How good is the AI in this game?

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First, many humble thanks to those who've worked so hard on all the ToEE info found on this site. Your work is appreciated.

Now, apparently ToEE is in a slight slump over at GOG because no one has stepped up to answer this question for me over there. I hope for better result here....

I needed room for a new NPC, so naturally I killed one of my current NPCs. My party is Chaotic Neutral, it made sense...besides, better to get the XP than just dismiss him. Afterward, I ran a couple small in-town quests, went to the Inn & rested for 10 hours until evening, and the minute I went back downstairs to the main floor all hell broke loose.

At first I thought it was just a bar room brawl, so I stayed put & "Readied" my actions to see who my actual enemy was. Elmo & the Innkeeper were among those who attacked me, plus a citizen. A couple of Burne's Badgers were there too but they were fighting the "Big Fighter" and his friend from upstairs. Eventually, I figured out that everyone was simply fighting everyone. We were the last ones standing & have been dubbed "The Butchers of Homlett."

So was all this triggered during the 10 hours I was resting? Am I to assume they found the body of the NPC lying about (there were no witnesses) and figured it was me who did it? Is the AI of this game really that detailed?

 

Most NPCs' deaths at your hands count toward a negative rep in the game, in this case the 'Butcher of Hommlet' rep. Once you get that, every NPC who is a member of the Hommlet faction will attack you. The big fighter guy and his buddy are not in that faction, but once a fight breaks out where they are present, they may join combat anyway if they get pulled in via AoE spells, etc. Once that hapens, it's on. They are not members of the Hommlet faction, hence they are seen as enemies of it in a battle. NPCs of differing factions will generally go after one another before they go after you if you're all involved in a fight together, so the badgers and whatnot go for the big fighter and his buddy. Placing and distance are also factors.

The rep is automatic ... there is no scripting in place to consider the possibility of witnesses or no witnesses, etc. Once you kill a member (actually I think it requires two) of the Hommlet faction, you are the Butcher.

Which NPC did you kill?

 

Thanks for the quick reply!

I killed Spugnoir...he seemed most expendable. I wanted to make room for Fruella, because I want her Great Cleaver for its 17-20 crit. I also have Furnok & Zert. Its unfortunate that Elmo attacked us during the brawl, but at least we all went up to Level 2 from all the mayhem.

I am considering starting over though, since I didn't make it far into the game yet & I really wasn't expecting to slaughter everyone at the Inn. But then again, Homlett was getting very boring very quick with all the FedEx quests. For a "first town in the game" I'd have expected more practice with combat than practicing going from one section of town to the next.

 

The game is odd, quest wise. It still is a game you grow into with the combat being D&D. All the towns are not BG like. It is a different angle to play such a game.

 

So if I've butchered one town, will other towns be aware of this & go hostile on me if I show up?

 

No.

Not sure if you'e using the Co8 modpack (NC version), but it has an early level area called Welkwood Bog that is designed essentially to replace the Hommlet Fedex phase. It contains low level combat, among other things. Completing it at the start of the game will get you to around level 2, like the Hommlet Fedexing would.

 

Yes, I do have the Co8 pack installed. Is Welkwood Bog on the World Map?

 

Yes, once you are informed of its existence.

You may want to check out the Co8 forums for more detailed info: http://www.co8.org/forum/

Note that you need the NC (new content) version of the modpack installed to get the major expansion stuff from Co8.

 

That is mostly world design, rather than AI design.