Blizzard is loading up on player vs AI / player + AI mechanics

[Nathanyel]

And that is why adding a bunch of garbage "smart AI" should be fought against as well. Because if they put that in, everyone will use it. And pretty soon its a single player game. And then people will say the game sucks and start begging for Blizzard to save them from themselves. We know this because we've been there, it sucks, and let's not do it again.

Everyone will use bots in instanced content, even though the game will not allow it? Solid logic.

[Niwes]

at least AI isnt toxic. and maybe not that stupid as some players,

[kamuimac]

The idea of having to play BGs vs AI in random mode is not at all bad. Lets face the reality here: Random BGs alliance loses 9 out of 10 and Horde has massive queue times before they can join. This has been a reality for the past decade or so.

AI in dungeons. Wouldn't you love to join faster in the middle of the night when there is a clear shortage of tanks/healers?

I am not sure what followers will bring us in 8.2 but the way the game went up until now they had better make them do something useful for a change.

I would say that its far fetched to call it end of days for wow if they add AI. It can definitely bring some QoL changes in the game and short some problems that cant be otherwise solved mid expansion.

In the very long run rest assured that before we get further AI and solo dungeons they will have made wow one giant server first and then some.

For now we only have a few connected realms and many many servers that are sharded. Before even going to solo dungeons as you said we will go through more server mergers, connected guilds and other stuff that will forever prolong the game's longevity.

Safe to say wow has at least another 10-20 gears worth. Its just the BfA pessimism kicking in right now but we will get over it.

not nesesarily . you are assuming that their goal is players playing with players.

but what we see in game nowadays is that

1)huge chunk of player hate the concept of having to group up up with other because of toxicity
2)huge chunk hates other because "they suck at game" and they cant faceroll hardmodes without actual good people carrying them - thus raider.io.

AI would fix this imidiately .

i may be wrong but i think if AI in bgs will be succes then 9,0 main selling point will be AI in dungeons making them instant ques.

that would be the most logical step buisness wise.

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at least AI isnt toxic. and maybe not that stupid as some players,

this 10000% .

[deviant010]

People don't talk anymore anyway so I don't think I will notice any difference when they get replaced by bots.

[kamuimac]

i would add 1 more thing - having matches vs ai and ai in dungeons allows also for new kind of "difficulty sliders" - this opens doors for for example "easy " bgs and "hard bgs" - want to just instnly que and have fun destroying everything ? just pick up "easy " ai mode want "hard " bgs ? pick up "mythic bgs " mode . want pure pvp with players ? pick up "pvp mode" for bgs.

just like island expeditions.

exackly like island expeditions

hell why i didnt think about it before now.

you have this already there right in front of our eyes in game.

whole layout for remodeling and renovation of bgs (since those who really want to do pvp are not touching them only play arenas"

"the future is now old man "

i bet diamonds against nuts thats how they will announce it during blizzcon or whenver they announce AI in bgs.

[Nostromo93]

None of this indicates that AI is taking over primary game functions.

I hope that someday the AI will take over the forums. (SCNR)

[Sencha]

It's life actually. Lots of people live in big cities and know just a few people. That's not unusual at all and I can't imagine why anyone would think it would be. Personally, I'm all for adding AI wherever they can. As long as I can form a group with a couple of my friends and have a couple of followers to pad out the party to run a normal dungeon or even a normal version of a raid instance that would be great.

So what you want is a MMO game filled with AI players that you can play with your 3 friends sometimes. Sorry I don't call this a MMO, at most a 4-player coop game.

[Razzako]

The real question is why did you feel the need to flame me for my opinion instead of posting your own

[Edit]: I felt the need to add a few "realities" of wow that don't need "statistical evidence" to be confirmed as long as you ever bothered to play the game:

Alliance loses most (9/10) random BGs: Fact
Horde has longer queues for random BGs: Fact
Tanks and healers are hard to find esp at off peak hours: Fact
Game would benefit from advanced AI replacing crucial player roles: Fact
WoW is not dying in the foreseeable future: Fact

So lets face the reality of these facts and take the conversation forward instead of circle jerking.

Yeah, totally

I won't bother giving my opinion to someone who can't even bother to differentiate facts with literal opinions and perceptions.

[Malikath]

As long as their pet AI sucks balls, this will never be a thing.

pretty much this, along with the massive failure that was the automated report bot rather then actual gamemaster report review.

[Tehterokkar]

I would love if they remade the Faction Champions fight from Trial of the Crusader with the new AI. That would be hilarious.

[MoanaLisa]

So what you want is a MMO game filled with AI players that you can play with your 3 friends sometimes. Sorry I don't call this a MMO, at most a 4-player coop game.

MMO = Massive / Multi-Player / Online

You don't get your own definition of MMO.

If more people want to group together or play without AI that's up to them.

[Soon-TM]

Super followers are coming in 8.2.

What are these super followers going to be?

