[1.11] AI can't handle certain maps

within tactical battles

from Elemental Forums

After recently messing around with a couple custom (hell, and even one from the core game files) map for tactical battles, I noticed a problem. It's like if the map isn't an open battlefield, the AI gets confused. For instance, there was a choke point on this one map I was playing. At one point, there was only one square to advance forward. The AI, before even getting to this spot, then goes off in another direction, to finally turn around and actually make its way towards me. It's really strange. There was another one where the AI actually went away from me (not as in running away, it was a strong monster, and the battle just started), again, only to turn around and finally make its way to me. It seems it has a real hard time if there are multiple enemies, and less passable tiles in front of it.

 

EDIT: I took a screenshot of each turn (I just kept pressing enter to see how they moved). Don't mind the black splotches, it's a map in progress :)

Turn 1 (Start of battle)

 

Turn 2: (So far, so good. They've moved up without a hitch so far)

 

Turn 3: (Ok, some funkiness begins. The skeleton in the back didn't move, even though there's room to move up.)

 

Turn 4: Ok, so now you see the other zombie wandering off to the woods, and one inching towards me. The skeleton finally moved here as well.

 

Turn 5: Ok, so the zombie turns around, and heads towards me again, and the skeleton is still on his way over too.

 

Turn 6: Apparemtly, that zombie just likes to go back and forth over there. It's like if it hits a chokepoint, it doesn't realize that it can't move because of another unit (instead of an unpassable tile which never changes), so it tries to go another way.

8,101 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

It's a zombie, it's supposed to be stupid, right?    ;) .    That is pretty strange.   

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

What happens is that the AI always moves units in the same turn order every time. I've noticed this using Blink to jump around the map. So since you can't move through units, the AI will try and maneuver around. The AI never uses the pass turn to just stand still, even if using its turns moves it backwards.

 

I've thought it'd be better if we could move through units so long as the other side was clear like on Civ V, because it would make for better maneuvering and help the AI out a lot.

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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Moving units through other units would be nice, though at least for larger groups of units there should be some kind of 'unit cohesion penalty' - i.e., you lose an action or -X defense or something like that. After all, the tile is fairly well packed with larger groups, so friendly units moving through other units should cause some kind of temporary disruption (and to both units, making it undesirable to use this feature in close proximity with an enemy).

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

I'll second Tydorius on his proposal. The unit cohesion thing sounds like realistic, but not much fun while it adds complexity. For another game it sounds good, but not for this one.