What is wrong with the party AI?

[Ancient Ways]

Recently started playing this game for the first time. Now up to a party of 3, consisting of me (nature mage), Lothar (melee) and Deru (archer).

There are times when I'll encounter mobs of enemies. A situation obviously designed for Rampage Mode. Problem is Rampage Mode doesn't work half the time.

I'll hit the button for rampage mode...... and they just stand there. I'm like, what are you doing? Attack you idiots.

Finally when one of them is nearly dead they realizes they might want to start fighting but by that time I've gone back to mirror mode to get everone out of there because they're about to die.

WTF is wrong with this game's party AI? This is the definition of "terrible bad" as the old saying goes. I find it hard to believe a game with this glaring a flaw became so popular in it's day. What's the fix?

[Ancient Ways]

Glory be. I think I might have figured it out. The problem is with summoned creatures.

When my nature mage has a summoned critter active Lothar and Deru are dumb as ♥♥♥♥ in rampage mode. In rampage mode they'll often stand there getting beat up.

I ran around with no summoned creatures active. Every time I encountered enemy mobs I'd hit G for rampage mode and got a response from Lothar and Deru every time. No more standing around Suddenly Lothar is a berzerk dual weilding murder machine.

Sometimes there was as much as a 1 second delay after hitting G but I've gotten a response every time. Just so long as there no mage has a summoned creature active.

It's like the game is so busy paying attention to summoned creatures that it's forgetting about party AI in rampage mode.

[Ancient Ways]

What gets me is I was reading back as far as 2005 on old forums like Dungeon Siege Heaven and the like. I saw people complaining about this same problem, but nobody ever seemed to have an answer lol. Did I just figure out one of the game's little mysteries? Somehow I doubt it lol.

[Ancient Ways]

Also, I've glanced at your guide. Does this game actually come with the expansion but is locked out of it? I didn't use your guide because I figured the steam version simply didn't have it so there was nothing to enable.

[CorporateFatCat]

Also in settings there are switches for Auto Attack and Auto Defend, might only be for BW though have not played vanilla in so long I cannot remember.

[Cozyulkin]

I confirm the hunch that the companions are inactive most of the time due to the summoned creatures.

[CorporateFatCat]

Originally posted by Crusader:

I confirm the hunch that the companions are inactive most of the time due to the summoned creatures.

The vanilla game including BW has always had somewhat poor enemy detection. There is also a setting in the game settings to turn on aggression for your party members that you are not in direct control of at any given moment. However, if you need your party members more aggressive than vanilla you need the Auto Engage mod. It says for BW but it will work for regular DSII as well.

[Lapatong]

FYI:
there's something wrong with the BW file i downloaded.
DOWNLOAD with your own RISK. just saying.

[CorporateFatCat]

Originally posted by Lapatong:

FYI:
there's something wrong with the BW file i downloaded.
DOWNLOAD with your own RISK. just saying.

What did you download? Almost all DS mods are non-executables and I have archiving DS mods since 2004 & DS II mods right after it came out. If you are talking about your pre-mod characters disappearing it just means that save is not compatible with that mod. remove the mod and your characters will re-appear. Or start a new game with the mod. Speaking of, when adding mods to DS 1 or 2 make sure to have your mods installed before you start your game. Because of the aforementioned issue. Some mods can be added to a save later without problem. But not most.