Zombie AI

[law1977 17]

Had a quick look on suggestions could not see this being discussed so thought I would start a topic.

Was discussing dayz with me mate and he suggested that zombies can get in the way of each other. As we know zombies should be pretty brainless they want to eat you that's it. So they should run after you (prob bit quicker then u can run), but you can weave in a house using objects to slow zombie progress. Maybe they can trip over stuff and if they are more than one you can have them run into each other stagger them slightly and use that time to disappear from view.

Be able to frustrate them with good movement and then once you are out of line of sight for a bit they lose you and search last known location, again for a set amount of time. They should not weave at all and judging by today's blog they are more of them, so being overwhelmed maybe more of an issue, saving that ammo.

Now if we were to get more clever, u could cripple a zombie and if they fall into another's path they trip up allowing for an easy head shot when on floor. With more corpses the zombies would slow down due to clambering over the bodies and allowing you to escape.

Okay I am aware this would take rag doll type physics and alot of good animations but I cannot think of another game that has tried this. No doubt someone will prove me wrong, but it just struck me as an interesting game mechanic.

Thoughts?

[Steak and Potatoes 13480]

I like the idea of shooting out a leg on the run and watching the domino effect.

[thehero 119]

I got to agree that would be a fun thing to see could open up more team play as well your buddy could snipe the lead zed causing them to slow down enough for you to escape

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't dead island have something somewhat similar to this?

Edited February 16, 2013 by whosknowswho

[lipemr 160]

Some problems:

There's no ragdoll in this game.

Zombies can go through walls.

They aren't zombies at all, cause zombies dont run like a fucking cheetah.

[thehero 119]

Some problems:

There's no ragdoll in this game.

Zombies can go through walls.

They aren't zombies at all, cause zombies dont run like a fucking cheetah.

I think he was talking about the stand alone

[sinkatze 52]

Some problems:

There's no ragdoll in this game.

Zombies can go through walls.

They aren't zombies at all, cause zombies dont run like a fucking cheetah.

Its for SA.

They are aren't zombies like you said, they are infected. Watch 28 days later ;)

[mr_chabowski@live.co.uk 2416]

This sort of idea (contact, causing zeds to fall over/stumble) would benefit the melee comabt system too.

I'd like to be able to knock the legs out from under a zed so I can smash the skulls of the ones who fall over him.

Like whoknowswho said, there was something like this in Dead Island (which was an ace game, but for some reason folk didn't like it)

Unfortunately, it'll probably be AGES before DayZ gets ragdoll (it's obviously not high priority, if it's even planned), and without ragdoll, anything in this area is going to be a clunky mess of scripted animations and clipping issues.

It would be awesome though. :D

Fingers crossed.

[law1977 17]

Yup talking SA, so dead island had something like that might have to check it out while we wait for SA. Yeah no rag doll and it looks like the team want it in but won't be there for realise. Shame but I understand you have to get a good base engine and then go from there.

I just saw a tweet saying that they were working on AI of "zombies" rocket has called them zombies so that's the term I am sticking with. So thought I would bounce some ideas in here.

I hope u can distract them with flares and objects chucked, that would help in searching towns.

Also wondered how the zombies work, what sense they are using to track. Sight I would thought would main sense then sound, much like mod. Going to be interesting on the plans for the zombies damage and how they track. I sense an #askdayz might be used here ;)

[thesodesa 99]

Well. according to the DayzMod website the Zeds are supposed to have increased hearing but decreased eyesight. At one point Rocket also said that he wants to address the issue of 'Why don't the zombies attack each other and animals?'

I was thinking about this and came to the conclusion that, especially since they are going to be able to run indoors now, the zeds should only be aggravated by sudden movements, loud noises and fairly violent collisions. This would of course mean that if Zeds stumbled into each other, a loud melee would ensue between them. Quite a dangerous situation to be in if you happen to be close by, having possibly tens of zombies rushing to your location just because two zombies stumbled into each other :).

It would also mean that scavenging for supplies would take much longer(Giving possible snipers ample time to take you out) because if a zombie saw you sprinting/ jogging they would start screaming like they usually do and aggravate surrounding zombies within a certain radius. Running behind their backs would of course not aggro them, footsteps alone would not be loud enough.

When I say 'a zombie gets aggravated' I mean to say the zombie is attracted to the source of the noise/ sudden movement, not necessarily a player. Could even be a running animal. A grazing goat wouldn't attract much attention.

I think lowering zombie eyesight and introducing this new aggravation mechanic would create interesting situations and would in my opinion be a fairly good way to compensate for the fact that zombies will be able to run inside buildings. This way rocket should be able to do away with the arbitrary camo mechanic, where depending on what type of terrain you are on you are more/less visible to zombies. It's either walk and be inconspicuous or run and attract zombies.'

This should also work with animals and hunting. Just make it so that in the animal's case within a certain radius it doesn't matter whether you're moving or not. If the animal doesn't have it's back turned to you it will see you. In the zombies' case you can be as close as you want, as long as you're not making noise, or moving fast or bumping into them, basically being threatening.

Thoughts?

Edited February 20, 2013 by TheSodesa