Feedback/Modification - Creature Mechanic - Closest Job

[Xaos]

I have noticed a flaw with the creature AI once you have the map opened up. It seems the AI randomly attached a work order to a creature regardless of how far away the creature is. So sometimes you have to wait on a creature to cross the map in order to get something done.

Is there not some way to tweak the AI to assign work based on whichever creature is closest to the work order? This is actually related to the issue I brought up before with waiting for creatures to claim portals. I think the issue is that even though you have a creature claiming a tile, there is nothing to tell it to go ahead and claim the next tile. It seems to assign this task to any random worker (which could be a creature that is on the other side of the map.).

[Rasmus]

It should prioritize based on the distance, at least if it is the same job type. I know that some job types always gets prioritized before others even if the distance is far away.

The best way to tweek the AI would perhaps be to give the player some more control over what should be focused on first. One thing I have been thinking about is re-categorizing the jobs a little so that if the job is based on a player action then it will be performed in the order the player put it out in, so digging will get prioritized before building if the digging action was put out first. This will give the players more control I think.

[Mello Tonin]

I think the problem may be that the route between layers doesn't get considered so even though it may be closer if they moved directly between layers, the actual distance is much farther. Either that or because all Imps have a job currently assigned, the next closet available Imp is clear across the map.

[Rasmus]

Hmm, yeah. It is hard knowing if a imp should take the job or not. Earlier I had it so that a job could be taken from another imp if the imp taking it is closer to the job. But that only got messy IMO.
Mello, by layers you mean that it takes time for the creatures to climb?

[Xaos]

The best way to tweak the AI would perhaps be to give the player some more control over what should be focused on first. One thing I have been thinking about is re-categorizing the jobs a little so that if the job is based on a player action then it will be performed in the order the player put it out in, so digging will get prioritized before building if the digging action was put out first. This will give the players more control I think.

This.


The most frustrating thing right now is having your minions stand there and look stupidly at you while there is a job to be done right next to them. I think also, if there was a way to toggle ON/OFF some of the imp actions such as fortify walls, or transport goods, then you could have more control to deal with situations that arise.

[Mello Tonin]

Toggling jobs on and off could be good, but I don't wanna do that for 128 Imps. That's just too much to manage.

As far as what I meant between layers is that if Imp 1 is 10 tiles away from a job on the X axis, and Imp 2 is only 2 on the Y axis yet in reality is 20 tiles away because they have to travel 10 tiles on the X axis to step down to the next layer and 10 more tiles to the job, Imp 2 may be seen as closer not taking into account the long path it must take.

[Xaos]

Toggling jobs on and off could be good, but I don't wanna do that for 128 Imps. That's just too much to manage.

I actually meant all of them at once. Shut off jobs for all the creatures in order to isolate the job you want done.

I notice that sometimes the creatures will perform their idle animations randomly instead of doing work. Like the orcs will do push ups or the imps will do that weird head-contortion thing. I really wish I could smack them sometimes... On the easier difficulties, it's not really a big deal because you can deal with whatever happens, but on the harder difficulties in can mean the difference between continuing the game or being defeated.

"come on you stupid imp! if you don't do it NOW we are all going to die!"

[Rasmus]

As the game progresses and with the imps loosing jobs in the rooms they will focus on jobs such as claiming, digging, building and fetching items. I believe less different job types will make it much easier for the player to manage.

I will focus on make it so that the imps prioritize in chronological order after the player action to begin with. If this is to some satisfaction for the players once inserted, then I know I am on the right path