Suspicious Defensive AI Activity

Unknown

I noticed a handful of times while going through the no holds barred tournament that the AI has some rather interesting behavior. I keep track of how many AP the defending team has at all time so that I know when to make sure the Hulk is out in front. On numerous occasions I've seen a team hold back from attacking with an ability until the moment I put OBW out front. I've noticed this on several occasions with a few different team comps.

You're probably thinking that oh you weren't paying attention to the AP or they were saving it for another members ability. I say to you, false. I've seriously paid attention to this. I think some tweaking with the AI was done to target specific characters or at least characters with less health. Something along those lines.

Unknown

Yes the AI will sometimes save AP for when a weaker character is in front.

The AI also confuses itself when you leapfrog an ability's AP cost and send it closer to the AP cost of another character's ability.

I.e. if a defense team of Spidey + Mag gets 4 blue AP, occasionally they will hang on to it to get to the 6 AP for Mag's blue attack.

Unknown

I've definitely seen this as well for a while now. They'll target a weaker character even when you try to get a tank out in front they'll hold onto the attack.

Unknown

Yup. Not your imagination. Though this can be used to your advantage in a few situations such as waiting for countdown timers like IM40s Recharge.

Unknown

I have noticed, and I approve of the improving AI. I just wish it was smart enough to do 5-tile corner matches instead of changing them to match-4's.

Unknown

starsrift wrote:

I have noticed, and I approve of the improving AI. I just wish it was smart enough to do 5-tile corner matches instead of changing them to match-4's.

No, I think we're good.

Unknown

starsrift wrote:

I have noticed, and I approve of the improving AI. I just wish it was smart enough to do 5-tile corner matches instead of changing them to match-4's.

I actually think I'd be afraid of the AI if it started seeing trap-door 5-matches and L-shaped 5-matches.

Unknown

Riggy wrote:

starsrift wrote:

I have noticed, and I approve of the improving AI. I just wish it was smart enough to do 5-tile corner matches instead of changing them to match-4's.

I actually think I'd be afraid of the AI if it started seeing trap-door 5-matches and L-shaped 5-matches.

Exactly. Giving the AI two chances to get a cascade. No thanks.

Unknown

Koolbiird wrote:

Riggy wrote:

starsrift wrote:

I have noticed, and I approve of the improving AI. I just wish it was smart enough to do 5-tile corner matches instead of changing them to match-4's.

I actually think I'd be afraid of the AI if it started seeing trap-door 5-matches and L-shaped 5-matches.

Exactly. Giving the AI two chances to get a cascade. No thanks.

Not saying it would be a bad change; in fact it would be kind of interesting. They could create a "hard AI" that would recognize those and a few other things (like actually building towards specific abilities). I would whole-heartedly support being able to pick an AI difficulty for increased rewards.

Unknown

Evilbeavers wrote:

I noticed a handful of times while going through the no holds barred tournament that the AI has some rather interesting behavior. I keep track of how many AP the defending team has at all time so that I know when to make sure the Hulk is out in front. On numerous occasions I've seen a team hold back from attacking with an ability until the moment I put OBW out front. I've noticed this on several occasions with a few different team comps.

You're probably thinking that oh you weren't paying attention to the AP or they were saving it for another members ability. I say to you, false. I've seriously paid attention to this. I think some tweaking with the AI was done to target specific characters or at least characters with less health. Something along those lines.

Yeah, it does that. Sometimes for a good reason, sometimes for a bad one (i.e. not considering last chance too much).
Definitely it looks more happy to shoot at some of your characters than others.

However still pretty lousy on selecting which ckill to shoot if more available at same color with inclination to use the one that costs more and does less.

Unknown

I also noticed that when there's a match 4/5 available, the AI often (but not always) likes to do the match first even if it has enough AP for using skills.

Dragon_Nexus

I tend to find the enemy waits until I have 11 purple or 9 blue.
Like...it has enough AP and I'm waiting forever for a match, finally get it...then they obliterate me

Unknown

The AI will hold the AP if it has a higher cost AP of that color available (but not yet reached) and it seems random on when it decides to use the lower level version instead.

For example say the other team has OBW and Spiderman. Spiderman's stun is lower cost than Anti Gravity Device, so the AI will not go stun at every possible opportunity. I've yet to find any pattern as to when it does decide to stun.

It seems like the bigger the difference between the highest cost ability and whatever they can currently use, the less likely they'll use the cheaper ability. For example, if they got GSBW with level 5 Sniper Rifle and Wolverine 2*, you'll see the AI hold the green for a longer time compared to say Hulk's Thunderous Clap.

The AI still uses its most expensive ability whenever possible.

Incidentally this change makes one of the popular high end team, Punisher/Hulk/Patch, completely unpredictable since it's got a 8, 9, and 10 green AP ability that all do very different things.

Unknown

jozier wrote:

Yes the AI will sometimes save AP for when a weaker character is in front.

The AI also confuses itself when you leapfrog an ability's AP cost and send it closer to the AP cost of another character's ability.

I.e. if a defense team of Spidey + Mag gets 4 blue AP, occasionally they will hang on to it to get to the 6 AP for Mag's blue attack.

I noticed this as well. It was a combo of Ares having enough yellows for his ability but it was 2 yellows away from Thors yellow ability. Ares never attacked me and i never allowed the other team to score 2 more yellows so the other team died not ever using any yellow ability. Oustmarting the AI is awesome.

KillStormFirst

Ares. Ares always pulls that $#!*. Others do it too with not just attack abilities (Spider-Man I'm looking at you, you magnificent bastard), but seriously I hate when Ares busts out Onslaught on the weakest player.