None of the systems in Assassin's Creed games are like the Nemesis system.
Randomly generating enemies to fight doesn't equate to a Nemesis system. You need recognizable individual enemies to come back multiple times, having adapted to the situation again and again.
Metal Gear Solid games have had enemies adapt to your approach to combat as the game progresses long before the Nemesis system, but again, it lacks recognizable individuals who provide feedback to the player.
The smoke and mirrors where the game has the enemy comment on how their previous encounter with the players went is part of the secret sauce that made the Nemesis system so effective. You start remembering individuals from their war chants and their banners, and they sure a hell will let you know how they feel.
I recognize it's really just a variant of how combat barks function - when players are told by the AI that the AI is doing tactics, players perceive the AI as being more cunning - but damn if it isn't effective.
It's true that the Chosen in XCOM 2 War of the Chosen do closely resemble how the Nemesis system functions, but I think that's the exception that proves the rule. Just one notable game outside of the patent holders' stable of studios in the eight years since Shadows of Mordor.
The bigger impact of the Nemesis System is giving you a personal enemy that you could tell your unique stories about to other players.
I had Dúgz in my Shadow of War run, who went from something, to "The Burned", to "The Machine" and finally getting revived through some Necromancy and coming back again. At some point in-between he was mute or something?
I played this game 4 years ago and I can still remember him, even if I forgot most of the SoW story already.
You could probably do a credible simile of the Nemesis system for a Roguelike if you had something like:
- Kill random enemy lieutenant
- 35% chance it comes back in a future run with some change based on death
- If killed a second time, 25% chance it comes a third time with another change
- Final 10% only chance of it coming back with some ridiculous final story beat
It only needs to really reference the past and keep names memorable, the entire part of rising over the ranks isn't really needed.
None of the systems in Assassin's Creed games are like the Nemesis system.
Randomly generating enemies to fight doesn't equate to a Nemesis system. You need recognizable individual enemies to come back multiple times, having adapted to the situation again and again.
Metal Gear Solid games have had enemies adapt to your approach to combat as the game progresses long before the Nemesis system, but again, it lacks recognizable individuals who provide feedback to the player.
The smoke and mirrors where the game has the enemy comment on how their previous encounter with the players went is part of the secret sauce that made the Nemesis system so effective. You start remembering individuals from their war chants and their banners, and they sure a hell will let you know how they feel.
I recognize it's really just a variant of how combat barks function - when players are told by the AI that the AI is doing tactics, players perceive the AI as being more cunning - but damn if it isn't effective.
It's true that the Chosen in XCOM 2 War of the Chosen do closely resemble how the Nemesis system functions, but I think that's the exception that proves the rule. Just one notable game outside of the patent holders' stable of studios in the eight years since Shadows of Mordor.
I mean, I think what you're describing isn't really a patent being an issue, just the system being extremely specific and high maintenance in a way that requires your entire game to be built around it, when the two games that were built around it were moderately successful (and the sequel less so than the first game). Games very clearly can use whatever aspects of the system in whatever combination they want, it's just that the magic trick of those individual responses is an incredible amount of brute force work for limited payoff.
I ate an engineer
0
Johnny ChopsockyScootaloo! We have to cook!Grillin' HaysenburgersRegistered Userregular
to be honest, i don't think people would care as much about the nemesis system if it weren't for the patent
It's reviewer bait that reminds me of the story about some space-themed 4X I can't recall the name of that generated a bunch of hype for its AI because on lower difficulties it would have the other civs send a message like "I see you amassing an army on our borders. Know that on a higher difficulty, we would prepare for your obvious warmongering" to fake good AI for reviewers; the only actual AI change was not sending the message (and cheating in resources)
most perceptions of "advanced AI" in gaming is simply scripting in some communication where the computer tells the player what it's about to do
"Flank him!" suddenly it seems like the bots aren't running around randomly and spawning out of nowhere to jumpscare the player, they're strategizing and dynamically ambushing the player using tactics
The enemy AI in F.E.A.R. is solid. Not brilliant, not the smartest, but competent.
