[Discussion] P.E.K.K.Achus' Targeting AI

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March 7th, 2013
Pingfao

[Discussion] P.E.K.K.Achus' Targeting AI

Topic: P.E.K.K.A's description says "Favorite target: ANY." Does this mean it will target anything, including walls?

The question might sound silly, but I have observed odd wall targeting behaviors from my own (donated) P.E.K.K.A and enemy P.E.K.K.A.

A replay of my P.E.K.K.A:

http://youtu.be/IZnNKHn7-2w

At 1:40, after destroying the Archer Tower, instead of going for the closest, most accessible building, which was the Level 11 Elixir Storage, the P.E.K.K.A started attacking a wall. After the wall was destroyed, it ignored the tesla in front, and attacked the low level Elixir Storage.

A replay of enemy P.E.K.K.A (Only 1 embedded video allowed per post, so click on the link)

http://youtu.be/1Dtr9DiOds8

At 1:05, after destroying the Army Camp, the northern P.E.K.K.A attacked a wall in front of the Level 11 Elixir Storage. Once the wall was destroyed, it ignored the storage, which was literally 1 grid away from it, and went to an upgrading Tesla that was further away.

Thoughts?
March 7th, 2013
Smirnoff

I could be wrong but in your linked youtube video it looks like the pekka is distracted by the troops from the defending clan castle. It targets the wall initially because of cc troops then once the wall is destroyed the cc troops are dead so carries on to the previous target.
March 7th, 2013
Pingfao

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

I could be wrong but in your linked youtube video it looks like the pekka is distracted by the troops from the defending clan castle. It targets the wall initially because of cc troops then once the wall is destroyed the cc troops are dead so carries on to the previous target.

Good observation. That might explains why he targeted the wall. Why did she ignore the storage right in front of her though?
March 7th, 2013
Smirnoff

There are definitely issues with targeting. Was she targeting the tesla on the initial drop? After being distracted by the cc troops did the pekka carry on to the initial target on the drop? It would appear cc troops take precedence with ai over everything else (targeting priority).
March 7th, 2013
Pingfao

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

There are definitely issues with targeting. Was she targeting the tesla on the initial drop? After being distracted by the cc troops did the pekka carry on to the initial target on the drop? It would appear cc troops take precedence with ai over everything else (targeting priority).

No, it seemed that she finished the Army Camp then immediately went to the wall. No sign of her targeting the tesla before that in the replay.
March 7th, 2013
Fozzie

Wait...so pekkas are crazy now
March 7th, 2013
Junliang

Hmm.. remember the last update ?

FYI, the Pekka was going for the tesla, I think.

"✔ We discovered that metal armor conducts electrickery! P.E.K.K.A is now a priority target and receives extra damage from Hidden Teslas"

But before he went for the tesla, he hit the level 1 elixir storage, thats where I'm puzzled.
March 7th, 2013
pinser

Barb and pekka targeting is the same.
Recently I observed weird behavior with some barbs:
http://i45.tinypic.com/6td5pv.png

As you can see, some barbs are attacking my town hall, but some others are attacking the walls behind it (see the green bars?) They ignored John and his brother, my town hall, and hidden tesla. They attacked the wall behind the town hall like greedy goblins would do.:mad:

By the way, the lil' green archers came from Pingfao:D
March 7th, 2013
Junliang

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinser

Barb and pekka targeting is the same.
Recently I observed weird behavior with some barbs:

As you can see, some barbs are attacking my town hall, but some others are attacking the walls behind it (see the green bars?) They ignored John and his brother, my town hall, and hidden tesla. They attacked the wall behind the town hall like greedy goblins would do.:mad:

By the way, the lil' green archers came from Pingfao:D

they targeted the walls to get to the CC archers.

When CC troops enter a certain range of the troops, troops will switch target and attack the CC troops first, if you have not realised it.

Even if they are hitting the town hall, if the CC troops enter that "alert range", they will switch from TH to the CC troops.

In other words, CC troops take priority over all other buildings in a barbarian's "To Kill List"

Just think logically and most of the time you will realise its not a bug or pekka going crazy whatsoever, but just troop AI and how they work.
March 7th, 2013
pinser

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junliang

they targeted the walls to get to the CC archers.

