ASR AI Skills

[kklownboy 43]

GJ Rob!

Nice to see the level/straight line shooting while in crouch.

[jocko-flocko 13]

I've been using this AI mod for about a couple months now while comparing it to others and I must say it is the best one out of them all IMHO. Firefights between the AI seem to last for ages now as the AI aren't dumb enough to just stand out in the middle of a field and get picked off by enemy forces. AI will seek out cover, either behind a rock wall, fence, corner of a house, inside a house, behind an empty vehicle and in the worst case when there's nowhere else to hide they will even seek cover behind a tree. But what is really cool about any of the cover they choose is the fact that they will peek around the corner to shoot, pop up from behind a rock wall to fire on the enemy AI and fire from house positions. It really makes it interesting to just sit back Using Charons TroopMon 2 and watch a great show that the AI will put on for you.

I have a few question regarding way-points and how the AI act with this mod when you create way-points in the 2D default editor:

1> Does ASR AI skills prefer certain types of way-points? Does the mod have any effect on certain types of way-points? I have found that by using a way-point of "MOVE" along with "COMBAT" as the behavior, the AI will be extremely cautious about making their way to the "MOVE" way-point. They will completely make sure no enemy is in the way-point area until proceeding to the objective.

2>I am guessing that the ASR AI Mod also effects armor but if you wish to override the mod using this setVariable ["asr_ai_sys_aiskill_exclude", true] you must do it to an infantry commander as the groups leader then use the moveIn command on each unit, correct? The override doesn't seem to work on default tank that is placed in the 2d editor.

[orcinus 121]

Excellent work, Robalo :D

Re Coulom's point about AIs unable to see /shoot over low walls, if you haven't already seen it there is a set of new commands in the latest beta that enable LOS checking, There's also a thread just started by Saok in the editing forum. Not sure if they would be useful in the contaxt of ASR_AI, but anyway...

[Robalo 465]

I tried to keep scripts as simple and optimized as possible. There should not be any noticeable impact on performance.

There are limits to how many animations are processed and this not only saves performance but also makes it less predictable. I am OK with sometimes AI doing stupid things because humans do them too.

How I do it ? I'm plugging into the AnimDone EH, detect if a unit knows about enemies, if yes, select "Middle" stance with setUnitPosWeak, otherwise revert to "AUTO".

There's a special case if the animation was a stop and the unit is carrying MG, AR or sniper rifle, then selects the prone stance.

This is the lowest priority way so all other methods take over when it comes to player commanding AI stance, scripted setUnitPos or the game's default "micro-AI" when AI is close to things.

[humvee28 10]

Looks really good. Nice Work! :)

[-Coulum- 35]

I tried to keep scripts as simple and optimized as possible. There should not be any noticeable impact on performance.

There are limits to how many animations are processed and this not only saves performance but also makes it less predictable. I am OK with sometimes AI doing stupid things because humans do them too.

How I do it ? I'm plugging into the AnimDone EH, detect if a unit knows about enemies, if yes, select "Middle" stance with setUnitPosWeak, otherwise revert to "AUTO".

There's a special case if the animation was a stop and the unit is carrying MG, AR or sniper rifle, then selects the prone stance.

This is the lowest priority way so all other methods take over when it comes to player commanding AI stance, scripted setUnitPos or the game's default "micro-AI" when AI is close to things.

Awesome. Does that mean that rifle men will no longer go prone when they see an enemy though (always going crouched instead).

I've been using this AI mod for about a couple months now while comparing it to others and I must say it is the best one out of them all IMHO. Firefights between the AI seem to last for ages now as the AI aren't dumb enough to just stand out in the middle of a field and get picked off by enemy forces. AI will seek out cover, either behind a rock wall, fence, corner of a house, inside a house, behind an empty vehicle and in the worst case when there's nowhere else to hide they will even seek cover behind a tree. But what is really cool about any of the cover they choose is the fact that they will peek around the corner to shoot, pop up from behind a rock wall to fire on the enemy AI and fire from house positions. It really makes it interesting to just sit back Using Charons TroopMon 2 and watch a great show that the AI will put on for you.

