RE :: online AI

I'd have to suggest that too. Prehaps the teams could be average or maybe just the player replaced and if they are of a certain rank they will be replaced with harder and harder AI. That way the newer players won't get steam rolled by AI but pros won't be able to farm as easily.

Replacing AI's with human players isnt quite feasable. It would take such intense coding to program that, you couldnt just rip a Rook AI out of the game, at level 4 and replace it with a Torchbearer Player Character at level 4.. that would make for inconsistant and very unfun games.

The AI could simply be placed on Nightmare and prehaps the AI could get re-looked at and maybe programmed to heal allies as sedna if possible, and utitlize those sorts of tactics. Bramble Shields, Heals, Shield, etc. And a nice retreat at 50% health or something so that the players have to work or chase for the kill instead of the AI just standing there watching its health drop.

- Mord

The AI retreating when it reaches a certain health value is not the issue (it already does this) unless we are referring to it's failure to extend itself to obtain the kill (it will retreat even if it could win simply because it's health is low).

The issue is the AI's ability to assess it's possibility of success in any given combat or in performing long duration actions (teleport scrolls). Reprograming the AI with knowledge of it's enemy's skills and their total potential damage per second is the step the game needs to take in order for the computer to be a more formidable opponent.

To provide an example:

Let's say the computer is about to attack sedna that has specialized in pounce and heal. It needs to have knowledge of how much damage/healing those skills do and compare those skills with their own. So.. if pounce does 1000 damage and recharge is 6 seconds (cooldown flag) then she can inflict 167dmg/sec + auto attack damage (minus the casting time of this skill). It also needs to make an assessment of it's current hp with possible 'spike damage' and refuse to engage if the total available spike damage is equal to their remaining hp. Then the computer needs to assess their opponents ability to defend themselves, including damage reduction, total hp, regeneration and defensive abilities. So.. if healing can cure 1500 damage and recharge is 6 seconds (flag again) then she can regenerate 250hp/sec + natural regen.

The computer can now make an assessment of it's own abilities versus it's opponents using the following formula: If Opponent HP/(Computer damage/sec - opponent healing/sec) < Computer HP/(Opponent damage/sec - opponent healing/sec) then Attack. Lower levels of AI should have less than 100% accuracy in determining this.

The computer also needs to be informed of 'total surrounding damage' and 'total potential surrounding damage'. Meaning that it should be aware of it's opponents escape mechanisms (hiding behind towers, creeps, or other demigods) and add how much damage 'could' be inflicted before attempting to pursue 3 or 4 seconds in advance. The computer should also be given a higher priority to return to heal if their hp is below 50% or within spike damage of any of 2-3 of their opponents, depending on how many players are on the map. Snipe may require special rules..

The computer also needs to be programmed to include non-engagement measures of combat, such as using 'spit' on it's opponent and then retreating, regardless of it's chance of success, as long as it can successfully escape with more hp than it's opponent. Higher levels of AI should be given knowledge of their opponents MP as well and use that in their calculations of what skills they can use and how much damage/healing per second they can actually perform.

I believe that the AI is meant to be weak. They are meant as a way to ease new players into multiplayer. The plan is that as you play more games and get better, AI will be removed. It isn't doing that yet because of the stat issues.

You sure about this? I can't tell you how many times ive pulled an AI player deep into my base with regulus while all my towers are hitting him. Around 25% they decide to turn around and run back to base -- basically a free kill anytime I need one. I do agree with what you said though but what it comes down to is currently they are so easily farmable it throws the balance off. The last thing I need is my AI feeding the UB on the other team right from the get go.

That would be nice if eventually as you rank up the AI get harder or removed. I don't see why they would want to encourage new players to jump right into online mode, I figured generally people play the single player to learn and multiplayer for a challenge.

I frankly think replacing dropped players with AI's is unacceptable to begin with.  The lower AI difficulties will always be inferior to a reasonable human player, and the higher AI difficulties cheat.  Introducing either into a multiplayer match is simply bad for gameplay.

Adding to your list of AI issues, however, I think evaluating escape routes is important.  I once saw an AI attempt to escape by running past Erebus (bite/stun equipped) and Rook (hammer/stun equipped).  I shielded it (I was Oak) and then it got stuck and turned around and ran past Erebus and Rook again, getting killed.

Even not considering more intensive overhauls (which I agree are needed), the AI should at very least be more cautious about entering tower range.  When fighting nightmare AI's, my first order of business is to get my health chopped down to half, have it chase me deep into tower range, chug a potion and slaughter it.  Falls for it every time.