When CC troops enter a certain range of the troops, troops will switch target and attack the CC troops first, if you have not realised it.

So the cc troops are "any target" troops favorite target?
March 7th, 2013
GameShaman

I can't believe you guys are trying to figure out how women think.

Good luck with that one... =)

~Jeff
March 7th, 2013
Junliang

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinser

So the cc troops are "any target" troops favorite target?

You can say that.

Every troop has a "priority to kill list"

For "Any target" troops like barbs,arch,wiz,dragon,pekka,BK,AQ
it would be
1) CC troops
2) Nearby buildings

Seen tons of replays where an enemy barb is whacking on my building, then they stop hitting the building and went and attack my CC archers when they appear within the barb's alert range.

Regarding the pekka, I believe the previous update on the tesla, somehow affected the AI of Pekka.

"✔ We discovered that metal armor conducts electrickery! P.E.K.K.A is now a priority target and receives extra damage from Hidden Teslas"

such that it increased in priority in the pekka's to kill list.
March 7th, 2013
Daddy

lol very witty :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GameShaman

I can't believe you guys are trying to figure out how women think.

Good luck with that one... =)

~Jeff
March 7th, 2013
pinser

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junliang

You can say that.

Every troop has a "priority to kill list"

For "Any target" troops like barbs,arch,wiz,dragon,pekka,BK,AQ
it would be
1) CC troops
2) Nearby buildings

Seen tons of replays where an enemy barb is whacking on my building, then they stop hitting the building and went and attack my CC archers when they appear within the barb's alert range.

Regarding the pekka, I believe the previous update on the tesla, somehow affected the AI of Pekka.

"✔ We discovered that metal armor conducts electrickery! P.E.K.K.A is now a priority target and receives extra damage from Hidden Teslas"

such that it increased in priority in the pekka's to kill list.

They should put favorite target of pekka:teslas
And favorite target of barbs and archers:cc troops
March 7th, 2013
Junliang

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinser

They should put favorite target of pekka:teslas
And favorite target of barbs and archers:cc troops

Not all game mechanics are in black and white, hence its fun when you unreveal them 1 by 1 as you progress in the game :D

Thats where you gain the advantage from others by knowing these little stuff.
March 7th, 2013
TimTheEnchanter

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junliang

Not all game mechanics are in black and white, hence its fun when you unreveal them 1 by 1 as you progress in the game :D

Thats where you gain the advantage from others by knowing these little stuff.

This is why I will be a little sad if they ever let you simulate attacks, all these questions we struggle to answer will be solved very quickly because people will be able to build their base for the test scenarios and repeatedly attack.

on the other hand, it would be really sweet to have a simulator :cool:
March 7th, 2013
Junliang

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter

This is why I will be a little sad if they ever let you simulate attacks, all these questions we struggle to answer will be solved very quickly because people will be able to build their base for the test scenarios and repeatedly attack.

on the other hand, it would be really sweet to have a simulator :cool:

Yeah.. dilemma, so how ? :p

Anyway, thats a good question to solve haha.

Off topic:
11am to 11pm, maxed out gold storages.. and I wasn't even "rushing" lol. *bored, time to farm DE*
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...55723011_n.jpg
March 7th, 2013
Pingfao

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junliang

Hmm.. remember the last update ?

FYI, the Pekka was going for the tesla, I think.

"✔ We discovered that metal armor conducts electrickery! P.E.K.K.A is now a priority target and receives extra damage from Hidden Teslas"

But before he went for the tesla, he hit the level 1 elixir storage, thats where I'm puzzled.

I don't think it works that way. Defensive structures are giants' favorite targets, but giants aren't defensive structures' favorite targets. Teslas shouldn't be P.E.K.K.A's priority just because they receive 2x damage from them. Their favorite target is still "Any."

I have observed some aggro inconsistency lately too. Giants will drop aggro on a wall to go to a newly activated tesla or a newly accessible defensive structure. This is understood because of their "Favorite target" nature. However, Teslas will keep their aggro on a non-P.E.K.K.A unit, such as a BK, even when a "Favorite Target," ie a P.E.K.K.A, gets into its range.