Hey everyone! We're back with another behind-the-scenes look into our development process. This week we're diving into how we're improving combat in the game by focusing on improvements to enemy AI.
Achilles: Legends Untold is an action game - one of its most important elements is the combat system. And, as you know, combat is only as good as the enemies you fight! That’s why we give special care to the enemy AI during development. We want the game to provide you with truly formidable opponents and memorable, challenging encounters. Here’s an inside look on how we’re managing and continuing to improve our enemy AI:
The Old AI System
The original system we were using was based on “attack tokens”. First, the game checked the current condition of the fight - how much time has passed since the last attack? How many enemies are fighting Achilles right now? What type of enemies are they?
Then, the enemies, who were chosen after the condition check, were given some amount of attack tokens from the limited total pool. They were able to consume these tokens by attacking Achilles - then the AI returned them to the pool, so they could be dispensed again, during the next condition check.
(Enemies attacking & instantly backing off)
That’s how the game chose who will be striking at our hero and when he should do it. We decided the system needed improvements. We’ve been getting feedback from our players, that the opponents back off too quickly after attacking, and that it’s hard to counterattack efficiently. We’re listening! - and that’s why we’re making some changes.
The New AI System
The new & improved system is similar, but it splits enemies into certain groups. The AI can either be on the passive or the active list. What does this mean?
- Active - An enemy that gets on the active list will stay close to Achilles and try to attack him.
- Passive - On the other hand, the enemies on the passive list will give way to the active ones - they will move around at a distance and taunt our hero, waiting for their turn.
What does that mean for the player? With these changes, the combat will feel a lot more continuous - enemies that attack Achilles will stay focused on him longer, giving the player a better opportunity to punish them and counterattack. The fights will be much more natural, with enemies moving around more strategically. It will make the whole system feel less clunky, improving on the current AI behavior.
(Improved token system, enemies stay more focused)
On the Offensive
The combat style of our AI is shifting from a focus on defense to a more offensive-minded behavior. Now the enemies will be more vulnerable to your counters, but they won’t just let you attack them so easily. They are becoming more aggressive and will hunt you relentlessly! You will have to adapt your fighting style and strategy in order to survive against these more aggressive enemies . This fundamental change will make gameplay feel more dynamic and keep you on your toes, as you maneuver your way through more challenging opponents.
New Enemy Abilities
That’s not all! Apart from improving the AI system, we’re also actively expanding upon it. We want our enemies to have a wide array of attack types and environment interactions, so we’re constantly experimenting and adding new ones. For example, here are two new abilities we’ve been working on:
The Spear Throw
See these spears in the ground, scattered around the map? Enemies are able to locate them, pick them up, and throw them at Achilles using all their might and strength. If you don’t want to become a human shish kebab, watch out and dodge them!
The Flaming Arrows
We have many fireplaces placed in all of Greece, and it’s time we put them to a better use! Apparently, the archers haven’t been taught not to play with fire - they are now able to come up to any fire source, and light their arrows with flame. Better extinguish their enthusiasm, or you’ll get 3rd degree burns!
Bonus
We’re also creating unique abilities for the bosses. As you might’ve already seen, in patch 0.1.3 we expanded on Menelaus’ skillset. Now he’s carrying a bottle with a purple fluid - he can drink some of it and spit at Achilles, poisoning him. He’s also able to cover his weapon with it and start dealing poison damage on hit.
As it turns out, Menelaus is also a bit of a pyromaniac - he likes to light his sword on fire, burning Achilles with each strike. Using it, he can also spit fire at you! A dangerous foe indeed.
We’re giving our all to the game’s combat. We want to make it dynamic and exciting, but to also fully incorporate the strategic aspects of the top-down view, so it’s a challenging experience for the players. Thanks to the input we’ve been getting from you, with each update we’re getting closer to that goal!
Remember that you can also become a part of the process - we’re actively collecting and looking through your feedback, both here and on our Discord server. If you have any thoughts you want to share with us about the game, make sure to write us a message in a discussions thread, or in the dedicated Discord channel (link below).
See you in the next development update!
FOLLOW US
Discord ► http://discord.gg/achilleslegendsuntold
Website ► https://achillesgame.com
Twitter ► https://twitter.com/DarkPointGames
Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/AchillesLegendsUntold
Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/achilleslegendsuntold/
YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/c/DarkPointGames