Star Raiders - AI Comedy

[+MrFish]

I suppose this is generally known and considered irrelevant, because there's ultimately no benefit to the player. It seems rather silly from an AI standpoint, though; the player ought to be blown to smithereens.

 

 

 

[_The Doctor__]

I see nothing I hear nothing...

 

[+MrFish]

1 minute ago, _The Doctor__ said:

I see nothing I hear nothing...

If you're using an old Windows Media Player, probably. Try something like VLC Media Player.

 

[_The Doctor__]

https://www.electrondance.com/was-dirk-benedict-right/

 

It's probably not anything related to what your posting, an all of this stuff needs a new home far away from youtube/google but there's some food for thought

[+MrFish]

31 minutes ago, _The Doctor__ said:

It's probably not anything related to what your posting, an all of this stuff needs a new home far away from youtube/google but there's some food for thought

Not sure what that's about (other than someone playing Star Raiders). So, no, it doesn't appear to have anything to do with what I'm posting about -- other than being the same game.

 

[Keatah]

I don't know what the article or video is trying to say.. What am I missing?

[+MrFish]

1 minute ago, Keatah said:

I don't know what the article or video is trying to say.. What am I missing?

Which video are you referring to, the one I posted or the, apparently, unrelated one that doc dropped?

 

[Keatah]

Both I guess.

[+MrFish]

Alright... the video I posted demonstrates that if the player just "parks", the enemies simply dance about and fire past him, indefinitely. As I stated above, from an AI standpoint, the enemies ought to be blasting the player to death -- being that he's a sitting duck.

 

[Keatah]

In the Warrior & Commander missions, Zylon fire is much more accurate. Get taken out almost immediately if you sit around lollygagging.

[+MrFish]

2 minutes ago, Keatah said:

In the Warrior & Commander missions, Zylon fire is much more accurate. Get taken out almost immediately if you sit around lollygagging.

Yes, and no.

 

This video shows, basically, the same scenario in a Warrior Mission. From the position shown, I received no damage getting there and did nothing special to keep from getting hit.

 

 

 

 

[_The Doctor__]

pitch black, stand between the eyes and they can't see you.

[ClausB]

But also you can't hit them from there, right?

[_The Doctor__]

correct, they are safe, for a long time, computer targeting might dial them in after a lots of shots

Edited January 28, 2023 by _The Doctor__

[+MrFish]

25 minutes ago, ClausB said:

But also you can't hit them from there, right?

That's right, they're safe from the player's fire. As I said, there is no benefit to the player -- other than being safe from being hit; and of course your bases will continue to be surrounded and attacked -- while you enjoy the entertainment. I find it a bit humorous, and I'm surprised they weren't programmed to attack at some point.

 

[ClausB]

8K ROM, 8K RAM limits perhaps?

 

Edited January 29, 2023 by ClausB

[+MrFish]

3 minutes ago, ClausB said:

8K ROM, 8K RAM limits perhaps?

A likely suspect.

 

[Keatah]

It takes longer in Warrior. But quickly in commander. Novice and Pilot seem the same.

 

I could guess a mod/patch/timer could be done for just a few bytes. Something that watches the energy maybe, and jumps to whatever pattern Commander level uses. But briefly.

[Keatah]

43 minutes ago, ClausB said:

But also you can't hit them from there, right?

You can hit them very easily. Just sit there and fire away. In less than 20 seconds you'll score a hit. Try it out!

[ClausB]

16 minutes ago, Keatah said:

You can hit them very easily. Just sit there and fire away. In less than 20 seconds you'll score a hit. Try it out!

You are right.

 

The game was jaw-dropping at the time, so no one complained about the limited AI, I expect.

[+MrFish]

14 minutes ago, Keatah said:

It takes longer in Warrior.

Longer to get hit by them? In the video I uploaded from the Warrior mission, I never got hit (continued to let it go after I stopped recording). The missions never ended until they eventually surrounded and destroyed all of my bases.

  

14 minutes ago, Keatah said:

But quickly in commander.

I can produce the same scenario in the Commander mission, only I need to take serious damage first. So far, I've only been able to do it when my engines are destroyed; but they'll go into the same pattern, indefinitely.

 

TBH, I never really toyed with it much. My brother showed it to me back in the day (when he first gave me his computer before going off to university). It was just somewhat of an odd scenario, that would never affect real game play anyway; I still loved Star Raiders to death -- and still do.

 

[+MrFish]

27 minutes ago, Keatah said:

You can hit them very easily. Just sit there and fire away. In less than 20 seconds you'll score a hit. Try it out!

I had only tried it out from the Warrior mission. From the state I was in, I never could hit them (tried for a long time); but I've tried it several different times now (from Warrior mission), and sometimes they can be hit, sometimes they can't.

 

[_The Doctor__]

Is this on real hardware or emulator?

[Keatah]

16 minutes ago, ClausB said:

You are right. The game was jaw-dropping at the time, so no one complained about the limited AI, I expect.

Game was THE killer app for the 400. At least I always associated it with the 400 because I had a 400. Bit'o'bias.

 

I also suspect that since things were so new, so young, programmers had yet to find their way with regards to rules and how long a game could go on. Exact enemy behavior. And all that. It was the pioneer days and getting across the river was an accomplishment.

 

As kids we poked around and discovered some stuff, some tricks, some hiding spots. But we didn't uncover everything. We didn't care too much about inconsistencies. Easter eggs..

[Keatah]

2 minutes ago, _The Doctor__ said:

Is this on real hardware or emulator?

I play on Altirra. If a difference is becoming apparent we should let the boss know.

 

Edited January 29, 2023 by Keatah