But the barks sell it so well that it still feels remarkable to fight against, 20 years later. You can track how a combat encounter is going purely by listening to the enemy soldiers. They're telling you the story of the fight from the losing perspective, which sells the illusion that A ) they are smart enough to acknowledge the player and each other and B ) (and this is the really important one) it makes you, the player, sound super cool and great at the game.
More games should have moments like that: where the enemy reacts to the player wrecking shop. I still remember playing Devil May Cry 3, getting up to a SSS Style rank in an encounter, and some of the remaining enemies started backing off like they just couldn't handle how fuckin' cool Dante (and by extension me) was in that moment. It's a little thing, but it sticks with you.
None of the systems in Assassin's Creed games are like the Nemesis system.
Randomly generating enemies to fight doesn't equate to a Nemesis system. You need recognizable individual enemies to come back multiple times, having adapted to the situation again and again.
Metal Gear Solid games have had enemies adapt to your approach to combat as the game progresses long before the Nemesis system, but again, it lacks recognizable individuals who provide feedback to the player.
The smoke and mirrors where the game has the enemy comment on how their previous encounter with the players went is part of the secret sauce that made the Nemesis system so effective. You start remembering individuals from their war chants and their banners, and they sure a hell will let you know how they feel.
I recognize it's really just a variant of how combat barks function - when players are told by the AI that the AI is doing tactics, players perceive the AI as being more cunning - but damn if it isn't effective.
It's true that the Chosen in XCOM 2 War of the Chosen do closely resemble how the Nemesis system functions, but I think that's the exception that proves the rule. Just one notable game outside of the patent holders' stable of studios in the eight years since Shadows of Mordor.
some junior gameplay designer somewhere has probably written some version of this
if the hit detection system registers enemy type as
goon.riddler.bot.normal{
fetch the hero.damage.elemental.type and increment it in the
riddler.boss.phase1.analysis array
}
when the hero activates the trigger.riddler.boss.phase1 location marker{
check riddler.boss.phase1.analysis and sort for max value, store damage type in variable riddler.boss.speech.elemental
play in game cinematic riddler.boss.phase1.intro {
"So you've made it this far, BLUNDER-woman, but I don't think you're going to get much further!"
" I've been analyzing your every move with my remote control cameras, and I see just how reliant you are on [riddler.boss.speech.elemental] damage to destroy my RiddlerBots!"
modify goon.riddler.bot.resistances to reduce incoming riddler.boss.speech.elemental damage to 20% of normal value;
"But of course with my genius I've already improved on their design - there's no way you can defeat my IMPROVED RiddlerBots, they barely take ANY damage from [riddler.boss.speech.elemental] !"
spawn 10 goon.riddler.bot.improved;
play music riddler.boss.phase1;
}
}
and then got told that the concept takes too many line-reads and riddler bot model assets to make sense with the production budget
I decided to finally boot up that King Arthur strategy game and this is great! Basic strategy gameplay so far, moving your little knights and using abilities.
It is immediately after Arthur's fall and you play as Mordred, resurrected by the Lady of the Lake, and tasked to go find Arthur, who's body is missing.
Looks like you get to rebuild Camelot and customize your knights too. There's also a two axis morality system of benevolence versus tyrant and following the old gods or Christianity.
Everyone acting like it's just another day when they run into Mordred, who was dead two days ago, is great.
This is King Arthur: Knight's Tale, right?
There's a bunch of these mid tier Arthurian games floating around that I'm trying to keep track of in case one is them is actually good.
+2
BroloBroseidonLord of the BroceanRegistered Userregular
edited December 2024
{
"I see you're already highly skilled at [batman.sex.oral.technique], Batman!"
if [batman.sex.oral.technique] = bat.taint.tickle {
"But even though your mouth may be agile, your brain can't keep up with MY intellectual prowess! "
set bomb.timer to 69.69 seconds;
"My newest RiddlerBots have TaintShields that give them 100% protection from your meddlesome tongue...
there's no way you get them ALL off before my Spooge Bomb explodes all over the faces of Gotham! "
begin riddler.boss.phase6 fight;
play batman.innermonologue{
"Riddler's right... my tongue can't get past those TaintShields!
