4.11 - AI debugging

[RegRag1977]

Originally Posted by jameson

109g6as v Lagg7 1944 ace is certainly interesting. When converging level but with him still 5km distant, if I engage WEP and start to climb he commits to another routine entirely which concedes advantage and makes him an easy kill, but if I don't climb or use WEP he goes for the head on shot. I haven't noticed him messing around much behind me though, just insanely attacking, even stalling into the deck attempting to turn much too quickly. No kill for that though ingame, more's the pity. If he's zoom climbing and you're below and in his six he will just keep climbing straight up with the usual outcome (him dead!) but will attempt 180 roll and dive as I come into gun range. All in all much more fun though.

109 vs La7 ace and 1vs1 in general improved greatly due to brilliant AI programming. But still there's some suggestions i would like to make.

As you said it seems that AI has trouble seeing player's dot after a 5km distance, AI ace often seeming to see player at the very last moment which makes it lose a great part of its maneuvrablity advantage (vs Luftwaffe types, for instance). I think this is why AI doesn't follow the climb...just a theory though...
Another thing, when head on La7 rarely fires at player, and when does very often misses, while player wont miss and will score (fatal wing or engine) hits: to me AI ace aiming should be far more accurate especially head on.
Another interesting thing i noticed is the way AI generally avoid head on by using rolls to move out of plan: could the roll be faster, as is now it often allows player to score hits.

Ai ace seems unable to aim when player (coming head on) is under its position and very close to the ground, when in this position it will never have a shot letting the engagement prolong itself when it should try to make it the shortest possible.

Close to the ground, well unfortunately AI ace have the greatest problems to fight efficiently, and if you slow down there to stall speed in scissors (even La7ace 50%fuel vs Bf109G14 80%), its dead very often. AI ace doesn't seems to know how to slow down quickly and to maintain low speed enough to have firing position before player: nose-to-nose generally ends up with AI defeated. Ai overshoots way too easily, could they perhaps zoom climb or barrel roll instead of coming back in scissors, exposing themselves to canon fire?

When AI sits in player's six following him in a diving spiral, AI seems to hesitate and disengages when a properly flown La7 would easily follow the maneuver (lag pursuit) and use its superior rate of turn and acceleration to keep position right on player's six: now he's leaving too soon, giving lots of degrees for free (sometimes even its 6 low), as if it lost its orientation, this prolonging the fight.

AI La7 ace (but so far i noticed this with all the good turners) will never try to shoot at an (moderately far to far target) extending player to force a break turn and have easy kill. Instead it stays patiently behind waiting for the wingover and the fatal (read above remarks) head on pass.

Also AI ace doesn't like neg G maneuvers, this can cause them to hit the ground apparently without reason (i thought it could be elevator trim related?). Same seems to occur when player snap rolls into a high speed turn close to ground (perhaps due to AI GLocking?).

I also noticed P40 early(flying tigers version) vs Ace Ki43: Ki43 seems to have a sort of unstability in the rolling axis, and i guess this makes him often miss when he's shooting. Other than that the other remarks also apply to this case.

Seems like AI aces don't like the high speed fighting of p51 when fighting them under 1000m with the 'Stang and to my surprise and fun, they often hit the ground for no reason. two times i witnessed Ki43 pilots bailing out without giving a fight!lol

The "slow speed close to the ground" fight is in general fatal to AI ace, i noticed that too while flying bombers against Ace La7. Perhaps this was a feature to allow bomber pilots a chance in offline campaigns. Fighters Aces take alot of hit against human controlled gunners, would be nice to see them actually attack more vulnerable parts from higher speed/angles, just like human ace do.

The zoom climbs and hard turns are new things i find great (i don't know why but reminds me of AI in LockOn when you fight canon only ) Give AI it's aggresivity and aim (head on, extending fighter, better close to ground ability, ability to decelerate quicker) and AI will be as deadly as aces online.

I cannot wait for the improvement, i'm really impressed so far, it's very nice what you guys at TD manage to get out of this game: you have my gratitude for this.

I also felt that the weight limit for AI aces seemed to be 50%, under this why no maneuverability gains?