AI quirks we'd like to see.

[dmarkwick 261]

A thread for the discussion of small AI tweaks that would make a tactical, realistic, or immersive difference.

"Follow my footsteps" formation. In this formation, the AI in your squad literally follow your exact line, so that as you thread through buildings they're following you exactly, not deciding to run around the other side and then try to find a position that closely resembles the previous formation. "Column" should have this activity.

Increase/decrease formation spacing commands.

When a unit spots an enemy, they don't rush into attack behaviour, they make a slightly more considered decision. Based on a few elements: relative group strength, whether the opposing group has spotted them, and direction of travel of that group.

The above information is easy for AI to get, and perhaps even more could be used if the system is advanced, the possibility of reinforcement, the local cover situation, knowledge of other groups nearby.

Then the group can decide whether to attack, to hide and do not attack, or to try and engineer an ambush. Again, these simple choices should be easy for the AI to make. And, perhaps only the engineer an ambush action would be more involved, but I'm confident it's well within the bounds of possibility. And the performance cost would be minimal, as the decision only needs to be made once per encounter.

Pilots and other crash survivors/ejected AI to go into survival/hide mode rather than carry on with their previous activity, unless they are cargo. Pilots etc have no useful battlefield role and should either return to base or take cover.

---------- Post added at 11:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:00 AM ----------

"Take point" command. As leader you issue this command to any of the units in your squad, and you switch places with him. The formation is then led by that unit, so you need to set his stance, speed etc, to the ones that you require. Or in the case of a no-waypoint situation, the formation is relative to you.

Edited September 1, 2011 by DMarkwick

[metalcraze 290]

AI crouching when not in cover and firing.

AI crouch-running into a cover if it's nearby.

No more 'AI standing full-height in the open and firing with the biggest recoil which makes no sense'. Make it more survivable through these very simple suggestions.

[dmarkwick 261]

Clock orientation is more definite and not prone to change for each unit's orientation. In order of priority:

1. Leader's temporary waypoint vector.

2. Next waypoint vector.

3. Distance travelled over last 100 meters (or whatever)

4. Leader's orientation.

[ProfTournesol 956]

Select whatever units of your group you want, then point a building with your mouse and select "Defend building" option that appears :)

[maddogx 13]

Instead of standing to take a mid to long range shot, make them kneel. (Where appropriate.)

When cover is scarce, have them pop the occasional smoke.

In combat/danger situations, they should merely "peek" around corners (occasional half-second glance) instead of standing there and leaning for ages.

[dmarkwick 261]

Select whatever units of your group you want, then point a building with your mouse and select "Defend building" option that appears :)

I guess a generic context-sensitive all-round defence formation would be welcome :) No location, ARD centred on leader. Position specified, defend that location.

[nuxil 2]

A thread for the discussion of small AI tweaks that would make a tactical, realistic, or immersive difference.

"Follow my footsteps" formation. In this formation, the AI in your squad literally follow your exact line, so that as you thread through buildings they're following you exactly.

that would be a major improvement.

+1 for this idea.

[metalcraze 290]

that would be a major improvement.

+1 for this idea.

This will also help you move through mine-fields without great casualties considering that mines become an important gameplay element in ArmA3

[EDcase 87]

"Follow my footsteps" formation.

Yeah, I like that one too. Could also be called "Follow my path"

The AI would follow your exact path but if set to 'aware' or 'danger' they would still look around and scan 360 as they move.

Movement speed would be a good option for AI.

'Slow' (walk/crouch walk) Stealth mode obviously default to this speed.

'Normal' Most modes would be at current 'normal' speeds.

'Fast' would be used to force AI not to stop until waypoint reached or back in formation. Useful for retreat etc.

[mrcash2009 0]

Make "Copy My Stance" actual do what is says, which is if I crouch/go prone, they follow (like the current Copy My Stance Mod) of whoever I have set in that mode in my team.

When instructed AI to change a position not under danger or combat they actually "walk" instead of run everywhere.

When in formation and patrol AI actually walk at a correct speed so they dont keep catching up with me and then re correcting them selves when I stop first.

Split stealth and voice stealth so that I have stealth radio comms and stealth behaviour/radio comms as two things, so I can have whisper radio style excluding the behaviour or including & first person voice should whisper in stealth mode too than having it scripted only! (slightly OT).

When driving in a convoy there should be a understanding on roads to go into column compact formation rather than heading to a road and staying in line formation and playing bumper cars ... and well, a whole overhaul of convoy behaviour!

"Follow my footsteps" formation. In this formation, the AI in your squad literally follow your exact line, so that as you thread through buildings they're following you exactly.

I completely agree on this, like team shadow you.

Although most have posted off topic to the thread title, so to honour the thread title, I would also like to see AI dance when in combat & TK me if they feel the need. A dash of warping and more search path issues would help too.

Edited September 1, 2011 by mrcash2009

[Cripsis 10]

I would like to see the AI firing from windows, it would make urban combat a billion times more immersive.

[maddogx 13]

I would like to see the AI firing from windows, it would make urban combat a billion times more immersive.

