What on earth is going on with the AI?

Since this last update, the AI has been a massive pain. I can barely get through fights with Ghost because the opponents refuse to attack me while phased (and yes, I'm doing a MLLL combo), I've died to two Quakes today because all they want to do is throw heavies; not even while I'm blocking, when I'm wide open trying to bait a Special Attack. They almost never dash at me when I'm trying to do a backdraft intercept. On top of it, I just died in war because the Carnage I was fighting decided he wasn't going to throw his specials at all, and just kept walking towards me until finally I missed a dex and he got to the SP3, game over. Sure, I'm not that good, but I know how to bait specials! This is getting to be a serious issue (especially when trying to get to the infinite streak in arena). What is even going on? Can you PLEASE stop changing the AI? When it's this passive, some fights are all but impossible to win unless you've got power control.
Or maybe this is just me. Is this happening to anyone else? Because it's getting to be really frustrating.

Comments

Dose_Responsive

I'm noticing the same.

unknown

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XdSpoodermanxD

Yeah this has been an issue for me as well.

WardenZero

Yeah AI is kinda screwy sometimes. I hate the passive stuff going on now.

DTMelodicMetal

The AI has been tweaked a few times this year. The most noticeable tweak was stated to be a bug, players who use Ghost were significantly affected by this bug before it was fixed. Another AI bug was stated to be found by Miike after this fix, which we've yet to receive further commentary on after Miike said it would be fixed back in April. Tagging Miike with a screenshot of those posts got no response, so either the bug was forgotten about or the bug was not a really a bug.

Forum mods have said MCOC AI is not changed without players being notified. Whoever has told the mods to say this is either misinformed or has told mods to make statements that are inaccurate. ROL, Act 4-Act 6, and other areas of content all have AI differences. Current endgame AI (high tier AW, Map 6-7, Act 6) utilizes a passive-aggressive style of fighting. They no longer consistently start fights with an attack like previous endgame AI, they walk forwards towards your champions to sneak in close range light attacks and prevent intercepts, they backup without holding block or repeatedly tap block to bait dash attacks which they intercept (Map 7 Thanos often looks like he's having a seizure), and they no longer reliably take bait when players do 2-4 hit combos then backup up to bait dash attacks to intercept.

These AI differences are annoying, but they also give opportunities to further refine your skills. Mixing up your inputs is a good way to continue having success attack strategies that champions such as Ghost, Magik, Doctor Voodoo, and Proxima Midnight thrive on. If you're trying to bait dash attacks using 4-hit combos then backing up every time, the AI is quick to adjust. Throw in a 3-hit combo then back up followed by a 4-hit combo then back up followed by a 3-hit combo then back up followed by hitting into the AI's block a few times then back up, and the AI is less likely to pick up on your attack patterns.

SiriusBreak

Good advice @DTMelodicMetal . Also, I've seen the Thanos Block Seizure in Map 5 too. If it wasn't annoying I'd find it hilarious. The way the Ai is functioning lately does keep a player on their toes. You do need to keep changing it up on them or the Ai will find a way to counter you faster than before. It's not as predictable so you do need to think on your feet or suffer getting smashed in.

There's no doubt in my mind that something has changed. It's hard to say whether this change was for the better or for the worst. If it ultimately increases your ability to counter situations with greater accuracy over time, then I say it's for the better. Just comes with a learning curve to say the least. Perhaps a combination of the new champs, and known playstyles out there, these changes are their way of keeping it interesting. If it becomes TOO predictable, that will inevitably get stale over time.

Battle_Greninja

This changes has made me drop war for the sake of alliance.and I was thinking that is happening to only me and my timing is off.

roberto94

The AI is getting more smarter and smarter. This encourage us to evolve our play style?

Bogia

The AI is getting more smarter and smarter.

I've seen this movie. It doesn't end well for the humans.

Mitchell35

Yeah it’s become incredibly hard to land parries, and the ai is so passive now that you might not land one all fight.

LordBeaverbroke

Yeah, the AI is returning to it's vegetative state. Time to break out the Yondu again.

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DTMelodicMetal

There's no doubt in my mind that something has changed. It's hard to say whether this change was for the better or for the worst. If it ultimately increases your ability to counter situations with greater accuracy over time, then I say it's for the better. Just comes with a learning curve to say the least. Perhaps a combination of the new champs, and known playstyles out there, these changes are their way of keeping it interesting. If it becomes TOO predictable, that will inevitably get stale over time.

