As part of an effort to survive longer, I tried enabling the "Monsters behave stupidly" option... And discovered that monsters with didn't follow my character around corners and the like before now did so without much trouble. Furthermore, breathers seemed to breath a lot more often.
What exactly does "stupid monsters" do? Does it enable some outdated version of the monster AI? If so, is it possible that (at least for some monsters) that AI actually works better?
Stupid is actually smart?
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Re: Stupid is actually smart?
Shamelessly stolen from the wiki:
Monsters behave stupidly [stupid_monsters] ToME incorporates Keldon Jones' improved monster Artificial Intelligence patch. While this patch most certainly makes monsters behave more realistically, they will also be more deadly with the improved AI. If you want you can set this option to get the old, really stupid monster AI, but this can make the game less interesting, and is not advised. Note that the new AI system may be rather slow on older computers, so setting this option may increase speed.
So it is taking off his smart AI patch and using an old one. Other than that I dont know what it does. Maybe you set the smart monsters too?
Monsters behave stupidly [stupid_monsters] ToME incorporates Keldon Jones' improved monster Artificial Intelligence patch. While this patch most certainly makes monsters behave more realistically, they will also be more deadly with the improved AI. If you want you can set this option to get the old, really stupid monster AI, but this can make the game less interesting, and is not advised. Note that the new AI system may be rather slow on older computers, so setting this option may increase speed.
So it is taking off his smart AI patch and using an old one. Other than that I dont know what it does. Maybe you set the smart monsters too?
Oliphant am I, and I never lie.
Re: Stupid is actually smart?
In recent versions many pack monsters like Zs won't follow you along a corridor, they only melee you when you are in a room or badly hurt. Also, low level sentient monsters like novice mages will run away if you are much higher level than they are.
Probably the stupid option turns these off, so the net effect is that monsters do tend to attack more.
Probably the stupid option turns these off, so the net effect is that monsters do tend to attack more.
Re: Stupid is actually smart?
The most noticeable difference is the pack AI; with smart monsters on, group monsters will not approach you until you've entered a room, so they can try to surround you. This tends to be more of an annoyance than anything else.
I think they also make intelligent spellcasters nastier (e.g. "he casts spells intelligently"). I know I was fighting Boldor, who has that tag, and the fight went like this:
Me: haste self, heroism
*Enter LOS*
Boldor: Cast Slow successfully on me
Me: Hit Boldor
Boldor: Cast Heal, casts Summon Kin
Me: Hit Boldor
Boldor: Cast Heal, attack
Me: Hit Boldor
Boldor: Cast Heal, attack
Me: teleport the crap out of there.
In short, intelligent monsters with the heal-self spell are nearly impossible to kill, since as soon as they feel like they're in any remote amount of danger they'll start chain-healing themselves. I ended up removing that spell from Boldor (it was even odds between that and making him stupid). He's way too early in the game to be a smart spellcaster with his spell list.
I think they also make intelligent spellcasters nastier (e.g. "he casts spells intelligently"). I know I was fighting Boldor, who has that tag, and the fight went like this:
Me: haste self, heroism
*Enter LOS*
Boldor: Cast Slow successfully on me
Me: Hit Boldor
Boldor: Cast Heal, casts Summon Kin
Me: Hit Boldor
Boldor: Cast Heal, attack
Me: Hit Boldor
Boldor: Cast Heal, attack
Me: teleport the crap out of there.
In short, intelligent monsters with the heal-self spell are nearly impossible to kill, since as soon as they feel like they're in any remote amount of danger they'll start chain-healing themselves. I ended up removing that spell from Boldor (it was even odds between that and making him stupid). He's way too early in the game to be a smart spellcaster with his spell list.