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Fix in Progress Officers and crew behavior while boarding

Eskhol

Sailor Apprentice
Crew:

While boarding, my crew and the enemy crew get targets assigned and they won't attack the closest enemy if he doesn't attack them first.
They will just try and attack their assigned target and sometimes just two or three people are fighting and the rest just run into each other looking for their targets and trying to shoot them while they get closer.
This is especially noticeable in one of the models for large ship boarding (the one with the boats in the middle). They will all run to one side of the ship and you can see enemies and allies running next to each other to get there but don't attack each other till one of them accidentally shots the other while trying to aim for his target or stabs him, also accidentally.

Officers:

Officers are especially dumb. They have the same problems mentioned above but also more.
At the start of the battle they just stand there for 3 seconds or so and after their targets are killed they sheath their weapon! It doesn't matter if they are in the middle of the battle or killed the last enemy, they do it no matter what.
 
I have indeed seen weapon sheething before the entire battle is over.
But enemies can do that too at times.
 
Yes, enemies do that too but very rarely (maybe 5 or 6 times after 20 hours of playing). Officers do it all the time.
 
Crew:

While boarding, my crew and the enemy crew get targets assigned and they won't attack the closest enemy if he doesn't attack them first.
They will just try and attack their assigned target and sometimes just two or three people are fighting and the rest just run into each other looking for their targets and trying to shoot them while they get closer.
This is especially noticeable in one of the models for large ship boarding (the one with the boats in the middle). They will all run to one side of the ship and you can see enemies and allies running next to each other to get there but don't attack each other till one of them accidentally shots the other while trying to aim for his target or stabs him, also accidentally.
I've certainly seen weirdness on that boarding deck. The main fight develops on the left side of the boats as seen from the raised area on which you start the battle. A few of my crew who started on the right of the boats then run back towards my starting area, then around the boats to join in the main battle from behind the rest of my crew and officers. Usually a couple of enemy crew run around the right side as well, in effect chasing after my men. Sometime there's a secondary fight on the right of the boats because there are enough crew there from both sides that they get the idea they should be fighting each other. Meanwhile, I can't get into the battle on the left because of all my crew and officers in the way. So I charge round to the right, wipe out any enemy crew on that side (and help finish off the secondary battle if there is one), then run around the boats and hit the main enemy group from behind while my crew and officers are hitting them from the front.

Officers:

Officers are especially dumb. They have the same problems mentioned above but also more.
At the start of the battle they just stand there for 3 seconds or so and after their targets are killed they sheath their weapon! It doesn't matter if they are in the middle of the battle or killed the last enemy, they do it no matter what.
The only time I've seen my officers stand still is if there are enough of my crew in the way that they can't get to an enemy, and for that matter neither can I except by sidestepping through a piece of scenery. On the other hand, I've occasionally seen an officer keep the weapon drawn even after the fight is over, which is mildly annoying if I want to check on their supplies of ammo and medicaments. (Easily enough worked around, though - remove the officer from the active slots, then reassign him back to his slot. That causes him to reset from fight mode to idle mode and I can get into his pockets.)
 
Open globals.c and change IMPROVE_FIGHT_AI to 1 ;) this should make your crew behave a bit more interesting during battles.
 
Open globals.c and change IMPROVE_FIGHT_AI to 1 ;) this should make your crew behave a bit more interesting during battles.
Does that work? I know you started on it, but it was unfinished last time I checked.
What does it do anyway?
 
Does that work? I know you started on it, but it was unfinished last time I checked.
What does it do anyway?
it should work, I just don't think it's ready yet for a public release because I haven't been able to test it enough in all kind of different situations, but I play with it enabled all the time.

What it does:
- Character will keep an eye on there gun reloading and if there gun is reloaded they might use it again.
- Characters will keep an eye on allies in theire group. If someone is in trouble they will support that person
- Characters wont attack with to many on the same target, say you have 3 officers and yourself and you are fighting 5 bandits, in the past often all the bandits attacked 1 person, now they will spread out and attack multiple targets but when 1 is getting weak they will start hacking on that one first to get rid of it.

mostly it is just an experiment from me and its still unpolished but it should work and it should create some intresting battles. For example if you are fighting in a disadvantage (4 agains 8 for example) there will probably be 5 person fighting you and 3 will create a backline from where they are supporting by using pistols. When someone's HP is getting low he will switch out with someone of the backline so he can start supporting while a fresh person can join the fight.

Also if you try to run away the characters will notice and they will actually sheet theire weapons so they can chase you better and use theire gun if they can.
 
It sounds very interesting! Thanks :)
I'll test it and see if they actually fight were they are supposed to or still run from one side to the other.
 
It sounds very interesting! Thanks :)
I'll test it and see if they actually fight were they are supposed to or still run from one side to the other.
let me know what you think off it :).
 
let me know what you think off it :).

I tried the new combat AI (only while boarding though) and it solved those problems with crew running without attacking each other but it generated others.
Sometimes they will sheath their weapon after killing an enemy (maybe because they have a new target and want to run and catch him). This is the real (and only) problem that I find with this AI, they will sheath their weapon if you are a bit far and then run at you. That makes sense in the jungle/city but not while boarding because you don't have where to run and that only makes them vulnerable. You can just run a bit, make them sheath their weapon and attack them while they unsheath if you don't have bullets. This also makes them sheath their weapon in the middle of the combat (just like officers do).

