17. Enemies and Battle AI

HomeORK 2TutorialGame tutorial17. Enemies and Battle AI

Let’s create some enemies to fight, and their behaviour in battle, using Battle AIs.

Tell them what to do

The Battle AI will decide the battle actions of any combatant who’s not part of the player group (or an AI controlled member of the player group). You can learn more about battle AIs in this how-to.

We’ll create the following battle AIs:

  • Fighter
    For a fighter combatant using physical attacks.
  • Magician
    For a magician combatant using magical attacks.
  • Supporter
    For a supporting combatant using support abilities.

Open the ORK Framework editor and navigate to Battle System > Battle AI.

Battle AI 0: Fighter

This simple AI will have a 5 % chance to do nothing at all, and use Boost on the user if it’s not applied. Since a combatant always uses it’s base attack if no battle AI found an action, we don’t need to tell this AI to use the base attack (it would be different if you want to use the base attack on special conditionts, like on an enemy with less than 10 % HP).

gametutorial_17_enemies_and_battle_ai1

This is how the AI will look like in the end – I’ll just assume that you know how to use the node editor by now and simply describe the settings of the different steps.

Battle AI Settings

  • Name
    Set to Fighter.

Check Chance

Add > Base > Check Chance

We want this step to check for a 5 % chance and executes the None action if the check is successful. Else, the Check Status step will be executed.

  • Value Type
    Select Value.
  • Value
    Set to 5.

None

Add > Action > None

This step will result in the combatant doing nothing – the battle AI will end. No further settings.

Check Status

Add > Combatant > Check Status

This step should check if the status effect Strengthen isn’t applied to the user. If successful (i.e. Strengthen isn’t applied), Boost (ability action) should be used.

  • Found Targets
    Select Clear.
    This setting decides what’ll be done with targets found by previous conditions.
    Since we shouldn’t have any previous targets here, this setting doesn’t really matter, but let’s clear them anyway to be sure.
    If we don’t clear the targets, all targets already found would also be used as possible targets by actions used after this step.
  • Target
    Select Self.
    This checks the user of the battle AI for the condition.
  • Needed
    Select All.
    We’ll only have one condition, so this setting doesn’t really matter now.

A status requirement should already be added – else click on Add Status Requirement.

  • Status Needed
    Select Status Effect.
  • Selection
    Select Strengthen.
  • Is Applied
    Disable this setting.

Ability

Add > Action > Ability

We want to perform Boost.

  • Ability
    Select Boost.

That’s it for this battle AI.

Battle AI 1: Magician

This battle AI is a little bit more complex. It will check enemies for weaknesses to Fire and Water attack attributes and use according abilities. If no weakness is found, the used ability will be selected randomly.

gametutorial_17_enemies_and_battle_ai2

Battle AI Settings

  • Name
    Set to Magician.

Check Status

Add > Combatant > Check Status

This step should check enemies for a weakness to Fire (in our case, Fire > 100). If the check is successful, the ability Fire should be used, else another Check Status step.

  • Found Targets
    Select Clear.
  • Target
    Select Enemy.
  • Needed
    Select All.

A status requirement should already be added – else click on Add Status Requirement.

  • Status Needed
    Select Attack Attribute.
  • Selection
    Select Element.
  • Attribute
    Select Fire.
  • Check Type
    Select Is Greater.
  • Value Type (Check Value)
    Select Value.
  • Value (Check Value)
    Set to 100.

Ability

Add > Action > Ability

Performs the ability Fire. If it can’t be used, continues the battle AI with the next Check Status step.

  • Ability
    Select Fire.

Check Status

Add > Combatant > Check Status

This step should check enemies for a weakness to Water (in our case, Water > 100). If the check is successful, the ability Water should be used, else a Random step.

  • Found Targets
    Select Clear.
  • Target
    Select Enemy.
  • Needed
    Select All.

A status requirement should already be added – else click on Add Status Requirement.

  • Status Needed
    Select Attack Attribute.
  • Selection
    Select Element.
  • Attribute
    Select Water.
  • Check Type
    Select Is Greater.
  • Value Type (Check Value)
    Select Value.
  • Value (Check Value)
    Set to 100.

Ability

Add > Action Steps > Ability

Performs the ability Water. If it can’t be used, continues the battle AI with the next Random step.

  • Ability
    Select Water.

Random

Add > Base > Random

This step should randomly execute either Fire, Water or the combatant’s base attack (by having no next step). So we need three next steps – click on Add Step twice to add two new steps to the random step.

Copy the previously used Fire ability step and connect Random 0 to it. Copy the previously used Water ability step and connect Random 1 to it. Leave Random 2 unconnected. We can’t simply connect the random steps to the previous ability steps – this could create an eternal loop if the ability can’t be used.

