[MUD-Dev] AI not worth doing in our games?

[Marc Fielding]

[Amanda Walker]:

> I think this depends a bit.  If the pigeons really are just window
> dressing, sure.  And once players determine that they're just
> CPU-eating window dressing, they'll turn off "show pigeons in
> parks" display option (cf. client-side wildlife in AO, and
> landscape frills in AC2).
 
> However...

> If the pigeons respond to player actions, and mobs respond to
> pigeons, it could make it much more challenging to sneak through
> the park.  Example:
 
>   - target a mob, cast lightning bolt.

>   - flock of pigeons burts out the trees, scared by the noise.
 
>   - mobs converge on you to see what the fuss is about.

Actually, your "Pigeons, Enhanced" idea wouldn't be too costly to
implement.  Just treat the flock as a "pigeon-filled object" with a
given location: the server handles flocking behavior while
pigeon-level placement and animation is completely client-side.

This way, the entire flock becomes just another AI-controlled NPC.

It's the calculation of bird-dropping ballistics you gotta watch out
for. ;)

-Marc

*******************************
Marc Fielding
fielding at cutthisout.computer.org






_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev mailing list
MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
https://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev