Daidalos Team's Room -QUESTIONS AND REQUESTS ONLY on IL2 Authorized Addons

[bf-110]

Asking again,but...

I´m not sure if some might dislike this one,but,for 1946 there should be a US based map.
New York would be more than awesome,but it would have a lot buildings (general and specific ones).
Maybe Los Angeles?Or Washington.

[LukeFF]

Originally Posted by bf-110

I´m not sure if some might dislike this one,but,for 1946 there should be a US based map.
New York would be more than awesome,but it would have a lot buildings (general and specific ones).
Maybe Los Angeles?Or Washington.

Let's stick to reality and not fantasy.

[Tempest123]

I think a good (and simple) addition would be some new background artwork and loading screens, kind of a refresh for 4.10. Cant wait for 4.10 now, esp. the g-limits and AI changes.

[nearmiss]

blackdog_kt

Not quite, regardless of what may have been said. We got all kinds of graphic improvements, aircraft, objects,etc. The FMB was never improved since IL2 1.0 by Oleg.

Year after year no improvements. There were miniscule improvements in the AI, but nothing that made that much difference.

Offline players thrive from missions and campaigns, since they aren't playing online. I can name many issues with the Offline game, but they've been discussed so many times it's really not worth taking it there.

Oleg has indicated a very much improved BOB SOW, along with a very competent mission builder programming, etc. I do think the Offline game will take a nice leap forward.

The TD does indicate some exciting improvements in areas that will be a huge improvement for offline players, including FMB and AI improvements.

[csThor]

If AI programming was easy then none of the sim developers would do entertainment software but stuff for the military ... for big $$$ or €€€.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by csThor

If AI programming was easy then none of the sim developers would do entertainment software but stuff for the military ... for big $$$ or €€€.

True. Realistic and truly challenging AI is an art, and will probably be very difficult until we get computers which function more like human brains.

I don't expect perfection in AI, but I very much dislike AI that uses "cheats" not available to a human player and I always have; it just seems like sloppy craftsmanship/programmer under a deadline (no insult intended to DT members).

What would vastly improve play is to give the same realism options to AI aircraft as player-controlled aircraft. By default, AI would have complex engine management, engine overheat, blackout and redout and clouds off, just like it is now. If that bothers you, you could turn those options off. If you wanted more of a challenge, you could give the AI unlimited ammo as well. If you were a masochist or wanted endless "gunnery practice," you could make the AI planes invulnerable.

Difficulties programming AI notwithstanding, I believe that many of the problems with AI are solvable without too much effort.

1) Odd attack patterns for ground attack aircraft - fixed in 4.09 patch (Thanks DT!)

2) Bombers shooting each other down - to be fixed in 4.10 patch (Thanks DT!)

3) AI planes seeing through clouds - to be fixed in 4.10 patch (Big thanks DT!)

4) Stupid AI single fighter tactics - Fixed by Certificate's AI mod. Possibly very easy to implement into an official patch should he approach DT. The only flaw that I've noticed in that mod is that even Ace AI still have a tendency to go into a steep climb when pursued by a high-energy enemy.

6) Perfect Situational Awareness by AI - partially solved by a French mod team. Possibly easy to implement into an official patch should they approach DT.

7) Perfect engine management by AI - Probably a couple dozen lines of code to fix assuming that there aren't dependencies on other parts of the program or other problems. Give each AI some percentage of perfect engine management based on pilot skill, say 100% for Ace, 98% for Veteran, 95% for average and 90% for rookie. Let's see some AI smoke when a rookie pilot mishandles the fuel mixture or supercharger settings!

8 ) No engine overheat by AI - Probably a couple dozen lines of code to fix assuming no other problems. Slow down AI in non-combat situations to 50-80% of maximum speed and have them open their radiators all the way. In combat, have them fly at 90-100% speed, only using maximum power/WEP for running away, closing on enemy fighters and climbs. If top speed isn't needed and map temperature is high enough (i.e., not Winter Finland or Moscow map) have them open radiators partially or fully. When diving or turning, have them throttle back and open radiators with some chance of error based on percentages suggested for engine management. When engine overheats, have them reduce maximum power until engine cools to normal.

9) Killer bomber gunners - Probably a single freakin' line of code to fix to change the algorithm used for aim point, reducing basic accuracy and taking G forces and slipstream effects into account. If you want to get fancy, introduce a penalty for hand-held guns and a bonus certain types of turrets (those with stabilization, remote control and/or reflector sights). Old beta testers of the original IL2 game report that in one version of the beta, bomber gunners were "just about right" in their accuracy, but that the decision was made to make gunners more effective.

10) AI gunners don't correct aim point if their shots don't have enough lead - Probably a couple of lines of code to add or reprogram, making AI gunners increase their lead by X% per fraction of a second, or otherwise change their aim point, until they hit, risk stalling the plane or the target is destroyed or escapes. As it stands, I can smugly fly straight and level for several seconds with a rookie AI plane on my tail, knowing that they will blaze away without ever changing their lead.

