Great games undone by bad AI?

[SimuLord]

I've played a lot of Empire and Napoleon: Total War. Steam tells me a total of over 160 hours between the two. I play them because I love the Total War concept (Rome is my all-time favorite game), and because I like a good light wargame in-between Paradox games.

But the AI...zoiks. I've never seen a worse battle AI. Every battle is Pickett's Charge or an over-the-top effort from World War One. The enemy marches forward, my long line of Line Infantry profusely perforates them, they run like hell, I claim victory with minimal losses. Lather, rinse, repeat until I just start autoresolving.

Which in turn leads me to ask "are these games truly the weakest AI of any otherwise-great game?" My fellow Escapists, between you I bet you've played every game in creation. So what's the worst AI you've encountered in a game that was otherwise good? (as in, no mentioning Big Rigs or Extreme PaintBrawl.)

 

[azncutthroat]

Ghost Recon series, and also Soul Calibur IV.

As I understand Ghost Recon's AI borders on a tradition or trademark. And Soul Calibur IV... I just can't read AI like I can humans. It's damn near impossible for me to parry/repel an AI, yet I can do it 5 or 6 times in a row against a decent human player.

 

[Armored Prayer]

First thing that comes to my mind is Dead Rising.

Great game, but horrible friendly AI.

 

[Vhite]

I havent played it but from what have I heard 2033 had really crappy AI. And also GTA games.

 

[MurderousToaster]

Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising.

Your teammates were basically just mindless shells which wouldn't do anything apart from shoot "at", not actually shoot, enemies in front of them. They would just stand out in the open like morons unless you told them to get into cover. And enemies seemed to have this weird idea that standing completely still or going into the prone position makes them invisible.

 

[Legion]

I'd say Splinter Cell Convictions' AI was pretty horrific, especially considering how much they flaunted their 'Last Known Position' ability.

Some issues it has:

Firstly the fact that setting off a camera immediately alerts all enemies to your presence. I don't mean like in a lot of games where the alarm goes off and then people start searching for you. I mean as soon as that camera spots you every enemy in the vicinity will spin around to face you regardless of where they are looking, what they are doing, or if you are even in their general area.

Last Known Position should work on an individual basis. If an enemy sees you then you should have a LKP, this should not automatically apply to every single enemy even if they never saw you. I am in a room with a single enemy and get spotted, I kill him immediately after it happens so they'd have no chance to alert anyone and yet suddenly every enemy suddenly knows where I was.

Metal Gear Solid 2 had more advanced AI than this and that's a bloody PS2 game.

 

[bloob]

Mass effect 1, enemies just seemed to charge at you with only a couple actualy looking to get behind cover.

 

[Reg5879]

Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising.

Your teammates were basically just mindless shells which wouldn't do anything apart from shoot "at", not actually shoot, enemies in front of them. They would just stand out in the open like morons unless you told them to get into cover. And enemies seemed to have this weird idea that standing completely still or going into the prone position makes them invisible.

Pretty funny Codemasters would screw up this games AI after it is meant to be the ultimate war simulation.

 

[zohmbee]

Left 4 Dead, either of them. It's not that the AI is terrible, but here's the thing:

AI, would you PLEASE stop circling around the other downed AI player while I'm 10 seconds from dead on the floor and the game ENDS and we have to start again from the beginning of the chapter if I die?! Priorities!

 

[Lightbinded]

Left 4 Dead 2. I kill Coach more than the zombies do, that idiot.He would stop and heal himself when I was almost dead on the floor and I hear horde music start up.

 

[Lightbinded]

Left 4 Dead, either of them. It's not that the AI is terrible, but here's the thing:

AI, would you PLEASE stop circling around the other downed AI player while I'm 10 seconds from dead on the floor and the game ENDS and we have to start again from the beginning of the chapter if I die?! Priorities!

Agreed my friend.

 

[Ed.]

I'd say Splinter Cell Convictions' AI was pretty horrific, especially considering how much they flaunted their 'Last Known Position' ability.

Some issues it has:

Firstly the fact that setting off a camera immediately alerts all enemies to your presence. I don't mean like in a lot of games where the alarm goes off and then people start searching for you. I mean as soon as that camera spots you every enemy in the vicinity will spin around to face you regardless of where they are looking, what they are doing, or if you are even in their general area.


Last Known Position should work on an individual basis. If an enemy sees you then you should have a LKP, this should not automatically apply to every single enemy even if they never saw you. I am in a room with a single enemy and get spotted, I kill him immediately after it happens so they'd have no chance to alert anyone and yet suddenly every enemy suddenly knows where I was.

Metal Gear Solid 2 had more advanced AI than this and that's a bloody PS2 game.

HL2 has good LKP system enemy AI are in squads who are able to share last known position with their own squad but not every enemy on the map yup those radio sounds arent just pointless noise

 

[Tripodicus]

Left For Dead 2, Gears Of War 2 Have This Integrated AI To Make Teams More Equal, However When Against A Bot Or AI, Sometimes It Just Seems So Impossible To Stand A Chance.

 

[Bato]

But the AI...zoiks. I've never seen a worse battle AI. Every battle is Pickett's Charge or an over-the-top effort from World War One. The enemy marches forward, my long line of Line Infantry profusely perforates them, they run like hell, I claim victory with minimal losses. Lather, rinse, repeat until I just start autoresolving.

You also forgot settlement assaults where the enemy just stands around picking their noses while being pelted by arrows/artillery (I haven't played empires to any great extent don't know if it's still true) until you run out. Then it's a good.. 0% allies lost against 60% enemy. Then chaaaaaaarge!



One game that comes to mind is Mount and Blade.
Armies are scared off too easily when attacking a castle.
I've seen a good 5-10 armies of 100-200 men scared off by one army of 100.
*grumbles* If there is a castle that needs to be taken down /I/ need to bring it to the ground, myself. And then the king doesn't let me keep them.

 

[Babitz]

Mass effect 1, enemies just seemed to charge at you with only a couple actualy looking to get behind cover.

Yeah. And then your team mates come to the rescue and you have 4-5 people on 2 square meters. Clusterfuck ensues.

 

[DividedUnity]

Quake 4 lol. Good luck finding a friendly AI that doesnt die about 20 minutes after you meet them

 

[ProfessorLayton]

Well Left 4 Dead 2, obviously, and Mercenaries 2. Mercs 2 was fun, except the AI was so insanely stupid that you could stand in the middle of the road for 10 seconds not doing anything and you'd only get shot about twice. Sheva in Resident Evil 5 made the game unplayable unless you play it in co-op.

 

[llew]

OF: draon rising... i got killed by the friendly AI more than the actual enemies because i would tell them to hide so the my squad wouldnt get shot, but instead they stand behind me and fire grenade launchers into the back of my skull -.-

 

[MiracleOfSound]

Gears of War 2 on Insane difficulty...

You will want to kill Dom yourself.