a.i. has insane accuracy

[ghostercon]

And how would you make the AI challenging?

[Moose Of Woe]

Well, infinite if you ignore the (granted miniscue) extraction cost.

Though I've never tried it, I imagine even if you lack the 180 scrip for extraction the game gives it to you anyway. Still infinite.

I can't see them having a mechanic in place if you lack 180 scrip.

[Iceberg]

I can feel their accuracy on minigun mayham, they light me up like a christmas tree.

[Moose Of Woe]

And how would you make the AI challenging?

For starters - reset an encounter when you die instead of allowing you to zerg until you win. As far as I know, Nim and some boss encounters reset but not the vast majority of missions.

All reward/no risk saps more challenge out of a game than the clunkiest AI ever could. The risk could be something as minor as resetting an encounter/the enemies in an area if you play like a dolt and fail. A minor setback goes a long way. It doesn't have to be something grueling like permadeath or anything in the same ballpark.

As it sits now, you can't ultimately fail outside certain boss encounters. (Or Arkfalls if the timer expires...but has anyone seriously ever NOT won an Arkfall?)

[ghostercon]

For starters - reset an encounter when you die instead of allowing you to zerg until you win. All reward/no risk saps more challenge out of a game than the clunkiest AI ever could.

No, I've asked how would you make the AI challenging? Not the missions.
As an alpha tester I was one of the many who asked for a harder AI. Not even close to what we wished for but still.

[ratt707]

More like not accurate enough. Combat is fun but it is easy-cakes.

If they were less accurate the game would just be easier and if anything we need the combat to be more challenging.

[Iceberg]

No I've asked how would you make the AI challenging? Not the missions.
As an alpha tester I was one of the many who asked for a harder AI. Not even close to what we wished for but still.

They could use something like tactics, squad based attack patterns, synergy with their weapon load outs. Taking cover, avoidance, things like that. Game companies get lazy when they give enemies more health more shields and just think that makes it a challenge when really, it just makes it frustrating.

[squidney2k1]

SMG wielding enemies = highest DPS enemies.

Why?

Because of their accuracy + rate of fire + time between bursts. And that's a little silly.


Although it is comical to see an enemy make a Halo Plasma Grenade throw and hit you in the face from 500-ft away.

[Moose Of Woe]

No, I've asked how would you make the AI challenging? Not the missions.
As an alpha tester I was one of the many who asked for a harder AI. Not even close to what we wished for but still.

Making the AI challenging greatly coincides with the gameplay mechanics. Nothing of note happens when you die, so even if you made the AI have 999999HP and 1 hit hit kills you could still zerg until you win. It wouldn't be difficult, but it would take forever. The AI, ultimately, has no chance against you.

Another gameplay mechanic is the radar. You mention flanking in your post below - flanking is rendered all but useless because of this mechanic alone. You know exactly where all of the enemies are.

Regarding the AI itself - it would help if it utilized tactics that aren't exclusively RUSH RUSH RUSH for most mobs in the game. Exceptions that come to mind are the rocket launcher bandits and Dark Matter snipers - though ultimately they tend to find their way to you if not perched some place they can't get down from.

[ghostercon]

They could use something like tactics, squad based attack patterns, synergy with their weapon load outs. Taking cover, avoidance, things like that. Game companies get lazy when they give enemies more health more shields and just think that makes it a challenge when really, it just makes it frustrating.

Raiders for instance. They are taking cover, they are flanking. Dark matter do the very same thing and they are using synergy weapons.
As for " patterns " once you are learn them they are useless.