I just went back to 7 days to Die...... This game is amazing for Zombie AI.
For the few that don't know, It's a popular Indie developed crafting survival solo/multi player game. This game was made by a small crew called The Fun Pimps kind of like Visionary Realms. So far this is a poster child for a success story. Now you would think it's just another Zombie game, no big deal right ?...... So what's the attraction in it's popularity ?......Well, this is my opinion:
Smart AI
I hate Zombie games, I hate survival games, I hate pure crafting games. Your all alone (unless you play multi player) and it's a horror game I hate all of this. So one would ask, why play it !!!!..... What's the attraction !!!!
Well, it's 100% intelligent monsters, that's why.
Hay, it gets even better, think about this:
7 Days to die has at least 15 types of Zombies with their own personality traits. Crawler Zombies, Exploding Zombies, Spider Zombies the list goes on. Yet, this is ONLY Zombies, slow moving Zombies !....... These things can rip you and any thing you build apart. You can build impenetrable structures yet they can infiltrate almost anything...... This is the attraction !
Take this to the next level.
Just think if intelligent AI were to have casters, archers and tanks with shields and so on..... The possibilities are endless.
I'm not saying change everything into a survival game or have Zombies (I hate them).
I'm saying "Smart AI could be everything".
Could you imagine if Visionary Realms teamed up with The Fun Pimps
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For instance - in a grouping game like EQ smart monsters would go straight for the healers once they realized who they were. Now that would really suck for someone that wanted to be a healer - if not the healers then the dress-wearing arcane casters.
Anyway, I could go on, but I think you get the idea.
smart AI that act like a human would need adaptability the more it has the more complex it becomes an harder to code to account for every little variable an depending how it coded can be exploited.
simplicity allows for controlled outcomes it lets player farm, grind, explore while still having a challenge depending were they are in the world or game. maybe when quantum physics becomes more of a standard an less of a theory, while have game that surpass are dreams of what achievable but till then simplicity or scripted outcomes will be what we have.