Feedback: New AI

[Rei_Jin]

Is the new AI deliberately set up so as to make summons hostile to party members when they enter the area effect of a spell, even if they are not harmed by it?
Because when my trueflame friend is with me and drops a wall of ice or fire, my air elemental tries to murder them for it
And just now when I cast a Storm of Vengeance, it made HIS Mordenkainen's Sword attack me
The Sword also murdered a Border Reaver Camp Follower for no reason we can discern

If this is intended behaviour, then the new AI is going to result in myself and my friends either soloing with mercenaries and summons, or not using them at all, as being murdered by one's supposed assistants is rather unhelpful.

If this is not intended behaviour, could the new AI be looked at please?

[Batrachophrenoboocosmomachia]

The only AI changes made recently (that I'm aware of/involved in) were A.) to add a cooldown to enemies that use grabby abilities (any enemies that don't have that flag would be completely unaffected), B.) move some little-used code out of the main functions for easier future updates, and C.) pared down the shadovar AI (and this only applies to those Shadovar at the Tradepost, other NPCs don't even have their script) to not react to attackers unless the 'victim' is a creature, versus a placeable etc. No party- or summon-related code was changed. I've seen different AoE spells sometimes make allies' summons freak out (and have gotten vampire heat-seeking missile'd to the face to death before for it...).

There's no 'new AI,' just old AI that, more than anything else, just has new limitations on it/runs a bit cleaner. Maybe the Six-Million Dollar Man joke in the announcement wasn't obvious enough, but all I'm aware of is that tidying up, no sweeping changes. Will revert if this is a ghost-in-the-machine scenario but I'd like if you could confirm steps to replicate the behavior you're seeing, see if it's every time or just sometimes, on multiple servers, etc.

[Rei_Jin]

Thanks Bat, I'll do as you've asked and report back when the servers aren't so laggy. Prime play time is bad time for testing

[Good Character]

Been an issue though an uncommon one. However, may be new since I've never heard of SoV causing this issue.

Keep trying and see if it's consistently happening. If it is, that's a new issue.

[Rico_scorpion]

Any firewall using true flame can confirm this isn't new.
It can be your pixie as a wizard trying to kill its master because it took a color spray to the face. (happened yesterday)
It can be your panther as a druid trying to kill its master because you dared use a firewall. (happened 4 months ago, was reported on forum)
It can be out of party but non hostile summons trying to kill you because of firewall/ice. (happened often enough over the course of the last two months)
It can even happen within a party that another guy's summon try to kill you cause fire/icewall (sometimes yes, sometimes no, resulting in just not using these spells within summoning parties by fear of that problem). (happened often enough over the course of the last two months)

[Scylon]

Any firewall using true flame can confirm this isn't new.
.... etc

I can confirm this also. It happens to henchmen and NPCs. they tend to go wild in these situations and kill the offender, even if it is their master.

[Archnon]

Any firewall using true flame can confirm this isn't new.
.... etc

I can confirm this also. It happens to henchmen and NPCs. they tend to go wild in these situations and kill the offender, even if it is their master.

Don't even get me started on ll the guard NPCs at town borders. Hit them with an aoe and you might as well go live in the woods until the next reset.

Though, to be fair isn't this a bit realistic. If you singe your bear friend he might be a bit ticked off. If you're a caster you should choose spells carefully in a crowd.

[Rico_scorpion]

Realistic maybe but that's a cope out at best. Given the engine, the game that is nwn/arelith, and the "server lag situation", that's not a type of realism that is desirable in any way (i think).

[Irongron]

What I wouldn't give for improved AI on NWN.

Recently I have been considering making a Single Player Arelith campaign, using many of our areas over a long campaign. Given our extensive dungeon content I'd like to make something akin to Icewind Dale, a dungeon crawler, albeit with an overall story.

The main thing stopping me?

The terrible NWN AI. Why on earth the original makers of the game didn't emulte the BG series by allowing the player to possess the party members I really do not know, as it is nigh on impossible to create a fun tactical experience when your party consists of dumb AI controlled NPCs.

[Diegovog]

What I wouldn't give for improved AI on NWN.

Recently I have been considering making a Single Player Arelith campaign, using many of our areas over a long campaign. Given our extensive dungeon content I'd like to make something akin to Icewind Dale, a dungeon crawler, albeit with an overall story.

I would 100% pay to play it.

[Exordius]

Recently I have been considering making a Single Player Arelith campaign, using many of our areas over a long campaign. Given our extensive dungeon content I'd like to make something akin to Icewind Dale, a dungeon crawler, albeit with an overall story.

Do it, even with bad A.I. i would still play it and i'm sure almost everyone else would also.

[Irongron]

I would 100% pay to play it.

If I made it, it would be free.

[Kenji]

Someone mentioned Icewind Dale? I’m in