Halo 3 Forum
This topic has moved here: Subject: AI Discussion 2006
  • Subject: AI Discussion 2006
Subject: AI Discussion 2006
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Let's Discuss the Artficial Intelligence (AI) here. To start this discussion, I will say that from the latest update the AI seems vastly better. Ideas???

  • 07.01.2006 11:10 AM PDT

(10:19:49 PM) Scruss: oh and pezza, i saw what you did to that cat
(10:20:17 PM) Pezza: You were the one with the video camera breathing heavily. Of course you saw.

I think that the marines from the first Halo were smarter then in Halo 2. For the most part i mean, at least i wouldn't have to nudge a marine along to come with me, i had to do that all the time in campaign. Sorry getting off topic, yes I hope that the AI is greatly improved since Halo 2. If we can have allies and enemies that think greatly for them selves it will make campaign all that much more enjoyable to play through again and again.

  • 07.01.2006 11:14 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Well, here's some of the ideas to choose from:


1.Marines

-Actually helping and giving support [fire] to other Marines
-Moving from cover to cover
-Creep up on the enemy(or if advancing in where the enemy could be dug in)
-Running Battles, sprinting...
-Advancing
-Supressive fire(from behind cover, usually)
-Use of different stances-crouching, strafing(and circle strafing) kneeling, prone, crawl, etc
-Defensive combat formations
-Helping one another(wounded, supressive, giving a boost for another Marine, etc)
-Run from cover to cover
-Strategic ambushes
-Calling in vehicular support, air strikes, reinforcements, etc(and reinforcements will promptly be delivered in sometime soon) depending on situation
-Radio combat chatter(not scripted or the usual trash-talk-depends on the AI's reaction to a current situation. If the AI recognizes being pinned down, then you might hear "Alpha fireteam is pinned down" over the radio)
-Take cover behind walls, corners, etc
-Firing from behind a wall or corner
-Sending in certain Marines for different enemies(Demolitions Expert to lay mines, Snipers to cover the roof, Rocket-Launcher guy to take out a tank...)-the basic cooperation
-Flip over objects for cover
-Possibly some conversationing(may be scripted dialogue for certain occasions)
-Drive all UNSC vehicles intelligently throughout the map but not Covenant vehicles as common
-Support Marines will cover their allies. Like a intense corridor firefight storming a enemy position. A Marine might run up to its allies and spray the corridor with SMG rounds and/or fire off SMG rounds to scare out any enemies after things died down a bit. Covenant and your Covenant allies do this too, fire off random bursts here and there after a firefight occasionally to see if enemies are still around.

