Questions about the enemy AI

[SteveAdamo]

so... will our enemies:

• take the shortest path to gain entrance to a settlement, eg. walking towards fortified defenses (shorter path) as opposed to taking a more indirect (longer path) but safer route?
• steal exposed, but not collected, resources?
• sabotage outlying power supplies / exposed power conduits, eg. geothermal station established far outside the settlement?
• turn on one another as a result of friendly fire?

[miah999]

No on all counts.

The enemy will head for the open spaces in your defenses, (this is why a lot of players us "funnels" to trick the AI in to kill boxes). Large numbers of raiders will split, and send a flanking group to your rear or to look for a weak spot while you fight at the main gate.

[SteveAdamo]

No on all counts.

ok, thanks for the feedback... perhaps some of these behaviors might be implemented at some point?

would be fun/depressing to see (for example) your source of power cut off from the settlement...

[miah999]

I'm pretty sure the AI will only get smarter and more focused.

[Blitz]

I'm pretty sure the AI will only get smarter and more focused.

Hopefully the raiders will probably get more tools at their disposal to create opportunites for themselves too.

[Tynan]

Actually, this is yes on most counts - in the future (near future for some, more distant for others).

If you try to funnel raiders they will just destroy the structures you're using to funnel them. Or they'll set up camp and just mortar you. They will respond to this.

Animals will come and specially target your food, because it's juicier than eating grass. This may or may not extend to characters that steal items like guns.

They already will sabotage outlying supplies if they come close and no threat is nearby. But this will happen even more effectively one I get my first point (anti-funnel) in.

It's not planned to have people change allegiance due to friendly fire.

[SteveAdamo]

Actually, this is yes on most counts

excellent! but just to be clear, enemy units might opt for a longer/safer route, and not necessarily run headfirst into a fortified location, if they could discover the alternative path... correct?

It's not planned to have people change allegiance due to friendly fire.

understood... is friendly fire already occurring? on both sides?

[Blitz]

Friendly fire seems to be after a set distance after the bullet fires. At close range, there is no FF. At longer distance, your guys can shoot each other.

Thrown weapons can always hit anyone.

[Tynan]

I'm not sure they'll ever do the kind of danger zone analysis you're talking about. That would be some very advanced stuff. But it may happen. I can say that they will defeat the simple funneling tactics you're seeing used a lot these days.

And Blitz is right about FF. If you're shooting right past your pal he'll be okay. If he's right next to the target there might be a problem.

[SteveAdamo]

ah, ok... makes perfect sense... thanks for the followup gents...

[nerys]

a way to make your colonists retreat would be nice. say a call to general quarters. go to your bedroom unless your called to do something type of thing or a rally point or something.

better the base burn down than colonists die :-)

[Mullie0]

I might have an idea to make the AI more challenging and intelligent

Maybe some sort of multiplayer like the total war series where a other player controls the attacking force. Or where another player can look at the map and tell the AI where it should attack or plant charges to break walls.

This would give the defending player a good challenge and the attacking player can look at how other players are playing the game.

Ps this is my first post here (though I have been lurking here for a while) and of course it have backed the game. It looks awesome

[SteveAdamo]

better the base burn down than colonists die :-)

im sure at some point, i'll provide a more thorough recounting of my recent settlement/last stand massacre...

suffice it to say, i had lovingly crafted a beautiful home for my settlers, and was growing quite fond of Swanson in particular (he was such a cheerfully hard worker)...

until the fateful night when he caught fire, spread the fire to a solar panel array, which in turn caught fire and exploded, bringing still more fire to the outside walls of the once peaceful settlement... chaos ensued...

farewell Swanson, may you finally have the peace you so richly deserve............

[W1Z25]

better the base burn down than colonists die :-)

im sure at some point, i'll provide a more thorough recounting of my recent settlement/last stand massacre...

suffice it to say, i had lovingly crafted a beautiful home for my settlers, and was growing quite fond of Swanson in particular (he was such a cheerfully hard worker)...

until the fateful night when he caught fire, spread the fire to a solar panel array, which in turn caught fire and exploded, bringing still more fire to the outside walls of the once peaceful settlement... chaos ensued...

farewell Swanson, may you finally have the peace you so richly deserve............

im sorry but reading this made me laugh very hard..

[SteveAdamo]

im sorry but reading this made me laugh very hard..

if Swanson's death has taught us nothing else, its that, in RW, losing is indeed fun...