The AI in Stalker 2 is the worst thing after the bugs/performance issues.

[Graephen]

I know there's been a lot of complaints about enemy AI, but this is my take on the problem - maybe I'll point-out something new.

It's not just that all they do is approach slowly and hipfire spray with pinpoint accuracy. They are just so dumb in comparison to the original games. What's worse, is - there's nearly no differences between factions. Bandits, Ward, Noontide, Duty, Freedom - all behave the same in combat. Approach, spray, throw the occasional grenade. Another bad thing is their resilience, if you don't hit their head and frailty when you do. They see and shoot through all foliage. They don't generally take cover. They never defend a location or ambush - outside of when they spawn right behind your back. You have a big red bar to warn you of both mutants and human enemies - why is this necessary? I don't need to know I'm under attack. It completely removes the horror element from the game and the compass removes the need to look for where the hell am I getting sniped from.

Actually - regarding weapon types. Shotguns from long range and still hitting? Check. Awful. Snipers rushing to close distance only to lose to a shotgun? Also check. Mindless spraying from assault rifles in between that too. It's so bad. Weapon type variety between factions and enemies is next to non-existent. There's so few riflemen and snipers and everyone just gets SMGs, shotguns and assault rifles and they all behave exactly the same no matter what gun they own.

Individial weapons are all the same too - maybe Loners get AR416s and everyone else gets AKs and that's where distinctions end. Give bandits some more crappy weapons similar to the Gordon that they sometimes spawn with (and are somehow deadly-accurate with?!) like, say SKS, some hunting rifles, old AK-47s, or some civilian-grade firearms. There's such a low variety of usable guns.

Bandits should be sly in combat, numerous and try to approach from multiple sides and flank and surprise you up-close. Their arms and loot should be bad, but they should be way squishier than they are.

Ward should be scary and tactical, but there should be fewer of them with decent, Ukrainian/Soviet arms.

Loners should have loot like bandits, except with the occasional rare weapon sprinkled in and their fighting style should vary from patrol to patrol at least.

Duty should mainly be equipped to hunt mutants - slugs in shotguns, for example. At least slugs would be a little less scarce.

And so on.

I miss the flavor of the previous games and aside from adding a lot more guns to the pool - which can be done in future patches or DLCs, there are some simple fixes here that can be implemented.

[Joikax]

You didn't have to go so deep into it. The thread title is correct and everything you referenced has already been mentioned at some point. (And there's even vids with the comparisons to the older games)

Originally posted by Graephen:

Shotguns from long range and still hitting? Check.

This is the one complaint I genuinelly do not understand though and it gets mentioned far too much.

Shotgun pellets do not just magically disappear or stop hurting past 50ish meters like most videogames in the past (and some even in the present) made people believe.

You're not getting sniped by a rifle/"slug" round, you're getting hit by a few pellets out of dozens coming at you.

And just because you're getting hurt by sniping-shotguns doesn't mean you're taking the full damage as if you were standing next to the shooter. Take a look at your healthbar next time and notice how it barelly tickles despite the flinching.

[Graephen]

Originally posted by Joikax:

You didn't have to go so deep into it. The thread title is correct and everything you referenced has already been mentioned at some point. (And there's even vids with the comparisons to the older games)

Originally posted by Graephen:

Shotguns from long range and still hitting? Check.

This is the one complaint I genuinelly do not understand though and it gets mentioned far too much.

Shotgun pellets do not just magically disappear or stop hurting past 50ish meters like most videogames in the past (and some even in the present) made people believe.

You're not getting sniped by a rifle/"slug" round, you're getting hit by a few pellets out of dozens coming at you.

And just because you're getting hurt by sniping-shotguns doesn't mean you're taking the full damage as if you were standing next to the shooter. Take a look at your healthbar next time and notice how it barelly tickles despite the flinching.

I had my own suggestions, that's why I've posted, such as flavours for factions and more guns per tier - or just get rid of the dumb tier system and make the guns themselves more unique.