I could be wrong, and I don't mean to take away from Robalo's great work, but most of the stuff you describe (except moving into buildings) is actually the vanilla ai. Or at least that's how I understood it. ASR lets ai groups share enemy locations, as well as makes ai rearm themselves and sets different skill levels for different types of soldiers + a bunch of other neat little ai features like throwing smoke and what not. I didn't think that it made ai seek cover any better or any more often.

1>yes combat behaviour makes the ai seek cover when possible and do a partial overwatch while teammates advance. It is quite slow and wouldn't be ideal for a patrol. It also seems to increase their awareness. Generally, I would use the aware behaviour. When enemy are detected the behaviour will automatically switch to combat anyhow. If you want an ai group to defend a certain area I would use a combat behaviour over the some cover and type "this enableAttack false" into the leaders init to prevent him sending his subordinates out of the cover. I usually always use move or cycle waypoints for infantry.

2>I couldn't tell you

[becubed 24]

I am OK with sometimes AI doing stupid things because humans do them too.

I like this attitude, the number of time I get halfway toward the cover I selected and think damn, this was the wrong idea....and then respawn...

[Tonci87 163]

One question Robalo, If units are not listed in the Userconfig (like Lingor units for example) wich skill level is asigned to them?

[Robalo 465]

One question Robalo, If units are not listed in the Userconfig (like Lingor units for example) wich skill level is asigned to them?

Depends on their parent classes, skill config is inherited where not particularly defined.

---------- Post added at 18:13 ---------- Previous post was at 17:59 ----------

I've been using this AI mod for about a couple months now while comparing it to others and I must say it is the best one out of them all IMHO. Firefights between the AI seem to last for ages now as the AI aren't dumb enough to just stand out in the middle of a field and get picked off by enemy forces. AI will seek out cover, either behind a rock wall, fence, corner of a house, inside a house, behind an empty vehicle and in the worst case when there's nowhere else to hide they will even seek cover behind a tree. But what is really cool about any of the cover they choose is the fact that they will peek around the corner to shoot, pop up from behind a rock wall to fire on the enemy AI and fire from house positions. It really makes it interesting to just sit back Using Charons TroopMon 2 and watch a great show that the AI will put on for you.

I have a few question regarding way-points and how the AI act with this mod when you create way-points in the 2D default editor:

1> Does ASR AI skills prefer certain types of way-points? Does the mod have any effect on certain types of way-points? I have found that by using a way-point of "MOVE" along with "COMBAT" as the behavior, the AI will be extremely cautious about making their way to the "MOVE" way-point. They will completely make sure no enemy is in the way-point area until proceeding to the objective.

2>I am guessing that the ASR AI Mod also effects armor but if you wish to override the mod using this setVariable ["asr_ai_sys_aiskill_exclude", true] you must do it to an infantry commander as the groups leader then use the moveIn command on each unit, correct? The override doesn't seem to work on default tank that is placed in the 2d editor.

Coulum is right, I can't take credit for all you're describing, AI using cover and peaking around corners specifically is a default engine feature introduced since Arma 2 (called the micro-AI I believe). For your questions:

1> No preference, the principle is to enhance the AI as much as possible without interfering with the mission design.

2> setVariable ["asr_ai_sys_aiskill_exclude", true] is only for soldiers, because only they get the scripted skills. The vehicles are not affected and the crew is, if I'm not mistaken, not initialized until they get out.

[seba1976 98]

I've been using this AI mod for about a couple months now while comparing it to others and I must say it is the best one out of them all IMHO. Firefights between the AI seem to last for ages now as the AI aren't dumb enough to just stand out in the middle of a field and get picked off by enemy forces. AI will seek out cover, either behind a rock wall, fence, corner of a house, inside a house, behind an empty vehicle and in the worst case when there's nowhere else to hide they will even seek cover behind a tree. But what is really cool about any of the cover they choose is the fact that they will peek around the corner to shoot, pop up from behind a rock wall to fire on the enemy AI and fire from house positions. It really makes it interesting to just sit back Using Charons TroopMon 2 and watch a great show that the AI will put on for you.

