Monster AI - suggestions

[Lubor Kolar]

I think monster AI should be better than in DM - because I (personally) like fever intelligent monsters instead of dozens of dumb monsters generated somewhere to make that part of game hard. I will use my knowledge from one (very!) good czech RPG game called "Gates Of Skeldal" and my own suggestions.
I think every monster should have combination of following AI abilities (every point in several steps like 0-8: 0 means monter has almost nothing of that part of AI, 8 means monster has the best abilities in that part od AI):
1. Aggressivity
some monsters will fight almost anytime, doesn`t matter if they are wounded or not or how strong opponent is.
2. Dungeon knowledge
some monsters do know dungeon well and can decoy party into dead ends or run away and attack from the back etc.
3. Enemy knowledge
high-end monster like dragons, Chaos etc. should know enemy`s weaknesses, attack the most "almost dead" character, use spells party is not protected against etc.
4. Self-preservation
badly wounded and/or fight unmotivated monsters rather escape than die (but some of them, like zombies, will fight upto death)
5. Cooperation
this ability allows monster to try to avoid hitting another groups of monsters with spells when attacking party (jawas are good example who should have enlarged this ability). This also allows monsters with magic abilities to hide behind well armored monsters and use shooting weapons and spells (but not harming armored "monster shield") from the safe distance. Also allows monsters to exchange in groups etc.etc.

I think with good combinaiton of that abilities almost any monster should be created.
I will try to assign some abilities to well known DM monsters:
mummy: A4 D4 E0 S2 C3
rock pill A6 D2 E1 S0 C3
scorpion A6 D7 E4 S3 C4
skeleton A6 D5 E1 S0 C6
jawa A4 D5 E6 S3 C7
dragon A6 D8 E8 S5 C8

Please try to comment my ideas - it is just a brain wave.

[beowuuf]

I like this idea alot, although i think that incorporating a larger range for fluctuations would be cool - combining it with a modifier for depth (or height!) of the dungeon, whgich also affects monsters. So a low level dragon can still be intelligent relative to most monsters, but not quite as sharp as a final level guardian draogon, etc.

That said, the DM AI was never poor, and although basic creatures were still intelligent enough - they would run or not (or be calmed/war cried) according to the damage, party numbers, and would fight back if cornered.

[Francis]

On the other hand, what if some creatures dislike others and want to fight them? (What do the dragons eat while they wait for more champions to arrive?) Or as in Doom, they could be on the same side until one accidentally hits the other, and then they turn against each other.