Future weapons for AI

[PranQster]

Are there any plans for expanding the choice of weaponry that AI can actively use? I'm thinking about axes, pikes, halberds and maces, mostly. Though perhaps the longer weapons would cause problems with pathfinding...?

[Sotha]

Are there any plans for expanding the choice of weaponry that AI can actively use? I'm thinking about axes, pikes, halberds and maces, mostly. Though perhaps the longer weapons would cause problems with pathfinding...?

 

But you can already equip different weapon models for the AI. Of course they work with spiked clubs, maces and other weapons that look correct when the AI attacks with the sword animation.

 

Pikes and halberds prolly need new anims..

[grayman]

Though perhaps the longer weapons would cause problems with pathfinding...?

 

Since swords and hammers don't bother pathfinding, other weapons replacing them should be okay.

[grayman]

But you can already equip different weapon models for the AI. Of course they work with spiked clubs, maces and other weapons that look correct when the AI attacks with the sword animation.

 

Pikes and halberds prolly need new anims..

 

 

Club-like weapons should use the hammer animation, not the sword. Pulling a spiked club from your belt might be a bit painful.

 

Long pole weapons would need new animations. Those are poking weapons. Any club- or sword-like animations (other than stabbing) wouldn't be appropriate. Plus, they're prolly 2-handed weapons as well.

 

 

[Sotha]

Long pole weapons would need new animations. Those are poking weapons. Any club- or sword-like animations (other than stabbing) wouldn't be appropriate. Plus, they're prolly 2-handed weapons as well.

 

They might yield interesting gameplay: the thief has a shortsword and must get close to be able to attack. A pikeman can thurst with the pike far away and maybe even push the player back so that he cannot get to attack range even he wanted to...

[Stealth'91]

expand ai arsenal with what goal? :/

[Tels]

Plus, they're prolly 2-handed weapons as well.

 

Not to derail this thread, but I think our builders with their hammers should use two-handed animations, too. It looks a bit ridiculous how he holds such a big hammer with only one hand, esp. as he grips it at the end, not in the middle...

[demagogue]

Some two-handed weapon animations would be awesome to see ... pikes & staffs, two-handed broadswords & heavy axes, then some unarmed-melee moves (unarmed bad guys do happen). I don't doubt it'd be a lot of work and is edging into the gratuitous box, but doesn't change the fact they'd be awesome to have.

 

(And this is completely aside from a branch version with Asian weapons & martial arts, probably in conjunction with new versions of models, which should be a separate request for someone unofficial to do but would also be awesome to see nonetheless.)

[Springheel]

There are already AI in maps using spiked maces and spiked clubs, and pagans already carry axes.

[PranQster]

Glad to see this discussion taking place. Pikes especially were very common weapons used by palace guards and troops. Often these were cheaper weapons to produce than swords and were used much more, at least for battle.

[Springheel]

I doubt that long pikes were used for much actual fighting indoors. Pikes are great when there are a lot of them in formation, but they're not much good for a single person, especially in cramped quarters.

[PranQster]

I doubt that long pikes were used for much actual fighting indoors. Pikes are great when there are a lot of them in formation, but they're not much good for a single person, especially in cramped quarters.

 

True. Though halberds were often used by guards at doorways and when guarding people of royalty, etc. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it would be cool to have a couple pike guards at an outside door, a couple with halberds at an inside doorway leading to, say, the local lord's bedroom or study, etc.

Anyway, it would be cool to see things like this implemented someday.

[Springheel]

It already is implemented. There is a halberd that can be attached to an AI already. He won't fight with it but he'll hold it until he draws his sword.

 

edit: I knew I had a pic somewhere:

 

[demagogue]

Well while we're pike-dreaming, uh, pipe-dreaming ... It would be cool if when you went towards a door guarded by an AI like that, there was a simple animation where the AI lowered the pike across the door to block your way (and a symmetrical one if you wanted 2 pikemen on both sides). I don't mean it as something the AI would recognize (sounds like too much work), but just a pure stock animation the mapper could place & set up that ends up working like that. Then if you still tried to go past it you could script him to go to the highest alert and pull out his sword then or whatever.

[Springheel]

Yes, that wouldn't be too hard.

[ungoliant]

I dunno, fieldmedics contest mission has convinced me that transitioning AI from friendly to enemy and vice versa is simply not realistically feasible in TDM (not his fault). Theres simply too many immersion breaking X factors. I can only see the pike-lowering animation as useful for screenshots in briefings, or a heavily scripted cinematic event where the player is not in control of himself.

[Ishtvan]

I dunno, fieldmedics contest mission has convinced me that transitioning AI from friendly to enemy and vice versa is simply not realistically feasible in TDM (not his fault). Theres simply too many immersion breaking X factors. I can only see the pike-lowering animation as useful for screenshots in briefings, or a heavily scripted cinematic event where the player is not in control of himself.

It's not feasible in current TDM, but it could work if a whole new system was added to the SDK to handle it. We talked about this a while ago but have not gotten around to it yet.

 

As for stabbing weapons: Wouldn't these be pretty easy to parry, since you always know they're going to stab? You could compensate by making them un-parry-able I guess.