Enemy AI

SanderBuraas

The mobs in Elder Scrolls Online have very basic AI. This may be expected in an MMORPG – let alone an Elder Scrolls game – but I still feel that it should be improved. Combat, even in the open world, should feel satisfactory and at least a little challenging.

Similar to how NPCs in towns move around and do chores, the mobs in the wilderness should be able to wander around in their respective areas. They should spawn as they do now, but they should have AI even when not in combat. The world, including dungeons and delves, would feel more alive.

Now, on to combat. The mobs in Elder Scrolls Online mainly suffer from these issues:

• Too easy.
• Basic mechanics. No debuffs, diseases alike.
• Too slow. Can easily be kited by players without slowing abilities.
• Not responsive, as in they don't attempt to dodge or counter your attacks.

There are many ways to fix these issues. Some would require more work while others are a matter of number adjustment. The leveling experience should be fun and less of a basic grind. Combat should revolve around reactive behaviour – and teamwork when there are several enemies.

SanderBuraas

(Accidental post)

petraeus1

I agree. Before launch ZOS boasted how groups of enemy NPCs would work together intelligently to fight players. They always mentioned the oil + fire combination, and that's pretty much all they do. AI technology has advanced so far during the last years, ESO is really behind the curve for a 2014 MMO.

JamilaRaj

I disagree. There are a few good reasons for not making monsters intelligent:
1) AI programming can be difficult/costly and ultimately not worth it, because slow, stupid, unresponsive monsters suffice.
2) Players may in fact prefer helpless enemies, for example so they could sweep through hordes of them and feel powerful.
3) Or because they do not want to be challenged or play content. They may just want to be done with it, epesically when content is there just to encourage players to consider paying money to skip it (in which case smart AI is not very efficient way to do that; making content tedious or hard by in turn making monsters able to randomly one shot players is cheaper).
4) Stupid players, who are otherwise perfect customers, could have hard time overcoming intelligent enemies and would be more inclined to ragequit.
5) It simply does not fit into current business model. I can imagine selling, say, Ring of Stupidity in the crown store, that would dumb down enemies within 10m radius, but not Ring of Cunning.