AI issues

[nic727]

Hi,

I saw a couple of problems with AI in the game after playing the campaign a couple of hours. Here is the list :

• I don't know if this one is new, but sometime, when switching to autopilot, it restarts the checkpoint, so your plane is going to the previous waypoint all the way back. (Pacific Fighter)
• Sometime when landing, #2 crash into the ground instead of landing. Even if you tell teammates to land and return to base.
• Sometime when telling "return to base", they restart the mission from the first waypoint.
• Allies are following enemies, but are not killing them... Compared to the enemies who are all on you killing you in 3 seconds.
• Some enemies are spawning in each others at enemy base. = Explosion
• Allies are following in suicide Operation (like going into an enemy base). They are killed by the flak.

Another thing that should be fixed/added is that fuel is still leaking even if you don't have fuel anymore.

Thank you

[Avimimus]

I think the last one is particularly interesting.

After taking damage or encountering casualties it might make sense for a formation to abort an attack. Certainly, if individual planes get damaged, get isolated from allies, or are outnumbered, they should tend to abort.

However, this could disrupt existing campaigns - so it should be an option. I remember Starshoy used to discuss how the AI was far too fanatical (back when the first dynamic campaign system came out) and how this lead to unrealistic attrition.

[wheelsup_cavu]

I don't know if this one is new, but sometime, when switching to autopilot, it restarts the checkpoint, so your plane is going to the previous waypoint all the way back. (Pacific Fighter)

Unless you use Auotopilot to follow the waypoint path you will miss some of the waypoints. Once you turn the autopilot back on you will go back to the first waypoint you missed and start following the waypoint path again.
The only way around it is to be the flight leader and use the radio messages to tell your flight to go to the next waypoint when you realize you are backtracking.

Some enemies are spawning in each others at enemy base. = Explosion

This is most likely a timing issue. One flight has not cleared the runway before the next flight is spawned into the runway to take off. The only solution for this problem is to alter the .mis file.

Allies are following in suicide Operation (like going into an enemy base). They are killed by the flak.

Yep, the AI are nothing if not suicidal when they lock onto a target.

Wheels

[Marabekm]

For the spawning issue:

If using the take-off in pair option, don't place the take-off waypoints to close together. If on a dogfight server, check your span points at the airfield, and make sure there are no stationary aircraft there. Or, if you want to spawn into the stationary aircraft, make sure the USE STATIONARY PLANES AS SPAWN POINTS is checked on the home base. Also as stated above, check the timing. If you have a flight of 12 aircraft set to take-off at 0900, aircraft number 12 will not get airborne until around 0905 probably. So any additional flights need to start after 0905. Otherwise boom!!!!. For carrier take-offs, make sure you set the take-off waypoint to target the carrier. Otherwise boom!!!!!

For the suicidal AI:

This one seems tricky. The AI seem to lack a disengage ability. Unless the get severely damaged, when they say " Number ___ Return to base immediately", or you are flight lead and tell the whole flight to RTB, the AIs will fight until all enemy aircraft have been destroyed.
For bombers, try setting a destroy target, and make sure its low, like 25%. Otherwise they will stay over the target area attempting again to kill ALL enemies.
Basically once the fight starts, the AI are there until death.

Return to Base:
From the readme, when you tell the flight to RTB, they do not go to the base, they go to the last waypoint BEFORE the landing one. So if waypoint 10 is the landing waypoint(marked on map by landing symbol at airfield), the flight will go to waypoint 9.