Devs: can you discuss a few moments the AI has blown you away?

[Retro]

Seems this game has some crazy ecosystem going on and the AI is living and breath and things are all organically happening (really hope this game is a trend setter with good AI) what moments have blown you away with your AI that you guys never expected?

[Hakase]

Go read forum about development :D

[Normal Primate]

Ah! There is one that I'll always remember...

To start out the story, note that each of the limbs of the creatures can take damage. Like, if you hit a lizards arm or leg with a rock, it can cripple that limb, meaning that the lizard cant use it for locomotion; it will move slower, and if it is trying to climb a pole or something and it weighs too much for the other limbs to support it and will probably slide down, with its broken arm or leg dangling, etc.

Another thing to note is that the creatures pathfinding will learn from its mistakes, so if it attempts a path a few times and is unable to for whatever reason, it will seek out alternate routes.

SO! We are testing all this on a white lizard, which can normally walk on walls etc., making sure that when its limbs break, its pathfinding AI chooses a floor based route rather than trying to climb a wall and fall off over and over. We break the legs and then the arms and everything seems to be fine.

What we DIDNT take into consideration was its tongue. White lizards have a long sticky tongue like a frogs that can be used to grab onto prey and into its jaws. So after the lizards legs are crippled and it should be just a pile of twitching meat, we notice the tongue starts flailing around. Then it starts sticking to things. Then the lizard starts PULLING ITSELF ALONG using its tongue, grabbing onto things, reeling itself over, etc etc. :O :O :O

None of that was programmed or intended in any way. The pathfinding AI just found a way to solve the locomotion problem using the limbs it had available. But it was SPOOKY AF.

[🌻欣🌻]

wow:O that was super amazing
I will certainly break lizard's legs and see how it moving with its tongue XD.
And I have a question that I saw from the video of youtuber,sometimes lizards just cycle around where they are like a windmill.is that a bug?

[Blackenblood]

The white lizards are more like chameleons than frogs.

[Normal Primate]

Originally posted by Sleep with your fishes!!:

wow:O that was super amazing
I will certainly break lizard's legs and see how it moving with its tongue XD.
And I have a question that I saw from the video of youtuber,sometimes lizards just cycle around where they are like a windmill.is that a bug?

yes T___T and something thats been fixed a few times too! they just looove windmilling around though, lmao

definitely on the patch list

[Enderzilla747]

Originally posted by NormalPrimate:

Ah! There is one that I'll always remember...

To start out the story, note that each of the limbs of the creatures can take damage. Like, if you hit a lizards arm or leg with a rock, it can cripple that limb, meaning that the lizard cant use it for locomotion; it will move slower, and if it is trying to climb a pole or something and it weighs too much for the other limbs to support it and will probably slide down, with its broken arm or leg dangling, etc.

Another thing to note is that the creatures pathfinding will learn from its mistakes, so if it attempts a path a few times and is unable to for whatever reason, it will seek out alternate routes.

SO! We are testing all this on a white lizard, which can normally walk on walls etc., making sure that when its limbs break, its pathfinding AI chooses a floor based route rather than trying to climb a wall and fall off over and over. We break the legs and then the arms and everything seems to be fine.

What we DIDNT take into consideration was its tongue. White lizards have a long sticky tongue like a frogs that can be used to grab onto prey and into its jaws. So after the lizards legs are crippled and it should be just a pile of twitching meat, we notice the tongue starts flailing around. Then it starts sticking to things. Then the lizard starts PULLING ITSELF ALONG using its tongue, grabbing onto things, reeling itself over, etc etc. :O :O :O

None of that was programmed or intended in any way. The pathfinding AI just found a way to solve the locomotion problem using the limbs it had available. But it was SPOOKY AF.

Terrifying. IMAGINE, Slugcat with Tapeworms fighting a White Lizard, their limbs are all broken, Slugcat just grapples away, the lizard can't do anything....AND IT TONGUES TO THE CEILING AND BEGINS CHASING YOU THE SAME WAY!

[Retro]

Originally posted by NormalPrimate:

Ah! There is one that I'll always remember...

To start out the story, note that each of the limbs of the creatures can take damage. Like, if you hit a lizards arm or leg with a rock, it can cripple that limb, meaning that the lizard cant use it for locomotion; it will move slower, and if it is trying to climb a pole or something and it weighs too much for the other limbs to support it and will probably slide down, with its broken arm or leg dangling, etc.