That’s it for this battle AI.

Battle AI 2: Supporter

This battle AI will check allies and enemies for certain status conditions and uses abilities accordingly.

gametutorial_17_enemies_and_battle_ai3

Battle AI Settings

  • Name
    Set to Supporter.

Check Status

Add > Combatant > Check Status

This step should check if the HP of any ally of the user is below 50 %. If successful, Small Heal should be used, else the next Check Status step.

  • Found Targets
    Select Clear.
  • Target
    Select Ally.
  • Needed
    Select All.

A status requirement should already be added – else click on Add Status Requirement.

  • Status Needed
    Select Status Value.
  • Selection
    Select HP.
  • Check In
    Select Percent.
  • Check Type
    Select Is Less.
  • Value Type (Check Value)
    Select Value.
  • Value (Check Value)
    Set to 50.

Ability

Add > Action > Ability

We want to perform Small Heal. If it can’t be used, continue with the next Check Status step.

  • Ability
    Select Small Heal.

Check Status

Add > Combatant > Check Status

This step should check if the status effect Strengthen isn’t applied to any ally of the user. If successful, Boost should be used, else the next Check Status step.

  • Found Targets
    Select Clear.
  • Target
    Select Ally.
  • Needed
    Select All.

A status requirement should already be added – else click on Add Status Requirement.

  • Status Needed
    Select Status Effect.
  • Selection
    Select Strengthen.
  • Is Applied
    Disable this setting.

Ability

Add > Action > Ability

We want to perform Boost. If it can’t be used, continue with the next Check Status step.

  • Ability
    Select Boost.

Check Status

Add > Combatant > Check Status

This step should check if the status effect Weaken isn’t applied to any enemy of the user. If successful, Lessen should be used, else the next Check Status step.

  • Found Targets
    Select Clear.
  • Target
    Select Enemy.
  • Needed
    Select All.

A status requirement should already be added – else click on Add Status Requirement.

  • Status Needed
    Select Status Effect.
  • Selection
    Select Weaken.
  • Is Applied
    Disable this setting.

Ability

Add > Action > Ability

We want to perform Lessen. If it can’t be used, continue with the next Check Status step.

  • Ability
    Select Lessen.

Check Status

Add > Combatant > Check Status

This step should check if the status effect Poison isn’t applied to any enemy of the user. If successful, Poison should be used.

  • Found Targets
    Select Clear.
  • Target
    Select Enemy.
  • Needed
    Select All.

A status requirement should already be added – else click on Add Status Requirement.

  • Status Needed
    Select Status Effect.
  • Selection
    Select Poison.
  • Is Applied
    Disable this setting.

Ability

Add > Action > Ability

We want to perform Poison.

  • Ability
    Select Poison.

That’s it for the battle AIs.

Creating fearsome enemies

Enemies are plain old combatants, and we’ll create three:

  • Evil Pants
    A fighter using physical attacks.
  • Evil Caster
    A magician using magical attacks.
  • Evil Supporter
    A support combatant.

Navigate to Combatants > Combatants. We’ll first add a single new combatant and copy him later to create the others. Change the following settings.

Combatant 1: Evil Pants

  • Name
    Set to Evil Pants.

Base Settings > Prefab Settings

  • Prefab
    Select Evil Pants.
    Can be found in Assets/Tutorial Resources/Prefabs/Combatants/.
  • Box Radius
    Set to 1.

Status Settings

  • Start Level
    Set to 5.
  • Class
    Select Player Class.
    We don’t need a special class for our enemies, at least not yet.

Status Settings > Status Value Settings

The status values of a combatant can either be set to a fixed value in the combatant’s settings, or you can use status development like for the player’s combatant. For our simple game, we’ll create only static enemies with fixed values.

  • No Status Development
    Enable this setting.
    With this setting enabled, you’ll be able to define the status values without going through more complex development settings and curve generation.

Now, you’ll be able to set the Normal and Experience type status values. The Experience type status values will define how much experience is earned when the player defeats the combatant.

  • MaxHP
    Set to 80.
  • MaxMP
    Set to 5.
  • ATK
    Set to 25.
  • DEF
    Set to 22.
  • MATK
    Set to 5.
  • MDEF
    Set to 2.
  • AGI
    Set to 17.
  • DEX
    Set to 15.
  • LUK
    Set to 3.
  • EXP
    Set to 15.

Status Settings > Attribute Settings

  • Race
    Select Human.
  • Size
    Select Medium.

Attacks & Abilities > Attack Settings

  • Ability (Base Attack)
    Select Attack.
  • Ability (Counter Attack)
    Select Attack.

Attacks & Abilities > Ability Development

Add an ability to learn by clicking on Add Ability. The combatant will only be able to use abilities that he already learned at his level when in the game.

