Implement NPC combat AI with configurable difficulty levels

## Metadata - **Commit Message**: `feat(combat): implement NPC combat AI with difficulty levels` - **Branch**: `feature/m4-npc-combat-ai` ## Background and Context NPC combatants need an AI system to select combat actions. The AI has configurable difficulty levels that determine how optimally it plays: Easy (random valid actions), Medium (avoids obviously bad moves), Hard (considers opponent telegraphs and optimizes damage), Expert (plays near-optimally). ## Expected Behavior NPCCombatAI selects actions during the Planning phase based on difficulty level, available actions, and opponent state. Difficulty is set per Mobile via the admin commands. ## Acceptance Criteria - [ ] NPCCombatAI selects valid actions within AP budget - [ ] Easy: random action selection from available pool - [ ] Medium: avoids actions that would miss or be obviously countered - [ ] Hard: considers telegraph and optimizes target selection - [ ] Difficulty configurable per Mobile ## Subtasks - [ ] Code: Create `lib/aethyr/core/combat/npc_combat_ai.rb` with NPCCombatAI class - [ ] Code: Implement Easy difficulty — random selection from valid actions - [ ] Code: Implement Medium difficulty — weighted selection favoring effective actions - [ ] Code: Implement Hard difficulty — telegraph-aware and damage-optimizing - [ ] Code: Add `combat_difficulty` attribute to Mobile class - [ ] Code: Integrate AI with TurnManager — auto-submit during Planning phase - [ ] Docs: Update YARD comments on affected classes and methods. Update relevant Docusaurus documentation pages if applicable. - [ ] Tests (Cucumber): Add `tests/unit/npc_combat_ai.feature` covering each difficulty level, valid action selection, telegraph awareness. - [ ] Tests (Cucumber Integration): Add integration feature in `tests/integration/` for NPC combat AI in a PvE fight. - [ ] Tests (Profiling): Run `bundle exec rake unit_profile` and verify no performance regressions. - [ ] Quality: Verify coverage >=97% via `bundle exec rake unit`. If coverage is <97% then review the current unit test coverage report at `build/tests/unit/coverage/` and use it to write new Cucumber based unit tests to improve code coverage. Specifically, write Cucumber/Gherkin style unit tests that are descriptively named and specifically improve coverage on whichever file has the most uncovered lines by writing tests that will target the uncovered lines in the report. Once that is done rerun `bundle exec rake unit` to verify all tests pass and coverage is above >=97%. Only mark this as complete once coverage is >=97%, if not repeat this task as many times as is needed until coverage reaches >=97%. - [ ] Quality: Run `bundle exec rake` (default task: unit tests with coverage) and `bundle exec rake integration`, fix any errors if needed ensuring both pass across **entire** code base, do not ignore any failure even if it seems unrelated to this commit, fix it. ## Definition of Done This issue is complete when: - All subtasks above are completed and checked off. - A Git commit is created where the **first line** of the commit message matches the Commit Message in Metadata exactly, followed by a blank line, then additional lines providing relevant details about the implementation. - The commit is pushed to the remote on the branch matching the **Branch** in Metadata exactly. - The commit is submitted as a **pull request** to `master`, reviewed, and **merged** before this issue is marked done.

freemo commented

2026-03-16 01:50:22 +00:00

Owner

Metadata

Commit Message: feat(combat): implement NPC combat AI with difficulty levels
Branch: feature/m4-npc-combat-ai

Background and Context

NPC combatants need an AI system to select combat actions. The AI has configurable difficulty levels that determine how optimally it plays: Easy (random valid actions), Medium (avoids obviously bad moves), Hard (considers opponent telegraphs and optimizes damage), Expert (plays near-optimally).

Expected Behavior

NPCCombatAI selects actions during the Planning phase based on difficulty level, available actions, and opponent state. Difficulty is set per Mobile via the admin commands.

Acceptance Criteria

NPCCombatAI selects valid actions within AP budget
Easy: random action selection from available pool
Medium: avoids actions that would miss or be obviously countered
Hard: considers telegraph and optimizes target selection
Difficulty configurable per Mobile

Subtasks

Code: Create lib/aethyr/core/combat/npc_combat_ai.rb with NPCCombatAI class
Code: Implement Easy difficulty — random selection from valid actions
Code: Implement Medium difficulty — weighted selection favoring effective actions
Code: Implement Hard difficulty — telegraph-aware and damage-optimizing
Code: Add combat_difficulty attribute to Mobile class
Code: Integrate AI with TurnManager — auto-submit during Planning phase
Docs: Update YARD comments on affected classes and methods. Update relevant Docusaurus documentation pages if applicable.
Tests (Cucumber): Add tests/unit/npc_combat_ai.feature covering each difficulty level, valid action selection, telegraph awareness.
Tests (Cucumber Integration): Add integration feature in tests/integration/ for NPC combat AI in a PvE fight.
Tests (Profiling): Run bundle exec rake unit_profile and verify no performance regressions.
Quality: Verify coverage >=97% via bundle exec rake unit. If coverage is <97% then review the current unit test coverage report at build/tests/unit/coverage/ and use it to write new Cucumber based unit tests to improve code coverage. Specifically, write Cucumber/Gherkin style unit tests that are descriptively named and specifically improve coverage on whichever file has the most uncovered lines by writing tests that will target the uncovered lines in the report. Once that is done rerun bundle exec rake unit to verify all tests pass and coverage is above >=97%. Only mark this as complete once coverage is >=97%, if not repeat this task as many times as is needed until coverage reaches >=97%.
Quality: Run bundle exec rake (default task: unit tests with coverage) and bundle exec rake integration, fix any errors if needed ensuring both pass across entire code base, do not ignore any failure even if it seems unrelated to this commit, fix it.

Definition of Done

This issue is complete when:

All subtasks above are completed and checked off.
A Git commit is created where the first line of the commit message matches the Commit Message in Metadata exactly, followed by a blank line, then additional lines providing relevant details about the implementation.
The commit is pushed to the remote on the branch matching the Branch in Metadata exactly.
The commit is submitted as a pull request to master, reviewed, and merged before this issue is marked done.