Can combat escort NPCs have their AI set to "defensive" rather than "aggressive"?

[SeraphimKensai]

As a vet I think for my own psyche if I put myself in the character shoes I would want to get revenge against my captors so I can understand some of their reactions to want to be aggressive and fight back.

[Placta]

3 hours ago, Ignatz the Insane said:

There are some strange responses in this thread.  First, the op wasn't referring to 'rescue and escort' missions.  They specifically referenced npcs who join you during the mission.  Yea, sure they're not the brightest bulbs out there, but if you know they're there and are proactive and aggressive yourself, they do a lot of damage.   I've done the mission the OP referred to many times (it's part of the AVs needed for Portal Jockey).  When you come across them, get aggressive yourself.  They'll help you wreck spawns.  

 

The example I cited in the OP was the mission that set me off, but I meant it to apply to any mission where the NPC combat buddy thinks the best approach to the mission is to aggro everything in their ridiculously huge range. Whether it fails the mission or not, I hate it when they die (although the trio in the cited mission... maybe not so much because it means I don't have to deal with them anymore), and I really hate it when their recklessness nearly drags me down with them.

 

(And yes, it's an old issue, probably dating back before I joined the game.)

[Luminara]

Daedalus: "I'm going to check out the rest of the map!"
Me: "..."

 

12.4s later...

 

Daedalus: "I BRINGEDED U SUM NEW FRENS!"

Me: "(*@#&$)(*&#(*&@%)(*^Y@#(_*U#@*(U%_(@*T#H(*@$ !!!"

[Zeraphia]

It's kind of sad that some of the speedrun records for Katie Hannon are based around how fast you can fly up and kite Amy Johnson to the end of the mission...

 

Or when Desdemona decides that you should engage a group of enemies headfirst before the rest of the league during UG...

[TimesSeven]

On 1/6/2022 at 9:17 AM, Uun said:

Lady Grey is another. There are two missions where you have to rescue her, after which an ambush spawns. She has a complete death wish. I've successfully completed the Nemesis one without her dying (by clearing the rest of the map before freeing her), but I don't think I've ever completed the Vanguard Swords one without her getting killed. For "one of the most powerful meta-humans on the planet" she should get more hit points or better armor. Also, since she's a dark defender, she should get Darkest Night.

 

Absolutely agree. I just finished this mission MULTIPLE times. Its like she knows where the next spawn is going to be and deliberately runs into them. Absolutely cannot STAND this mission.  Hate it with the fire of a thousand burning suns. 

 

((that's a lot))

[srmalloy]

On 1/6/2022 at 4:25 PM, Placta said:

Not the specific long example, but I did nod to General Aarons from that Serpent Drummer mission.

Or the "Rescue General Aarons" mission from Christine Lansdale's 'Mysterious General Z' arc. Following the tactics learned from rescuing Lady Jane, I always find the key to unlock the door, go back there and whack the (Nemesis) mob and get the glowie, and only then come back to whack General Aarons' guards, running up to him to get his "I can help you fight these villains" speech as the "mission complete" music plays.

[Rudra]

How about when the NPC you are saddled with, and have to keep alive, aggroes through walls? (Wretch likes to do this a lot, but he isn't the only one.) It's like "Okay, I got you. Now let's go t... where are you going?! THE EXIT IS THE OTHER WAY!!!! COME BACK HERE!!!! ... he left the room... there are no foes here and he ran off like his... what's that sound? ... oh shit...." *races out of room, down hall, to other room where NPC is nearly dead having found the enemies in the back room you figured was safe to ignore*

[Saiyajinzoningen]

100% agree with OP

 

[kelika2]

>ONE YEAR LATER<

Please look up the "Brainstorm" server.  it has instant level 50s as well as a seeded cheap auction house.  Also Thunderstorm also has instant level 50s

 

just save your costumes and you are good to go.

[Akisan]

2 hours ago, kelika2 said:

>ONE YEAR LATER<

Please look up the "Brainstorm" server.  it has instant level 50s as well as a seeded cheap auction house.  Also Thunderstorm also has instant level 50s

 

just save your costumes and you are good to go.

 

Thread necromancy may be a faux pas, but it's not nearly bad enough to recommend that people leave the community over it.  Unless you're attempting to say that those 2 servers have somehow managed to fix this AI problem, in which case, why didn't you say so?

 

And yeah, the AI's still fun to work around some days.  At least some of them can be skipped/bypassed with Stealth, but that's still just a workaround.  Fusionette syndrome is spreading though...

Edited December 3, 2023 by Akisan

[Rudra]

6 hours ago, kelika2 said:

>ONE YEAR LATER<

Please look up the "Brainstorm" server.  it has instant level 50s as well as a seeded cheap auction house.  Also Thunderstorm also has instant level 50s

 

just save your costumes and you are good to go.

What does this post have to do with combat NPCs and their aggro radius? This isn't a "please give us an instant level 50 button or whatever" thread.

