Gaming Best in-game A.I. of all-time top 10?

Fortitude

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Most games are programmed along a linear path, which, once learned by the user, you can beat the system. Once in a while, gems come along that are dynamic and have great re-playability because the experience can be vastly different from one session to another.

In your gaming lifetime, if you were to make a top 10 most impressive A.I. list, what would be on it?

For bonus points, having non strategy-based games would go a long way (i.e. a car game or football one, or fighter) as it's a welcome surprise in the latter, and mostly a pre-requisite in the former.
 
Halo 1 and Half life for starters if we talking shooting games. Even to this day nothing really compares. The latest Halo games had those bullet sponge protheans and the AI gets worse every game.

The rest of my list I’d choose later. But those two definitely sit near the top.
 
A top 10 would be tricky, I'd need some time to think about it. I'd definitely have Half-Life and F.E.A.R. near the top of my list. Never played the first Halo so I can't comment on it, but the concensus seems to be that it's up there. Very few modern games would make it in my opinion.
 
I remember being blown away by how intelligent the opponents were in the first Half-Life, back in 1999. At that time it was a great leap forward.

I haven't really had that same experience since. Modern games are... OK but there hasn't been much improvement for a while now.
 
I enjoyed playing the AI in the old PES games from 02-06. Master league was fun.

Where as if you play the AI on Fifa. You just put the level to world class or legendary and every team regardless of level plays like Barcelona. You can play against Accrington on legendary with Madrid and yet they’d keep the ball like Barca.
 
Halo is still top for me. It was the first and only time that enemies felt like enemies and not just pop up targets to me. I wouldn't say it got worse in 4 and 5 with the Promethean's. It's just that they are essentially shit re-skins of other enemies, the AI is no worse, it just doesn't suit them and felt lazy.

I'm hoping next gen brings some sort of new wave of impressive AI. It seems to have stagnated over the years. The last Deus Ex game was ruined for me by stupid AI.
 
The only game where it was good enough for me to notice was, the already mentioned, HALO 1. I think Gears of War wasn't bad either? Not sure though.

Definitely none of the combat AI's made for Total war though.
 
Ainu said:
Seriously? I can't say any of the Soulsborne games had anything interesting going on in terms of AI. Haven't played Sekiro but I can't imagine how that would be different.
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Just joking, for the large part it was not good at all :lol:
 
Art Vandelay said:
Halo is still top for me. It was the first and only time that enemies felt like enemies and not just pop up targets to me. I wouldn't say it got worse in 4 and 5 with the Promethean's. It's just that they are essentially shit re-skins of other enemies, the AI is no worse, it just doesn't suit them and felt lazy.

I'm hoping next gen brings some sort of new wave of impressive AI. It seems to have stagnated over the years. The last Deus Ex game was ruined for me by stupid AI.
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There is an argument, though, that too good AI would hurt video games instead of improve them. Humans are still wired to enjoy patterns and predictability in games, and we don't actually want it gone, we just want it to be cleverly masked so there is a challenge to figuring it out. But if an AI constantly and intelligently adapts? You'll have no chance and you'll be frustrated, much like when you're roflstomped by infinitely better players in online games.

At least that's how the argument goes, roughly. I mostly agree though I'm not sure how accurate the whole "humans are wired for this and that" part - I find the argument convincing because I am wired like that but I might not be the majority, I don't know for sure.
 
Siorac said:
There is an argument, though, that too good AI would hurt video games instead of improve them. Humans are still wired to enjoy patterns and predictability in games, and we don't actually want it gone, we just want it to be cleverly masked so there is a challenge to figuring it out. But if an AI constantly and intelligently adapts? You'll have no chance and you'll be frustrated, much like when you're roflstomped by infinitely better players in online games.

At least that's how the argument goes, roughly. I mostly agree though I'm not sure how accurate the whole "humans are wired for this and that" part - I find the argument convincing because I am wired like that but I might not be the majority, I don't know for sure.
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That's a good point, I always think of it like that anyway. AI which is clever, plus the fact it can do anything in a split second, perfect reaction times. I think it would be a nightmare! I get pissed off gaming already because my reaction times blow.
 
Sure, a hyper intelligent AI that is constantly adapting and learning the player's behaviour could be a nightmare, but there is still a huge gap between that and the shit that is served in most video games. Games like Half-Life and FEAR kept you on your toes, because (human) enemies would try to flush you out of your position, flank you and not give you time to relax. Just basic stuff the vast majority of games fail to achieve. But none of those things made the games frustrating, just a lot more intense and engaging. I don't even think it has anything to do with difficulty, you could have such an AI and then give enemies less health, damage output and accuracy on easier settings.
 
Siorac said:
There is an argument, though, that too good AI would hurt video games instead of improve them. Humans are still wired to enjoy patterns and predictability in games, and we don't actually want it gone, we just want it to be cleverly masked so there is a challenge to figuring it out. But if an AI constantly and intelligently adapts? You'll have no chance and you'll be frustrated, much like when you're roflstomped by infinitely better players in online games.

At least that's how the argument goes, roughly. I mostly agree though I'm not sure how accurate the whole "humans are wired for this and that" part - I find the argument convincing because I am wired like that but I might not be the majority, I don't know for sure.
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I wouldn't know. I've never been roflstomped by anyone, ever. :nervous:

I suppose it could get awkward. There was the old Todd Howard claim about the radiant AI in Skyrim had to be toned down as it was breaking the game. An Argonian went on a thieving spree and was robbing other characters. It seemed a bit far fetched, but that was his claim. I'd just like something other than basic flanking, whack-a-mole or mindless charging.
 
There's a self-learning type AI developed by a company Elon Musk owns (i think) that is beating the best Starcraft 2 & Dota 2 players in the world (on an equal footing) from what I gather. Not read too much about it, something about it playing a billion games against its self and adapting bit by bit each iteration. The games are on youtube.
 
I would never have guessed Halo would be rated so highly. I've never played it due it (I assumed) being generic, tedious fps gaming. I've still got the original Xbox and surely have the game laying about somewhere.

Never played Half Life, either, come to think of it. :nervous:
 
I'm always amazed at how Killzone 2s AI seems to be overlooked.
 
OpenAI Five in Dota. Not exactly standard ingame AI, but it beats elite professional teams, so it deserves a mention.
 
FEAR, though there is a strong element of smoke and mirrors with it. Awesome game still, and that shotgun might be my favourite weapon in FPS shooter history.
 
Wedge said:
Alien isolation has to be top 10.
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I didn't play it but I did read about the AI, apparently they used 'two brains' inside the Alien, one which always knew where you were and the other which was like a scout or some such. Occasionally they would use the two together, I thought it was a fairly ingenious if obvious solution to the 'organic' enemy. Not that I could have worked it out! :lol:
 
Far Cry (the original one), Crysis (also first one), and FEAR are my top three.
 
The original Unreal blew me away in how big of a leap it seemed at the time. Enemies jump out of the way and sneak up on me... Wut?

Imho one of the most important games of all time.
 
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