Comments on: Battle AI – By Mike Simpson

By: Aitorinsky

Aitorinsky — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 10:39:23 +0000

Shogun I was a good game. Battle AI was simple, an army made of regiments arranged in a variety of formations, face to enemy army, go for it, release regiments and every one is to attack its objective. There was a number of stupid behavior like generals charging from the very start and regiments running up and down for no reason, but it was a good game and its sequels were a great opportunity to improve it. The strategic AI needed much more work but everyone understood then that the strong point of TW games was the tactical battle. Since then, every TW game has been more of the same. Superb graphics, mediocre tactical AI, dumb strategic AI. I’m sure it’s not that hard to code a pseudo intelligent behaviour for a few abstract entities like regiments or groups but i guess that doesn’t sell games. Graphics sell games so graphics is what you do. The rest is a bluff. But hey, i’m not complaining, for a few moments one is watching the screen and is amazing to feel the appearance and sounds of an ancient battle.

By: Harland

Harland — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:38:38 +0000

I think that the scale the team puts in to theses games is fantastic like with medieval 2 i have the DVD making and they put a all new bench mark for tactical game play GOOD JOB!

By: Mr Savvy

Mr Savvy — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:36:47 +0000

This thread simply confirms to me what I have long suspected with the TW franchise-there are two types of “fan”-those like me who are interested in the historical periods presented,and those I term “gamers” who sole aim is to be on some high scoring chart…..

I suspect the “gamers” are generally ones who have never read On War, The Prince,or the Art of War. If they had then I wonder if they would be such a hue and cry regarding “realism”. I suspect “gamers” load up armies that couldn’t ever reach even an approximate realistic depictions of their historical counterparts. “Gamers” have armies made of maximum experience and the best troop types to beat others so they can claim to be the next Alexander or Caeser .

Thats fine…..each to there own.

However “realism” in warfare involves friendly fire,troops marching in the wrong place, refusal to carry out orders ,cowardice. “Realism” is not neat and tidy, realism is chaos and bloody anarchy. Clausewitz called this friction-perhaps the mishap with the AI indirectly represents that.

So in light of that I would suspect that the howls of protest from some of the posters on here demanding “realism” actually want a game engine that is nor totally “realistic” but simply a game, which TW in all its guises is.If we were to introduce that level of “realism” I suspect that very few people outside West Point or Sandhurst would actually play the game because it would really be unplayable.

I think there is always way to improve things-but we should be careful what you wish for. That a Game Developer has put himself on offer says something about how the CA team values it customers. TW is a fine product, and is a intelligent thoughtful product that introduces people in historic periods-and hopefully encourages further understanding.

If those who feel as though they have been “robbed”-I suggest set up your own software house,employ the best in the industry,and produce a product that beats TW…..I can assure you, you will not have time to write poorly written posts….

By: No cd cracks

No cd cracks — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:36:31 +0000

Hm not exactly my topic but still nice reading

By: Juan Paz

Juan Paz — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:16:47 +0000

Hey Guy i just noticed you had an update to the games AI, that well and all but does this update include a change in the number of men units carry? To tell you the truth I feel the GAME HAS BEEN RUINED!!!!!!!! Please get back to me i do not know what happened nothing ever asked me if i wanted some update that was only gona let me mannage like six ships per navy or 40 men per unit. WTF!!!!! Please get back to me i loved the game as it was before, the AI was ok, not perfect but not broke. Nothing to fix!!! just get back to me please i want my game back i FEEL AS IF I HAVE BEEN ROBBED.

By: chris

chris — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:35:50 +0000

Although sometimes the AI has “interesting” moments, overall I’m fine with it. Sure it doesn’t match the skill and originality of a strong human opponent, but I think that would be expecting a little too much from AI. A huge amount has been achieved in Empire and I don’t think we should belittle that.