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?107526-ASR-AI-Skills&p=2072895#post2072895

BTW, Robalo, I'm really looking forward to try the new version. One question, what other mods where running on those two videos you posted? ACE? Soundmod?

[Robalo 465]

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?107526-ASR-AI-Skills&p=2072895#post2072895

BTW, Robalo, I'm really looking forward to try the new version. One question, what other mods where running on those two videos you posted? ACE? Soundmod?

Yep, ACE, JSRS and Troopmon

Edited June 4, 2012 by Robalo

[mcpxxl 2]

Hi Robalo

so there will no interference with systems like DAC; ACE Mod etc ?

THX

[jocko-flocko 13]

Interesting, I had no idea that the AI were supposed to be programmed that way in vanilla Arma 2. From what I have seen while playing with the default vanilla AI in Arma 2 they still act in *certain* situations the way they used to back in OFP.

[Robalo 465]

A little comparison movie, just in case it was needed to make the difference more obvious:

Hi Robalo

so there will no interference with systems like DAC; ACE Mod etc ?

THX

Nope.

[KeyCat 131]

Looks great!

Looking forward to when it's released...

/KC

[-Coulum- 35]

A little comparison movie, just in case it was needed to make the difference more obvious:

Holy crap, I didn't know vanilla was that bad. It So many of them are standing up! The new crouching looks awesome. I have a feeling its really going to increase firefight lengths involving ai, and it look like they ai actually cares for their life. Great sob, can't wait for release.

[seba1976 98]

Interesting, I had no idea that the AI were supposed to be programmed that way in vanilla Arma 2. From what I have seen while playing with the default vanilla AI in Arma 2 they still act in *certain* situations the way they used to back in OFP.

Arrowhead 1.59 patch was the biggest step for AI. In urban combat they look pretty decent. They even stack up and everything. CPU usage sky rockets once they engage other units in complex zones like Berezino but hey.

But to see all those improvements, units must be left to play on their own, with no AI mods telling the units where and how to move, engage, seek cover, etc. ASR AI doesn't do that, so up to a certain point it's very transparent to the engine. Most people think many modders are better than BIS programmers, or have taken better decisions, etc. In my experience, that's never the case.

On the other hand, while in the open, AI act very much like it did in OFP, and that's why Robalo's video is so interesting: the units don't seem to suck that much.

[-Coulum- 35]

Arrowhead 1.59 patch was the biggest step for AI. In urban combat they look pretty decent. They even stack up and everything. CPU usage sky rockets once they engage other units in complex zones like Berezino but hey.

But to see all those improvements, units must be left to play on their own, with no AI mods telling the units where and how to move, engage, seek cover, etc. ASR AI doesn't do that, so up to a certain point it's very transparent to the engine. Most people think many modders are better than BIS programmers, or have taken better decisions, etc. In my experience, that's never the case.

On the other hand, while in the open, AI act very much like it did in OFP, and that's why Robalo's video is so interesting: the units don't seem to suck that much.

Yes I agree. Most other ai mods in some way tried to do what BI had already done but better. I appreciate all the hard work that went into them but after 1.59 really all they did was cause ai glitches and mess up the improvements BI had made. Now Robablo's mod is different. He's doing what BI, to a certain extent, hasn't done. Rearming, differnet skill levels, sharing of info between squads etc. That's why I like this mod. It doesn't try to redo what BI has done but rather adds onto it. Really this crouched behaviour seems to be the closest to overwriting vanilla but its good because ai stances were something that were obviously lacking. And even then, hopefully in a future patch or a3, BIS can do this themselves as they have much better tools to do so than Robablo does. I am very impressed with how well he's got the ai to look in the videos. Anyhow, still can't wait for the next update, great job Robalo, really appreciate the time you put into this.

[domokun 515]

It doesn't try to redo what BI has done but rather adds onto it.

Here, here!

still can't wait for the next update, great job Robalo, really appreciate the time you put into this

I second this motion ;)

[mcpxxl 2]

Nice vid Robalo !

THX for your work

AI is again more deadly then before :-)

MCPXXL

[Tonci87 163]

Here, here!

I second this motion ;)

I third it!

This looks really good!

