Come on CA - Gamedesign, programming or QA bug?

**Goofball** · 11-21-2006, 22:20

Sorry, I can't really tell from the screeny. What's going on?

**Maizel** · 11-21-2006, 22:24

He's moving ONLY his arty around the entire enemy army and it doesn't even react

**Myrddraal** · 11-22-2006, 00:28

How can the beta testers possibly have missed this! The mind boggles...

**Grifman** · 11-22-2006, 00:34

They probably didn't. CA probably slipped in a last minute change that affected the AI in a totally unexpected way.

**Callatian** · 11-22-2006, 00:47

Originally Posted by Myrddraal

How can the beta testers possibly have missed this! The mind boggles...

They were probably so used to play RTW that nobody actually fully checked the fact that only archers are active in a siege army when the human does a sally. I think they should have a meeting with their lead testers - this is a gameplay showstopper bug after all. I would have got my butt kicked really hard if I will have missed such a bug or played with the AI code - by this damageing the overall performance - and without proper backup testing.

This is something like a proximity issue attack activation - so they do not react to any projectiles thrown at them even at the most closest ranges ... it's like you are invisible for their melee troops. They only react to you if you engage their archers/troops in close hand-to-hand - but they go back in formation pretty fast.

Any enemy siege is now a good training time for your archers or catapults. Damn - it totally ruins the gameplay.

**Lusted** · 11-22-2006, 00:48

Can someone say passive ai bug?

**Callatian** · 11-22-2006, 01:01

Originally Posted by Lusted

Can someone say passive ai bug?

Not really passive - their archers AIs and artillery are pretty aggressive and fighting like crazy. Just the enemy AI melee and cavalry units react only in 2-3 meters - and only to your melee units.

Also the bug does not apply if you get reinforcements on them map or if the enemy is assaulting your city gates. That’s why they didn't see it. It is only a sally issue in my view. More testing will be needed - so since everyone is playing the game - try different sally combinations and see what is working and what not. A small help for CA QA - I think.

**Spino** · 11-22-2006, 01:40

The beta-testers did catch the passive AI bug but by the time it was brought to the attention of CA the game already went gold. Per the words of one of the developers (Palamedes) in the official forums, this WILL be fixed in the upcoming patch.

So it's just a matter of finding ways to pass the time until the patch is released...

**Whacker** · 11-22-2006, 00:50

Originally Posted by Myrddraal

How can the beta testers possibly have missed this! The mind boggles...

I doubt they did. Beta testers are by and large NOT mindless morons and script-monkeys, they are in general very perceptive and thorough folks. I happen to know a few personally. I still say all signs point to upper management pushing this out the door knowing what state it was in. The fact that a patch was announced on release day to me is just the final piece of the puzzle. Shame on them for doing so.

**screwtype** · 11-22-2006, 08:43

Originally Posted by Myrddraal

How can the beta testers possibly have missed this! The mind boggles...

Because the game was rushed to market before it was finished, just like RTW...

**AussieGiant** · 11-22-2006, 08:49

Originally Posted by screwtype

Because the game was rushed to market before it was finished, just like RTW...

That's a 10-4 rubbery ducky!!

There was not "missing" the problem issue:

There was a "Get it out now!!" issue:

**Callatian** · 11-22-2006, 09:59

Originally Posted by screwtype

Because the game was rushed to market before it was finished, just like RTW...

I don't think so - such a bug should have been spotted immediately and if they would have know they could have fix it in a day. I also consider it to be a production problem - their lack of dread infront of sales. They were probably testing the effects or the arrows impacting on different parts of the formation - that’s why only melee troops are passive/sheep’s. I do remember them saying attack from the right, no shield ...bla, bla. So when they finished with their testing they didn't spotted that bad things were left behind in the AI's aggressiveness. They just forgot about it and the QA never tested that part again because they did it before and they were never fully notified.

econ21 the only workaround for this is to avoid exploiting it - be merciful ... I'm not sure how since the bug is present in most of your offensive battles and felt especially if the enemy does not have range units. Personally I can no longer play the game - I cannot abstain not to exploit the AI.