I think they shouldn't do that while boarding, only in jungle/town. That would make it so much better in my opinion. Other than that, I didn't see them running next to enemies and when I approached someone from behind, instead of running on the spot, he turned around and started attacking me, which is great!
I also watched them for a bit and they seem to attack all the enemies, not just 5 vs 1 like before, so that also works.
I'm not sure if they attack weak enemies because when someone attacks them, they will attack that target even if it's full health and that happens a lot while boarding so it's difficult to see what they try to do. With this on, battles are actually more interesting. Besides the fact that they sheath their weapon, it makes battles more logical and they will act like they actually have something inside their heads, not a peanut.
Thank you! :)
 
@Levis

I love the new combat AI. I do have to agree with Eskhol that they tend to sheath their weapons at the wrong time though. I have tried on land and in dungeons, and the enemy will often sheath their weapons in the middle of a battle right next to the player, if they are trying to get to someone behind him that they are blocked from. If sheathing to charge they also run way too close to the player before drawing the weapon again, and I can hit them during that time (maybe they are trying to run to someone behind me).

I think if they were much more reluctant to sheath weapons, doing so only under very rare circumstances, it would improve them a good deal.

But it is already very good and interesting, a huge improvement! :)
 
What you guys describe sounds like what I noticed too. It should be fairly easy to solve I think. At the moment the game checks the distance between a target and the character. If this target is to far away it will sheet it's weapon so it can walk there quicker. Tweaking some of these variables should probably fix this.
My question mostly is. Do you guys think I should develop this more? It was mostly an experiment from me because I wanted to see what was possible with the AI system, do you guys think this is good enough already that with some more tweaks it could be included in the main mod (probably still under a toggle but maybe one a bit less hidden).
What do you think @Pieter Boelen ?
 
Also do note this system is based on realistic settings where you can only reload your gun if you weapon is sheeted, this is also why character will sheet there weapon quickly so they can actually reload there gun and use it more then once (if they have the ammo).
You might have noticed more gunshots during the fights then normally.
 
If this target is to far away it will sheet it's weapon so it can walk there quicker.
Running is equally fast with or without blade drawn, no? So they might as well not bother sheathing until all their enemies are dead?

What do you think @Pieter Boelen ?
I think it depends on the players. If it is found to be generally better altogether and works as intended, I see no reason to not use it?

Also do note this system is based on realistic settings where you can only reload your gun if you weapon is sheeted, this is also why character will sheet there weapon quickly so they can actually reload there gun and use it more then once (if they have the ammo).
You might have noticed more gunshots during the fights then normally.
Does that also work as you'd expect on Arcade?
 
Running is equally fast with or without blade drawn, no? So they might as well not bother sheathing until all their enemies are dead?
Nope, running with your weapon sheeted is about 1,5 times faster then running with your weapon drawn.

that's why you can normally outrun guards etc if you have your weapon sheated.
 
Additionally, if NPC movement is the same as player movement, it's easier to get past other people if the weapon is sheathed. On crowded decks I sometimes sheathe my own weapon so I can shove past my crew and get to a place where I can actually use it, then draw it again. (And one of my officers has probably just said "Look at that idiot sheathing his weapon in the middle of a fight". xD)
 
Additionally, if NPC movement is the same as player movement, it's easier to get past other people if the weapon is sheathed. On crowded decks I sometimes sheathe my own weapon so I can shove past my crew and get to a place where I can actually use it, then draw it again. (And one of my officers has probably just said "Look at that idiot sheathing his weapon in the middle of a fight". xD)
:rofl

True, that! That's one of the main reasons why I often do that in fights as well.
 
Additionally, if NPC movement is the same as player movement, it's easier to get past other people if the weapon is sheathed. On crowded decks I sometimes sheathe my own weapon so I can shove past my crew and get to a place where I can actually use it, then draw it again. (And one of my officers has probably just said "Look at that idiot sheathing his weapon in the middle of a fight". xD)
yup it is the same. so in this way they can also get past enemies etc. there is also a check in place if they take to long to go to theire target I believe they will either sheet theire weapon and try it again or take a supporting role where they use theire gun untill one of theire allies gets low on health, then they will try to jump in his place.

One problem I remember having is when fighting a large mob (i tested it on some forts :p) and the enemy notices he gets low on health he will try to go away so someone else can takes his place. He will sheat his weapon so he can get away quickly. This will change your target automaticly. Your character will automaticly only attack character which have theire weapon drawn, so if there are more enemies it will just turn towards one of those and attack that one. Which is nice because it enables the enemy to get away and apply healing or fill your body with bullets but it's annoying for you. I'm not sure yet if I think this is good or not :p.
 
One problem I remember having is when fighting a large mob (i tested it on some forts :p) and the enemy notices he gets low on health he will try to go away so someone else can takes his place. He will sheat his weapon so he can get away quickly. This will change your target automaticly. Your character will automaticly only attack character which have theire weapon drawn, so if there are more enemies it will just turn towards one of those and attack that one. Which is nice because it enables the enemy to get away and apply healing or fill your body with bullets but it's annoying for you. I'm not sure yet if I think this is good or not :p.
Cleverer enemies being more annoying to the player?
I don't think I object to that. Not in concept anyway. :cheeky
 
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