Community help needed with AI and Radio Comms

[SiThSpAwN]

Originally Posted by smink1701

I appreciate the opportunity to provide constructive criticism but it sounds like you are just getting to this stuff and that the next Beta is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off.

This seems more like work for the next patch after this upcoming one? The next one is more graphics and performance I thought... anyways...

I agree on the "jerky" movements of the AI planes under fire. As well as the damage ratio, like couldnt there be a percentage of damage = pilots action. Depending on the amount of damage the pilot will try and make it to the nearest base, or bail out etc... I know nothing of programming AI, but sounds realistic to do...

On top of that, would it make sense to put some sort of variable in there, where AI pilot A may be less inclined to break from combat, and AI pilot B bails out because of minimal damage? If that makes sense...

[ElAurens]

As for AI behavior,

Blenheims and BR.20s flying evasive maneuvers that my Hurricane cannot match.

Online I've see AI Blenheims maneuvering like an SU 26, climbing faster them my Hurrricane 1 Rotol, and have a roll rate like an FW 190, meanwhile a human piloted Blenheim can barely get off the ground without blowing an engine.

Joystick lag...

I have also experienced this. I only play online. It always happens when in close proximity to 2 or more aircraft, typically under 3000 ft. altitude, though sometimes in close proximity to bomber formations of 6+ aircraft. I only fly on the big Channel Map.

Specs...
Windows 7 Pro 64 bit.
Intel Core2Duo E8500 at 3.5ghz.
Gigabyte EP45-UD3R motherboard
6 gigs, PC2-6400 Mushkin memory
EVGA Nvidia GTX 570 Superclocked, 1280 mb onboard Vram
Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatality Gamer sound card.
Complete CH HOTAS setup with Throttle Quadrant.
Samsung Sync Master PX2370 running 1920 X 1080 res in game. (16 X 9)
TrackIR 4 Pro.

[ATAG_Dutch]

Originally Posted by ElAurens

As for AI behavior,

Blenheims and BR.20s flying evasive maneuvers that my Hurricane cannot match.

Online I've see AI Blenheims maneuvering like an SU 26, climbing faster them my Hurrricane 1 Rotol, and have a roll rate like an FW 190, meanwhile a human piloted Blenheim can barely get off the ground without blowing an engine.

Agree on the evasive manoeuvres, the He111 is particularly agile both before and after bombs gone and can perform almost aerobatically.

The bits in bold are I think more to do with the flyable FMs, and as you know quite a few of the chaps are having a great time with the Blenny.

[Frequent_Flyer]

AI damage modelling needs to adhere to the same physics as player aircraft.- When twin engined fighter/ bomber X has one of its engines inoperable the performace should fall off dramaitically. Instead the ( especially in the case of the twin engined fighters) they continue along at the same rate of speed with no degradation in its evasive manuvers.

Bombers should jetison bombs and head for friendly territory, usually with a fighter escorting them. Same with a damaged fighter when sufficent damage has occurred it should head for friendly territory with its wingman for cover.

[salmo]

When flight of planes X land, instead of all landing exactly the same, they should have slight variation in landing pattern, perhaps based upon individual Ai pilot skill level. ie roookie pilots may land off runway centre, or land long way along runway. Same for takeoffs.

[jimbop]

Hi Madog43, welcome and good post. Output would be helpful. It is possible to get damage model information (see my sig) and this would be great for AI debugging.

Suggestions:

1. Remove wing wobble when the AI can't make up its mind which way to roll. Just pick one and commit!

2. Reduce roll rate. I don't care if the rate is technically possible, there's no way it could be controlled well enough.

[jimbop]

Just a thought but ideally AI players would emulate human players. Would it be possible to interrogate server tracks to get common responses to scenarios? You would get a range of skills from players like me through to people who know what they're doing.

[Fall_Pink?]

AI issues I've seen so far:

- generally, the planes behave too much like synchronized swimmers when they're in formation. Especially in pre-combat mode (e.g. just before they engage enemy fighters) this interlinked behavior can be seen when one wingman slightly banks to create some distance or get into position, the other one does exactly the same. Bomber formations show same behavior: when one banks, all seem to bank at exactly the same time.

- when the leader turns, the wingman usually looses sight and flies dangerously close to and just above its leader (but it's unable to see it). It should keep more distance and fly behind its leader and try to keep a clear line of sight.

- formation changes are deadly right now. Tell 12 bombers to close up or spread, likely 2 will crash trying to do so. The formation change is performed far too quickly. Formation changes in old IL2 were very slow and very gradual and looked far more real.

- when wingmen need to close some distance with their leader, they rush in and seem to hit the brakes real hard at the very last moment. All of a sudden they fly exactly the same speed as their leader. Speed, inertia and drag (or FM if you will) do not seem to be active for AI at those times.

- AI/FM: AI should use player flight model. Ufo-like behavior of fighters and bombers kills immersion and does not look good. Maneuvers are far too sudden and executed too quickly and seem to defy rules of FM.

- Bombers are usually big and heavy, but are able to turn at the flick of a dime. Course corrections seem to be instant and also defy FM.

- In old IL2 each wingman looked to be more of an individual and somewhat oscillated around a fixed position relative to its leader to make it look more real. It was sometimes a bit closer to its leader, sometime further away. This was quite convincing AI behavior I think.

- Shooting: they're empty their magazines far too quickly and keep firing when tracers should tell them they're way off. Shorter bursts and aces and veterans should get better at deflection shots. They're wasting too much ammo right now.

- AI bombers and targeting: when a flight of e.g. Ju88's targets a pre-set ground target (I set an altitude of 2000 meters and set mode to slightly dive on a group of ground targets), they drop their first bombs at the target when they're straight and level (usually they fall short), but then the entire flight of Ju88's turn and scatter the remaining bombs over a wide area while turning.

- When AI fighters encounter each other head on they simply pass (or collide). They make no evasive maneuvers or try to gain altitude to get a better position. Only after they have passed each other, the combat/attack mode of AI starts and the flight splits up into pairs and engages any enemies.

- AI six 'o clock radar: the moment the player is in a good firing position, the AI seems to 'know' and immediately starts with defensive maneuvers.

- AI bombers and formation: when I give the command 'line abreast' to line up the bombers for a bomb run, the AI auto pilot overrides and automatically decides to use a echelon right/left a few moments before the IP is reached.

- Radio commands: please make the ones present right now work first. Right now, it's hard to assess if they're sufficient or not since most of them don't work right now. Although TD's latest additions look very nice to have as well: Drop Bombs On My Command, Drop Bombs At Will, Keep Ordnance and Drop Ordnance At Will.

But, please also talk to Team Daidalos

Surely, allowing them to further improve the original il2 will also mean all the knowledge they've gained and improvements (largely based on communities' suggestions and bug hunting) will also flow back to CoD as well? I mean, there ought to be some reciprocity here, right? The stuff they did with 4.10 and now 4.11's AI, visibility, detection and deflection shooting in general looks quite promising and I'd love to see those features in CoD as well.

Regards,
FP

[Stefem]

Suggested improvement: Tower/ground radio commands, for example: request for landing/take off, emergency landing, route to base etc...

Proposed benefits: In case of emergency you will acquire the priority to land

[DroopSnoot]

Error description: Mouse Delay
Details: Mouse movement feels like its about a second behind your actual movement
Can it be consistently reproduced?: Yes
Screenshot or video: n/a
OS, system specs: 2.4 quad, nvid 560Ti, 4gb, ssd drive