When you find yourself in a battle alongside your allies, you can begin to order them

[MarkG]

When you find yourself in a battle alongside your allies, you can begin to order them around as well

from the latest ign review http://pc.ign.com/articles/383/383544p1.html

Any kind BHG man care to explain that a bit more?

[HuangShang]

that'll be tight

[bhg_paul]

Players can use the multiplayer "ping" ability and standard multiplayer "taunts" to instruct the AI to attack, provide aid, and other various functions.

Paul Stephanouk
Producer - Big Huge Games

[Frozzy]

Brian Reynolds said something about this on 15th November...

* Allies -> Yes, you can coordinate with your computer allies; you can "signal" or "ping" where you want to focus your mutual attack (or where you need help or whatever). There is also a "taunt" system where you can give specific instructions like "build a wonder" or "work on your economy" or "wait for my signal to attack" and stuff like that.

[MarkG]

right

i guess i wanted double confirmation as this is not in the previe build....

anyway, cool

[HuangShang]

i wonder what'll happened when 2 human and some ai are attack someone from different attck points, will the ai be confused and spit up, leaving themselves to be massacred?

[MarkG]

you're talking about an alliance of 2 humans and 1 ai?

my guess is that the ai would try to act on the last order the two, but it all depends on how it is programmed. so we need a bhg programmer

/me does bhg-call ritual dance

[HuangShang]

at least hes helping...

[MarkG]

didnt work

lets try all together

[Sarxis]

This isn't really anything new. Age of Kings had something similar to this- where through the 'taunts' you could order AI allies to give resources and do certain things.

[HuangShang]

well if its just "taunts", then most games had it, the flare in EE, ect

[Graham@BHG]

"my guess is that the ai would try to act on the last order the two"

You are correct sir! The AI will be responding to the most recent order given by the two players.

Giving orders to AI players may not be a crazy new innovation, but it is damn cool to have.

[MarkG]

it worked
thanks Graham

[tniem]

How advanced is this? Can you order the A.I. to attack a specific city? Can you have the A.I. build a certain type of army (i.e. composition)? How much is there to this?

[HuangShang]

***what tniem is saying sound too tbs....


i did the dance too, so answer me please, how close is this to flares and the systems in other RTS's?