what if THEY did this, too ?"

(In the Drakensang games, quite a lot of people complained about enemies using the exact same tactics they usually applied to the enemies ! - They were just not used to it.)

I think this would lead to an interesting challenge : Enemies trying to take out the own group's casters FIRST.

The result of this will be of course the forums bing flooded with rage - but I think that this effort could be worth it.

It would have to be tested, of course, to see how players would react towards this new layer of challenge.

"Keep the casters alive !" could become especially interesting if they are needed for a later part in the same quest.

Alrik

[grayham]

Well, I stepped into the forest without DW and was running onto a quest when I spotted a random encounter "kill the necromancer". Easy chest I thought. Well, I barely had time to notice the energy drain+3 negative levels before he Finger-of-deathed me. So that was nice. Taken straight from the Pale master textbook.

[Alrik_Fassbauer]

Where was that ? I don't remember this quest.
And low-level quests don't need death ward anyway.

[grgurius]

Problem is that a well played caster is usually the toughest to kill.

So yes, there would be rage, but only because melees would need to chase the mobs casters are kiting.

[grayham]

Where was that ? I don't remember this quest.
And low-level quests don't need death ward anyway.

It was in the Kings forest explorer. I was on my way to 'The unquiet graves'.

[Tshober]

Actually, the kill order for most difficult encounters goes:

1) Healers
2) Arcane Casters
3) Melee DPS
4) archers and others


If the enemies prioritized like that, just imagine how long it might take to find a healer for your party! Not many people play healers already. Even fewer would play them if they knew they would be the first to die in every encounter.

[TrinityTurtle]

Where was that ? I don't remember this quest.
And low-level quests don't need death ward anyway.

He's talking about King's Forest random encounters, which is a minimum level 20 explorer area. So...death ward is kinda important.

[Alrik_Fassbauer]

Okay. Acknowledged. I rather think in low-level terms.

[Khatzhas]

If mobs used some of the same tactics that players sometimes do, they would be declared bugs and a storm of protests about bad quality would hit the forums.
Standing in spots where they cannot be attacked, kiting, breaking LOS etc.

[Alrik_Fassbauer]

[Malison]

If mobs used some of the same tactics that players sometimes do, they would be declared bugs and a storm of protests about bad quality would hit the forums.
Standing in spots where they cannot be attacked, kiting, breaking LOS etc.

There is no "if" about this. Players have griped about kobolds perching on walls for ages.

The trouble with enemies trying tactics is that they are controlled by AI scripts, which means they will always be predictable. After that first energy drain / fod in the forest, you learn to go out there with death ward and the tactic is neutralized. After playing a caster or archer for a few levels you learn how enemies move and kiting becomes trivial. Experienced melee can even remain in melee with a crowd of enemies without being attacked by more than one at a time.

Players do not use scripts. We do a lot of the same things over and over, but only because we know they work. If they stop working, we're free to adapt, which can be done in a moment. For enemies to adapt requires reprogramming time.

I think this would lead to an interesting challenge : Enemies trying to take out the own group's casters FIRST.

The result of this will be of course the forums bing flooded with rage - but I think that this effort could be worth it.

If the caster is of a zerging mentality, enemies always try to kill him first. He will always be the first in and laying down AoE. I doubt those sorts of players would even notice a change like this.

Slower-paced groups, though... yes, there could be rage.