Aftermath AI

[G-Dub]

Does anyone think they will tweak/improve the AI of the combine for Aftermath?

I know there are mixed feelings about the AI, but what are your thoughts?

Will it be changed/tweaked/improved/bettered?

 

[Cole]

Well just make them aim better that really isn't to much no the "AI". I mean they deploy tactics nicely and use hand signals n all.

 

[Link]

Whilst they may tweak the AI, don't expect to notice a difference. The tweaks would probobly be the sort where you would only notice the difference by putting the different AI into the same situation and comparing what they do.

 

[J_Tweedy]

I think people just got a bad impression of the AI in hl2 because they tried to make them do some pretty 'complicated' things, such as deploying manhacks, flanking, etc. Probably pretty complicated AI scripting (not that I know).

 

[Angry Lawyer]

The only reason the AI was 'bad' was because the Combine were easy to kill. Give them more hitpoints, and they'll actually strategise before they have a chance of dieing.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[special-ed]

I don't think the transhuman combine really cared for their lives much and wanted to be killed.. damn I wouldn't want to live that way ick.

 

[Defpotec22]

sometimes, combine would just stand there staring at a wall waiting for me to kill them. they do however, flank well. i think a little tweak is needed, overall the marines in hl1 seem to be smarter

 

[Flyingdebris]

i think it was cause the marines used grenades more often.

whenever you were hiding in hl1, expect a marine to lob a nade into your little hiding place.

They hardly do that anymore in hl2. Also if they made their weapons have more accuracy and do a tad bit more damage, it would help them out.

Thigns that should have been implemented.

Falling back when wounded
previously mentioned more nades
make them more accurate
give them the power to pick up nades and throw them back
keeping a distance from melee opponents

 

[fifty7var]

don't forget reloading on the run... i hate when they stand there taking damage while they reload.

 

[ríomhaire]

This is what I want
more grenading
more acruacy

Falling back when wounded

They actualy do and also when they are under heavy fire and their allies are all behind them. (Found that out on the last level of Sandtraps)

I once had a group of them fall back (to where I couldn't see them), then one threw a grenade at me to get me out of hidding and when I ran out they ambushed me! Shotgun pwned!!! (During Follow Freeman or Anticitizen 1)

 

[Spoonoop]

They do sometimes hide to reload, but they wont go out of the way to do it. In HL1 Marines would go out of their way to try to find a hiding place to reload, but in HL2 if cover isn't near they just reload in the middle of battle, even if being fired upon is what i've noticed.

 

[Iced_Eagle]

The AI will probably be tweaked, don't expect a miracle though

And what Angry Lawyer said was true. Increasing hit points will make AI seem smarter. In fact, when the first Halo was being tested, Bungie introduced to two seperate groups AI with low health, and AI with high health, that was the only difference. For the ones with low health, 45% said the AI was smart, for the AI with high health, 90% said the AI was smart.

Interesting fact

Also, you must factor in the personalities of the Combine. They are going to suppress you. They don't want to fall back. But yes there are flaws, but I"m saying that you gotta take the AI in context to decide if it's smart or not.

 

[MikeL15]

Adding onto what ríomhaire said...

I was just palying ealier, and when I slowly shot a combine... he ran back behind cover when he was almost dead... then a teammate came out and started shooting me so he ran up to help... then I pwned his teammate so he ran back for cover... then I just shot him when he came back... but still, they do have good AI, its just, you never really notice because you kill them so fast... but it still could be upgraded... like if you start firing near them, they will run for cover...

But, it also would effect the gameplay, such as making it harder to kill large groups or combine that are entrenched in good spots... I think the AI is fine for now...

Actually, screw all that... just make the whole combine army zombies ...

 

[Mechagodzilla]

At the very least the combine won't get any dumber.
With better AI hint placement in the maps, the combine will act smarter accordingly.
And it's a safe bet that Valve have become better at doing that.

I found the combine to be pretty smart though. They'd take cover and stick to it while under fire, while going on a full-fledged charge if they were in the clear.
They sent shotgunners around to sneak close while the long-ranged guys made distractions, and group together when facing overwhelming forces.
If they were unaware of your presence, they would search sources of loud noise and check on fallen comrades who were sniped down.

They only had problems in large clearings with absolutely no cover, and they would often risk their lives to go for the nearest gun turret even if the player was out of the gun's sight range.
Also, they either never retreated or never lived long enough to try to.

Still, they are a hundred times smarter than the average Team Deathmatch player when it comes to group tactics.

 

[Flyingdebris]

I think i'd actually like the combine to have more health exept for the head. It would draw out the gunfights a little more. They are wearing body armor for the most part.

actually, i haven't really noticed it, but do the combine do suppressive fire? i.e. If you are at a window and are spotted, then hide, will the combine still pour fire at the window to make you keep your head down?

the ai in doom 3 does it despite being rather simple. If the combine did it a bit more, they would seem a whole lot smarter.

 

[ríomhaire]

actually, i haven't really noticed it, but do the combine do suppressive fire? i.e. If you are at a window and are spotted, then hide, will the combine still pour fire at the window to make you keep your head down?

The do on the beach scene outside Nova Prospekt, they probably do it elsewhere aswell.

 

[Solver]

I really liked the HL2 AI, the Combine would use teamwork and take cover. HL1 marines did, too, but they had the major issue of sometimes starting to run away (frightened? to reload?) where they'd absolutely ignore you, and you could run up to him and hit with the shotgun. For the most part, however, the HL AI was good, but HL2 is better.

 

[Marx! II]

The marines outta 1 are far more accurate as well.