[𝕊𝕋𝕌ℝ𝕄-𝕂𝔸𝕋]

Sounds good.
Now all you have to do is figure out how to give this feedback to GSC.
https://support.stalker2.com/hc/en-us/articles/28010487421713-Feedback-Form-Feature-Requests-for-S-T-A-L-K-E-R-2-Heart-of-Chornobyl

[HiggsLP]

The gun variety grows, wait till they srtart sniping u with 9x39 guns...

Also they defend locations and tale it back also.

LOS system is bad, thats true.

Pinpoint acc is annoying but theres always some cover nearby.

[DreamGrower]

worst than cyberpunk AI

[HiggsLP]

Dunno how it compares to CP77 AI nowadays, but at launch the AI in CP77 was boring, I was just hack n slashing through enemies.

In S2 they at least dodge and strafe, inCQB missed lots of HS with shotty bc AI started to crouch and dodge.

Also remembered that I let some bandits to live at night and even though I was blasting them away with shotty when I went dark(no flashlight) and crouch walked, I managed to flank them. And then I noticed them trying to find cover and flank me also.

And AI is setting ambushes- Mastif+ Ninth, nasty place to wiggle out...

Certainly they are not Diamond lobby level of human by I swewr to god newbies/Bronze in The Finals are easier prey than AI in S2;)

There are flaws and room to develop, but I think ppl heard that AI and Alife are bad and dont pay attention what AI is actually capale in combat if u dont blast them away within seconds...

[Graephen]

Originally posted by DreamGrower:

worst than cyberpunk AI

This is true - Cyberpunk AI tends to run-around confused and they are similar in the way that they are bullet sponges until you start headshotting them and they are also similarly vertically challenged.

Like please, make the AI be able to climb ladders and scale small obstacles at least and if they have no ammo/weapon make them switch to a knife.

[Graephen]

Originally posted by 𝕊𝕋𝕌ℝ𝕄-𝕂𝔸𝕋:

Sounds good.
Now all you have to do is figure out how to give this feedback to GSC.
https://support.stalker2.com/hc/en-us/articles/28010487421713-Feedback-Form-Feature-Requests-for-S-T-A-L-K-E-R-2-Heart-of-Chornobyl

Thanks didn't know about this - sorry for doubleposting.

[WhiteSnake76]

They should make the AI act like in CoP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1zM3ePkYPo

Whats even worse now is friendly fire, if there is a frienly (NPC or Player) between them and the target they still fire like there is no one there :( killed me atleast twice wen i seeked safety in numbers against an enemy, after that i decided to stay wel clear of friendly groups wen there was an enemy nearby.
One time i think they killed more of there own by friendly fire than the actual mutant did wen i was observing there behavior from a distance.

[lukandroll]

Originally posted by Joikax:

This is the one complaint I genuinelly do not understand though and it gets mentioned far too much.

Shotgun pellets do not just magically disappear or stop hurting past 50ish meters like most videogames in the past (and some even in the present) made people believe.

You're not getting sniped by a rifle/"slug" round, you're getting hit by a few pellets out of dozens coming at you.

And just because you're getting hurt by sniping-shotguns doesn't mean you're taking the full damage as if you were standing next to the shooter. Take a look at your healthbar next time and notice how it barelly tickles despite the flinching.

The thing is, you can see those 3 pellets coming and hiting you everytime, like homing missiles
The worst offender for me, is their ability to see throught objects, that needs some serious fixing

[I.T Drift]

Yes, everyone is aware of these issues, the devs have not fixed any of these.

I found if you play this game like Tarkov, you will find the AI becomes comically easy. Check your corners, peek every corner, never go out into the open without going from cover to cover. No issues for me. I just headshot everyone and they have no clue Im even there. Even snuck up on blood suckers and controllers many times and killed them with my sniper rifle.

[ChubbiChibbai]

Originally posted by I.T Drift:

Yes, everyone is aware of these issues, the devs have not fixed any of these.

I found if you play this game like Tarkov, you will find the AI becomes comically easy. Check your corners, peek every corner, never go out into the open without going from cover to cover. No issues for me. I just headshot everyone and they have no clue Im even there. Even snuck up on blood suckers and controllers many times and killed them with my sniper rifle.

Are people not playing it like this? I thought that was how you were supposed to play Stalker games?

[Mörkö]

This game needed 2 more years in the oven from whichever point you look at it. Even for consoles.