Why are guards so ret*rded?

[No' Name]

So, against my better judgement I decided to pick it up, and I have to say I'm actually enjoying my time with it.

But my god, are henchmen and camera's absolutely useless.

I'm playing medium difficulty, as while I enjoy the Dungeon Series, I haven't touched the Evil Genius game, nor really heard of them to begin with. So taking my time with the game and getting used to it's functions, and features is something I wanted to do.

I believe I'm on a tutorial island, and I'm pretty sure I already have to start over as one of the scientists I was supposed to get to come to my island and interrogate must have left the island or something because I can't find him anywhere, and for the main story, it says to interrogate all three of them.

That aside, The guards are beyond stupid, followed by the useless camera system as well. I thought maybe the guards just took their sweet ass time trying to get to Agents who would come into my lair, but it turns out they're just really, REALLY poorly designed AI from what I've seen.

This is actually so bad, that I remade the inside of my lair, and through the Guard room/Security Room with the tables, guns, Stun Guns, etc, etc right NEXT to the entrance, and you know what? It didn't do a damn thing. The new security area I have set up doesn't even have walls, yet Agents will wander in, right in FRONT OF the guards, and they'll do nothing, but continue playing cards or whatever it is they're doing at the table which amounts to nothing.

How is it possible to design AI this bad? This is almost unforgivable, almost to the point where I just want to get a refund, had I not already spent 4 hours playing it.

EDIT: I even have camera's pointing Directly at the lair entrance, and they still sit on their asses.

[MightyFox]

Guards will only respond to tagged agents. Tag them when they enter or when you see them, or research the auto tagging system. Learn to use your cover op as a dumping site for agents wondering into your base.

The AI is bad, but even good AI still requires some player input.

You need a prison for the captured scientists. If you don't have one, they'll just stand around somewhere, or won't be brought to the island at all.

[ArcticISAF]

I suggest putting the camera stations to guard mode (guards using it), that will increase their spotting power. At the bottom by the camera you can see what it’s at - 1 is pretty useless and is basically foiled by all but the worst investigators. This kind of tripped me up for awhile, as investigators just walked right on by everyone and the cameras (like wtf).

But I think 3 or 5 spotting power can be achieved by just a couple guards on camera duty. Then whoever’s available will respond.

[Deranged Duck]

I think also after a certain tech upgrade, Guards will respond to "auto-tagged" agents.

[Kevin the Inkling]

The AI just is that bad. Oh the advanced Gaurd outpost so I can have guards posted without the alarm going.. They never ever go to it.

[Smugass Braixen-Chan]

Originally posted by Merku:

The AI just is that bad. Oh the advanced Gaurd outpost so I can have guards posted without the alarm going.. They never ever go to it.

"Advanced" Guard Posts are weird.

For me, the guards will dutifully stay in place. But then as soon as I turn on High Alert, they wander away from their stations.

You seem to literally be better off using the basic Guard Posts, and hitting High Alert early enough that the spots can be filled when you need it.

[Deranged Duck]

Advance guard posts are also useful for "warning away" investigators, When distracting tags have been applied.

[Kevin the Inkling]

Originally posted by Smugass Braixen-Chan:

Originally posted by Merku:

The AI just is that bad. Oh the advanced Gaurd outpost so I can have guards posted without the alarm going.. They never ever go to it.

"Advanced" Guard Posts are weird.

For me, the guards will dutifully stay in place. But then as soon as I turn on High Alert, they wander away from their stations.

You seem to literally be better off using the basic Guard Posts, and hitting High Alert early enough that the spots can be filled when you need it.

Honestly I will say this. Tons of examples of issues and cut content due to sheer laziness. I am not going to claim they were rushed. This isn't Cyberpunk there was no massive push to hype this game nor delays etc. Even if they doubled the amount of content and features from the original game it would've been a massively simplistic project.

No Drama about deadlines funding etc. No Gotta Rush to get it by easter. XD

Sometimes the reason is just that simple laziness. Evil Genius 1 had 4 types of Prison cells. We have. 1.

Not only is the game baren of content and dumbed down but the AI is somehow worse. Then the original 2006 game. I'm sorry it's 2021 you have no excuse to lose to a 15 year old AI that was considered Janky and poor back THEN.

[Zanzibar196]

So, putting a guard table in a way that your main corridor to your deep lair can't be bypassed, the agents are FORCED to walk around it seems to actually work better than a guard post. Instead of one or two guards, the agents get bum rushed by like 8 at a time... combine with pistols, and no one really gets past unless they are super agent.

[Fighting-Priest]

My issue is they seem to always go to sleep right as agents come to my island. I even trained a few extra but even they they all go to sleep at the same time. I would like and option to but them on shifts.