[kelika2]

7 hours ago, Akisan said:

 

Thread necromancy may be a faux pas, but it's not nearly bad enough to recommend that people leave the community over it.

Oh I thought the OP wanted to speed and rush the game.

[Akisan]

27 minutes ago, kelika2 said:

Oh I thought the OP wanted to speed and rush the game.

 

Nah, the fastest way to do that (as far as this thread goes) is to let the suicidal AI commit suicide - we still progress to the next mission, which is (hopefully) less frustrating.

[Azari]

9 hours ago, Akisan said:

 

Thread necromancy may be a faux pas,

I never really understood why… Isnt it better to use an old thread than make a new one if it’s the same topic? Seems odd that it somehow annoys people. 

[Rudra]

21 minutes ago, Azari said:

I never really understood why… Isnt it better to use an old thread than make a new one if it’s the same topic? Seems odd that it somehow annoys people. 

When someone digs up what seems to be a dead topic, it can be frustrating. (Think the old saying "beating a dead horse".) However, making a new thread that addresses the same thing can also be seen the same way by some people. (Me? I view making a new thread that addresses the topic of a dead thread as a sort of lazy thing? Kind of hard for me to explain. Sorry.) Sort of a damned if you do, damned if you don't deal. My take? (Just my personal take on the matter.) I'm fine with people making a new thread that addresses a dead thread's topic if they reference the dead thread (shows me they at least researched what is or was going on). (Edit: I also like to know the whys of something someone is asking for the game. And just necro'ing a dead thread and saying something like "bumping" or whatever does not tell me any of that.)

 

Bear in mind, this is just my take on the situation and most likely does not apply to others.

Edited December 4, 2023 by Rudra

[Akisan]

4 hours ago, Azari said:

I never really understood why… Isnt it better to use an old thread than make a new one if it’s the same topic? Seems odd that it somehow annoys people. 

 

Me neither, but then, I feel that way about a lot of "proper" ettiquite.  @Rudra's right though, it is a bit of a catch-22: it's considered bad form to resurrect "dead" topics (even if they're still relevant, or new information is obtained, or the situation's changed), and starting a "fresh" iteration on the topic can be frustrating for those who filled out their side of the prior debate.

(I guess it's kinda like bringing something back up in conversation after an uncomfortably long pause - while there may be more to say, it's still all kinds of awkward)

[Azari]

People only pretend to be annoyed by necrobumps because they think they’re supposed to be annoyed by necrobumps.  Wake up from the matrix.

Edited December 4, 2023 by Azari

[Rudra]

2 hours ago, Azari said:

People only pretend to be annoyed by necrobumps because they think they’re supposed to be annoyed by necrobumps.  Wake up from the matrix.

We seriously need an eye roll response....

 

🙄

Edited December 4, 2023 by Rudra
Edited to add eye roll response.

[Azari]

I’ve never seen an argument against necrobumping that actually made logical sense to me… it’s always just like an arbitrary opinion… don’t do it, cuz just don’t.  👽 Humans perplex me…

Edited December 4, 2023 by Azari

[Rudra]

1 hour ago, Azari said:

I’ve never seen an argument against necrobumping that actually made logical sense to me… it’s always just like an arbitrary opinion… don’t do it, cuz just don’t.  👽 Humans perplex me…

It's simple. Human emotions are not easily explained. I still can't convey to others why I absolutely loathe, detest, want to rip out and burn at the roots patrol xp. If someone doesn't like something and they can't give a clear explanation why? Just accept they don't like it.

[RikOz]

On 1/7/2022 at 4:30 AM, Placta said:

 

The example I cited in the OP was the mission that set me off, but I meant it to apply to any mission where the NPC combat buddy thinks the best approach to the mission is to aggro everything in their ridiculously huge range. Whether it fails the mission or not, I hate it when they die (although the trio in the cited mission... maybe not so much because it means I don't have to deal with them anymore), and I really hate it when their recklessness nearly drags me down with them.

 

(And yes, it's an old issue, probably dating back before I joined the game.)

 

Overdrive is my bugaboo. She is the reason I wish NPC flight would be disabled for (at least) indoor missions. I've lost count of the number of times I've entered a multi-level room with Overdrive, and she instantly zips up or down to attack enemies that I haven't even seen yet. It doesn't help that she's typically behind me (because she's following me), so when she flies up or down a level, I can't even see where she went. If I don't know where the hell she went, I can't exactly come to her aid.

 

There's also something utterly baffling in the AI programming where Overdrive's aggro range can put her far enough away from me to trigger the "lost" behavior. I have literally watched her fly at high speed to attack enemies on the opposite side of a huge warehouse space, only to immediately yell, "You're too fast for me! I can't keep up!"

 

Then there's her target-selection AI. I'll see her go after a certain mob in a spawn, so I select a different target. Only to watch as she just punches her target one time, then abandons it in order to run over and use a KB attack to send my target flying out of my attack range.