Curse

Thanas · Jul 02, 2005, 11:14 AM // 11:14

Hey there,

I just wanted to know where I can report problems relating to gameplay or at least air them in a formal fashion. I've recently become very frustrated with the animate dead function and wanted to get the issue out in the open. Just to note I am a death necro using mainly animate bone fiend.

I may as well explain my quandry so here goes .... The problems concerning the fiends or any undead for that matter are mainly linked to targetting. When a fiend is not able to target a creature that it sees, for example when crossing a bridge or passing through a gorge or attacking the siege worms in DoD rather than moving on they gather together and remain stationary awaiting the death of that creature or their inevitable demise. This can prove to be very frustrating especially when you move into an area with limited corpses and your animates are refusing to budge because a forest troll is taunting them up on a high ridge that they can't get to without a huge detour. Surely this isn't intentional. I pour a lot of skills into my undead so its very annoying if I can't utilise them to kill.

Another problem, perhaps less annoying but still a problem is the fact that during mission cutscenes undead continue to lose health and die. This can only be haulted if all skip the cutscene which ussually doesn't happen because fairly often someone is new to the mission. As a summoning necro a lot of power is tied up in your minions and these "problems" put such characters at a disadvantage.

Any feedback or information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Col.

DrSLUGFly · Jul 02, 2005, 02:19 PM // 14:19

good comments. I'm just starting my necro now, so your concerns give me a bit of a heads up.

Thanas · Jul 02, 2005, 08:23 PM // 20:23

Hey Dr.SlugFly just thought I'd say don't let these problems put you off playing a death necro with animate because the strategy is still very effective. It is a good character, but has these few flaws.

Any other comments would be appreciated. Also any feedback from those in a position to rectify these problems would be very very welcome. Thanks!!!

Col.

Thanas · Jul 03, 2005, 09:25 AM // 09:25

Could someone please post some feedback on my comments! I just want to know whether these problems I encountered are intentional. Anything would be much appreciated.

Frustrated Necro.

Thanas · Jul 06, 2005, 08:33 AM // 08:33

Does anybody of import look at these threads?

.........................

Obviously not! May I ask what is the point posting these suggestions if no one is even willing to take any note of them. I was given the impression that this area of the forum allowed one to highlight possible game bugs. I use this site a lot but I'm getting fed up of receiving no feedback.

Kishin · Jul 06, 2005, 01:48 PM // 13:48

I definitely agree that necro minions should not continue to degen health in cutscenes. This is the same as the countdown in Elona Reach counting down during the opening cutscene, and shouldn't be at all.

As for the fiends staring off into space after something they can't reach, this is a problem with a number of NPC AI scripts. I remember doing the Deserters quest in Ascalon where you leave from the Frontier Gate and pick up the two guys in Pockmark Flats, and getting all the way back to the Gate itself before realizing one of the deserters was missing and then having to go all the way back, around and up a hill to kill a devourer he was staring at and wouldn't budge from.

Henchman also do stuff like this. There's a bridge on the way to Maguuma Stade with mobs under it, and the henchman will literally stop to attack the monsters -through- the bridge with melee attacks, and refuse to move until they are dead.

Thanas · Jul 07, 2005, 12:03 AM // 00:03

Hey there,

I have encountered the same problems with henchman. Hopefully someone will take notice of this problem and we shall see it sorted in a future update. This poor AI seriously detracts from the gameplay. Granted the game is mostly based on human human interaction but thats no excuse. Good AI is paramount!

Sereng Amaranth · Jul 07, 2005, 01:35 AM // 01:35

simple solution that works for me is to target something else

Thanas · Jul 07, 2005, 08:44 AM // 08:44

Hey there Sereng,

A couple of points, firstly you don't always have another target, secondly if you die you can't target, thirdly this does not always seem to work. For example I was walking across a bridge once in maguuma jungle and some enemies had gathered below, after realising this my henchies and minions stood on the bridge and fought through it, even the melee characters. When I targetted other monsters on the far side of the bridge my henchies would run then stop then turn back? ..... And finally I would like to point out fiends and other summons don't follow targetting commands.

Omega X · Jul 07, 2005, 09:27 AM // 09:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thanas

Hey there Sereng,

A couple of points, firstly you don't always have another target, secondly if you die you can't target, thirdly this does not always seem to work. For example I was walking across a bridge once in maguuma jungle and some enemies had gathered below, after realising this my henchies and minions stood on the bridge a fought through it, even the melee characters. When I targetted other monsters on the far side of the bridge my henchies would run then stop then turn back? ..... And Finally I woud like to point out fiends and other summons don't follow targetting commands.

That's true. I've seen it first hand. On the otherhand my, pet dosen't do that at all. If I don't target it dosen't attack. BUT minions will attack just about anything hostile that's too close.

Thanas · Jul 07, 2005, 02:56 PM // 14:56

Pets are a different matter, from what I've seen they seem to act in a similar fashion to henchmen in that when you attack they do. But I can't add much input really since I've never played a ranger before. However what is worth noting is that two character classes (Ranger and Necro) have attributes which strongly rely on good AI. Bad AI leads to some people effectively ignoring these attributes and thus the class becomes limited. As a consequence this class will be less used. Thus IMHO before getting absorbed in balancing issues, AI should be put under scrutiny as problems in this area will effectively act to negate this process of finetuning.

Just to note I love the game. Its great! Any comments that have been made are meant to inspire change to bring the game to an even higher level of excellence.

Thanas · Jul 07, 2005, 11:15 PM // 23:15

*bump*

Aracos79 · Jul 07, 2005, 11:45 PM // 23:45

The targetting and pathing AI does need some work. I've encountered many similar problems myself. Running missions with henchies is a lot more difficult when you lose when you never should have simply because a henchies took a wrong path and aggro'd 2 more mobs... or stood there and died while you ran away. And most especially... NPC's that you have to protect should not go OUT OF THEIR WAY to aggro every mob in your path *cough* Evennia *cough*.

Thanas · Jul 08, 2005, 08:33 AM // 08:33

I agree, using the henchmen can be quite a frustrating experience. I personally find Alesia to be most annoying, since she tends to enjoy healing herself over and over and ...... but I find Claudes blood ritual is very very useful! However as I have said previously, I think that animated dead and perhaps pet AI should be considered first and foremost.

Thanas · Jul 08, 2005, 07:58 PM // 19:58

Death Necros have enough trouble as it is anyway, what with bodies not always being readily available, surely modifying minion AI to the degree I have described wouldn't be that much of an undertaking.

Arctic Strike · Jul 09, 2005, 02:06 AM // 02:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kishin

Henchman also do stuff like this. There's a bridge on the way to Maguuma Stade with mobs under it, and the henchman will literally stop to attack the monsters -through- the bridge with melee attacks, and refuse to move until they are dead.

I to have noticed this problem, it should not be possible to melee-attack or be attack something 40-50 feet below/above you. Anet is great at fixing problems and this "range of hieght" is another one for them to knock out.

generik · Jul 09, 2005, 02:20 AM // 02:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thanas

I agree, using the henchmen can be quite a frustrating experience. I personally find Alesia to be most annoying, since she tends to enjoy healing herself over and over and ...... but I find Claudes blood ritual is very very useful! However as I have said previously, I think that animated dead and perhaps pet AI should be considered first and foremost.

Don't forget she is obsessed with picking up her drops too!

Thanas · Jul 09, 2005, 02:35 PM // 14:35

Yes she is! Most frustrating! And what gets me is that a lot of people will tell you to "take alesia, take alesia!" rather than waiting it out for a real monk. I even had people telling me to take alesia and other henchmen on elonia.