11) AI crashes into hills, especially on take-off and landing - Possibly too difficult to implement, since it would require extensive terrain recognition programming or reprogramming which gives feedback into aircraft energy management as well as heading. Problems with crashes on take-off and landing are due to problems with defining take-off and landing patterns on maps, not AI.

12) Lack of AI team tactics - Probably too difficult to implement and in competition with SoW. Would require extensive study of WW2 aerial tactics and lots of coding. I wouldn't wish this on any programmer, especially once you get into permutations of squadron tactics.

13) Crew of burning AI aircraft don't always immediately bail out - Probably one line of code to fix. If the plane is on fire and fire extinguishers fail to work, crew automatically bails out or attempts a forced landing/ditch if they're too low to bail out.

14) Crew of crippled AI aircraft don't always behave appropriately - A more complex problem since it requires coding to cover several different situations and terrain recognition. Any crippled aircraft should drop ordinance and Return to Base, if possible: currently, bombers which are unable to maintain altitude don't always immediately drop ordinance and continue along with the rest of the squadron. Seeking friendly territory, land (when over water) or an open area for forced landing would require too much work. Instead, have crew bail out when a plane falls below 500-1000 meters and can't gain altitude. If a plane can't gain altitude below 500 meters, have it attempt a forced landing/ditching.

[WTE_Galway]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

8 ) No engine overheat by AI - Probably a couple dozen lines of code to fix assuming no other problems. Slow down AI in non-combat situations to 50-80% of maximum speed and have them open their radiators all the way. In combat, have them fly at 90-100% speed, only using maximum power/WEP for running away, closing on enemy fighters and climbs. If top speed isn't needed and map temperature is high enough (i.e., not Winter Finland or Moscow map) have them open radiators partially or fully. When diving or turning, have them throttle back and open radiators with some chance of error based on percentages suggested for engine management. When engine overheats, have them reduce maximum power until engine cools to normal.

This phenomena also occurs with player controlled planes as well when using autopilot.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by WTE_Galway

This phenomena also occurs with player controlled planes as well when using autopilot.

That's why I "let George do it" on the way to or from the target.

Computer cheats, I cheat.

[Pursuivant]

Since I'm bombing this forum with "I wanna" posts, here's one more:

Would it be possible to add settings which add "gremlins" and performance downgrades to the game?

1) An option which allows you to degrade engine performance? This simulates wear and tear on the engine and/or lower-octane, poor quality fuel.

2) An option which allows you to slightly degrade aircraft damage and G-stress capacity? This simulates wear and tear on the airframe and/or shoddy construction (as found in very late war German and Japanese planes, as well as some Soviet planes built using inferior materials).

3) An option which allows you to slightly degrade aircraft speed? This simulates patches and dents in the skin, dirt, multiple layers of paint, etc.

4) An options which slightly degrades handling? This simulates improperly adjusted control cables, etc.

5) An option which allows you to increases an airplane's mass? This allows for variations in pilot weight, presence of cargo (even fighter planes had storage compartments), or more radical things such as carrying a passengers when the plane wasn't rated to do so.

6) Random equipment failure (i.e., engine conking out, instruments not working right, radio not working)?

7) An option which lets you vary the ammunition loadout for your guns between ball, tracer, armor piercing, armor piercing incendiary, etc.? That would nicely simulate different ammo loads used by aircraft in different theaters of war.

8 ) Mission builder options which let you start play with damaged or degraded aircraft.

Ideas 1-6 would shut up a lot of those endless FM/DM and gun effectiveness debates. Idea 7 would add an extra challenge, especially when flying unreliable or experimental aircraft. Idea 8 would be fun for setting up "in media res" scenarios, where you must rescue or escort a damaged plane, or nurse an damaged plane back to base. All of these ideas are be useful methods of "handicapping" more experienced players without forcing them to fly a different model of airplane.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by bf-110

I´m not sure if some might dislike this one,but,for 1946 there should be a US based map.

That would require lots of new objects (U.S. skyscrapers, apartment blocks, barns and houses) and new terrain textures (square U.S. fields rather than European style ones) for a part of the world which never saw action during WW2. As a mod, sure, but not as an official part of a patch originally focused on the Russian Front.

If I were begging for new maps with lots of new objects, I'd ask for a maps of Moscow, Eastern Poland, Western Poland/East Prussia, the Ruhr Valley, Ploesti, Truk atoll, Rabaul and Tokyo. That's a lot of work, though, and I'd prefer to let DT work on the stuff that only they can do.

Realistically, I'd love it if makers of certain modded maps were to donate their work to DT. I'm thrilled that the Slot map will be part of Patch 4.10, and there are some other lovely maps out there which would fit right into IL2's scope - like the maps of the Alps/Southern Germany, Murmansk and Northern Finland/Norway.