[Smugass Braixen-Chan]

Originally posted by Deranged Morgath:

Advance guard posts are also useful for "warning away" investigators, When distracting tags have been applied.

True, but I have 32 Valets (I was experimenting with them) constantly coming in and out of the entrance, and they do that job just fine.

[Smugass Braixen-Chan]

Originally posted by Merku:

Honestly I will say this. Tons of examples of issues and cut content due to sheer laziness. I am not going to claim they were rushed. This isn't Cyberpunk there was no massive push to hype this game nor delays etc. Even if they doubled the amount of content and features from the original game it would've been a massively simplistic project.

No Drama about deadlines funding etc. No Gotta Rush to get it by easter. XD

Sometimes the reason is just that simple laziness. Evil Genius 1 had 4 types of Prison cells. We have. 1.

Not only is the game baren of content and dumbed down but the AI is somehow worse. Then the original 2006 game. I'm sorry it's 2021 you have no excuse to lose to a 15 year old AI that was considered Janky and poor back THEN.

In fairness, Rebellion are hardly the cream of the crop when it comes to game developers.

https://store.steampowered.com/developer/Rebellion

If you look at their developer page, their selection of games consists of Sniper Elite, some zombie shooter that they are charging $50 USD for, and then a whole lot of shovelware.

[Sword_of_Light]

Here's the thing. You're playing the Monarch - and his henchmen. You arent Brock Samson, you're fighting him. And the morons who make up the Monarch's henchmen are, with few exceptions, just that; morons. How does the Monarch use his henchmen? By throwing wave upon wave of lightly armed, unarmored idiots in the hopes that the sheer mass of them will be enough to accomplish his nefarious goals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdgD8OP04RE

You've got Stormtroopers, who are only precise when they're murdering Jawas, off-camera. Who get owned by a bunch of neolithic teddy bears. They're called snowflakes because they are identical and innumerable. And expendable. You dont hire your best and brightest to be expendable.

Your guards are not behaving stupidly. The AI is not stupid. Its an accurate simulation of a Bond movie from the perspective of a bunch of high school dropouts who can just barely comprehend the command "Go hit that agent".

[SertanDoom]

Originally posted by Sword_of_Light:

Here's the thing. You're playing the Monarch - and his henchmen. You arent Brock Samson, you're fighting him. And the morons who make up the Monarch's henchmen are, with few exceptions, just that; morons. How does the Monarch use his henchmen? By throwing wave upon wave of lightly armed, unarmored idiots in the hopes that the sheer mass of them will be enough to accomplish his nefarious goals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdgD8OP04RE

You've got Stormtroopers, who are only precise when they're murdering Jawas, off-camera. Who get owned by a bunch of neolithic teddy bears. They're called snowflakes because they are identical and innumerable. And expendable. You dont hire your best and brightest to be expendable.

Your guards are not behaving stupidly. The AI is not stupid. Its an accurate simulation of a Bond movie from the perspective of a bunch of high school dropouts who can just barely comprehend the command "Go hit that agent".

"Fire at will!"
"Boss, which one is Will?"

[suksas]

Originally posted by Sword_of_Light:

Here's the thing. You're playing the Monarch - and his henchmen. You arent Brock Samson, you're fighting him. And the morons who make up the Monarch's henchmen are, with few exceptions, just that; morons. How does the Monarch use his henchmen? By throwing wave upon wave of lightly armed, unarmored idiots in the hopes that the sheer mass of them will be enough to accomplish his nefarious goals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdgD8OP04RE

You've got Stormtroopers, who are only precise when they're murdering Jawas, off-camera. Who get owned by a bunch of neolithic teddy bears. They're called snowflakes because they are identical and innumerable. And expendable. You dont hire your best and brightest to be expendable.

Your guards are not behaving stupidly. The AI is not stupid. Its an accurate simulation of a Bond movie from the perspective of a bunch of high school dropouts who can just barely comprehend the command "Go hit that agent".

This is surprisingly accurate description. I guess I've been following Monarch's actions for most of my first play though.

Seeing Symetra steal my loot and just sending minion after minion after her. Didn't even feel bad about them. Just annoyed at all the corpses littering my pristine corridors.

[Daunmi]

Originally posted by Sword_of_Light:

Your guards are not behaving stupidly. The AI is not stupid. Its an accurate simulation of a Bond movie from the perspective of a bunch of high school dropouts who can just barely comprehend the command "Go hit that agent".

100% correct.

Doesn't stop it from being frustrating, but it's hardly a bug or poor design (unless something introduces actual problems into it, but that's a different thing).