Updating Zombie AI Logic to make game more "Realistic"

[ZombieHunter]

Hi so I have been playing zombie for some time and I think many people agree the zombie Ai Logic tends to be a bit random. Especially with default settings they literally just attack anything that resembles a door or window. 

 

Without looking at the code, I am guessing the logic is pretty much

 

Current Game Logic

Draw Path -> Stimulated? ( Sound \ Sight \ Smell ) Draw Path to point of stimulation -> If not stimulated use RNG to determine path end -> Is Passable? ( Window \ Door \ Barricade ) -> Can pass? -> If not destroy barricade -> Reach destination.

 

I think with a very rough guess this is essentially the Jist of the current AI logic being used. It only determines the path prior to "barricades" and essentially "ignores" barricades when drawing a path as they are determined to be "destroyable" 

 

Instead I suggest changing the AI Logic to be more adaptive to give it more life.

 

So I branch out the logic based on 2 states; stimulated or not stimulated.

 

Not Stimulated Pathing

Draw Path -> Is Path reachable? ( Barricades are considered not pathable in a not stimulated state ) -> If not Draw new path -> If possible -> Reach destination avoiding barricades. 

 

 

Stimulated Pathing 

 

Draw Path to point of stimulation -> Draw multiple paths to Source -> Add Weight to each path with a barricade -> Use RNG to determine which path Zombie will take favoring path of least resistance. 

 

Domino Effect

 

Domino Effect is another modifier. For example once a Zombie hears a sound - they will start banging on a wall. This "banging" will act as a stimulus to all zombies in that area of influence. But instead of Zombies Bee lining to the spot of attack they instead "concentrate in that zone within 40 tiles. Then keep randomly wandering closer and closer until they are stimulated by the actual player made stimulus. Once the player made stimulus is confirmed they follow Stimulated pathing. 

 

This would prevent just zombies randomly attacking unless stimulated to do so. While still promoting wandering. 

 

Domino State: Searching

 

A substate of "Domnio Effect" is "Searching" where the Zombie starts to wander around general vicinity looking for a "player' made stimulus. It uses the "Stimulated" lead zombie as an anchor point to determines its RNG pathing.  If searches for a period of time then reverts back to its non stimulated state and no longer influenced by "Domino" effect for a period if time. 

 

 

To compensate for this - certain actions make more noise - but each barrier \ wall \ reduces distance of that noise. 

This means you end up spending much more resources for that security. 

[Insidiousness]

Nice ideas