Hey,
for now i think the most important feature for the AI would be some kind of debug output. Reading some very good suggestions like having rookie pilots react in a slow / panic like way could easily interpreted as further bad AI behavior, even though it was intended. Lacking this feature a proper discussion with everyone talking about the same situations / reactions is hardly possible in my opinion.
Hence the AI should state what its trying to achive and why, of course this should only be enabled as a debug for example in track recordings or as a text file.
An example to illustrate:
Player P attacks a formation of fighters F(1-4). He hits F(4) on his first attempt and breaks of not overtaking the formation. F(4) starts a slow turn, not going fully defensive, but leaving formation.
From a player standpoint of view there a several "bugs" to report, for example:
* AI reacts not defensive enough if shot at
* AI formations don't form a defensive circle when attacked
* AI turning performance is bad
From an AI standpoint of view there might have been reasons for this behavior, for example:
* AI tries to simulate bad leadership by a slow reacting formation leader
* AI pilot is dead, the rest of the formation has not noticed
* AI plane is damaged, course can not be maintained, AI is still in the process of communicating
To resolve messages like this could help:
*F(4): i have been hit, i do not know by what or from where, i am a rookie i am waiting for a 3.14 second time to properly react
*F(1): communication with formation ongoing
*F(1): i am a rookie i am waiting for a 5 second time to decide what to do next
*F(4): i am a rookie i have a 79% chance of panic, i panic and hence leave formation, i am trying to find the attacker
ect. ect.
Of course this would be very verbose, and could not be used all the time. But for the sake of a proper improvement of single, isolated situations and reactions it is very important.
Madog
P.S. Oh, first post... Hello everyone
