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After playing around with the AI behavior editor for a while, I've been able to get my party to do most of what I want them to do own their own. I've actually needed the help of the mod on Nexus that gives more options though, like checking if a Cipher's focus is maxed. I actually have several suggestions to make the editor better but most of them are kinda petty or have already been mentioned in other threads in the past, so I will only mention what I consider a major suggestion here. There needs to be an option to continuously check the conditions while an ability or spell is being cast. For example, I've made Aloth cast Thrust of Tattered Veils on any enemy spellcaster who is currently casting a spell to interrupt them. It triggers perfectly but there is a major problem. If the enemy spellcaster finishes casting the spell before Aloth finishes his recovery time and casts Thrust of Tattered Veils, then there is no point in Aloth using this spell and it's wasted. However, if there is an option to continuously check the conditions, Aloth can keep evaluating while he is waiting to use it and cancel the action if the enemy finishes casting first. I also have this same problem with telling Eder to use Knock Down (or Mule Kick) on anyone using an ability or spell in melee range to interrupt them, although it's not as big a deal in this case since those are not as limited as spell casts. I have one other situation where this can be very helpful. I have everyone setup to use Second Wind when their health goes below 50%. I also have Xoti using healing spells on allies and my Paladin using Lay on Hands on allies. The problem is sometimes someone will receive healing from one person and then like a second later receive healing from someone else when they didn't need it. Again, if they could keep checking the conditions, they would realize that someone else healed that character. The character would now have more than 50% health and they could cancel the healing spell cast since the conditions are no longer met. There are plenty of other situations where this could be helpful but I've rambled long enough already. I just wanted to get across (helpfully to a developer) how useful this could be. I imagine this option could simply be a small toggle on each action like the Allow Break Engagement toggle.

Letting the players essentially craft their own AI via this interface is great, but I feel it's missing some crucial options: 1. Include items such as potions instead of just abilities. This would reduce the burden of item micromanagement. Example: If [self: Health < 30%], [Consume: Potion Of Moderate Healing] or [self: Threatened by Multiple Enemies], [Consume: Potion Of Ultimate Badassery] 2. Allow the switching of weapon sets. Example: [self: Enemies in Melee Range > 1], [switch to Weapon Set 1]. This is for the purpose of switching between ranged and melee automatically, and why not for other purposes such as switching between different melee weapons as well. 3. Make an automated auto-attack behavior type that makes a character attempt to keep their distance from enemies, i.e a ranged character fleeing from melee enemies—also maybe one that makes ranged characters attack targets but not move automatically. 4. Add an [Enemies Clustered, At Least #], so that AoE spells don't get wasted on single targets. 5. Include modal abilities. 6. Add some sort of way to distinguish enemy ranks/challenge ratings so that the player is able to specify that they want a certain spell/ability to be used only against strong or weak enemies. For example: [Enemy: Rank is Normal/Veteran/Elite/Boss] 7. Make a search function or find a better way to sort the different functions. As of now, it's too cumbersome to always scroll through the massive list of conditions. Maybe introduce filter tabs. 8. Instead of having fixed [Less Than 50% Health], let us type the exact value we want. 9. Allow more debuffs as conditions. Example: I want my Paladin to attack the enemy he's cast Sworn Enemy on. However, I can't specify "If:Sworn Enemy - Then X" (Some of these ideas are copied from other people's posts who contributed to the thread. Thanks to them.) Most of this—and much more—was possible in Dragon Age: Origins, which this system was inspired by. With the Even More Advanced Tactics mod, by carefully designing the AI behavior, it was possible to finish the entire game on the hardest difficulty without ever manually commanding anyone, and I did that. It became by far my favorite way to play the game; it became its own game within the game, a very unique experience.

My main will be a Shieldbearer (Diplomatic / Honest) and I like playing like a good character. I want to keep the paladin defense bonus for good behavior but I want to hire 2 Bleak walkers (Aggresive / Cruel) in the tabern for my party. Is it a problem? Defense bonus will be lost because of them not liking my choices? Will they finally leave the party? Thanks in advance and sorry for my English.

To me this whole aspect seems like fun in itself, setting up a killer AI routine and just letting the game go to work. What conventions would be most effective?

I'm playing a Wizard and I've set it up so she'll cast spells while I manage the other characters. However I've recently encountered a bug where the game will not save the changes I make to her custom AI behavior. Since I've encountered this bug the same is now true for all party members. I cannot add, remove or switch out spells, neither can i change can i change the priority of the spells already in the Behavior list. Does anyone have a fix to this issue?

Hello I was checking the ai behaviors and found some missing options that i think will improve it. Actually i can check if i have some inspiration but not for specific effects,this makes it hard to make a "buff yourself with this if the effect is not active" for example with spirit shield or arcane veil. You can add the action set with a cd and fix that cd at the duration of the effect, but an option like " only if not active" will be helpfull. Other nice upgrade would be if conditionals, and actions had a search bar so we could filter and so on. PD: of course having the ability to run scripts (python or something like that) would be even better

I'm curious to find out what the developer's take is going to be with the various races. I know they have some geographical-based categories they have listed before, as well as some regional cultures, but what about the racially-specific cultures and behavioral norms? Will they be using stock archetypes for elves and dwarves, or implementing something a little different? Will elves be tree-hugging, poetry spouting, effeminate artsy-fartsy types? Are the dwarves going to be beer belching, beard toting, grumpy gold hoarders? What do you think?

This is in response to the many threads in disagreement over how XP rewards and quest objectives should be handled. There have been many good arguments from many different perspectives. I will summarize my own personal opinion on the matter, and leave the floor open for you to add constructive criticism. This isn't about right or wrong or an aversion to change. It's about creating a "balanced" system for all play styles that doesn't prevent certain behaviour, but rather reacts to it. Thankyou, and keep smiling. My thoughts on Cause and Effect (in a nutshell): - Cause should be controlled by the Core Mechanics. You can run around and hit things. It's your choice. - Effect should be evaluated by the Reputation System. If you hit things you shouldn't hit, there are consequences. - The Core Mechanics should only deal with numbers. - The Reputation System should adjudicate character behaviour. - If the numbers say your character has been a naughty boy, then your reputation influences the appropriate factions. - If you continue to be a good boy, you remain in good standing with the appropriate factions. Or it may even increase your standing. - If you continue to be a naughty boy, the appropriate factions react to you accordingly, i.e., If you go looking for trouble, you will find it. If a player's actions seem unlawful, or despicable, or grindy, or in bad taste, do not prevent it from happening by excluding it from the core mechanics or blatantly denying them XP. Add incentives or disincentives in the game content that allow the player to make a choice as to whether they continue that play style or change. The same goes for lawful behaviour. We need to treat players like adults and let them accept responsibility for their actions. I would like to play Project Eternity as a good guy, as a bad guy, as a good guy who turns bad, as a bad guy who turns good, and maybe the odd neutral play style too. I don't want to be pre-judged by the core mechanics, only judged by my actions that are then handled by the reputation system. Love, peace, and chicken grease. Some background threads to this post: - Degenerate Gameplay - Balancing Stealth vs Combat - Good vs Evil Roleplaying Rewards