Monster AI
Just to address an issue I've seen every time I face this level. The monsters at the spot shown in this screenshot seem unaware of my presence and do not engage. They aren't even bothered with me if I shoot them, they simply sit still until they die. Similar case here but a bit further in the level.
A somewhat similar thing I have noticed when a monster gets stuck running against a wall around the corner with the purpose of trying to reach me I'm guessing. The monster keeps running against the wall unless I hit it.
Bugged or somewhat broken monster AI here?
Edit: Just to note, these screenshots are for temporary use only to point out my issue in this topic.
How about teaching monsters to (depending on their intelligence) either move out of range of your gun, or to find a way to reach you?
Running around in place, where there's a 1-in-5 chance of being in the spot your gun can reach, is like asking to be shot. It takes a few more minutes, but they die nicely.
Yea that could be a solution.
Another example on the topic. Last night I killed the Tortodrone by using this very hole in the AI. To try and explain in words, there was a U shaped bit, where the U itself is the bridge, and the rest is plain air. I stood on the left part of it and the tortodrone on the right. I was able to keep shooting it without it coming near, since it just kept trying to do it's charging rush against the wall (straight towards me was the plan of it). It did shoot its stone missiles once in a while, but those were easy to dodge. So basically I could just shoot it and had to run a little up or down once in a while.
Easy kill, no shiny loot though sadly.
pathfinding AI is not that hard to do...but not the most trivial thing too. If the monsters have some pathfinding, they would be able to run to you without being stuck.
About the tortodrone....he really stucks hinself in almost everythin! You can use a key, or mineral crystals, to lock then somewhere...and they still manage to kill me with 2 well aimed missile drops (for some reason, they can actually trap me in a smal pace in the first shot, and the rain all the other shots to totally fill the area where i'm standingT.T...or i'm simply too concerned in finish the battle fast enough that i can't think too well to dodge).
About monsters dodging bullets: they already do this (and quite well, i must say). It seens that they wait a lot of time till you shot..and some monsters just cancel their attacks and dash to the sides if you shot while they are attacking...well, at least for me. every time i try to shot something, even zombies, they jump to the side, so i need to predict to where they will jump, and shot there right after, before they can have time to dodge again. I can only shot well if i get cornered..and this is not what it had to mean...it would totally be the opposite, where you use guns before getting stuck, and sword when you get stuck.
Erm are you sure it's not lag that's causing the problems with shooting for you? I've been perfectly able to hit nearly everything with my gun so far. No dodging monsters or anything
No, there are a variety of monsters which actively jump out of the way of fire. Primarily stuff like wolvers and gremlins. That behavior is only limited to non-alchemer guns, though, further owing to their reputation as being overpowered.
On the alchemer gun topic, I've noticed they have a longer range aswell. Atleast they do compared to my Magnus.
Well, the Magnus just has a short range. I don't know about how alchemers compare to other guns though.
my stun gun was almost useless, because of those wolvers dodging then a lot, and chromalisks, and kats, and gremlins. Now, with the alchemizer, the only threat that i find are the gremlins and the tortodrone (really, i just can't fight them, and almost always die, or almost die, mainly because of lag).
About the alchemizer, i don't know about the other ones, but the fire one is really...let me say..OP. Actually, you can kill a lesser monster, like blue jelyes or ash wolver at depth 19, witha charged shot from a lvl4 fire alchemer. Also, the skill to make the shots ricochet through walls are helpfull and not helpfull at the same time, because it sometimes activate swittches that you don't want to (but, most of the times, they activate switches that actualy save my life ^^).
I wouldn't say broken really, just not the best. Though at such a distance with their backs turned they wouldn't really be expected to notice you. I like it better than those games where every enemy everywhere is immediately aware of your exact position and instantly moves to attack you.
As with many games, monsters here seem to have a certain wake radius outside of which they don't engage. I would agree that if they take hits from you then they should probably engage at that point, though.