10 Hardest Video Game Genres To Make (From A Game Developer)
2. Games Requiring Intricate AI Systems/Enemies
Artificial intelligence has come on leaps and bounds (especially when it comes to AI frogs and handcuffs! Ho ho!) in the last couple of years, but it's worth remembering that AI routines still need to be mapped by a fallible, sweaty meatbag first. And debatably, the trickiest part of good AI is making it dumb enough to be fun to play against.
You see, when a programmer builds an AI enemy, they make it real smart. The problem with that is, it's better than you, in every way. It has a better K/D ratio. It's faster. It can eat more raw ham than you. Probably.
The real illusion is that these incredibly complex characters with circumstantial behaviours for every possibility have to be dumbed down to such a degree that you stand a chance against them.
So what this effectively means is, AI programmers have to create a turbo-genius which has the ability to crush your puny human cerebrum with a digi-blink, but then to handcuff it, blindfold it and take away its raw ham-eating dentures... just so you can pretend you're the best in the world at this game.
Look at what they have to do for you... just so you can mimic a FRACTION of their power.