ArenaNet:Guild Wars 2 suggestions/various AI

(Discussion)
Something i would have liked is not to have to kill everything again when i travel in ascalon just for the like of the travel. The ennemys already reacts on aoe or other events in battle, making them flee the players. My suggestion would be, what about differents way of engaging the battle, upon the kind of the ennemy ? It has start a little with the charr of eye of the north, who position themselves with acuracy, i found this really great and think it should be expanded.

So, most of the wild beasts with the lowest "inteligence" would still attack everything in range, but the others kind could have different ways of act.

The "gangsters" like the renegats of the old ascalon, could for exemple be friendly when the player arrive, letting him walk into their territory, and. . . follow them. And when the player has reach an area, they shout and all attack at the same time, when they surround the player.

Bosses like galrath could asks the players for duels ? They start talking, asks for a duel against a specific player, and attack him only ( as long as the other players respect it, a troop of soldiers could wait like Master Riyo's students, and attack if the others players get involve in the duel ).

And more in that way, i thought as battle like in japanimation ; what i mean is, if they are 6 allied players, they have to fight 6 ennemys, and they make each of them a different duel ( and most of the time W vs W, N vs N, et cetera ). It is somekind found with the four first aspects of kanaxai where the team must separate, my point is, the ennemy his intelligent, and ASK for it. As long as the players respects the rules, they do too.

For my first point about getting frustrated to have to kill all the devourers on my way when i walk again in ascalon, my point is, can't they learn i'm stronger ? The game make they never "learn". What if they do ? they would flee when they recognize me and we would be both in peace. Maybe sometime they try to get their revenge for all their losts ( like an army could wait at a path they know i usually take, and block the exit by a way or another.

I don't know yet what will be the "allegiance titles" in gw2, but more that way, if we for example activate the title "White Mantle Zealot", a high white mantle allegiance title, most of them won't attack you when you meet them ( but the Shining blade will be more agressive )

To continue about the formations of the charrs in eye of the north, wich is really really great, every armies could have theirs. Back line: rangers casters, a defensive line who stay to protect them, and an offensive line who walk forward at the same right, keeping the line.

What i would love to see the charrs use is a spreading and circling tactic : the charrs fighter goes on the players casters ( so the fighters goes to them, regrouping the all team on them ) and the charrs ranger position themselves at every "corner" around the mass, circling them and exterminating them under a rain of arrows. ( casters could use slowing magics, fighter cripple only when their ennemy are all together ).

Something you must have already thought about during the creation of guild wars is the aggro bubble. The foes knows you're there when they "see you". But even when you come from behind, can be somehow sad for the assassins. So, maybe, the creatures with eyes could maybe have more somekind of cone of sight ( i think about the soldiers in metal gear solid ). I would indeed love to see most of the human likes creatures act somehow like that. That would open to a lot of possibilities about positionning before and during battles, for ennemys and players. but i know this would be a quite hard work.

To get back on the ennemys comportments ; If my team attacks a troup of the white mantle, and kills quite quickly most of them, could the lasts either try to flee for their life or surrender and beg for mercy ? The interesting thing is that white mantle would pray for their unseens gods to help them ( and why not ? ) Shining blade would just surrender, norns would never surrender, and charrs could be vicious, and make believe they surrender, to get the ennemy guard down, and the strike again to the death.

A pair of bandits could try to kill a player if he's alone, but flee on sight if they are more than two.

I'd love to see a troup of soldiers surrounding the players and asking them to surrender. The leader would ask for a duel with the leader of the party ( or any player in it ). If the duel is won by the player, they leave them, other wise, they kill them all. ( and the duel could be like in the norn fighting tournament, not to the death )

So in conclusion and to resume : when we cross path with any foe, they rush and attack till death with their party, why not get more differents comportments upon the kind of the ennemy, the environment and what are their strength ?


 * Why this is a good idea
 * No need to kill weak foes when you are strong and want to cross a land without getting disturbed.
 * may not have to kill everything if you don't want to.
 * you still can kill everything mindlessly if you want.
 * may negociate with enemys strongers than you
 * unexpected situations ; and humans more "humans". (except for the shouts "you're gonna die", they don't act in a different way than the stupidest troll/wurm/ooze )
 * fauna with more brain, without need to have less muscle.
 * Why it may not work out
 * AI is one of the hardest things to program ; it would require a titanic work to implement correctly thoses things.


 * See also : ArenaNet:Guild Wars 2 suggestions/Smarter Enemy AIs: Challange Ratings