I’ve seen that some (closed) topics were made in the past about the minions IA / behavior but i don’t know what devs chose to do about it. So i create a new one.
I think it could be very useful to determine standard behaviors for our pets, at least options by type of minions (a range of aggressiveness).
There is indeed different ways to use the minions.
For instance, i’ve made a necro build where my mages use sacrifice on my skeleton warriors.
The problem is that these latter run toward enemies like brainless… well, like true skeletons… And i can’t keep some of them to be sacrified when enemies are fast and try to come close to me. The other downside is that my different attacks (kamikaze skeletons, mages & golem) aren’t synchronised because of this lack of control. The last problem is that my golem (with threat node) is supposed to attract ennemies but it takes more time when he start running before i indicate the monster he has to target.
A second issue is the dynamic of the relative positions between you and your minions. You can make them move in an empty space but it’s not really effective as you often want them in front on you (most of the time). So, it has a jolting rythm (imho).
In the vein of the behavior standards, a default position could be great. I talk about something really simple (by type of minion) : in front / alongside / behind.
If the configuration is impossible (as in a narrow corridor), minions go to a default position.
Well, i’m sure plenty of settings can work but i tried to keep it efficient.
Nice suggestion. I, too, struggle with my minions positioning. When running around on a map I always take the lead, while my minions that should protect me squishy one are behind me. Commanding them with “a” works but is very uncomfortable. It would be nice to be able to choose between basic formations like
Minions in a circle around you
Golem 1st, skeleton warriors 2nd me 3rd and mages behind
to be continued
Or even create custom formations.
As a first step I’d wish to have a movement command with left click.
I think Titan Quest had a decent system where you could choose between agressive & defensive AI for each summon? IMO a drop-down on the summon’s icon (at the top of the screen, the one that says how many you have) would be useful for this.
It’s not that I have a problem with the aggression of my minions, but with the positioning. It happens a lot that I run into a mob of enemies with my minions behind me. So the first target am I and I have to run back a bit to allow my minions to pass me and take the aggro. So it would be much better if my minions would walk in front of me to take aggro directly.
@Llama8 : I think it’s a good idea. We could associate a positioning too (at the same spot).
@XLVI_carpo : The agression & positioning are two seperate issues. You won’t necessarily have them both in every pet buils but it can have a lot of implications in gameplay (especially if you look at the number of minion skills in the game).
