Improving Pet AI

[Guest]

Hello Everyone,

We've been reading over your feedback on the recent Crystal Ball of Pet Summoning changes. Some of you have expressed concerns about Pet AI, and that the crystal ball was heavily relied on due to the inadequacies of the Pet AI.

I believe I have internally improved Pet AI.

Here is how the new AI should behave:

Commands:

Guard – The pet should guard as it does currently.
Follow – The pet should follow. It will not attack anything, even if it is attacked. (unless it is guarding)
Come – The pet should walk to. It will not attack anything, even if it is attacked. (unless it is guarding)
Kill/Attack – The pet will attack its target as it does currently.
Stop – The pet will stop attacking. It will not attack anything, even if it is attacked, and may wander.
Stay – The pet will stay where it is currently, and will not attack anything, even if it is attacked. (unless it is guarding)

Note: The pet will revert out of passive mode if the pet's owner dies, if the pet is stabled, traded, player character transfers, player and pet log off, etc.

QA is currently reviewing these changes internally. Once the changes pass internal review, they should appear on a public Test Center for an upcoming publish.

Once these changes are on Test Center, please be sure to send us your feedback on these changes.

Thanks!

Examples of new macro command combinations:

You can tell your pet to guard while it's following you. This will put it in autodefend mode for itself and its master.

To turn off guarding, tell your pet to stop or kill/attack.

So for passive follow, you could do 'pet name' stop, 'pet name' follow me, and it will ignore attacks on you or your pet.

For autodefend follow, you could do 'pet name' guard, 'pet name' follow me or 'pet name' follow me then 'pet name' guard. It doesn't matter what order you initiate the guard command. While your guarded, autodefend should work as normal. The pet will follow you in this case, but will fight whatever attacks you or itself.

Note: A kill/attack command will not leave your pet in passive mode after the battle is completed

[Edit: Clarified guarding and passive behavior]

 

[Guest]

Is there any change to "<petname> come"?

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Is there any change to "&lt;petname&gt; come"?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. I just updated my original post.

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

Hail: When you are testing this, please test the following distance, :ie how far ahead or distance between you and your pet", for it to keep following you, and not stop. This is important since the pet will not attack anything, or counter attack, This leave the pet defenseless.

Also, test if multiple things attack a pet that is following you, will it break the follow command?

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Hail: When you are testing this, please test the following distance, :ie how far ahead or distance between you and your pet", for it to keep following you, and not stop. This is important since the pet will not attack anything, or counter attack, This leave the pet defenseless.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the feedback on this. I'll be sure to let QA know so we can monitor this.

<blockquote><hr>

Also, test if multiple things attack a pet the is following you, will it break the follow command?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, it should ignore all attacks.

 

[Guest]

And give us pet balls and powders so we can test on TC

 

[Guest]

On the surface, I like the look of it.
The proof of the pudding will be in the eating, though.

Two more questions, though

Firstly. Are there any plans to update the AI beyond pets responding to commands? In effect, making monsters and pets smarter than the average mana-dumping automaton.

Secondly. If you order a pet that's fighting to come/follow/stop, then it damages the monster with the delayed damage of a spell, or kitsune rage attack, will that kick it back into fighting?

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

And give us pet balls and powders so we can test on TC



[/ QUOTE ]

Good suggestion.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Firstly. Are there any plans to update the AI beyond pets responding to commands? In effect, making monsters and pets smarter than the average mana-dumping automaton.

[/ QUOTE ]

No immediate plans here, but it is something we'd like to do.

<blockquote><hr>

Secondly. If you order a pet that's fighting to come/follow/stop, then it damages the monster with the delayed damage of a spell, or kitsune rage attack, will that kick it back into fighting?

[/ QUOTE ]

It shouldn't. Definitely want to test this thoroughly though on TC. I'll remind QA to test for this.

 

[Guest]

So what happens if you have a pet following you and a player begins attacking it? Is it going to ignore the attacker completely until the tamer tells it to attack back? This can lead to a lot of issues in PVP. If the pet can only attack one target, the targetted player can just keep running away while others attack the pet without fear of being hit.

