AI is on top of my list

[naz]

Originally Posted by Bloblast

Not top but 2nd.

My current wishlist is:
1-communication
2-AI
3-dynamic campaign

Yeah, these are my three wishlist toppers too mate.

[Topo]

AI is top priority for me also, as a single player pilot...

[nearmiss]

AI is one of, if not the most important part of Offline play.

All your combat and flight members are AI. The AI affects everything.

Sadly, AI has been ignored by Oleg for years. The Online game with humans against humans makes development much simpler. Programming for AI takes alot of work, lots of behavioral probabilities stuff has to be programmed. It can be done, because people most often do predictable things, especially when they have been trained a certain way as combat pilots are. You don't try to gain altitude when the guy on your six has alot of E, you don't turn against a better turning opponent,etc.

The AI in Battle of Britain II WOV is the most exceptional AI performance I've ever experienced. The game hasn't been very popular, because it is strictly OFFLINE game. The BOB II WOV campaign has been done well, in fact, the game is very top notch. Yet, it becomes boring just doing air combat, with not much else.

COD will become passe' soon enough unless other maps, aircraft aren't applied soon.

[mazex]

Well, I agree that it would be nice with better AI but how about a few secs of love by someone briefly acquainted with usability design on the MP GUI would not hurt either

[Les]

Anyone else remember the improved AI that were introduced with one of the patches for the original Il-2 series, and that were then taken away again in the next patch soon after that? Oleg himself stated when the patch came out that the new AI were a glimpse of the ones being developed for the new upcoming game (that would eventually become Cliffs Of Dover).

As I remember it, those temproary AI were a vast improvement over the ones we had at the time, but were quickly replaced with something not quite as good in order to keep them as a feature of the new upcoming game. From memory, they were better in some ways than what we finally did end up with, not prone to the unbelievable routines we had back then or that we have now. Might just be rose-coloured glasses I'm remembering them through, but they were realistic to the point where it was hard to tell sometimes if they were AI or human pilots.

[nearmiss]

I recall making a very thorough research of AI nonsense and such several years ago.

The AI is ignored, not just with Il2 or COD. It is very standard practice, because it is much easier to build another aircraft, map or object. People will be happy with the new stuff.

It is hard to care about the Offline player when that isn't your interest. So the developers just make the graphics stuff rather than work with through the very difficult process of programming probabilistic functions and algorithms for a competent AI performance.

The benchmark for AI performance is Battle of Britain II Wings of Victory. The improvements have been coming steady to their users for several years. All the COD development team needs to do is get a copy of the BOB WOV and study the AI, also the BOB WOV AI config files are openly shared.

We will see what comes of the AI, but I think it will probably require some of that passion associated with the term..."Keep their feet in the fire, they'll get the message". LOL

[Rattlehead]

Originally Posted by nearmiss

The AI is ignored, not just with Il2 or COD. It is very standard practice, because it is much easier to build another aircraft, map or object. People will be happy with the new stuff.

It is hard to care about the Offline player when that isn't your interest. So the developers just make the graphics stuff rather than work with through the very difficult process of programming probabilistic functions and algorithms for a competent AI performance.

All very true and what you say echoes my thoughts exactly.

Hey, all I want really is AI that doesn't do what it's doing now...really immersion-killing stuff like ignoring enemy planes even when in full view, not reacting at all to being shot at, and the crazy rates of rolls these boys are pulling off.
In short, give me old Il-2 AI, but maybe a little bit more advanced. I'm sure a talented team like MG can pull that off, surely?

I'm content to wait and see what happens...there is still a lot of things that need their attention still and I'm confident that in time we'll see AI that is improved. (I'll just bang the drum from time to time to remind them. )

[Madfish]

Some very fine posts have been made in this thread, thanks for that. I recommend anyone who's new skimming through - it'll be worth it.

That said I want to point one other thing out:

Originally Posted by nearmiss

It is hard to care about the Offline player when that isn't your interest.

The thing is that AI also affect all online combat if it's not pure dogfighting. A lot of the dynamic campaign efforts and co-op missions depend on it. So I would say it not only affects offline players but almost certainly the majority of all online players as well.

[Blackdog_kt]

Originally Posted by Codex

Didn't Illya say in one of his updates that he had recently hired someone or was going to hire someone with sole purpose of reworking the AI in CoD?

True. It's the same guy that will redo the radio commands menu. According to that post by Luthier, he will do the radio commands first and then move on to the AI.

By the way there are some new placeholder commands in the latest beta patch (they don't work yet, they are just there in the menus) that are giving me much hope for what will come.

I saw commands to specific crew members in bombers, for example asking your co-pilot to report speed or altitude, have him operate flaps or landing gear, order the gunners to hold fire, etc.

Good stuff is coming and yes, it will be useful both for SP and MP

[nearmiss]

I remember several years back building missions. I was stopped dead in my tracks so often by poor AI, and lack of comms ability to have any power of your player flights...except go home.

Pokryshkin developed tactics to beat the Germans in G2s and 190s, by using his flight groups at tiered altitude levels. The p40s were at lower altitudes to take on the german bombers. The P39s would drop in from tiered altitude levels when the german fighters went for the p40s. Pokryshkin kept the E advantage with flights at several levels higher and as the battle advanced they would drop down incrementally. The p39s with those big cannons in the nose made short work of the german fighters.

I could not keep the Russian fighters at the tiered levels. The moment the germans attacked the p40s all the p39s from all levels, except player would drop into the fur ball. The P39s were no match for the G2s or 190s without E advantage.

So, yes communications with power for managing flight groups is very necessary. I'm just thinking in terms of this one example.

You can tactically fly Online with comms, but Offline you are subject to whatever a stupid (ultra-stupid) AI aircraft will do.

I realize good ai performance makes a difference online, but there was never much flak from online players about AI performance as I recall.