4.11 - AI debugging

[FC99]

Originally Posted by IceFire

FC99: Have you looked into at all the behavior of aircraft that should either be falling into escort formation OR into flight formation?

I have no problem with bombers getting into a flight formation (using the select option on waypoints) but with fighters it seems hit and miss. Sometimes they will get into escort and fly above (and often fall behind) and sometimes they will line up in a flight formation and do what they should be doing.

The behavior has definitely changed over the years. Sometimes without rhyme or reason from my perspective. Any tips or thoughts?

I'm not sure that you can get fighters into formation unless they carry bombs or rockets. If they are clean they will get into "Escort" mode.

AFAICS that part of the code was same in 4.02 too so if things were different in the past that must be long ago.

[IceFire]

Originally Posted by FC99

I'm not sure that you can get fighters into formation unless they carry bombs or rockets. If they are clean they will get into "Escort" mode.

AFAICS that part of the code was same in 4.02 too so if things were different in the past that must be long ago.

I could have sworn that they would fall into formation sometimes instead of escort. But either that's my memory or it was very early on. Perhaps AEP version 2.0 days... Any chance we may be able to control that in the future? I realize that's just one more thing

[Lagarto]

Here's another example of odd behaviour by AI. I've just flown a DGen mission, in which my squadron was supposed to escort transport planes on a transfer flight to a new airfield. It was a fairly short hop, some 10 minutes flying time, all the escorts still full of fuel and ammo. As it happened, we got intercepted over the new airfield. All the friendly a/c were by that time in landing circuit - and they continued to circle and land, just as the interceptors kept on shooting them down. No defensive action whatsoever, just the usual, cool talking to the control tower. Fighting all alone, I tried to call for help. Nothing. I requested assistance from the ground, only to learn that friendly fighters were far away - while they were buzzing all around me.
The problem is - once the AI enter circuit, they won't fight any more.
I know that someone else may call it a feature. The AI dudes could have a bad day, temporary blindness, air sickness, suicidal thoughts, hangover or they were just plain dumb. But maybe, just maybe, it's a bug and need fixing?

[Mundschenk]

Originally Posted by Lagarto

Here's another example of odd behaviour by AI. I've just flown a DGen mission, in which my squadron was supposed to escort transport planes on a transfer flight to a new airfield. It was a fairly short hop, some 10 minutes flying time, all the escorts still full of fuel and ammo. As it happened, we got intercepted over the new airfield. All the friendly a/c were by that time in landing circuit - and they continued to circle and land, just as the interceptors kept on shooting them down. No defensive action whatsoever, just the usual, cool talking to the control tower. Fighting all alone, I tried to call for help. Nothing. I requested assistance from the ground, only to learn that friendly fighters were far away - while they were buzzing all around me.

I can confirm this, same thing happened to me today in a DGen mission.

Another thing which upsets me: If your squad is sent on a ground-attack mission, maybe to an enemy airfield, AI will often take aim on some AA gun or whatever, then disengage before firing and fly away some 10km, leaving me the only one who is attacking the airfield and the AA guns having their fun with me alone...

[K_Freddie]

Awaiting badly need supplies at our advanced field, we had 4 JU52s arrived at the same time as the Russki's. We downed all attackers, and afterwards I thought I'd fly in formation with the transports to boost their morale. Sending the rest of the flight back to base, which was a few yards away - they promptly disappeared into the distance ????

Ignoring them I got into circuit behind the last transport. You could imagine my dismay as I watched each one of them follow the leader into a small hillock a kilometre down the landing path.

Fly the mission again - Not a F.. you must be nuts... Delete campaign.

[D-XXI]

I can confirm the observations from Lagarto and Mundschenk.

[JtD]

I hope you guys are aware that this is like v1.0 behavior, not a new bug with v4.11.

[Lagarto]

Yes, we are perfectly aware that it's an old bug. The 4.11 was released almost a year ago, so why don't we discuss AI debugging in general?

[IceFire]

Originally Posted by JtD

I hope you guys are aware that this is like v1.0 behavior, not a new bug with v4.11.

That is definitely true. This stretches waaaay back

[IceFire]

Originally Posted by Lagarto

Here's another example of odd behaviour by AI. I've just flown a DGen mission, in which my squadron was supposed to escort transport planes on a transfer flight to a new airfield. It was a fairly short hop, some 10 minutes flying time, all the escorts still full of fuel and ammo. As it happened, we got intercepted over the new airfield. All the friendly a/c were by that time in landing circuit - and they continued to circle and land, just as the interceptors kept on shooting them down. No defensive action whatsoever, just the usual, cool talking to the control tower. Fighting all alone, I tried to call for help. Nothing. I requested assistance from the ground, only to learn that friendly fighters were far away - while they were buzzing all around me.
The problem is - once the AI enter circuit, they won't fight any more.
I know that someone else may call it a feature. The AI dudes could have a bad day, temporary blindness, air sickness, suicidal thoughts, hangover or they were just plain dumb. But maybe, just maybe, it's a bug and need fixing?

Indeed. Once the AI enter into the landing circuit they stay there. I created a mission a while back where you attacked an airfield and the aircraft were landing... I fully expected them to break the landing pattern and go after me but it was a turkey shoot instead.

For whatever reason, they were programmed to ignore everything while on landing pattern. It could use improvement. No question about it...