Question to devs: how are you intended to hunt

[shubla]

It seems that best way to hunt currently is from a boat, and when the animal runs away, de-aggro it, then aggro it again, if it doesn't start following you, de aggro it, aggro it again and repeat this until it starts chasing you. Then you get to hit it again and repeat the de-aggro aggro process.

Its very tedious to click the small animals running away trying to aggro them.

How are you meant to hunt, if not like this? Catching the animals by just chasing them when they run is impossible.

[VDZ]

Corner them, finish them in one blow (use a weapon, not your fists) or fight on horseback. Particularly the latter is viable for any kind of animal; the former two are also trivial once you're strong enough that the animal is no threat to you.

EDIT: Also, for initiating combat, you can click their icon on the minimap if clicking the animal itself is a hassle.

[shubla]

Corner them, finish them in one blow (use a weapon, not your fists) or fight on horseback. Particularly the latter is viable for any kind of animal; the former two are also trivial once you're strong enough that the animal is no threat to you.

EDIT: Also, for initiating combat, you can click their icon on the minimap if clicking the animal itself is a hassle.

Finishing in 1 blow is difficult when they have armor etc. You have to hit many animals countless amount of times with a sword.

[loftar]

On the one hand, I'm not sure it is the proper way to think that we should provide an "intended way to hunt". Saying that almost makes it sound like there should be a predictable and deterministic way to bring down animals, and I'm not at all sure that is the right way to approach animals.

On the other hand, I will definitely acknowledge that the AI is pretty dumb, and that fact coupled with the various measures that we've been adding to stop cheesy 'sploits does make the whole hunting mechanic a bit dumb in some ways. Rewriting the animal AI is working its way up my priority list.

[Lyrroth]

because having some body armor and blocking animal with your own body is too hard to do at this point and the only animal this is especially effective against is bear. freaking moose is harder.

[azrid]

use a horse