Another thing to note is that the creatures pathfinding will learn from its mistakes, so if it attempts a path a few times and is unable to for whatever reason, it will seek out alternate routes.

SO! We are testing all this on a white lizard, which can normally walk on walls etc., making sure that when its limbs break, its pathfinding AI chooses a floor based route rather than trying to climb a wall and fall off over and over. We break the legs and then the arms and everything seems to be fine.

What we DIDNT take into consideration was its tongue. White lizards have a long sticky tongue like a frogs that can be used to grab onto prey and into its jaws. So after the lizards legs are crippled and it should be just a pile of twitching meat, we notice the tongue starts flailing around. Then it starts sticking to things. Then the lizard starts PULLING ITSELF ALONG using its tongue, grabbing onto things, reeling itself over, etc etc. :O :O :O

None of that was programmed or intended in any way. The pathfinding AI just found a way to solve the locomotion problem using the limbs it had available. But it was SPOOKY AF.

that sounds amazing! I looooooooove good AI, it's going to be fascinating seeing new things happen after each play. I already suspect the youtube/twitch moments are going to be great, I await to see some videos going viral with cool NPC moments. The only time I got really fascinated with ecosystem/AI stuff was the creature series, because the norns could teach their younger babies how to speak english and how to use things around the world, or if a grendel came by it would infect a norn and make it sick which would wipe out the entire population of norns....or a baby grendel would come by and an older norn would baby it making it less hostile.

lol but yeah i've always had a thing for fun and uniqu AI.

[Normal Primate]

were planning on adding a sandbox mode in a later update (along with multiplayer, etc), so players can throw creatures that they've discovered into a room and "see what happens" >:D

[Blackenblood]

That sounds awesome, is the way you unlock them just by seeing them for the first time?

[Spark7979]

Already pre-ordered your game, can't wait to play. Multiplayer & sandbox have gotten me more hyped though, i'll wait.

[Retro]

sandbox mode is a dream mode so much people will do cool things with that.

[Sparksoldier]

Originally posted by NormalPrimate:

Ah! There is one that I'll always remember...

To start out the story, note that each of the limbs of the creatures can take damage. Like, if you hit a lizards arm or leg with a rock, it can cripple that limb, meaning that the lizard cant use it for locomotion; it will move slower, and if it is trying to climb a pole or something and it weighs too much for the other limbs to support it and will probably slide down, with its broken arm or leg dangling, etc.

Another thing to note is that the creatures pathfinding will learn from its mistakes, so if it attempts a path a few times and is unable to for whatever reason, it will seek out alternate routes.

SO! We are testing all this on a white lizard, which can normally walk on walls etc., making sure that when its limbs break, its pathfinding AI chooses a floor based route rather than trying to climb a wall and fall off over and over. We break the legs and then the arms and everything seems to be fine.

What we DIDNT take into consideration was its tongue. White lizards have a long sticky tongue like a frogs that can be used to grab onto prey and into its jaws. So after the lizards legs are crippled and it should be just a pile of twitching meat, we notice the tongue starts flailing around. Then it starts sticking to things. Then the lizard starts PULLING ITSELF ALONG using its tongue, grabbing onto things, reeling itself over, etc etc. :O :O :O

None of that was programmed or intended in any way. The pathfinding AI just found a way to solve the locomotion problem using the limbs it had available. But it was SPOOKY AF.

With all games, I get a little bit scared that I wasted my money on something that seems to have content and depth, but lacks it while playing, and i'm happy to say that you reassured me with that comment. I do seriously hope that is an added mechanic though, and not just a mistake by the A.I.
looking so forward to playing this game now!

[Hakase]

Omg, this is so great

[DriftingDingus]

What I just read is officially both so awesome and so creepy at the same time.

[All Knight Party]

Originally posted by NormalPrimate:

were planning on adding a sandbox mode in a later update (along with multiplayer, etc), so players can throw creatures that they've discovered into a room and "see what happens" >:D

I would trade myself into indentured servitude to you guys if you made a sandbox mode. I feel that games very centered around emergent gameplay and mechanics that modify each other and change based on other mechanics are always well served by console commands or sandbox modes. You guys are the best.