Also, what happens if a pet kills a target. Currently it will revert to following you. So does this mean if you tell it to attack something, it will kill it and then just follow you again, ignoring anything else that is hitting it?

PS - A confirmation warning menu any time you tell your own pets to attack you would be super.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

So what happens if you have a pet following you and a player begins attacking it? Is it going to ignore the attacker completely until the tamer tells it to attack back?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. However, if you tell the pet to follow you, then guard you. It will follow you until it is attacked or you are attacked, then it will autodefend as normal.

<blockquote><hr>

Also, what happens if a pet kills a target. Currently it will revert to following you. So does this mean if you tell it to attack something, it will kill it and then just follow you again, ignoring anything else that is hitting it?

[/ QUOTE ]

Once the kill/attack command is initiated, it should behave how it does currently.

 

[Guest]

Never mind, you added the part about it auto-defending when in guard mode.

 

[Guest]

I think there an option to make the pet follow but defend itself if attacked.

If it guard you, will it then defend itself if attacked too? And will it follow you?

Ops you did just ansvar that one

 

[imported_Gwendar-SP]

Are you going to fix the guard wacking bug(s) that makes it dangerous to have your pet guarding you in a guard zone?

 

[Guest]

oh my god...I can't believe this is getting changed after allllll the years of pets attacking mongbats through the walls.

Thank you.

 

[Guest]

I knew you wouldn't let us down

Thanks a million! Can't wait to take my packs out for a rumble now

Wenchy

 

[Guest]

Leurocian when you are done with the Pet Balls and he Pet AI, would it then be possible for you to tweak RoT on Siege, we really need our new players to stay after they hit RoT.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Leurocian when you are done with the Pet Balls and he Pet AI, would it then be possible for you to tweak RoT on Siege, we really need our new players to stay after they hit RoT.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll mention this to Draconi and the Live Team.

 

[imported_Goron]

<blockquote><hr>

Leurocian when you are done with the Pet Balls and he Pet AI, would it then be possible for you to tweak RoT on Siege, we really need our new players to stay after they hit RoT.

[/ QUOTE ]x2

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Are you going to fix the guard wacking bug(s) that makes it dangerous to have your pet guarding you in a guard zone?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll pass this on to QA.

 

[Guest]

Hi!

Just a quick note since ya put this here...
A common set of commands I use goes "Fred Follow" then immediately "Fred Kill".
This should make Fred the pet follow and kill that specific target and not be distracted by any other.

Also, there is a bug where if a bard uses the provoke skill in the presence of people's pets, the pets act as if someone used an area peace and return to their owner or stop fighting. This bug in conjunction with these changes could cause "serious" problems.

Thank you for always listening!

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

Leurocian when you are done with the Pet Balls and he Pet AI, would it then be possible for you to tweak RoT on Siege, we really need our new players to stay after they hit RoT.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll mention this to Draconi and the Live Team.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks alot

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Hi!

Just a quick note since ya put this here...
A common set of commands I use goes "Fred Follow" then immediately "Fred Kill".
This should make Fred the pet follow and kill that specific target and not be distracted by any other.

Also, there is a bug where if a bard uses the provoke skill in the presence of people's pets, the pets act as if someone used an area peace and return to their owner or stop fighting. This bug in conjunction with these changes could cause "serious" problems.

Thank you for always listening!

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll pass this on to QA Flutter. Thanks!

 

[AdamD]

Can this and the last change, be posted on UOHerald (and the patch/info) page so everyone can read about it?

Great change by the way

 

[Guest]

I don't think it's ready to go that far yet.

 

[AdamD]

True, but..

Not everyone reads forums and if the devs want feedback from the uo players, it needs to be published on the UOHerald site, so everyone has a chance to provide feedback.

There was a time when ideas and stuff currently in development, were posted to the uo.com pages, so people could review the idea and post feedback about it, either here, or on the original myuo boards.

Right now, it's as if the only people who's feedback matters, is those on UHall.

 

[Gildar]

<blockquote><hr>

Can this and the last change, be posted on UOHerald (and the patch/info) page so everyone can read about it?

Great change by the way

[/ QUOTE ]Yes! All of these "in planning" things should be put up on the herald (with a proper warning that it may not end up on live servers as is, and that it is being posted to elicit feedback).

