Guild Wars 2 - new Demo: AI improvements: see NPCs kiting the player etc.

[Maarius]

Hi guys

A few people on GW2 Guru found some interesting bits on the new demo-build from the gstar-demo. Here whats to expect:



examples so far (standard NPCs):
-) Kiting: enemies kite the player (thanks to Master10k)
-) Dodging: enemies dodge player attacks (thanks to Deity)
-) Weapon swap: enemies swap their weapons to react on your actions (thanks to IsThisNameTaken & Cloudpiercer)
-) Bolt/flee if low on health (various clips)




so these what you would call dynamic fights...

(I tried to link the videos, but because thats my first post I'm not allowed to you find them in the guru forums:

[Mif]

Ranged NPCs kiting melee @3:30


Melee NPC's doing dodge rolls:

[Maarius]

thanks Mif! that's what I would have posted

[GrodinLB]

Not a fan of enemies fleeing at low health. By far the most annoying mechanic ever.

[Deleted]

examples so far (standard NPCs):
-) Kiting: enemies kite the player (thanks to Master10k)

Now that's more like it! In most games mobs do not know how to do that and it makes fights all too simple and unfair. I like GW2 just a little bit more now than before

[Lusitan]

well the kiting AI needs a bit more improvement, from the video mif posted all it does is do a very small circle, reducing significantly the effect of kitting, but its a good start ^^

[omlech]

well the kiting AI needs a bit more improvement, from the video mif posted all it does is do a very small circle, reducing significantly the effect of kitting, but its a good start ^^

Yeah kiting needs to be more varied, however if you notice the guy nearly died because he was playing whack-a-mole with a single weapon, not bothering to heal, not dodging. This is a massive improvement over what we deal with currently combat wise for the genre. Things like this will enforce that people need to dodge, swap weapons, make sure they heal, etc.

[Pachycrocuta]

Not a fan of enemies fleeing at low health. By far the most annoying mechanic ever.

I completely agree with you on that. While yes, it makes more sense, it's just stupid. And really makes me not want to play a melee class.

[omlech]

I completely agree with you on that. While yes, it makes more sense, it's just stupid. And really makes me not want to play a melee class.

Switch to your ranged weapon and kill it as it flees? Every melee class has a ranged weapon.

[Maarius]

Switch to your ranged weapon and kill it as it flees? Every melee class has a ranged weapon.

+ and don't forget the gap closers (I think) every class has...
+ some classes deal crits if they hit from behind

[Uwibami]

The kiting could become a pain in the ass as a melee, though I'm actually kinda interested in how it'd play out.

[Muzjhath]

The only "melee" in the game will be people who personally lock themselves down to not using any ranged weapons or ranged skills.
There also exist gapclosers for basicly every class. Warriors have a charging attack for example. So if a mob tries to kite you, grab a bow and blast it back!

Otherwise I love it that they make the mobs more mobile than in the standard MMO where it just usually stands and hits/sling spells at you, or run away at a lower health while calling for help.

[Balfire]

Just one more thing to look forward to. Sounds annoying on melee but thats why every class can be played as both not counting gap closers most classes have as well.

I'm really looking forward to this, a big change from most MMO's where the monsters just charge at right at you or stand in one spot as you run towards them with a huge sword and armor dripping with their buddies blood. I actually wish they would kite more it looks as though they just run in a circle no matter what. If some of the harder monsters used a cripple and had a bit larger chain I wouldn't mind at all.

[Maarius]

Weapon swaps:
Take a look at the second clip at 1:46

the two enemies hit you hard in melee. The right one hits the player with a knockback hurling you towards a chasm. Suddenly the left npc swaps his sword for a rifle and uses a shot that inflicts a huge knockback (which almost kicks the player down the chasm)
thats what I meant on "reacting to a situation"

[Wynnyelle]

Really cool. The one thing I can't stand about most MMOs is how dull enemy ai tends to be. This makes it seem a lot more like an action RPG, which is a great thing, I think.

[Valeron]

People will have to get used to playing a "melee" class that can also be just as viable ranged. You just have to get rid of the other mmos mindset. When a mob flees or tries to kite you, just switch to your ranged weapon.

[Durzlla]

People will have to get used to playing a "melee" class that can also be just as viable ranged. You just have to get rid of the other mmos mindset. When a mob flees or tries to kite you, just switch to your ranged weapon.

Alot of people will also have to get out of the mind set of "ranged" classes too, i know one of my friends is going an elem with daggers so he can be a melee ranged mage!!

Weapon swaps:
Take a look at the second clip at 1:46

the two enemies hit you hard in melee. The right one hits the player with a knockback hurling you towards a chasm. Suddenly the left npc swaps his sword for a rifle and uses a shot that inflicts a huge knockback (which almost kicks the player down the chasm)
thats what I meant on "reacting to a situation"

Dude, that just sounds sooooooo bad ass!! I hope they actually are designed to try and throw you off cliffs if the chance arrives, and that that wasn't just a freak thing!

[Mothhive]

Alot of people will also have to get out of the mind set of "ranged" classes too, i know one of my friends is going an elem with daggers so he can be a melee ranged mage!!

Not to be a joy kill, but an Elementalist with daggers is still a ranged caster. He'd never actually hit anyone with those daggers. An Elementalist can summon and weild a Fiery Greatsword as an elite skill though, so maybe some melee skills will become available then?

[Durzlla]

Not to be a joy kill, but an Elementalist with daggers is still a ranged caster. He'd never actually hit anyone with those daggers. An Elementalist can summon and weild a Fiery Greatsword as an elite skill though, so maybe some melee skills will become available then?

No, the elem with daggers is NOT ranged, all their casts are very very short ranged, so they would need to be up in the fray in order to do any damage. That's why all the dagger atunements have a gap closer.

Scepter & Focus = Medium

Daggers = Short range

Staff = Long range

[Kharli]

this..is going to be awsome, and this is coming from a person who spent there wow life on melee classes xD