Animal Behaviour: AI Foodchain / Opposition Groups

Amalgam

Journeyman
In keeping with my intention to suggest little things regularly, I have noted with some surprise that UOF's wildlife is a bit boring....

My suggestion is that some animal behaviour be considered, e.g:

Dogs chase cats.
Cats chase rats.
Wolves chase cows and deer.
Birds flee on approach
.

I would be keen to suggest a more outright expansion on the classic AI 'opposition groups', which are probably in place and just need to be activated. A basic system of interaction, with spin-off potential. Most would be duplex opposition groups - a two-way system. But one-way flagging can exist, like above. Just as Terathans and Ophidians would flag on each other, certain other rules could apply, e.g:

Lizardmen vs Ratmen.
Wisps vs Negative Karma
Orcish Lord vs Next Target


There's quite a bit of room for play here, I think. Related to this (but perhaps another suggestion of its own) is the addition of varying levels of aggression based on a dice-roll - or better yet - modulated by certain local or global environmental conditions met/unmet.

I think this would be particularly suitable in the case of snakes and serpents. Some might be passive, even evasive, whilst others spit wildly, or flag under certain conditions only - i.e proximity-based aggression. Let things happen, like a massacre of rabbits in the Skara fields due to a single wandering snake, completely at random. (Or survival of the fittest: because the ones which spawned with a 'flee characteristic' might probably survive. Suggestion: Flee characteristic to rabbits). Other stuff: A boar gone crazy because it got bit. Two great harts square off. Polar bear vs Walrus. I'm in danger of rambling.

What else out there??
 
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