Title: The Frustrating Reality of Age of Empires 2 Ally AI
For many avid players of Age of Empires 2, the game’s ally AI has long been a source of frustration and annoyance. While the game itself is renowned for its challenging and strategic gameplay, many players have found themselves scratching their heads at their allies’ inexplicably poor decisions and lack of support on the battlefield. In this article, we will delve into the reasons why the Age of Empires 2 ally AI sucks so hard, and explore some potential solutions to this ongoing problem.
One of the most glaring issues with the ally AI in Age of Empires 2 is its lack of strategic coordination. Whether it’s failing to defend crucial choke points, neglecting to support their allies in battles, or simply wandering aimlessly around the map, the AI’s inability to effectively work with human players is a common source of frustration. This lack of coordination often leads to disastrous consequences, as human players are left to bear the brunt of the enemy’s onslaught without the necessary support from their supposed allies.
Furthermore, the AI’s decision-making capabilities are often questionable at best. From poorly timed attacks to neglecting to prioritize critical objectives, the AI’s tendency to make nonsensical choices can be a significant hindrance to the player’s ability to succeed in the game. This can lead to scenarios where the player feels as though they are carrying dead weight, as their allies squander valuable resources and fail to contribute meaningfully to the team’s efforts.
Another major issue with the ally AI is its lack of adaptability. While human players are able to adjust their strategies and respond to changing circumstances on the battlefield, the AI often remains stubbornly fixed in its predetermined course of action. This rigidity can be extremely frustrating, as it leaves human players feeling as though they are effectively playing a game of 1v2 or 1v3 rather than engaging in a cooperative multiplayer experience.
So, why does the Age of Empires 2 ally AI struggle so much? The answer lies in the inherent complexity of creating competent and dynamic AI in a real-time strategy game. While the game’s developers have undoubtedly put significant thought and effort into improving the ally AI over the years, the challenges of programming AI to think and act with the same level of strategic acumen as a human player are daunting, to say the least.
Despite these challenges, there are potential avenues for improvement. For example, the game’s developers could invest more resources into refining the ally AI’s decision-making and strategic coordination. By implementing more advanced algorithms and heuristics, the AI could potentially display a greater degree of adaptability and teamwork, thereby creating a more enjoyable and challenging multiplayer experience.
Additionally, providing players with more options to customize the behavior of their AI allies could also go a long way towards alleviating the frustrations often associated with the current state of the ally AI. This could include the ability to set specific objectives for the AI to focus on, as well as the option to adjust the AI’s strategic priorities and aggression levels based on the player’s preferences.
In conclusion, the frustrating reality of the Age of Empires 2 ally AI is a well-documented issue that has plagued the game for many years. While the challenges of creating competent AI in a real-time strategy game are significant, there is hope for improvement. By investing in more advanced AI algorithms, providing players with greater control over their AI allies, and continually refining the ally AI’s decision-making and coordination capabilities, the game’s developers could potentially quell the frustrations of players and create a more enjoyable multiplayer experience for all.