They would have to make proper use of buildings first, but otherwise I agree.

[djfluffwug 10]

I would like for the AI to use cover effectively.

I don't know if Taliban in real life just lay down in the middle of a road and shoot regardless of way better cover and firing positions around the map but I think it would be a nice addition to gameplay if they actually used walls, houses, random object etc. to their advantage for cover.

Stopping randomly in open positions and firing just doesn't seem human like :D

[katipo66 94]

Following on from above, Scatter mode! If shots are fired, or unit is it hit then they scatter is fast as possible to cover... And return fire from there without moving to open.

More realistic communication, if you have 2 groups standing 200 mtrs apart and open fire on one, the other group stands there twiddling their thumbs, maybe a default guard mode behavior

[metalcraze 290]

There's nothing unnatural about going prone in the middle of the road. It isn't like one has much choice when under fire.

It just doesn't look effective in hollywood movies.

[rye1 21]

I would like for the AI to use cover effectively.

Including reloading in cover.

[djfluffwug 10]

Yeh I know that you wouldn't have much of a choice :D

But it seems even when the AI gets up it just runs around randomly then after 5 seconds lays back down again :/

[Darkguerilla 10]

Created a DevHeaven ticket on this:

http://dev-heaven.net/issues/24030

Feel free to vote.

I did give credit where credit is due.

[bradp191 10]

Clock orientation is more definite and not prone to change for each unit's orientation. In order of priority:

1. Leader's temporary waypoint vector.

2. Next waypoint vector.

3. Distance travelled over last 100 meters (or whatever)

4. Leader's orientation.

How about they just abolish the clock system and use cardinal and intermediate directions instead? That's how we roll fo' rizzeal. Its too hard to get a group of 8 men who are getting shot at all on the same page about which way is 12 o'clock. The British colour-clock system is good for cqb, but I'm not sure how well it would work in the great outdoors. They define 12 o'clock as straight ahead as you pass through the entry/doorway. 11-1 is white, 2-4 is red, 5-7 is black, and 8-10 is green. (I might have black and white mixed up. Training with the Brits was a while ago.) This way, you can use a clock position, a color, or a combination of the two. Just something to think about. My unit always just used cardinal and intermediate directions. I saw the line companies use the clock system sometimes in a hasty defense. I was in a mortar platoon, so we had more compasses, and therefore we liked to use mils for everything.

Edited September 1, 2011 by bradp191

[dmarkwick 261]

Well I suppose it depends on how fine grained you wish the realism to be, compass points are useful for strategic uses, but clock orientation is useful for tactical uses. Ordinary soldiers do not carry compasses usually, and they're not too useful in the heat of a battle in any case. A definite clock orientation for the group is simple and as long as the 12 o'clock is established, understood by all units with no equipment needed.

[HyperU2 11]

Stop shooting Stingers at jeeps.

[Drumheller 19]

Follow my Footsteps

Defend Building

Clear Building

ARs and Machinegunners only fire while prone or if they must fire while standing, 2-3 round bursts.

---------- Post added at 12:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:18 PM ----------

Oh and my no.1 AI desire is when I split my teams into red team, blue team, etc, that each of those teams takes it's highest ranking member and assigns him as a team leader that will assign targets to his team. Sort of like creating a new team under high command.

Edited September 1, 2011 by MacScottie

[froggyluv 2130]

An AI "awareness" that it has left the open fields of 300m combat and is now in CQB situation with quicker animation reaction for both attacking and defending.

That awareness being micro intensified when entering an interior.

Basically just more animations to reflect state of soldier and making visible distinctions between crack elite units and unorganized mob miltia.

Crouching and holding cover with quick visible head checks (as opposed to full body turns) would be optimum as well.

[bradp191 10]

Well I suppose it depends on how fine grained you wish the realism to be, compass points are useful for strategic uses, but clock orientation is useful for tactical uses. Ordinary soldiers do not carry compasses usually, and they're not too useful in the heat of a battle in any case. A definite clock orientation for the group is simple and as long as the 12 o'clock is established, understood by all units with no equipment needed.

Hmm, I'm speaking from experience here. I'm not just pulling this out of my ass. Keeping track of which way is north is not that hard. Its a lot harder to get everyone on the same page as far as clock positions is much more complicated. I've done this in combat. It works. I'm just saying its something to think about. I get kind of annoyed when people try to tell me what's "real" or "tactical", though.

Clock system works really well to communicate inside a vehicle since the front of the vehicle can be 12 o'clock, but even that breaks down when communicating between vehicles if everyone isn't facing the same way.

Edited September 1, 2011 by bradp191

[dmarkwick 261]

Hmm, I'm speaking from experience here. I'm not just pulling this out of my ass. Keeping track of which way is north is not that hard. Its a lot harder to get everyone on the same page as far as clock positions is much more complicated. I've done this in combat. It works. I'm just saying its something to think about. I get kind of annoyed when people try to tell me what's "real" or "tactical", though.

Well, I'm just raising discussion points, not trying to annoy :) and yes I've done my service too, and we never used compass points for arcs. Although my own experience is more static defence than mobile offence.