After watching the last live stream I have a question about the AI's abilities. Will the AI be able to execute specific tactical strategies? What I mean by this is similar to quick planned strategies, sort of per-designed, that if the right conditions exist it will execute these tactical strategies. Some examples from SupCom / FA: - a number of tactical missile launchers that are under stealth in a hidden corner and proceed to snipe the enemy - A surprise transport drop of raid units in the back of the enemy base - An amphibious assault in the middle of a coastal attack from the sea - Point defense creep - Sending in bombers after your fighters distract the enemy fighters and move them out of position The ability to mod the AI to add additional strategies similar to these I feel would make it more fun to play against. Especially if it mixes it in almost at random or builds up to it. Like the AI just keeps sending wave after wave of units at you and then all of a sudden it does one of these tactical attacks.
Sorian knows his stuff about AI. I wouldn't worry about the AI being a good opponent. Still, playing the AI will always be a different experience from playing a human opponent, which should be the main focus. The AI's objective is to be as compelling a human imitation as possible. Even if the best way to do that is duplicate the level of challenge by having the AI cheat to overcome its strategic thinking weaknesses.
Tactical strategy? Isn't that a bit of an oxymoron? I think 'tactics' suffices. That said, I think this has been covered generally. People would like to see more from the AI than bumrushing hundreds of units at your frontline defenses; such as the dropship tactics employed by the Sorian AI in supcom/FA.
While i don't mind a bunch of pre-programmed tactics, i myself am not a tactical mastermind so i would hate to have a far superior tactical master AI fighting me. Especially since the AI essentially has map-wide Micro and multimanagement as it's main strength. Also: a Tactical Strategy is a contradictio in terminis. as the old saying goes: tactics wins you the battle, strategy wins you the war.
It would probably be an option in addition to (or within) easy, medium, and hard. I don't see "tactical mastermind" being the only AI difficulty.
As I said in the livestream (i think, kind of a blur) I like giving players options. This includes options to adjust how the AI plays.
Any ideas what sorta of processing power the AI will have to play with? i.e is it being designed with multicore processors as the bare minimum
