4.13 development update discussion and feedback

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by majorfailure

I don't know if this necessarily is the case. Wouldn't that be similar to fighting a cautious but good human opponent?

Different strokes for different folks. The sort of cautious ace who stalks his prey, disengages if all the odds aren't in his favor, bounces the enemy from above and behind and then runs away, is boring at best, frustrating at worst in a QMB setting. In a campaign, especially if that Ace is on your side, it's not boring.

Ideally, AI aggression should be player selectable as a QMB or FMB option, and it should be possible for FMB or campaign builders to specify different skill levels within the broader bands of Cannon Fodder to Ace AI.

Originally Posted by majorfailure

And another thing AI usually is bad - using a speed advantage. Planes like Bf109 in AI hands are not employed well against nimble but slow opponents

Agreed. And, here I think that the AI fix might be simple, if DT hasn't already done this.

The AI should know the maximum speed, stall speed, best cornering speed, acceleration, climb and dive rates, and 360 degree roll and turn times for every plane in the game (if they don't already). They should also know their own energy, fuel and ammo state.

Aces = exact numbers for their own aircraft and enemy aircraft. Exact knowledge of energy, fuel and ammo state. -0 to 1% of maximum performance for plane handling.

Veteran = exact numbers for their own aircraft, +/-5% for enemy. Exact knowledge of energy, fuel and ammo state. -2 to 5% of maximum performance for plane handling.

Average = +/-2% for own aircraft, +/-15% for enemy. +/-10% knowledge for energy, fuel and ammo state. -6 to 10% of maximum performance for plane handling.

Rookie = +/-5% for own aircraft, +/-25% for enemy. +/-20% knowledge of energy, fuel and ammo state, -11 to 20% of maximum performance for plane handling.

Cannon Fodder = +/-20% for own aircraft, +/-50% for enemy. +/-20% knowledge of fuel state, +/-35% knowledge of energy and ammo state, -21 to 35% of maximum performance for plane handling.

+/- means that there is a chance of making mistakes in over or underestimating performance, which can lead to stall, overspeed, etc. when making combat maneuvers, and can result in incorrect tactics when engaging the enemy.

- means understating maximum efficiency.

As a very simple and partial decision tree:

IF Turning speed or Turn Time is less than believed enemy cornering speed or turn time AND Top Speed is less than believed enemy top speed = Maneuver Fight

If Turning speed or turn time is greater than believed enemy cornering speed or turn time AND top speed is greater than believed enemy top speed = Energy Fight.

If Turning speed or turn time is less than believed enemy cornering speed or turn time AND top speed is greater than believed enemy top speed = If friendly => enemy Maneuver Fight, ELSE Energy Fight. (Maneuver Fighting results in a quicker kill than BnZ because you can get closer and usually get better deflection angles.)

If Turning speed or turn time greater than believed enemy cornering speed or turn time AND top speed is less than believed enemy top speed = Disengage or Pure Defense.

Disengage = Avoid/Break Contact > Duck into clouds > Increase separation, by diving if possible and necessary.

Pure Defensive = Get airspeed up > Defensive rolls, skids and jinks, diving turns if possible when under attack.

AI also needs to be programmed with an OODA Loop if it isn't already:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA_loop


Again, no offense intended to the DT guys if they've already based AI on these lines.