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[DonkeyPunchJr]

When I saw this screen in Secret of Mana, I was so intrigued by the idea of automating your characters’ actions instead of manually controlling every move.

A few years later we got this gem on PS1:

Carnage Heart. It’s a strategy game where you build and program robots using a tile-based flowchart type system. It was very in-depth and you could really punch above your weight with some smart programming. This was my first taste of programming, something I now do as a career almost 3 decades later

Another cool (but much simpler) one was Final Fantasy XII. Like 95% of the stuff you do in Final Fantasy battles is braindead simple and repetitive, why not let us automate it? Under the hood it was fundamentally very similar to the classic ATB/queue type system of the older games, but man it was so much faster and more enjoyable being able to automate the boring stuff to my exact specifications.

Any other games like this?

 

[asdasdasdbb]

When I saw the subject title I was going to say FF12. FF12 does it correctly unlike one game I can't recall off the top of my head where the AI would say constantly potion even with full health.

FF12 is one of the longest SP games ever too.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

When I saw the subject title I was going to say FF12. FF12 does it correctly unlike one game I can't recall off the top of my head where the AI would say constantly potion even with full health.

FF12 is one of the longest SP games ever too.

I wish we’d get more games like that. I think the Gambit system would’ve been a great way to breathe new life into remasters of the older games.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Don't most CRPGs have something like the gambit system?

 

[Grizzled Ghost]

Man I loved the Gambit system. FF12 was so good in so many ways. It really suffered from it's pointless main character though. Should've been Basch.

 

[sainraja]

If you need to automate abilities to run based on a specific type of action, then what is the point of even picking up a controller to play?
Nintendo has a hint system in some of their games where the system will play the game for you, or just watch others play, you don't have to do anything there! It is fully automated by the person you are watching play lol.

 

[a multicultural team of v]

If you need to automate abilities to run based on a specific type of action, then what is the point of even picking up a controller to play?
Nintendo has a hint system in some of their games where the system will play the game for you, or just watch others play, you don't have to do anything there! It is fully automated by the person you are watching play lol.

It's all in the configuration. Determining what HP threshold to heal, when to attack, etc. Part of the fun is coming up with your strategy and seeing how efficient it is in battle.

I got into Diablo 2 botting for a short while and it was weirdly satisfying setting up your bot with all sorts of looting and grinding parameters and watching it go to work.

 

[sainraja]

It's all in the configuration. Determining what HP threshold to heal, when to attack, etc. Part of the fun is coming up with your strategy and seeing how efficient it is in battle.

I got into Diablo 2 botting for a short while and it was weirdly satisfying setting up your bot with all sorts of looting and grinding parameters and watching it go to work.

Ok, gotcha, I can see some appeal in that and I guess that makes sense for games like FF12 but it is odd for other games that are not designed around it or don't have a built in system for it.

 

[a multicultural team of v]

Ok, gotcha, I can see some appeal in that and I guess that makes sense for games like FF12 but it is odd for other games that are not designed around it or don't have a built in system for it.

Yeah I get that, I mentioned having fun botting Diablo 2 but I've already played that hundreds of hours. Trying to automate a game you've never played and isn't made for it would be silly. At that point just watch YouTube lol

 

[DemonGamerTTT]

The necessity to automate tasks in a game is the greatest sign if bad game design.

If you don't feel compelled to play the game, press the buttons/keys, do the tasks and overcome the challenge then the game is shit...

Videogames are interactive media and it's supposed to have you doing actions and making decisions all the time, but if those actions/decisions are so boring that you prefer to use bots, that games has failed from a design standpoint.

So unless you're playing a game where the goal is to automate it(zachtronics games fot example) then using bots defeats the purpose of playing said game.

 

[rofif]

Colobot

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

If you need to automate abilities to run based on a specific type of action, then what is the point of even picking up a controller to play?
Nintendo has a hint system in some of their games where the system will play the game for you, or just watch others play, you don't have to do anything there! It is fully automated by the person you are watching play lol.

It’s fun! I thought it was awesome experimenting and getting everything set up just right and watching my party kick some ass in FF XII. I found that a lot more fun and satisfying (and dare I say, “strategic”) than the actual battles in the earlier FF games.

TBH I think a lot of the appeal of those old games is they let you sit back kinda half paying attention, mindlessly picking attacks from a menu and watching all your pretty numbers go up. And anyway pretty much all the strategy is in setting up your party the right way, not in the choice of actions you take in battle.

