AI too smart for some creatures?

[Guest ryguy]

Firstly I think SCS is a great mod, and making demihuman opponents smarter (pick off mages, pesky thieves, clerics next, then take out the tanks) is good. But for animals like bears having them pick out the distant soft targets over the close hard targets doesn't make much sense (Why is the DM out to get me...).

[DavidW]

Firstly I think SCS is a great mod, and making demihuman opponents smarter (pick off mages, pesky thieves, clerics next, then take out the tanks) is good. But for animals like bears having them pick out the distant soft targets over the close hard targets doesn't make much sense (Why is the DM out to get me...).

 

It certainly shouldn't work this way. Are you 100% sure it does? (It's coded not to, and the code looks ok to me, but it's possible I'm missing something. Can you confirm this in game and, if it definitely is happening, post your WEIDU.log?

[Guest RyGuy]

Here's the log, perhaps the bear went for the mage, Dynaheir, because she was seen first (or maybe she had a hit to annoy it?), I retreated her back, moved the tanks forward (Minsc, Jaheira, charname) but the bear ignored them and went after the rear (her, imoen, khalid)

 

// Log of Currently Installed WeiDU Mods

// The top of the file is the 'oldest' mod

// ~TP2_File~ #language_number #component_number // [subcomponent Name -> ] Component Name [ : Version]

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #0 // The BG1 NPC Project: Required Modifications: v18

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #1 // The BG1 NPC Project: Banters, Quests, and Interjections: v18

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #2 // The BG1 NPC Project: Give Edwin his BG2 portrait: v18

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #6 // The BG1 NPC Project: Give Viconia her BG2 portrait: v18

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #8 // The BG1 NPC Project: Add Non-Joinable NPC portraits to quests and dialogues: v18

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #12 // The BG1 NPC Project: Dynaheir's Romance Core (teen content): v18

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #16 // The BG1 NPC Project: NPCs can be sent to wait in an inn: v18

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #200 // The BG1 NPC Project: Player-Initiated Dialogues: v18

~SETUP-HARDTIMES.TP2~ #0 #0 // Hard Times v2

~SETUP-HARDTIMES.TP2~ #0 #1 // Hard Times: Ulcaster School Encounter

~SETUP-SIRINESCALL.TP2~ #0 #0 // The Lure of the Sirine's Call: v10

~SETUP-TGC1E.TP2~ #0 #0 // The Grey Clan Episode One: In Candlelight, BG1TUTU edition v1.11 -> Normal edition

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #10 // Detectable Spells: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #20 // Allow enemy AI to detect the party's magic items: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #30 // Correct various errors on race, class etc: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #40 // Bugfix: Fix the Mirror Image spell so it doesn't block area-effect magic: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #50 // Bugfix: Fix the Dispel Magic spell so it correctly allows for caster's level: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #60 // Prevent random crashes in Beregost (by Ascension64): v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1000 // Make Protection from Normal Missiles block magical missiles -> No magical missiles penetrate Protection from Normal Missiles: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1010 // More consistent Breach spell (doesn't penetrate Spell Turning): v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1021 // Antimagic attacks penetrate improved invisibility -> All spells that bring down spell protections get areas of effect: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1030 // Iron Skins behaves like Stoneskin (can be brought down by Breach): v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1040 // Reduce the power of Inquisitors' Dispel Magic -> Inquisitors dispel at 1.5 x their level (not twice their level): v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1055 // Slightly weaken insect plague spells, and let fire shields block them: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1060 // Cosmetic change: stop Stoneskins from changing your character's colour: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #2000 // Make elemental arrows more like their BG2 counterparts: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #2010 // Replace many magic weapons with fine ones -> Fine weapons are affected by the iron crisis: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #2020 // Re-introduce potions of extra-healing: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3001 // Standardise spells: BG1 vs BG2 -> Introduce BG2 spell scrolls into BG1: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3010 // Faster Bears: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3020 // Allow player to choose NPC proficiencies and skills: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3090 // Prevent party members from dying irreversibly: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #4000 // Skip Candlekeep: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #4010 // Remove blur effect from displacer cloak: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #4020 // Stackable ankheg shells, winterwolf pelts and wyvern heads: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Move Boo out of quick access and into Minsc's pack: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5000 // Smarter general AI: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5010 // Better calls for help: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5022 // Potions for NPCs -> Half the potions dropped by slain enemies break and are lost: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5031 // Smarter mages -> Mages use spells from BG1 and BG2; mages do not pre-buff: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5040 // Smarter priests -> Priests use BG1 spells only; priests do not "pre-buff" (i.e., cast some defensive spells quickly at the start of combat): v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5050 // Smarter deployment: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5070 // Smarter sirines and dryads: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5080 // Slightly harder carrion crawlers: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5090 // Smarter basilisks: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6000 // Improved doppelgangers: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6010 // Tougher Black Talons and Iron Throne guards: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6020 // Improved deployment for parties of assassins: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6030 // Dark Side-based kobold upgrade: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6040 // Relocated bounty hunters: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6060 // Improved Balduran's Isle: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6070 // Improved Durlag's Tower: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6080 // Improved Demon Cultists: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6090 // Improved Cloakwood Druids: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6100 // Improved Bassilus: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6110 // Improved Drasus party: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6120 // Improved Red Wizards: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6130 // Improved Undercity party: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6140 // Improved minor encounters: v16