...but maybe this double-sided vibrating Batarang can shake them out of place..."
}
play music bat.sex.groove3;
}
}
some leaked code from the upcoming project I'm piloting with Rocksteady and WB
I decided to finally boot up that King Arthur strategy game and this is great! Basic strategy gameplay so far, moving your little knights and using abilities.
It is immediately after Arthur's fall and you play as Mordred, resurrected by the Lady of the Lake, and tasked to go find Arthur, who's body is missing.
Looks like you get to rebuild Camelot and customize your knights too. There's also a two axis morality system of benevolence versus tyrant and following the old gods or Christianity.
Everyone acting like it's just another day when they run into Mordred, who was dead two days ago, is great.
This is King Arthur: Knight's Tale, right?
There's a bunch of these mid tier Arthurian games floating around that I'm trying to keep track of in case one is them is actually good.
I decided to finally boot up that King Arthur strategy game and this is great! Basic strategy gameplay so far, moving your little knights and using abilities.
It is immediately after Arthur's fall and you play as Mordred, resurrected by the Lady of the Lake, and tasked to go find Arthur, who's body is missing.
Looks like you get to rebuild Camelot and customize your knights too. There's also a two axis morality system of benevolence versus tyrant and following the old gods or Christianity.
Everyone acting like it's just another day when they run into Mordred, who was dead two days ago, is great.
It's me, I'm the simpleton who likes when the game does a popup of "The Antivan Crows remember that you supported them in the battle of Treviso". Same with the AI telling what they would have done/will do. I'm dumb! Games are long and complicated! Tell me that this is the part where my choices mattered!
Having WWE style intros for every orc that rises to Captain or higher is also just great
Having a hundred orcs shout SCROM! SCROM! SCROM! as he struts on a balcony, missing the eye you took from him earlier is a better motivation to beat someone up than most sidequest writing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EioCEsGPHj8
Astrometica is a space exploration and base-building survival game. After a catastrophic event, explore vast space, gather resources, build bases, and uncover cosmic mysteries. Use advanced technology, craft tools, and discover new blueprints to survive and thrive in the unknown 20241210 Astrometica (Space Sim First-Person Adventure Open World )
No, we have Subnautica at home.
The one about the fucking space hairdresser and the cowboy. He's got a tinfoil pal and a pedal bin
Been playing Star Wars Outlaws. I only picked it up during the PS Black Friday sale so I have always had the last patch (1.4 I think).
This game is good! Extremely Star Wars.
Looks fantastic. Best Tatooine in a videogame yet. Best Imperial bases in a videogame yet.
The sneaking is good now. This seems like it went through the most changes. I have found I think 2 instant-fail forced stealth missions. Everything else is more loose and fluid of getting into stealth, combat, back into stealth (sometimes). And stealthing through areas is the right amount of challenging, you have a few tools that are very effective. Basically Nix distract/attack, Fast Talk, and your limited blaster stun.
The shooting is fine. You're definitely not Kyle Katarn, you go down pretty quick if you're facing a bunch of guys or aren't in cover. The gunslinger pause and tag guys to take out is fun, but I've found it pretty hard to have enough adrenaline to use it when I need it. Which is probably the right balance.
The spaceship flying is also fine. If I could trade it for another medium-size world, I would, but it's a nice change of pace.
The lockpicking minigame is bad. Putting it on the PS5's weird adaptive triggers was a bad choice.
Kessel Sabbac is good. It's actually a tight little card game. Cheating is a smart and thematic addition but it makes it too easy.
The way you get intel, which puts a vague mark on your map, which you can go investigate or not, is a nice walk-back of Ubisoft's open world map vomit. There's actually not a ton of icons on your map, and most of them, you have put there yourself by acquiring intel from a person or a datapad or a merchant.
