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Exploring the AI of Dark Souls | AI and Games

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman


Dark Souls is known for its ruthless and relentless enemy AI characters. It's time to find out how they really work, and how they continue to surprise players over a decade later.

[00:00] Intro
[01:28] About Dark Souls
[04:58] The Dark Souls Engine
[07:49] Goals for Souls
[15:08] The Combat Wheel
[22:54] Role of the Soul
[25:46] Zone of Interest
[28:30] Enemy NPC Variants
[32:33] Speed Round
[36:09] Closing
 
I am convinced that From Games have a number of dials that get adjusted by the game depending upon player actions. There are just too many times I have nearly beat a boss first go, then got annihilated multiple times and had to learn them, before steady progress and just beating them at the point at which it was about to become annoying, given a huge feeling of reward.
 

Blighttown, the rooftops in Anor Londo, the goblins in the library, the skellies in the catacombs - I would say it is!

Of course, if you are on your tenth playthrough, knowing where all the enemies are with a min-max build - maybe not.
 
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I am convinced that From Games have a number of dials that get adjusted by the game depending upon player actions. There are just too many times I have nearly beat a boss first go, then got annihilated multiple times and had to learn them, before steady progress and just beating them at the point at which it was about to become annoying, given a huge feeling of reward.
It’s either that or RNG, and there were a few boss fights that had heavy RNG. The boss fight I remember that had the most annoying RNG was the Goat Demon with the dogs in that tiny room with a staircase.

Making him a mandatory boss made it even worse.
 

John Bilbo

Member
I think the AI in From games is supposed to be abused, poked and you are supposed to find its weak spots. And there are many weak spots in the AI.
 

GymWolf

Gold Member
I think the hunters in bloodborne and some very rare enemy npcs like that spear dude in ds2 dlc had great combat\troll ia, but most of the mobs are pretty fucking stupid.

It's pretty telling when circling around waiting for a backstab is basically a meme at this point with the souls games, try that in other action games and see how it goes.


The fromsoft rimjob never stop :lollipop_grinning_sweat:
 
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TrebleShot

Member
Laughable,
Some of the worst AI in gaming.

Literally pac man being chased by ghosts.
You hit something or it notices you and just attacks, probably has some algorithm to switch up every so often.

To even call it AI is ridiculous.
 

Thief1987

Member
I think it's on purpose too. There are many funny ways to cheese tough enemies.

Stairs are your best friend.
Yeah it's on purpose, this "purpose" is incompetence.

Laughable,
Some of the worst AI in gaming.

Literally pac man being chased by ghosts.
You hit something or it notices you and just attacks, probably has some algorithm to switch up every so often.

To even call it AI is ridiculous.



"What game developers can learn from this AI?" - digital foundry probably
 
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TrebleShot

Member
Yeah it's on purpose, this "purpose" is incompetence.





"What game developers can learn from this AI?" - digital foundry probably

This is a similar exploit I used to beat the last boss in demons souls.
Sit at the bottom of the stairs, run up as his back is turned, cast invisible, cast poison on him, run back, rinse , repeat. Done.

WOAWOAOAW amazing.
 
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