The flaws will be ironed out im sure as the series develops. One thing I think perhaps should’ve been included, which has now been announced for Shogun 2, is the effect of coastal areas on naval battles. I live in the Channel Islands, which were not represented in Empire at all, presumably because of their size, however they were a keypoint in the battles between Britain and France. Coastal fortifications should have made an appearance in Empire, as well as rocks and reefs which a cunning admiral could use to his advantage.

Anyway, keep up the good work. Im keeping a close eye on Shogun 2!

By: DocWells

DocWells — Thu, 13 May 2010 13:52:00 +0000

Mr. Simpson, I see a lot of complaints regarding the AI. I also see that in your blog you mentioned that your key AI programmer had to leave after 3-years of work. I own Shogun, RTW and recently purchased NTW and have been emersed in it for over a month, just completing the SP Campaigns of Napoleon. I own a copy of Weapons and Tactics of the Napoleonic Wars and have been re-reading it as I’ve been playing the game. IT IS AMAZING how much accuracy and details of the weapons systems and tactics of this period that your team has built into this game. While there are suicide attacks and piecemeal units thrown into battle, occassionally, with a strong general, the AI can put together a strong fight. I’ve lost very few battles in SP mode, and usually because I didn’t follow Sun Tzu’s principles in Shogun, however, “the feel” of the game is outstanding. I will be playing this for a long time to come…and I’m still playing on the medium difficulty setting. Keep up the good work and the improvements.

By: gregorio

gregorio — Sat, 08 May 2010 09:31:02 +0000

One change supposedly not so difficult to make in AI battle concerns the behavior of generals: please, avoid their suicide in charging artillery, by increasing their attitude to stay behind the lines, give them the chance to get off a horse to stay in a square, allow artillery fire against them to be effective only in the case of a direct hit or reduce the priority to choose generals as artillery targets.

By: wrc

wrc — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:01:07 +0000

Thanks you just free up space on my computer as I deleted Empire.Although patch 1.6 was a improvement,your messing again with the economics was the final straw.As it makes completing missions in your game a joke at best.Although money wise I had one of my better games,trying to reached your objectives now is a joke.Russia an Poland acts more like one country instead of two as neither really fight each other even when they’ll at war.
Then lord an behold if you don’t do something in Indian early the Maratha’s becomes a naval superpower that equal or pass England,making Spain navies looked second class.Heck by the 1770′s they even had a stronger an bigger navy,already building the best ships you can build in this game.Something I find laughable as try as any of the people which I know which has this game we never been able to steal the tech that fast as the game dictates we do other thing or our gentlemen are killed or unsuccessful.Only game I know where Spain navy took a back seat to anyone except maybe England.But then in this game I’ve seen Russia Sweeden,an the Maratha’s navies outclass Spain,France an sometimes England.Heck even when I play the Maratha’s I can’t get there that fast.
Seen Napoleon at friend,and as he says after a month the game became boring as it was to confining.Once you won once their wasn’t that urged to played again as you knew what to expect therefore it was easy next time.As he is like me and not a online player,as cheating or using cheat codes isn’t our idea of playing as some of the people he try it with online did as their armies were never ending and with what they own didn’t match the money they seem to be getting.20,000 or more and thats after paying for the cost of 6 full up to date armies stacks an then 3 to 4 stacks of up to date warship fleets not counting there trade fleets in each trade theater.

By: SirDennisC

SirDennisC — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 15:40:20 +0000

You know what would be great? If the people complaining about bugs and crashes ran a spellchecker before posting their rants. It’s nigh on impossible to read most of the comments around here.

You know what else would be great? If the developer could trust the so-called hardcore fans to buy the finished game after releasing a beta version. Since they can’t, we have to put up with the “release-now-patch-later” approach. With the infinite range of system configurations and servers currently in use (not to mention all the bugs, viruses, and design flaws in the typical home computer), how else are the developers supposed to detect problems before a wide release?

The TW series is epic in every sense of the word. Not just ambitious, epic. The historical research alone, translated into each game, is enough to scare off most developers. Many of the above comments are akin to complaining about a literary masterpiece because of the paper it was printed on.