Similarly, taking out XP/levels/skill trees and just putting everything under Experts was a good change. You can still get new or improved abilities and new gear, but you have to go and do specific things to get each one.
The faction system is good but a little simple and easy to game. It's kind of weird and annoying that there's a reward for hitting Excellent reputation, and another, way better one for hitting maximum (which is still just Excellent). Those rewards are all one-time, so it behooves you to go through and max each faction once, then use up that banked reputation to max another faction. Being Good is all you really need on a constant basis. Also, Terrible/Bad/Poor/Good/Excellent are lame descriptors. Why not things like Admired, Trusted, Untrusted, Hated, Wary?
Nix
Having a really good time with it, I'm just my fourth 'main' planet recruiting my last crew member for a heist that will surely go according to plan.
Having WWE style intros for every orc that rises to Captain or higher is also just great
Having a hundred orcs shout SCROM! SCROM! SCROM! as he struts on a balcony, missing the eye you took from him earlier is a better motivation to beat someone up than most sidequest writing.
Honestly, a wrestling game would be the perfect place for the nemesis system-style stuff. Done right you could basically just have an endless personalised wrestling show.
Been playing Star Wars Outlaws. I only picked it up during the PS Black Friday sale so I have always had the last patch (1.4 I think).
This game is good! Extremely Star Wars.
Nix
Having a really good time with it, I'm just my fourth 'main' planet recruiting my last crew member for a heist that will surely go according to plan.
One of my favorite parts is the sheer variety of weird alien critters you can pet, including familiar ones from the movies and weird new ones. And Nix getting jealous every time.
The shooting is fine. You're definitely not Kyle Katarn, you go down pretty quick if you're facing a bunch of guys or aren't in cover. The gunslinger pause and tag guys to take out is fun, but I've found it pretty hard to have enough adrenaline to use it when I need it. Which is probably the right balance.
She becomes a gunslinger demon later in the game. You can get some gear setups that let you damn near become an adrenaline storm and nothing can stop you.
Couple other things Outlaws does well that I wanna shout out now that I'm reminded:
-The ability to change how your gear looks right from the start so you never have to choose between looks and the fun bonuses
-The food stands on each new world
It is not possible to kill enemy dogs in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle; you can only scare them into a docile state with the whip or gunfire. If the player points a gun at a defeated dog and pulls the trigger, Indy will check his gun instead of firing.
In an interview with IGN, Creative Director Jens Andersson explained that Indiana Jones won't harm dogs because he's "a dog person," having taken his nickname from the family dog. https://t.co/MMUbjEdhmL
The free Update 2.2 for Cyberpunk 2077 is available now, bringing new features to the open-world action-adventure RPG, including fresh ways to customize your character and vehicles, enhanced Photo Mode, and the ability to explore Night City with Johnny Silverhand (played by Keanu Reeves) in the passenger seat. Check out the latest Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition trailer.
The free Update 2.2 for Cyberpunk 2077 is available now, bringing new features to the open-world action-adventure RPG, including fresh ways to customize your character and vehicles, enhanced Photo Mode, and the ability to explore Night City with Johnny Silverhand (played by Keanu Reeves) in the passenger seat. Check out the latest Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition trailer.
I wonder if you need to start a new game file for this? Hopefully not, because I paused my most recent playthrough at a great place to see some of the changes.
Right outside the No Tell Hotel, right before going to see Dex
It is not possible to kill enemy dogs in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle; you can only scare them into a docile state with the whip or gunfire. If the player points a gun at a defeated dog and pulls the trigger, Indy will check his gun instead of firing.
In an interview with IGN, Creative Director Jens Andersson explained that Indiana Jones won't harm dogs because he's "a dog person," having taken his nickname from the family dog. https://t.co/MMUbjEdhmL
Honestly, more games should let me do this to human enemies
+5
BroloBroseidonLord of the BroceanRegistered Userregular
Meet the enchanting Vivian Wylde and get a tease about the magical world of Wylde Society in this animated announcement trailer for the upcoming game. Wylde Society will be available on PC.
