Major Improvements Focusing on the "Enemy AI Keeps Running Away and Battles Never End" Problem
In the demo version, we received a lot of feedback regarding the enemy leader's behavior, specifically:
"They keep running away, making battles fruitless."
In particular, cases where the enemy leader's health decreased and they would endlessly flee, prolonging the battle just by chasing them, led to player stress.
For the Early Access version, we have significantly adjusted the enemy AI logic, centering on this issue, to create more of a "battle-like skirmish."
Reworked Conditions for Enemy Leader's "Flee or Fight" Behavior
In the demo version, the enemy leader was programmed to run away indefinitely regardless of the situation once their health dropped below a certain point.
In the Early Access version, we have redesigned the conditions as follows:
When a vanguard unit (infantry, cavalry, etc.) is still alive
The enemy leader is more likely to take "defensive actions befitting a commander," such as backing away behind the vanguard or maintaining distance.
(= Choosing the "flee" action depending on the situation)
When all vanguard units are annihilated
The enemy leader will no longer run around indefinitely, and battles will no longer be drawn out fruitlessly.
(= They will not perform excessive retreat actions)
This adjustment has virtually eliminated "battles that end only with endless chasing," and the combat tempo has significantly improved.
Enhanced Enemy Leader Behavior Patterns to Make Them "Fight More Vigorously"
We have added and improved actions for the enemy leader's behavior to provide more dynamic changes.
Adjusting distance with steps and rolling
Unleashing charged attacks
Switching between offense and defense based on the situation
With the enhanced action logic, situational judgment has become clearer, and their presence on the battlefield has been elevated.
Adjusted Movement Speed for Shield-Wielding Units and Archers
We have made the following adjustments to ensure unit roles function more naturally:
Adjusted the movement speed of units holding shields
Adjusted the movement speed of archers when retreating
This leads to more natural distance management, preventing unnatural retreating behavior or overly aggressive closing-in.
Summary: Enemy AI Now Prioritizes "Skirmishing Based on Situational Judgment"
In the Early Access version, through changes such as:
Resolution of the issue where the enemy leader keeps running away
Enhancement of action variations
Improved behavior tailored to each unit's role
The enemy AI has evolved to make "more situation-appropriate judgments."
This is expected to lead to:
Elimination of fruitless battles
Improved skirmishing with the enemy
Better tempo and appearance of group battles
In the next update article, we will introduce "Balance Adjustments and Playability Improvements." Stay tuned!