@SiriusBreak I can't agree more with your final sentence. Being mindful of a learning curve with updated AI helps manages the frustration. AW Seasons has created a mindset where dying is not acceptable. Games shouldn't be played like this.

I've seen this movie. It doesn't end well for the humans.

Yeah it’s become incredibly hard to land parries, and the ai is so passive now that you might not land one all fight.

@Bogia lol, I've talked to other players about the AI mimicking player inputs. Seems like less code for the AI to copy player attack patterns than for developers to program in specific attack strategies for different champions/AI under different circumstances. @Mitchell35 the anti-intercept AI can be a bit much for certain AI like Korg. Watch the video video clip below, it's definitely not obvious Korg is coded to prevent intercepts (insert sarcasm):

https://youtu.be/qlz5YjKZBaY

1_ShuNeu_1

I find hitting the ai in block and playing erratically helps
It seems to throw off the defender.

And by eratic i mean dont make patterns

Boostergoldrulz

It's Skynet.

MSRDLD

All or Nothing AI in arena is such BS. I can’t say that emphatically enough. Most times you lose because you didn’t bring a power control champ or one that can tank SP3’s.

Hendross

All I read is that Ghost got beat by Quake (twice). I guess that settles that.

JohnHS

All I read is that Ghost got beat by Quake (twice). I guess that settles that.

Actually Quake is also hard because the AI likes to just stand there watching me after I evade the first hit. No parries allowed!
I fought a MODOK the other day and he never dashed at me, meaning I couldn't get in a parry. However, while playing Masacre, he gets super aggressive and won't let me got into his block.

Combine this with Infinity Man throwing full five combos into block, backing off, and doing it again, and AW is becoming a nightmare.

SiriusBreak

I can't agree more with your final sentence. Being mindful of a learning curve with updated AI helps manages the frustration. AW Seasons has created a mindset where dying is not acceptable. Games shouldn't be played like this.

@DTMelodicMetal You just hit proverbial nail on the head there! The mindset that an attack bonus loss is unacceptable is what inevitably brings extreme stress on the players that are trying to maintain staying competitive. Especially with the new Map. This will undoubtedly increase with Defense Tactics. Once again, the learning curve rears its ugly head, lol. Truthfully, if players were to be more accepting of that fact, they'd be a bit less stressed out while playing a game that's supposed to be fun.

Adding new challenges on top of the seemingly ever evolving Ai is going to drive many up the wall. Honestly, that's why I go out of my way to be motivational when things go sideways instead of coming down on someone for having a bad run. Losses are occasionally unavoidable for some. Be it the fact you don't have the right champ for the job, glitches, bugs, control malfunctions, slip ups, etc. Sometimes, things just go sideways. The game is ever changing, and apparently the Ai isn't immune to changes. Players need be mindful of this fact if they wish to keep their sanity 😉.

Part of me really likes the unpredictability factor here. Keeps me thinking of ways to counter what's being thrown at me. Now, I'd be lying if I said it didn't cause me frustration from time to time. It for sure does. It's what you do from there that will dictate how long you remain frustrated. If you can immediately accept that something is off and you need to adjust, you'll move forward faster than if you try to resist the changes. Think about it this way, every EQ there's almost always a post (typically a few) about how one of the new champs is too OP and needs to be nerfed. Eventually, over time, you learn how they function and they become just another fight.

In some cases, the Ai is bugged and those situations cause some of the greatest moments of stress in game. You end up losing a fight through no fault of your own. When this happens in AW, it's probably the worst of all. No do overs. No exiting and starting over. Once that match is lost, that's that. Couple this with the cost of certain items, it's a recipe for some colorful phrases flying out of one's mouth, lol. In that case, it's hard to remain objective about the situation. Points and items lost are situations that cannot be undone. The best we can do, especially leadership, is remain understanding and empathetic to our fellow players. Providing them with drive to overcome a situation that's for all intents and purposes a recipe for stress.

Starlord27

Your wise words are wonderful and all that...but let’s not deviate from the fact that the AI has 1) changed, and 2) Kabam are refusing to admit it.

AI changes are fine with me, so long as I’ve been notified, whether via a post on here or a tab that pops up before the fight showing what type of difficulty the fight is and clearly defined.

Fact is, it’s changed and it’s highly annoying and personally I’m losing the desire to play AQ and AW

Fhfjghhggggjfhfjg

Ive noticed this as well. This constant passive ai is getting real annoying especially when im using ghost

Lazuli

I’ve definitely noticed this too, and it’s been driving me crazy. Keep ending up against the wall trying to bait specials that the AI just won’t throw, or keep having to deal with characters who just block stay passive.

unknown

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