[TheVaryag]

A lot of systems are now getting automated via player vs AI mechanics.

1. A new version of a battleground where you fight as a team of players vs an AI team is coming.
2. Followers are supposed to become super important in 8.2 per Taliesin's newest video.

I expect as the playerbase shrinks to nothing, they will add AI tanks, AI healers, and AI DPS to dungeon parties and raids to fill the gaps and keep the queues popping. We might end up with effectively solo dungeons, with 1 actual player and 4 AI. That will be the final version of WoW at its sunset, with very few players but technically you can run anything because AI will be there to make a full and complete instance. Maybe they will even add AI to the auction house so mats and stuff are available to buy.

The game will play itself.

When I heard this I was like... oh great, so I'm an adventurer WITH A COMPANION NOW... like In Swtor. Thanks but I'd rather relly on myself than some silly AI, I mean a companion alone reduces your Importance and growth I feel. In Star Wars: The Old Republic, you're a Darth. Death made flesh, spreading death and disease throuout the galaxy... but you're weak against multiple mobs least you have a companion. That's always been this downside to the Companion system In that game and other games that use It, unless you're playing a Singleplayer Game of course like KOTOR, that system thrives there but It really doesn't In an MMO.

And also to me the whole AI Into Battlegrounds being added screams "We don't have enough players, lets replace em with AI before they notice there's not too many players"

[A Chozo]

Cool

It's good to have options. Can you imagine it? Mythic Dungeons where you can go solo with a team of NPCs OR find more players? It would be awesome, because solo-players would be happy, and group-oriented folks would only group between eachother instead. Everyone would be with their flock.

[Sencha]

MMO = Massive / Multi-Player / Online

You don't get your own definition of MMO.

If more people want to group together or play without AI that's up to them.

Massively multi-human-player to me

[shadowmatrix]

A lot of systems are now getting automated via player vs AI mechanics.

It's called PvE content, take off the tinfoil hat before you head implodes. You pointing out a puddle in the middle of the ocean.

[Protean]

I would rather they used AI to moderate player behavior: By having it read all player chat and flagging exceedingly toxic players so they're shadowbanned, but having the AI let them bypass the shadowban in a manner that keeps them from ever realizing they're cut off from the rest of the playerbase.

Or just having it outright keep toxic chat from reaching other people.

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Cool

It's good to have options. Can you imagine it? Mythic Dungeons where you can go solo with a team of NPCs OR find more players? It would be awesome, because solo-players would be happy, and group-oriented folks would only group between eachother instead. Everyone would be with their flock.

Or just have it pick up when someone leaves and no one will know. Leavers will no longer have the satisfaction of punishing team mates (bullies will no longer have any power over decent people). Dungeons won't fall apart because your child wakes up early. Interesting boss fights that will be more organic and less scripted.

I can see a lot of applications besides "omg world of solocraft" bullcrap.

[kamuimac]

When I heard this I was like... oh great, so I'm an adventurer WITH A COMPANION NOW... like In Swtor. Thanks but I'd rather relly on myself than some silly AI, I mean a companion alone reduces your Importance and growth I feel. In Star Wars: The Old Republic, you're a Darth. Death made flesh, spreading death and disease throuout the galaxy... but you're weak against multiple mobs least you have a companion. That's always been this downside to the Companion system In that game and other games that use It, unless you're playing a Singleplayer Game of course like KOTOR, that system thrives there but It really doesn't In an MMO.

And also to me the whole AI Into Battlegrounds being added screams "We don't have enough players, lets replace em with AI before they notice there's not too many players"

but they dont have enough players - mainly because allience refuses to participare in bgs - there is a reason why horde has 10+ minutes ques while for alllience its instant. and nothing will fix this.

[Kokolums]

Cool

It's good to have options. Can you imagine it? Mythic Dungeons where you can go solo with a team of NPCs OR find more players? It would be awesome, because solo-players would be happy, and group-oriented folks would only group between eachother instead. Everyone would be with their flock.

There are TONS of ARPGs out there that are well-coded with interesting systems that allow you to play totally and completely by yourself. I highly recommend Torchlight 2. You can play by yourself and explore a massive world and play various classes that have depth and there is even a solo endgame of maps to enjoy.

For those of us who want multiplayer, we have MMOs.

People who enjoy MMOs shouldn't login to solo game forums and demand that all solo games have a multiplayer option. People who enjoy solo games shouldn't login to MMO game forums and demand a solo option. Just let people play what they want without diluting it. Ok?

I get this impression that people who enjoy solo games want their own games exclusively dedicated to solo AND then they want to invade games designed for multiplayer fans and enforce solo on them as well, and if the multiplayer fans don't like that, well tough they need to take a backseat.

Get out of here.

[FelPlague]

So what you want is a MMO game filled with AI players that you can play with your 3 friends sometimes. Sorry I don't call this a MMO, at most a 4-player coop game.

3???
since when were bgs 3 players?