Here's your look at the charming world of Pinbleton Park and pinball gameplay in this announcement trailer for the upcoming game. Pinbleton Park will be available on PC.
Watch the adorable trailer for A Waddleful Life, an upcoming cozy game where you play as a duck and raise ducklings. A Waddleful Life will be available on PC (Steam).
Duck Detective is back! Check out the Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping reveal trailer for this new detective adventure game. In Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping, get ready to interview suspects, inspect evidence, and deduce the truth in another stand-alone mystery! This campsite might have ghosts, but the real thing haunting Eugene McQucklin is his failed marriage and bread addiction. Can he escape the shadows of his past? To the annoyance of the Duck Detective, he is joined by a new partner in (solving) crime. Work together to unravel the truth and nibble on the crumbs of justice! Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping will be available on PC.
Check out gameplay and learn about your town-rebuilding mission in this River Towns announcement trailer. River Towns will be available on PC and a demo is out now. Solve puzzles by placing buildings and creating vibrant cities in River Towns. Each district has its own style and shapes, making every level a new challenge. Help to restore and rebuild our River Towns.
I've told this story about the Nemesis system in Shadow of whatever One, but I was so in love with everything that I completely maxed out my character and had a massive network of thralls and generally had finished the game.
So I approached the black gate or whatever, beat the guy and....a whole second map opened up. I could not believe it.
Posts
Randomly generating enemies to fight doesn't equate to a Nemesis system. You need recognizable individual enemies to come back multiple times, having adapted to the situation again and again.
Metal Gear Solid games have had enemies adapt to your approach to combat as the game progresses long before the Nemesis system, but again, it lacks recognizable individuals who provide feedback to the player.
The smoke and mirrors where the game has the enemy comment on how their previous encounter with the players went is part of the secret sauce that made the Nemesis system so effective. You start remembering individuals from their war chants and their banners, and they sure a hell will let you know how they feel.
I recognize it's really just a variant of how combat barks function - when players are told by the AI that the AI is doing tactics, players perceive the AI as being more cunning - but damn if it isn't effective.
It's true that the Chosen in XCOM 2 War of the Chosen do closely resemble how the Nemesis system functions, but I think that's the exception that proves the rule. Just one notable game outside of the patent holders' stable of studios in the eight years since Shadows of Mordor.
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
I had Dúgz in my Shadow of War run, who went from something, to "The Burned", to "The Machine" and finally getting revived through some Necromancy and coming back again. At some point in-between he was mute or something?
I played this game 4 years ago and I can still remember him, even if I forgot most of the SoW story already.
You could probably do a credible simile of the Nemesis system for a Roguelike if you had something like:
- Kill random enemy lieutenant
- 35% chance it comes back in a future run with some change based on death
- If killed a second time, 25% chance it comes a third time with another change
- Final 10% only chance of it coming back with some ridiculous final story beat
It only needs to really reference the past and keep names memorable, the entire part of rising over the ranks isn't really needed.
I mean, I think what you're describing isn't really a patent being an issue, just the system being extremely specific and high maintenance in a way that requires your entire game to be built around it, when the two games that were built around it were moderately successful (and the sequel less so than the first game). Games very clearly can use whatever aspects of the system in whatever combination they want, it's just that the magic trick of those individual responses is an incredible amount of brute force work for limited payoff.
The enemy AI in F.E.A.R. is solid. Not brilliant, not the smartest, but competent.
But the barks sell it so well that it still feels remarkable to fight against, 20 years later. You can track how a combat encounter is going purely by listening to the enemy soldiers. They're telling you the story of the fight from the losing perspective, which sells the illusion that A ) they are smart enough to acknowledge the player and each other and B ) (and this is the really important one) it makes you, the player, sound super cool and great at the game.
More games should have moments like that: where the enemy reacts to the player wrecking shop. I still remember playing Devil May Cry 3, getting up to a SSS Style rank in an encounter, and some of the remaining enemies started backing off like they just couldn't handle how fuckin' cool Dante (and by extension me) was in that moment. It's a little thing, but it sticks with you.