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6150 // Tougher chapter-two end battle: v16

 

 

Firstly I think SCS is a great mod, and making demihuman opponents smarter (pick off mages, pesky thieves, clerics next, then take out the tanks) is good. But for animals like bears having them pick out the distant soft targets over the close hard targets doesn't make much sense (Why is the DM out to get me...).

 

It certainly shouldn't work this way. Are you 100% sure it does? (It's coded not to, and the code looks ok to me, but it's possible I'm missing something. Can you confirm this in game and, if it definitely is happening, post your WEIDU.log?

[DavidW]

Here's the log, perhaps the bear went for the mage, Dynaheir, because she was seen first (or maybe she had a hit to annoy it?), I retreated her back, moved the tanks forward (Minsc, Jaheira, charname) but the bear ignored them and went after the rear (her, imoen, khalid)

 

It sounds like it's working correctly, in that case. The bear went for the first creature to see it, and carried on doing so until it got distracted by someone else sufficiently close for sufficiently long. (I wouldn't claim that a great deal of thought went in to the "unintelligent" bit of SCS AI, but as it happens that's probably a reasonably good facsimile of how actual bears behave when you annoy them.)

[Guest forgotmyoldlogin]

i've found that the LastAttackerOf(Myself) block gets called way too often. i always lead and engage with melee PCs yet inevitably the bad guys -- whether gibberlings, bears, or Black Talons -- insist on weaving through traffic to try to get a revenge hit in on my archer or mage, who are at max range so it's not a question of proximity.

 

targeting priority by class surely isn't still screwing this up, is it? i remember 2 years ago having multiple stealthed thieves all try to backstab Viconia for no other reason than the mage was stoneskinned

[DavidW]

i've found that the LastAttackerOf(Myself) block gets called way too often. i always lead and engage with melee PCs yet inevitably the bad guys -- whether gibberlings, bears, or Black Talons -- insist on weaving through traffic to try to get a revenge hit in on my archer or mage, who are at max range so it's not a question of proximity.

 

The only LastAttackerOf(Myself) block includes a range check (Range(LastAttackerOf(Myself),4)), so that's not causing the behaviour you're identifying.

 

 

targeting priority by class surely isn't still screwing this up, is it? i remember 2 years ago having multiple stealthed thieves all try to backstab Viconia for no other reason than the mage was stoneskinned

 

That's intentional. Backstabs are wasted on stoneskinned enemies. Viconia is probably the closest non-stoneskinned target. Stoneskin is extremely visible in-game so I don't feel at all bad in having backstabbing enemies notice it.

[phordicus]

That's intentional. Backstabs are wasted on stoneskinned enemies. Viconia is probably the closest non-stoneskinned target. Stoneskin is extremely visible in-game so I don't feel at all bad in having backstabbing enemies notice it.

no, that's not it. the scripts look for the first valid (unbuffed and not disabled, essentially) mage, then valid cleric, then valid druid, etc, regardless of proximity, sight order, etc. i thought by now there'd be a check to stick with its current valid target rather than switching once one higher up the meta-targeting heirarchy showed up.