2.For the Covenant: Note: Covenant do not use the same tactics as Marines do. Sometimes they'll take cover but mostly they have the habit of running out into the open. Seems like Covenant tactics for ya...
-Brutes, Elites, and Hunters will recognize enemy cover and use different methods to destroy that cover(ex:Your shields are down and you're hiding behind a mobile piece of cover-and sudenly the container flies aside and you find yourself face-to-face with a Brute/Hunter. Or if you hide and peek out, you may see a enemy moving in slowly as it prepares to flush you out from your cover while one of his cohorts behind has his gun trained for his buddy's support)
-Hide and fire from behind cover(an Elite may dive behind a wall and fire from its cover or poke its head out from behind a pile of rubble every now and then to get in a few shots-to hapless Marines this tactic is deadly)
-Running or radioing for reinforcements(no combat chatter necessary-applies only with Marines)
-Scurry under ledges or strafe-run under fire(ex:a Grunt running horizontallly to you to make it a harder target to hit)
-Climb objects(add on to the AI climbing over containers) and scale walls for a better vantage point
-Move from place to place for better vantage points
-Elites and Brutes can lift Marines with one arm and throw them to the ground or against a wall(not as common that it would make it look like a kung-fu game). Hunters do the same with their melee swings with deadlier consequences.
-Know how to backtrack and swiftly strafe(Elites can actually go into crouching stance and circle-strafe you or an enemy)
-Kick over objects for cover(A Elite could kick over a container, a table, or roll an explosive fuel barrel at the enemy and shoot it to make a explosion-and this is usually quicker than you might think)
-Search for enemies in the dark with Flashlights
-Be aware of your presence and initiate a devasating counterattack just when you think you're sneaking up upon an unsuspecting Elite or Brute.
-Idle patrolling(and conversationing-dialogue script)
-Combat Dialogue(ex:You're crossing a bombed-out street and a Elite pokes his head out pointing at you from behind the wreckage of a semioverturned car and starts jabbering at you. Then suddenly- *ZIP* *ZIP*-While you're momentarily distracted and confused, two stealthily snipers you didn't see anywhere in sight killed you in a heartbeat)
-Weaker ranks or outnumbered enemy(ies) that flee for reinforcements
-And everything else I guess applies to the Covenant as well as the Marines(see above)
-Oh-this is definately in for the Grunts. A Grunt might sometimes jump as it throws a grenade to better its chances of it sticking to you. Better yet, what if it decides to hop on a Hunter's back and throw and shoot? That'd be pretty funny to watch.. Grunt: "Go forward!" Hunter:*annoyed groan*
-Elites commanding the lower ranks to flank the enemy, get into position, etc....
-Use the element of surprise-as in a bunch of Elites blowing open a door to surprise the enemy while the smoke's clearing. And their Carbine and plasma fire will pierce through the smoke(or any kind of visual disorienting form such as smoke, fog, ,mist, etc) with precision accuracy.
-Not necessarily a military tactic, but I'd expect Brutes and Elites to move with stormtrooper efficiency. Blow open doors, march in.
-Jackals and Elites with sniper weapons can guard a doorway from a high ledge to surprise any enemy coming through. Or they can chuck grenades, or carpet fire the whole area to pin down a bunch of Marines.
-Scatter and take cover when ambushed(or ambushed by an enemy from high ground).
-Scout stance-Usually by Elites and Jackals-they're in there somewhere. Crouched, sometimes with a snipe-capable weapon waiting to ambush you(usually on higher ground) or alert its companions. Through certain low-visibility enviroments such as dense foiliage, enemy shots can pierce through the foiliage from one or more different directions, leaving you open to attack while your attacker already saw you. As the Arbiter, allies you meet up with sometimes do this too. Marine recon...yea..it's there..but not as obvious.
-Jackal snipers climbing up trees or shrouded foiliage for a better and perfect sniper point.
-More use of weapon variety-Drones may use Beam Rifles, since they're well suited for getting into places normal infantry can't reach. A Grunt might carry a anti-vehicular gun, etc.

3.THE FLOOD
Everybody complains that the Flood are tedious to fight. Many suggest that the Flood be removed from Halo altogether. In my opinion, I think the Flood tactics are upped a notch in Halo 2 from Combat Evolved. Yet people still say the Flood are boring to fight. I might have a few ideas so it won't be boring to fight. First, the Flood combat forms can now sprint at dizzying speed like Olympic hurdle jumpers at you. And they can use any tactic that their original host knows how to use(i.e. humans and Covenant). Some Flood might even hold their position with a battle rifle down the corridor than run blindly at you and alot of them hold firearms with both hands. Flood+even more faster, tenacious, and ferocious than before=more tense gameplay that you have to stay on your toes.


[Edited on 7/1/2006]

  • 07.01.2006 11:17 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

What...the heck...was that. How much time did you have to write all that???

  • 07.01.2006 1:28 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Here's an interview with Max Dyckhoff, one of the guys that's working on the AI.

  • 07.01.2006 1:33 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Posted by: SquallLeonE
Here's an interview with Max Dyckhoff, one of the guys that's working on the AI.


No offense to you or Max, but interviews with the engineers are really kinda meaningless. Who's going to say, "well, the AI I've made isn't bad, but it's not really great, either..."? While I'm sure he's very good, what he said really can't be regarded as proof, if that's what you're saying. If you just wanted to throw the existance of the interview out here, just carry on and pretend this post doesn't exist.

  • 07.01.2006 1:41 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Very intuitive Seventh.

Much of what you mentioned was planned for Halo 2 but didn't make the cut due to the Xbox not being able to handle it. Thus they had to go back to more scripted events just to ensure that the system wasn't overtaxed.

  • 07.01.2006 1:44 PM PDT
  • gamertag: [none]
  • user homepage:

Location: Outlaws' Summit.

seven7h, thats a LOT to read.........try breaking it up into multiple posts


now my opinion? AI can only get so good....

even tho you can have a AI outplay a human, it cant really outsmart one. stuff like taking a hit from a snipe so your buddy can arm the bomb, or using your body as a shield from that smg fire so your teammate can advance the flag ever so far.

but AI in multiplayer would be good for those who dont have live........but i would prefer a human anyday, but thats just me !

  • 07.01.2006 1:47 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

I just read seven7h's post and those are some very, very good ideas. Also, I would like to say that you should be able to tell the marines (or other allies) what to do some of the time. Because from time to time I like to use the turret on a warthog during single player and no marine will move to drive it!

  • 07.01.2006 2:04 PM PDT