It's amazing how games are supposedly advancing. I mean, if you look at the graphics they certainly are, but I still haven't found a game where the computer can out think a person. It's like on DOA4 where you try to do survival and you have to count rounds to determine when the computer is on counter mode (it just catches everything) and then block and use throws. Or EVERY SNK fighter where the boss knocks you out in 3 hits -and goes into his 'invulnerable' frame of animation on the super move every time you are about to knock him out. It was mentioned about the computer walking forward and doing Guile's "charge back" sonic boom. Well how about when the computer bites you as Blanka and the bite animation for the computer is about 75% faster and takes off a third of your health. I also remember back in the day when playing NBA Jam I could never lead by more than 8 points, because if I did I could go an entire fourth quarter without scoring. Not only that, but my uncontested super dunks would bounce off the rim and travel all the way down the court into the opponents hands.
Good AI is still harder to do, from both a programming and a computational standpoint, than allowing the computer to cheat cleverly. Human-level competency is right out, unless you want to invest in a Deep Blue to deathmatch against. So, the computer gets free passes that you don't. Granted, when I start seeing WHERE the computer is getting those free passes on a regular basis is about the time I start getting sick of the game. The trick is to have it cheat cleverly, so that it doesn't look like it's cheating. Blatant rubberbanding or SNK-boss bull does piss me off. I only ever played NBA Jam against other real people because the computer was a son of a bitch.
GTA IV's first motorcycle mission for Dwayne, I swear that biker cheats and the game makes it neear impossible for the player to catch up from the get go. Also Gituar Hero 3's boss battles, they always get the right attack and pull it off just as your about to get an attack or at the best possible times....all the time. Oh yeah and they just won't die most of the time.
As mentioned, games like Mario Kart with rubber band AI's, fighting games with their uber bosses who are just ubercheap MK3's Motoro and KI's Eyedol, I'm looking at you. I remember playing a Killer Instinct game against Eyedol where I didn't even get a single hit in, and Eyedol did 3 40+ hit combos on me; I wasn't able to break a single one of them for some reason. (Where on the lower difficulties I never had a problem breaking them.) Also, I'm going to toss in Monopoly and Clue. I got them for free a few years ago on CD-ROM with cereal. I've played 6 player games where after I get a monopoly up to hotels, all 5 AI players land on the chance/community chest/whatever square between them. Clue is worse. I've had the AI win on their first move after they make a single suggestion. Lastly, there are quite a few strategy games that cheat. I remember back in the day Star Trek: Armada the AI doesn't have to build mining facilities to get mining ships while the player does.
That reminds me of Street Fighter 3's end boss, Gill. His super move was to simply refill his health meter, which was incredibly cheap. You'd get him down to a sliver left, and you'd be hurting too since he hits hard, then bam he has full health again. So the only way you could beat him was whether he decided to use it or not.
I almost broke my Dreamcast controller over that bs. I finally just started turtling until he used his super meter before attempting to take him out. I don't much blame rubberband AI its a cheap way to keep stuff competative. Its when its violently blatant and just so god damn overwhelming to where you're practically forced to do shitty until the end like most Mario Karts/Sports games. I've stayed far away from mario Kart Wii because of this crap.
Most football video games nowadays, or the past 5 years have been that way. My coworker actually tested the theory, with one of his friends. My coworker was winning by a few point, and only a couple seconds left. He explained he was gonna test a theory about how they make the game "cheat". So he said I bet it will be an interception and let ya win. So, he threw the ball down the field...BOOM interception, the guy runs it back for a touchdown. So yeah, it is proven. I have also had that playing some of my football games as well. I'd be going into the second half leading by at least 2 touchdowns, so I throw the ball, either my guy can't catch it or it is an interception. Complete utter bull.
Already said, but... Mario and his cart buddies are dirty cheating bastards. You wipe out once at the wrong time and blam-o first to worst. Actually, I find lots of racing games like this.
Ressurection is Gill's least obnoxious super and its only as much of a problem as you let it be. He's a big vulnrable target if he does it during the match, he stops gaining health when you hit him and it doesn't actually do you any harm. Compare that to his other two where you have no choice but to take massive chip damage regurdless of the situation.
Yeah it and 2097 weren't totally impossible on the hardest level, Fusion and Pure are a lot more balanced IMO though difficulty wise, saving Zone mode of course (headache flashbacks)
Ah, here it is. The Computer Is A Cheating Bastard at TVTropes. (Warning, TVTropes is worse than wikipedia for eating your free time.)
pretty much any 2d megaman game, where you ALWAYS get the opposite item drop of what you need..need energy, get weapon capsules, need weapon capsules, get energy, need both...get NOTHING...so fun scrolling back and forth killing the same enemy just to replenish life or wp
For me it is in fighting games. Usually it is a back and forth match untill neither of us has enough health to stand up to one more attack then it's like fate bitch slaps me because I lose for some stupid reason. Either that or I will come back from a complete ass kicking just to lose.
No kidding, funny to see the computer pull an inexplicably shitty move that would make absolutely no sense for anyone only to have the pieces that fall in from above the board combo devastatingly.