 

[Guest]

It'll go up in the FoF for sure.

 

[Guest]

They do get put on UO.com though, as patch notes when they go to test? Or is that not what you meant?

Leurocian, if I can be cheeky, any chance of getting all tameables added to the zoo donation too? There's a thread down the page that I can't link to =P " Dear Dev's - Tamers Request for Zoo Changes"

 

[Gildar]

<blockquote><hr>

They do get put on UO.com though, as patch notes when they go to test? Or is that not what you meant?

[/ QUOTE ]I meant they should get put there before that, so that everybody, not just those who read Stratics, can see what is being worked on so that more people have more time to give feedback sooner rather than later.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Also, there is a bug where if a bard uses the provoke skill in the presence of people's pets, the pets act as if someone used an area peace and return to their owner or stop fighting. This bug in conjunction with these changes could cause "serious" problems.

Thank you for always listening!

[/ QUOTE ]

This bug has been out since Pub 18 or 20, it WOULD be nice if they did more then just look at it like has been promised for the last 5 yrs. It gets old being yelled at by every tamer in the area (your Own friends Included) ea time you bard something on to the monster the Pet is attacking it backs off &amp; returns to the Tamer. We have been promised up the wazoo on this... Hopefully it DOES get fixed..

 

[BadManiac]

We definitely need some sort of "stay here but defend yourself" command. How about issuing "guard" and targetting the pet itself? It would then stay, and guard itself?

Also, while looking at pets, could you look at the poor broken Reptalon?

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

Guard – The pet should guard as it does currently.

[/ QUOTE ]
1. Could we get a "stop guarding me, but feel free to attack and chase after something if it attacks you" command?
Not important, but would be nice.

[/ QUOTE ]

Will the 'Guard' command allow you to target the pet itself? If so it seems as though that will fulfill that request...

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

It'll go up in the FoF for sure.

[/ QUOTE ]

Since we are on the Animal topic already for the FOF, lets include our 12+ pages of wanting more Stabling Slots included in this weeks FOF. All In favor

 

[Gildar]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

Guard – The pet should guard as it does currently.

[/ QUOTE ]
1. Could we get a "stop guarding me, but feel free to attack and chase after something if it attacks you" command?
Not important, but would be nice.

[/ QUOTE ]Will the 'Guard' command allow you to target the pet itself? If so it seems as though that will fulfill that request...

[/ QUOTE ]If that is possible, then it would... but if that is possible it should be documented specifically in the Animal Taming page in the playguide as a way to tell your pet that it is allowed to retaliate.

 

[Fayled Dhreams]

Thanks Leurocian ...

If these recent two .... make it through the process (PetBalls, Pet AI) ...

Heres two seperate long standing ... (

bigguns)

Houseing ... heard theres a scritter nerf in the pipes ... ASIDE from that ... bugged houses skirting the decay timer ... maybe a roll back on the grace period
(Phase III.1 ?)

Flagging ... System as it affects ... PvM and PvP(the most) ... guardzone issues ... reflect physical ... house hiders ... tamers ... dead "fleeing battle" ...
Flagging System as a whole.


just a thought

Thanks Leurocian ...

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

This bug has been out since Pub 18 or 20, it WOULD be nice if they did more then just look at it like has been promised for the last 5 yrs. It gets old being yelled at by every tamer in the area (your Own friends Included) ea time you bard something on to the monster the Pet is attacking it backs off &amp; returns to the Tamer. We have been promised up the wazoo on this... Hopefully it DOES get fixed..

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll look into this Flutter. No promises of course.

[Edited my post since I need to dig and find out more info]

 

[imported_Lariat]

While you're looking at pet AI in relation to the Summoning Ball changes, could you give the pets with magery enough common sense to teleport if they get stuck on a ledge? One of the ways pet balls compensate is pulling the pets (usually a nightmare or rune beetle, in my case) off a ledge after they teleport up there to attack something. If they're smart enough to teleport up there to attack, they should teleport back down if I tell them to come or follow.

 

[Guest]

Way to go. You take the single most overpowered and skilless template and make it easier. Good plan. Not.

