Using the AI

[MortyTheGobbo]

I'm returning to Deadfire after a period of not playing, once more. I keep bouncing off high-level gameplay. I've been trying to use the AI scripts to help my companions use their abilities, so they don't just auto-attack, but... the default scripts keep using the wrong abilities and wasting resources. And trying to set up my own scripts seems really overwhelming to the point where I don't even know where to start. How do other people do it? Is there a simple way to set up scripts that automate some tasks without spamming useless abilities and wasting them?

[Boeroer]

It helps to have some experience with programming. 

But basically it's just an "if this than that" machine. 

The best way imo is to alter an existing, premade script that will run once you turn AI on. 

[MortyTheGobbo]

3 minutes ago, Boeroer said:

It helps to have some experience with programming. 

But basically it's just an "if this than that" machine. 

The best way imo is to alter an existing, premade script that will run once you turn AI on. 

I have no programming experience whatsoever. I'm trying to copy and alter existing scripts but there's just so many abilities in them, and in general, that I give up quickly.

[crdvis16]

I just started using AI scripts in my 3rd playthrough.

You don't have to automate every single ability.  It might be better to just set up scripts for the simple ones and manually do the rest.

For instance- for a fighter you might have a script to use disciplined strikes if you don't currently have a perception inspiration and to use refreshing defense if your health drops below 75%.  But maybe don't have a script for "clear out" or "mule kick" since they are a bit more situational and harder to program well.

Scripts are especially useful to automate classes that tend to self buff at the beginning of every fight.  Wizards with all their fast cast buffs or maybe a Barbarian that casts Frenzy at the beginning of every encounter.  But scripting fireball is a lot harder to do well IMO.

[thelee]

17 hours ago, MortyTheGobbo said:

I have no programming experience whatsoever. I'm trying to copy and alter existing scripts but there's just so many abilities in them, and in general, that I give up quickly.

Try: just using a premade script for a while, and every time a character does an ability does something you don't want it to, take a look in the AI script, find out what's making that ability happen, and tweak it somehow.

If you're just trying to completely script out your character at once, I would get overwhelmed a lot and I program as my day job. It's also impossible to really predict what will end up being useful.

 

Also, like @crdvis16says, you don't have to automate everything, just the important stuff. There's a lot of abilities in the AI scripts, but most of them won't ever be relevant; the AI script just starts with the top ability, and if it's not there, moves on to the next. So there's tons of abilities because they wanted to the AI scripts to be useful for most players, and so they stuffed tons of abilities in there for a narrow set of triggers. A more typical AI script for me is just one that checks to see if the character has a perception inspiration, and if not, uses Tactical Barrage, with a 10s cooldown. One ability controlled by a comprehensible use case.

[dgray62]

I have done exactly what these recommends, tweaking the remade scripts, removing the abilities that I don't want to use, adding new ones, or adding additional abilities. For example, I have found that the remade "Barbarian Aggressive" script for some reason cause the barb to continually activate the ability, apparently because the timer doesn't work, in my game at least. So I set the additional condition that they should only use it when not having a STR inspiration. Due to the non-functional timer, my forbidden fist monks would kill themselves by stacking too many curses. So set the AI to have them use it only when their health was above 90%.

[MortyTheGobbo]

One concrete problem I've run into - I want to set my ranger's AI to use Play Dead when her companion's health drops to 25%. But I don't see this ability on the list. Is it because it's technically the companion that uses it?

[Theosupus]

My advice: just start building one from scratch and learn as you go with some save scumming as you learn lessons.

Messing around with it really is the best way to get good at it. 

Some advice from what i do:

1. Start with the most important things first and set script to run in order.

2. My #1 is normally: if near death> then activate second wind and #2 is if near death> then drink a heal potion (adjust which one as you change which potions you keep on your belt).

3. Add a cool down timer on any spammable abilities that you don't want spammed.

4. (optional) put a minimum resource needed (to save some for manual use) on resource spending lines

5. set ranged guys to focus on spell casters first (if enemy is spell caster).

6. make sure aoe abilities are targeted to "hit the most enemies".