(1.3.1) Suggenstions on improving AI

[Majo]

Hello,

some things that I think are easy to programm but would improve the AI that it becomes a better match for a human player:

• First handle all movement, then all attacks. 

        Currently the code look in my imagination:

        FOR current_warrior=0 to NUMBER_OF_WARRIORS

            IF warrior[current_warrior].still_alive

                IF NOT warrior[current_warrior].attack_possible()

                    {walk toward enemy}

                IF warrior[current_warrior].attack_pssoble()

                    {attack random target in range}

        NEXT

        Better this block should be split in 2:
        FOR current_warrior=0 to NUMBER_OF_WARRIORS



            IF warrior[current_warrior].still_alive
&& NOT warrior[current_warrior].attack_possible()



                {walk toward enemy}

        NEXT


        FOR current_warrior=0 to NUMBER_OF_WARRIORS



            IF warrior[current_warrior].still_alive
&& warrior[current_warrior].attack_possible()



                 {attack random target in range}
// see below


        NEXT

        additional:

        FOR current_warrior=0 to NUMBER_OF_WARRIORS



            IF warrior[current_warrior].still_alive
&& NOT warrior[current_warrior].enemy_next_square // if enemy was killed during attack phase

                {walk to next target}

        NEXT
        if done like that, the AI would benefit more from flanking, which is quite important in the current game
    

• concentrate attacks on certain targets (weak, cannot block, remove flanking, ...), currently it seems random, who is attacked if a flanked enemy counterattacks/ a ranged enemy does not use his shots effective. Best you calculate a priority for every enemy (attackable);  
• 
  FOR current_enemy=0 TO NUMBER_OF_ENEMIES
      priority[current_enemy]=0
      IF enemy[current_enemy].still_alive && enemy[current_enemy].can_be_attacked
          select case enemy[current_enemy].health_state
              slighly_wounded:priority[current_enemy]+=1
              injured:priority[current_enemy]+=2
              heavyly_injured:priority[current_enemy]+=4
              close_to_defeat:priority[current_enemy]+=8
  
          IF NOT enemy[current_enemy].can_block
              priority[current_enemy]+=10
  
          ...{more reasons, why to attack a certain enemy}
  NEXT
  if attacking, the possible target with the highest priority should be attacked

• Move enemy-groups with the speed of the slowest member, this will keep cohesion within the enemy warband, if wanted, the enemy warband can be split in 3 sub-groups (infantry, cavalery, ranged), but then making this sub-groups effectively work together will be more complex ...

Best Regards

Majo

[GS_LuciusCastus]

Hi, customizable AI options that blend and mesh with the game's difficulty is on the way. The current AI will be used for Easy settings.

Thanks for the suggestions, we'll keep those in mind for improvements.