Dissapointed

The AI should only cast Breath of Winter if scripted. Put a little note beside the spell description if you need to. A player can script his pretender to cast it, if it's important for it to be cast.

This of course will limit the Death 9 reanimation for no-upkeep units, but it will also save anyone near a mage with 2+ in Water.

[Kristoffer O]

Originally posted by Arryn:

As Strages Sanctus mentioned, Quickness should be the very first spell the AI tries to cast, when going down its list of available spells, unless the spell is already in effect or scripted.

It is. Not 100% but rather likely. OTOH if there is a flying elephant on the battle field you would probably prefer Souls Slay to quickness that first round of battle.

Also, if you consider Frozen Heart 30 Fat. If you cast quickness you will get one less casting of the Frozen heart before falling unconscious. Lvl 1 and to some extent lvl 2 mages are rarely helped by quickness.

[Psitticine]

I agree with Zen and Arryn: BoW should only be cast when scripted. I can't recall ever getting an enemy with it and have lost track of how many friendlies have been frozen over.

I wouldn't want Quickness cast all the time though. There are too many times when I would want something else first, such as establish a Communion to ease the fatigue load.

[Strages Sanctus]

Hmm the flying elephant type dealie is a good point.

Also I was definitely thinking of higher powered mages when I said that .

This just goes to show how complex the task is. Things which seem clear cut aren't always so.

Edit: Also I am talking about non-scripted mages. They should give Quickness a very heavy bias over anything but imminent destruction aVersion, making quickness a moot point.

I would definitely imagine that setting up communion would be a very complex AI consideration and that it would not value that as an option very highly.

[ January 27, 2004, 18:01: Message edited by: Strages Sanctus ]

[Kristoffer O]

Originally posted by Psitticine:
I agree with Zen and Arryn: BoW should only be cast when scripted. I can't recall ever getting an enemy with it and have lost track of how many friendlies have been frozen over.

Blue Version of Dragon - BoW - attack rear.
Niefeljarl - Quickness - BoW - attack
Bog Mummy - likewise with Soul Vortex and/or BoW

Works very good!

[Arryn]

Originally posted by Kristoffer O:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Psitticine:
I agree with Zen and Arryn: BoW should only be cast when scripted. I can't recall ever getting an enemy with it and have lost track of how many friendlies have been frozen over.

Blue Version of Dragon - BoW - attack rear.
Niefeljarl - Quickness - BoW - attack
Bog Mummy - likewise with Soul Vortex and/or BoW

Works very good!

---

Okay, you've a good point. Now consider the same situation with mixed water-based and blood-based magics. Methinks the summoned devils won't much like the BoW effects.

As others have suggested, perhaps modifying the cast list with checkboxes so that you can limit what spells the AI has to choose from might make most people happy. I can imagine this may be a fair amount of coding work, but I think it'll solve a lot of issues people have been griping about.

Yes, but as you can see it is very specific in what you want to do

Don't forget Ice Devil

Quickness > BoW > Attack and other various spells.

The BoW spell should only be cast if the unit is melee combat friendly and only right before it charges into combat.

If this is too complex to script, turn it off. I'd rather have to take special consideration for every Combatant Caster than have to with every 2+ Water mage A.) Spread out and ignore any bodyguards (if any) B.) Fatigue out the caster so he is less likely to cast BoW.

This really isn't much of an issue except when battles progress a while and the AI gets confused on what to cast, you have a communion or you cluster your mages (to take advantage of spells like Luck/Body Ethereal), but it is a significant disadvantage of the AI as it wastes the fatigue and spell casting time by doing it.

[Pocus]

Originally posted by IKerensky:
Johan, did idea of a spellbook list went into developpers ?

What was the pros/cons against it ?

I think it could probably solve 9 out of 10 problems with the current casting as you can easily switch you caster spell selection considering the opposition expected and avoid many of the IA mistake....

Any luck of it making way into Dom III ?

you mean a spellbook for each mage? This would be MM hell.
Just add a final order 'cast spell xxx each round', and most vets here will be happy!

[Pocus]

there is a buggy behavior though, that is rather annoying, and detrimental for scenarios settings too: leaders which are dual fighter/mage has a too strong tendency of fatiguating themselves in casting spells before engaging in melee. For example research some spells, and let an archdevil engage in battle. He will cast up to 90+ fatigue pts before thinking of either fighting, or resting a while

[Kristoffer O]

Originally posted by Pocus:
there is a buggy behavior though, that is rather annoying, and detrimental for scenarios settings too: leaders which are dual fighter/mage has a too strong tendency of fatiguating themselves in casting spells before engaging in melee. For example research some spells, and let an archdevil engage in battle. He will cast up to 90+ fatigue pts before thinking of either fighting, or resting a while

I believe that it is your fault . IIRC mages will not attack unless told to. If the arch devil is tired and then attacks you are to blame.