A bloody great monster if tamed should not be a total slave. It should be hard to manage and occasionally turn on its owner.

How about you let tamers take no damage, have one or more overpowered blessed weapons, allow the tamer to wear 1000+ luck suits cos they take no damage and let them to pull their pets out of trouble with a pet ball? Oh, wait...they already have all that.

Any other plans to dumb-down UO more?

 

[Guest]

Lariat, if you just say "&lt;Pet name&gt; come" once or twice, then the pet should teleport back down to you if it has magery. I find it when training mares at Fire Daemon temple, and it always works for me.

 

[Millie]

OK I feel silly but, I don't understand and I'm confused. Your saying that the changes will be like this. When I mine, I have my bug follow but never guard since I don't want it to attack something to big, for him to kill, but if a monster attacks him he will defend himself.
With the new AI If I tell him to follow me, no matter what attacks him he will not defend himself? Or are you saying he will not run away to attack it back?
What if that friendly neighborhood mine reaper telaports to him, will he stand there and die? If I lag out even a little bit and do not give the kill command fast enough will he stand there and die? If that is how it will be, that's not really good. It seems to me that if he is attacked and he gets to half life his natural instincts would over ride his commands and he would then defend himself or run away. I know I would. Not attacking things behind wall or running off would be good but if attacked He needs to be able to auto-defend himself.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

While you're looking at pet AI in relation to the Summoning Ball changes, could you give the pets with magery enough common sense to teleport if they get stuck on a ledge?

[/ QUOTE ]
If you say all come three times (successfully) a pet with Magery will teleport to your location. This has been around for as long as I can remember.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Any changes with the Fetch command? It's not quite as necessary, but having a dragon bring me my boots sounds like an interesting concept...

[/ QUOTE ]

Not at this time. Just the commands listed in my original post for the time being.

 

[Shelleybean]

Wow these changes are great! Thanks a bunch.

I can't wait to test them out.

 

[Guest]

Interesting, but I'm not totally convinced.

It will be lovely to take my mare to fight poison eles in Shame and not have her trying to fight the elder gazers through the wall. It will be lovely to have her attack the monster nearest to us, as I've told her to, and not the one just past it so that she ends up with both of them attacking her.

But I forsee problems if the pets don't autodefend at all.
I'd like to see the tamer's commands over ride autodefend, but not eliminate it.

Not sure I can explain what I mean clearly........an analogy. If you were walking your dog and another dog growled at it, it would continue to follow you (probably towed along by the lead, I admit) but it would also growl and snap at the other dog, yes?

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Interesting, but I'm not totally convinced.

It will be lovely to take my mare to fight poison eles in Shame and not have her trying to fight the elder gazers through the wall. It will be lovely to have her attack the monster nearest to us, as I've told her to, and not the one just past it so that she ends up with both of them attacking her.

But I forsee problems if the pets don't autodefend at all.
I'd like to see the tamer's commands over ride autodefend, but not eliminate it.

Not sure I can explain what I mean clearly........an analogy. If you were walking your dog and another dog growled at it, it would continue to follow you (probably towed along by the lead, I admit) but it would also growl and snap at the other dog, yes?

[/ QUOTE ]

If you can Petra, test out the changes once they hit public TC and give us your feedback. I'm hopeful that what we have slated will be a big improvement to the existing command AI.

 

[Guest]

yes, I plan to do just that

 

[Guest]

... like Auto defending?
... like if a warrior walks by an ettin that has aggro and they auto swing since they're in range?

If that isn't too hard to code, that seems nice. But I don't think it should include spells. e.g. If a mage walks by an ettin that has aggro they don't auto cast spells at it.

 

[imported_Fran Fury]

I am with Petra on this.
It does sound very good but I think the pet should autodefend at least a little. Not chase after something but if it is right there next to it..fight back.


I am hopeful though and it should be a great improvement overall. Thanks devs! Keep it up..this has been awesome lately. Such good communication and follow through.

Now..more stable slots...pirates...stackable items...oh and more pirate stuff

 

[imported_Sarphus]

You are consistantly fixing things that have been annoying me for years. THANK YOU!

What you have done here is better than anything I suggested to date. It's more intuitive and generally a more elegant fix. Great Job!