  • Learn at Level
    Set to 1.
  • Ability
    Select Boost.

Inventory & Equipment > Start Inventory

The start inventory defines the items the combatant will have – and what items the player will get when he defeats this enemy.

  • Gold
    Set to 50.

Add an item by clicking on Add Item.

  • Type
    Select Item.
  • Item
    Select Potion.
  • Value Type (Quantity)
    Select Value.
  • Value (Quantity)
    Set to 1.
  • Value Type (Chance (%))
    Select Value.
  • Value (Chance (%))
    Set to 75.

Add another item.

  • Type
    Select Item.
  • Item
    Select Cure Potion.
  • Value Type (Quantity)
    Select Value.
  • Value (Quantity)
    Set to 1.
  • Value Type (Chance (%))
    Select Value.
  • Value (Chance (%))
    Set to 25.

Battle Settings > Steal Settings

This settings define what item(s) can be stolen from the combatant.

  • Steal Item
    Enable this setting.
  • Fix Item
    Enable this setting.
  • Type
    Select Item.
  • Item
    Select Potion.
  • Steal Once
    Enable this setting.

Battle Settings > AI Settings

You can ignore the AI Controlled setting – this is only used for members of the player group. Any non-player combatant will always be controlled by AI. If a combatant is member of the player group and AI Controlled, the player wont be able to select his battle actions (unless the combatant is the player combatant, i.e. the leader of the player group).

Click on Add Battle AI to add a battle AI.

  • Battle AI
    Select Fighter.

Animations & Movement > Animation Settings

We’ll take a closer look at animations when it comes to animating battles, for now we’ll only stick to the simple stuff.

  • Use Auto Animation
    Enable this setting.

That’s it for this combatant.

Combatant 2: Evil Caster

Copy Evil Pants and change the following settings.

  • Name
    Set to Evil Caster.

Base Settings > Prefab Settings

  • Prefab
    Select Evil Caster.

Status Settings > Status Value Settings

Let’s edit the enemies status values.

  • MaxHP
    Set to 60.
  • MaxMP
    Set to 100.
  • ATK
    Set to 1.
  • DEF
    Set to 18.
  • MATK
    Set to 20.
  • MDEF
    Set to 22.
  • AGI
    Set to 12.
  • DEX
    Set to 15.
  • LUK
    Set to 10.
  • EXP
    Set to 17.

Attacks & Abilities > Ability Development

Change the first ability.

  • Ability
    Select Fire.

Add another ability by clicking on Add Ability.

  • Learn at Level
    Set to 1.
  • Ability
    Select Water.

Inventory & Equipment > Start Inventory

  • Gold
    Set to 75.

Change the first item.

  • Item
    Select Magic Potion.
  • Value Type (Chance (%))
    Select Value.
  • Value (Chance (%))
    Set to 100.

Change the second item.

  • Item
    Select Fire Scroll.
  • Value Type (Chance (%))
    Select Value.
  • Value (Chance (%))
    Set to 5.

Battle Settings > Steal Settings

  • Item
    Select Magic Potion.

Battle Settings > AI Settings

  • Battle AI
    Select Magician.

That’s it for this combatant.

Combatant 3: Evil Supporter

Copy Evil Caster and change the following settings.

  • Name
    Set to Evil Supporter.

Base Settings > Prefab Settings

  • Prefab
    Select Evil Supporter.

Status Settings > Status Value Settings

  • MaxHP
    Set to 55.
  • MaxMP
    Set to 80.
  • ATK
    Set to 10.
  • DEF
    Set to 25.
  • MATK
    Set to 15.
  • MDEF
    Set to 25.
  • AGI
    Set to 9.
  • DEX
    Set to 10.
  • LUK
    Set to 1.
  • EXP
    Set to 22.

Attacks & Abilities > Ability Development

Change the first ability.

  • Ability
    Select Poison.

Change the second ability.

  • Ability
    Select Small Heal.

Add a new ability.

  • Learn at Level
    Set to 1.
  • Ability
    Select Boost.

Add another ability.

  • Learn at Level
    Set to 1.
  • Ability
    Select Lessen.

Inventory & Equipment Start Inventory

  • Gold
    Set to 65.

Change the first item.

  • Item
    Select Cure Potion.

Change the second item.

  • Item
    Select Paralyse Scroll.
  • Value Type (Chance (%))
    Select Value.
  • Value (Chance (%))
    Set to 10.

Battle Settings > Steal Settings

  • Item
    Select Cure Potion.

Battle Settings > AI Settings

  • Battle AI
    Select Supporter.

That’s it for the combatants – click on Save Settings.

And that’s it for now – the next lesson will cover the first battle.

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