Some more questions. The radio Feature, what exactly will it do? AI will transmit enemys location to everyone in a set radius around them. What will receiving AI groups do? Head towards the enemys to fight them? How long does the AI take to transmit enemy locations?

Gunshot hearing? What exactly will AI do if they hear a shoot?Wich value should I use with JSRS and what distance will that be ingame, lets say for an assault rifle?

[Robalo 465]

I third it!

This looks really good!

Some more questions. The radio Feature, what exactly will it do? AI will transmit enemys location to everyone in a set radius around them. What will receiving AI groups do? Head towards the enemys to fight them? How long does the AI take to transmit enemy locations?

Gunshot hearing? What exactly will AI do if they hear a shoot?Wich value should I use with JSRS and what distance will that be ingame, lets say for an assault rifle?

The AI on the same side in a certain (configurable) range receives limited info about the enemy from the unit that knows about that enemy. They will receive 80 to 100 % of the knowledge that the sender has about that enemy:

_know = (_tx knowsAbout _data) * (0.8 + random 0.2);
_rx reveal [_data, _know];

What they do with the info is up to the engine. I'm not setting up any waypoints or anything.

Since the knowledge can vary they can:

- engage if they know enough (hey I have a positively identified enemy at that location - knowsAbout at least 1.5)

- look and try to identify better, learn more about that target - knowsAbout < 1.5

- order some units to attack

- ignore

As for how long it takes, see this post, I think it still applies, or at least it's close.

Gunshot hearing is also an awareness aid - it reveals the shooter with an accuracy strictly based on the distance to shooter and weapon sound range config (varies with sound mods):

_knowledge = 1.5 * (1 - (_hearer distance _shooter)/(_soundrange * _gunshothearingcoef));

The script is only going to transmit knowledge values above 0.5.

So for example with a M4A1 shooter at 300m with vanilla sounds and default coef of 0.75, knowledge = 1.5 * (1 - 300/(1000*0.75)) = 0.9 => learn something

Same thing with JSRS which has the sound range limited to 500 in config (and extended with scripting to use different sounds) you will get knowledge = 0.3 => send nothing

So you could double the coefficient in userconfig if you think AI should learn more about the shooter, but beware that with JSRS the M9SD sound has a range of 50m compared to vanilla 10m so bump the coef too much and you will end up with AI hearing your suppressed pistol from too far.

Edited June 5, 2012 by Robalo

[jxjcksn 1]

Just a quick note to say THANK YOU, for the great work on this mod and continuing to update it.

My Clan has rolled through many AI Mods, and although our main game is varieties of Domination,

ASR_AI takes every Domination map to a new level. It makes firefights challenging and longer.

It makes you think and play with a little thought (watching for Flanking moves and communication

between troops) ... in the end making the whole game more fun.

We recently have edited and modded Lingor, and as a Ground and Pound Map .. ASR set at 0.9skill and 0.5acc,

with all those trees and buildings in there ... lol .. even side missions have you on your toes :-P

No Map goes on the server without a little bit of Robalo in it now :-P

On behalf of DIWG Clan, all members, Thank you !

[Muahaha 10]

Hi Robalo,

I have a suggestion for AI improvement, might not be the best of solution but here goes.

Currently there are no FSM that will prevent AIs from entering into a kill zone, and the result of this is that AIs tends to stand or move into the spot where another AI was just killed, resulting in another instant kill for the enemy.

Since with the latest beta that has been a way to do LOS, is it possible to do some improvement in this area where AI will not occupy or move into the spot where another AI just got killed?

Probably ASR mod is the best to have this scripted perhaps? Sorry I have no scripting knowledge what so ever, just suggesting. What do you think?

[mcpxxl 2]

Hi Robalo

When i read this

So you could double the coefficient in userconfig if you think AI should learn more about the shooter, but beware that with JSRS the M9SD sound has a range of 50m compared to vanilla 10m so bump the coef too much and you will end up with AI hearing your suppressed pistol from too far.

Just an idea...

Wouldn´t a Debug function not be usefull ? so that i can see lets say as a hint or whatever how far my weapons can be heared from the AI atm?

MCPXXL