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How to make an NPC stay in place?

raindog308raindog308 Member Posts: 3
in Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
New player, barely out of CandleKeep, playing on iPad. Had a few battles and sometimes an NPC will be injured.

I can tap and move them to a spot behind the lines, but one they reach it, they often turn around and return to battle...within reach of danger.

I'm probably going to feel really stupid when someone points out something obvious but...is there a "stay here and don't move" command I'm missing? I feel weird constantly pausing battles to tell people "no, really, go back where I said".

Comments

  • KilivitzKilivitz Member Posts: 1,459
    edited May 2017
    Your issue is with the AI. On the lower right sidebar under the portraits, there's a button with an icon that looks like a lantern. You should hit it to turn off Party AI. That way, characters will never take any action unless you command them to.

    If you would like to use the AI but don't want certain characters engaging in combat, you can go to the record screen and click on Customize, then Script. On that screen you can choose an AI script that better suits the behaviour you expect from an NPC, or even leave them with no script at all, which is essentially turning off AI only for that character.
  • jasteyjastey Member Posts: 2,671
    edited May 2017
    These options work but are more of a general sort. Having a quick option to tell the NPC only for the rest of a certain fight to stay out of it would be helpful, too. If anyone has in idea, I'd be interested in this, too.
  • UnderstandMouseMagicUnderstandMouseMagic Member Posts: 2,147
    I don't know if it's the same with the latest downloads of BG, but SOD has the NPC who join set up with an AI script. You meet one of them, ask them to join, next thing they are casting something on themselves. And I'm like, "what, I didn't tell you to do that".

    I would suggest if that's the case, to change the AI script using "customise" as you are a new player. Although it's hard, you do need to learn how to use NPC. And my advice would be to keep it basic so you can follow what NPC are actually doing and work out what it is they need to do.

    I might do a thread in general discussion asking which scripts people find the most useful. For myself, I never use anything except the first one "standard attack" and completely turn off the AI (remembering of course to turn it back on later) in some situations.
    The player is always better than the AI.
  • KilivitzKilivitz Member Posts: 1,459
    UnderstandMouseMagic said:

    I don't know if it's the same with the latest downloads of BG, but SOD has the NPC who join set up with an AI script. You meet one of them, ask them to join, next thing they are casting something on themselves. And I'm like, "what, I didn't tell you to do that"

    That's actually the Advanced AI script which Beamdog has implemented with the 2.0 patch. This script makes casters more proactive with their spells, meaning priests will try to heal any character who's injured and wizards will try to keep certain magical defenses on as often as possible.

    However, the OP is playing on iPad, which means he/she is still on v1.3.
  • raindog308raindog308 Member Posts: 3
    Kilivitz said:

    Your issue is with the AI. On the lower right sidebar under the portraits, there's a button with an icon that looks like a lantern. You should hit it to turn off Party AI. That way, characters will never take any action unless you command them to.

    Wow, that would never have occurred to me but makes perfect sense now. Thank you, Kilivitz!

  • PaulaMigratePaulaMigrate Member Posts: 1,201
    Everything said here about AI is correct. Just this addition:
    those scripts work with triggers like See(e.g. enemy) or Range(enemy is within this range) that make the NPC perform some action. So the quick and easy solution for your wounded comrad is often to simply move HimHer far enough away, i.e out of sight of any foe. (Not going into detail here how far away is enogh far away as this will lead to endless discussion, just make sure you do not send him to another bunch of enemies by mistake,)
  • GallowglassGallowglass Member Posts: 3,356
    edited May 2017
    Just turn off Party AI, FFS! The game is much better if you just tell your party what you want them to do when you want them to do it!
    Post edited by Gallowglass on
  • bob_vengbob_veng Member Posts: 2,308
    party ai is great, saves a lot of time in bg1. try to get used to it in combination with formations. set a formation (T formation is the best one usually) and turn AI on when the enemies get in melee range. cancel order helps for timing too
  • WesboiWesboi Member Posts: 403
    Gallowglass said:

    Just turn off Party AI, FFS! The game is much better if you just tell your party what you want them to do when you want them to do it!

    This is all u need to read in this thread. AI in every game is dumb. It's far easier controlling them manually than relying on AI.
  • KilivitzKilivitz Member Posts: 1,459
    Wesboi said:

    It's far easier controlling them manually than relying on AI.

    I generally agree with that but in BG1, while exploring the wilderness youtend to encounter a lot of trash mobs. Having the AI handle these easy encounters makes micromanaging characters less tiresome on more important battles.
  • WesboiWesboi Member Posts: 403
    Kilivitz said:

    Wesboi said:

    It's far easier controlling them manually than relying on AI.

    I generally agree with that but in BG1, while exploring the wilderness youtend to encounter a lot of trash mobs. Having the AI handle these easy encounters makes micromanaging characters less tiresome on more important battles.
    Trash mobs u just auto attack in general no need for fancy stuff.
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