Steam ID XBL: JohnnyChopsocky PSN:Stud_Beefpile WiiU:JohnnyChopsocky
some junior gameplay designer somewhere has probably written some version of this
if the hit detection system registers enemy type as goon.riddler.bot.normal{ fetch the hero.damage.elemental.type and increment it in the riddler.boss.phase1.analysis array } when the hero activates the trigger.riddler.boss.phase1 location marker{ check riddler.boss.phase1.analysis and sort for max value, store damage type in variable riddler.boss.speech.elemental play in game cinematic riddler.boss.phase1.intro { "So you've made it this far, BLUNDER-woman, but I don't think you're going to get much further!" " I've been analyzing your every move with my remote control cameras, and I see just how reliant you are on [riddler.boss.speech.elemental] damage to destroy my RiddlerBots!" modify goon.riddler.bot.resistances to reduce incoming riddler.boss.speech.elemental damage to 20% of normal value; "But of course with my genius I've already improved on their design - there's no way you can defeat my IMPROVED RiddlerBots, they barely take ANY damage from [riddler.boss.speech.elemental] !" spawn 10 goon.riddler.bot.improved; play music riddler.boss.phase1; } }and then got told that the concept takes too many line-reads and riddler bot model assets to make sense with the production budget
This is King Arthur: Knight's Tale, right?
There's a bunch of these mid tier Arthurian games floating around that I'm trying to keep track of in case one is them is actually good.
{ "I see you're already highly skilled at [batman.sex.oral.technique], Batman!" if [batman.sex.oral.technique] = bat.taint.tickle { "But even though your mouth may be agile, your brain can't keep up with MY intellectual prowess! " set bomb.timer to 69.69 seconds; "My newest RiddlerBots have TaintShields that give them 100% protection from your meddlesome tongue... there's no way you get them ALL off before my Spooge Bomb explodes all over the faces of Gotham! " begin riddler.boss.phase6 fight; play batman.innermonologue{ "Riddler's right... my tongue can't get past those TaintShields! ...but maybe this double-sided vibrating Batarang can shake them out of place..." } play music bat.sex.groove3; } }some leaked code from the upcoming project I'm piloting with Rocksteady and WB
Having a hundred orcs shout SCROM! SCROM! SCROM! as he struts on a balcony, missing the eye you took from him earlier is a better motivation to beat someone up than most sidequest writing.
No, we have Subnautica at home.
This game is good! Extremely Star Wars.
Having a really good time with it, I'm just my fourth 'main' planet recruiting my last crew member for a heist that will surely go according to plan.
Honestly, a wrestling game would be the perfect place for the nemesis system-style stuff. Done right you could basically just have an endless personalised wrestling show.
One of my favorite parts is the sheer variety of weird alien critters you can pet, including familiar ones from the movies and weird new ones. And Nix getting jealous every time.
they're good dogs corsed
He has many fond memories of that dog...
Steam ID XBL: JohnnyChopsocky PSN:Stud_Beefpile WiiU:JohnnyChopsocky
She becomes a gunslinger demon later in the game. You can get some gear setups that let you damn near become an adrenaline storm and nothing can stop you.
Steam ID: Good Life
-The ability to change how your gear looks right from the start so you never have to choose between looks and the fun bonuses
-The food stands on each new world
For anybody that hasn’t experienced it yet (video in the tweet)
and it absolutely makes since given the energy of the game and the character
it would've been nicer to have it more tutorialized but that's more of a minor gripe and i may have just managed to miss that
subsidize sandwiches, privatize chew toys
I wonder if you need to start a new game file for this? Hopefully not, because I paused my most recent playthrough at a great place to see some of the changes.
Steam ID XBL: JohnnyChopsocky PSN:Stud_Beefpile WiiU:JohnnyChopsocky
Honestly, more games should let me do this to human enemies
Wholesome Snack just finished
A few notable announcements:
So I approached the black gate or whatever, beat the guy and....a whole second map opened up. I could not believe it.