AI in solitaire/co-op boardgames: How should it work?

[tomchick]

@Zilla_Blitz

I’ve been playing a [DVG Sherman Leader] campaign and I’ve noticed that these sorts of “you choose” situations come up quite often.

@tomchick

This is almost always a failure of solitaire game design. You should never have/get to choose what the AI does. That’s the job of the game systems.

@Juan_Raigada

I disagree. Many designs (like Spirit Island) always let you choose to your benefit when there are different options and are balanced that way.

What? I mean, seriously, what? I don’t even…

I’m astonished that you’re saying this, because it is demonstrably false. Spirit Island never makes you decide what the AI will do. Ever. The AI adheres to a specific set of steps about what it will do, where it will do it, when it will do it, and how it will do it. It is the exact opposite of what @Zilla_Blitz is talking about. You never have to make decisions on the AI’s behalf.

I defy you to show me when that happens.

@Thraeg

Agreed. Having the player decide whichever option they think will benefit themselves the most is a totally valid design approach (if sometimes thematically muddy). The game is still a string of decision points, and at each one you’re making the choice that you think will be most advantageous to yourself.

Are we even talking about the same thing? You’re saying making decisions on behalf of the AI is “a totally valid design approach”? Can you give me an example of a game that you’re talking about? Partly because I never want to play it, but also because I’m wondering if you and Juan are talking about something completely different.

-Tom