Ready for new opponents? Then head over to this week’s challenge! Nina and Sylvia are waiting, armed with some truly mind-bending boss slam abilities.
I’m especially excited about Nina and Sylvia, not just because they bring an unparalleled fashion sense to the table, but because of what they represent for the future of Overtrick. To bring them to life, I had to completely rebuild the opponent AI system. Let me explain…
A Digression About Game AI
Before Nina and Sylvia, boss slam abilities were static. Edith takes the lead on Turn #3. Wanda randomly disables an ability. Wesley neutralizes all 1-point tricks. These abilities change gameplay, but they’re also consistent and predictable.
By contrast, Nina and Sylvia can dynamically activate “I’ll Take That,” which lets them swap a card they play with the most recent card you played. More importantly, they strategically choose WHEN to play it.
Behind the scenes, they’re running a “Monte Carlo Double Dummy Solver” (MCDDS). This means they take educated guesses about what cards you’re holding, then evaluate the best move across many possible scenarios. This also lets them account for YOUR special abilities, so don’t be surprised if they disrupt the perfect combo you were setting up.
In fact, MCDDS makes it possible for your opponents to use ANY special ability card in the game.
Other changes in this update include:
Match 2 Upgrades. When you get to Match 2, you’ll gain an extra special ability slot AND a higher overtrick credit cap. BUT prices in the shop will also increase. This opens up even more powerful builds later on, but those builds will come at a cost.
“Overtally” Rework. “Overtally” now triples the max credits from overtricks (versus increasing it to a capped $15 credits), helping it scale beyond Match 1.
Turn Indicator for Lead Trick. An arrow will show who is leading the next trick. This is particularly useful against the new MCDDS AI players, who take a little longer to decide their next moves.
Various Bug Fixes. Neither the bugs nor fixes are easy to describe, so I’ll spare you the details 😅.
Feedback is a Gift!
As always, please join the Discord server! Feedback is greatly appreciated, and I’d especially love to hear your feedback after playing against Nina and Sylvia! Shoutout to @thea, @penguinland, and @cassette who actually suggested new boss slam abilities, including the one for Nina and Sylvia!