 

[DemonGamerTTT]

Now I've talked a about Zachtronics games.

The Zachtronics Puzzle Pack on Steam

store.steampowered.com

I've played Spacechem Tis-100(assembly simulator) and Opus Magnum, the best one by far is Spacechem, tis-100 is interesting but got me kind bored the same happened with Opus Magnum.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

Colobot

This looks right up my alley, thanks! Somehow I have never heard of this before

 

[T4keD0wN]

Theres a whole genre called Auto Battlers.
But outside of that Dragon age origins lets you do something similar, although its a little bit limited if i remember correctly.

 

[intbal]

The Combat Mission series.
Although I haven't played the recent games. They might give you more direct control at times.

 

[asdasdasdbb]

If you need to automate abilities to run based on a specific type of action, then what is the point of even picking up a controller to play?

That's why I didn't use it for the party leader for the most part and controlled normally. Only the AI party members.

 

[Jinzo Prime]

So what's the best version of Final Fantasy 12? Original, International, or Zodiac Age? I've heard that Zodiac Age simplifies things.

 

[Grizzled Ghost]

So what's the best version of Final Fantasy 12? Original, International, or Zodiac Age? I've heard that Zodiac Age simplifies things.

I wouldn't say it simplifies things. It changes the skill system from an anyone-can-do-anything style into a more traditional FF job system, where each character picks a job and is then limited to certain weapons, spells, and skills.

Despite being more limited, I would argue that it may actually be more complex because you have to think more about party composition. I prefer the Job system.

 

[Graciaus]

If you liked FF12 I would highly recommend you try it again with the Struggle for Freedom mod. Much harder and not as simple as it once was. Will need to fully customize all characters to their strengths.

 

[Shifty1897]

All programmers love FFXII. I wish every game would let me craft a nested list of if/then statements to make turn based battles play themselves.

 

[Captain Toad]

I was going to mention Final Fantasy XII. Then, I saw the OP mentioned Final Fantasy XII. Then, several comments mentioned Final Fantasy XII.

So, I'm going to go with Final Fantasy XII.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Defense Grid 1&2. You plop down a tower or two and the game kinda just runs till you win or lose.

 

[delfrickintree]

I enjoy playing the crpg games with auto battle mode. Cruising through 100s of rpgs in my lifetime, i feel like i shouldn't have to concern myself with petty attack/heal decisions, especially with 7+ party members. Games like pathfinder and pillars of eternity, etc.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Don't most CRPGs have something like the gambit system?

No, because gamers would be whining you are taking control away from them.
Agree the Gambit system was great.

 

[Lupin3]

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon for Switch. Just watch them walk around so you don't have to.

 

[Hellmaker]

What about this?

 

[cireza]

In Rainbow Six on Dreamcast, you would plan the actions of each teammate before starting the mission. It was pretty neat.

 

[GymWolf]

I only remember ff12 and one virtua fighter game where you train your ia fighter.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

So what's the best version of Final Fantasy 12? Original, International, or Zodiac Age? I've heard that Zodiac Age simplifies things.

Zodiac Age is the best by far IMO. It fixed and improved so much from the original: fast forward option, job system, no 9999 damage limit, separate MP/summon gauges, new weapons + rebalanced weapon stats, orchestrated soundtrack..

 

[The_Mike]

OP you will love 90% of mobile gaming as its auto idle stuff.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

I enjoy playing the crpg games with auto battle mode. Cruising through 100s of rpgs in my lifetime, i feel like i shouldn't have to concern myself with petty attack/heal decisions, especially with 7+ party members. Games like pathfinder and pillars of eternity, etc.

How is the auto mode in those games? Do you get to program/customize the AI?

 

[Xane]

Autonauts

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

I like the idea, but I’m bad at strategy and I don’t like spending a lot of time in menus.
FFXII is overwhelming with all the options you can buy so early in the game.

Ni no Kuni is another game where you can customize the actions of your party members.
Too bad the system is limited and the AI is atrocious. I laughed when I saw that speedrunners just let the other party members die and solo almost every boss in the game.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

Autonauts

This looks really cool! I was just thinking that a Scratch-like language would be perfect for a programming video game

 

[Kiya's Guard]

Armored Core Formula Front for the psp lets you set AI behaviour and watch your AC fight

 

[StereoVsn]

All programmers love FFXII. I wish every game would let me craft a nested list of if/then statements to make turn based battles play themselves.

Come on, at least give us some arrays and case statements and maybe some loops!