AI Improvement

[maturin 12]

Every AI process from spotting to tracking to shooting already relies on real-time, complex distance data. It would cost absolutely nothing to take distance into account.

Now, I know almost nothing about coding, but from my experience with what modders have been able to do so far, I would guess that this sort of thing is pretty difficult to tack on to an existing system. Simple and cheap if you're looking at the source code, but tricky for modders.

[froggyluv 2130]

Well then, you make a strong case for a CIT request at the very least.

[kimozabbi 1]

Simple and cheap if you're looking at the source code

If this is true (and I'm not doubting you that it is) I'm curious as to why it hasn't already been resolved.

[maturin 12]

If this is true (and I'm not doubting you that it is) I'm curious as to why it hasn't already been resolved.

The list of relatively simple tweaks that would vastly improve gameplay is pages long. Put it together and runs to thousands of man-hours. Only so much time in a fiscal year.

[dingbat91 0]

I'd personally love AI wise is the ability to ask them to deploy and crew based weapons via actions (Select both units-> actions->deploy crew weapon) would make mortar deployment so much easier.

oh and for the ability to order helocopters to land at a location without disembarking (possibly require smoke to designate the LZ?)

[kimozabbi 1]

In the NZGamer article that was posted today Ivan Buchta says Arma veterans will hopefully find the AI more cunning.

[50.cal 10]

Cool.

I guess we'll get nothing new until E3.

[Dingo8 1]

In the NZGamer article that was posted today Ivan Buchta says Arma veterans will hopefully find the AI more cunning.

I've submitted a question to LimnosRadio in regards to AI, so hopefully we'll get some details from the devs in that interview.

[50.cal 10]

I quote from the site "The airing date is around June" ;)

Link: http://limnosradio.com/en/shows/limnosradio/the-dirty-dozen/

E3 2012: June 5-7, 2012

Hope we'll get something earlier than that...but I'm not too optimistic.

[SpaceSciences 1]

I want to add something to AI,

I realized that the AI is very good at shooting. Even if a far away from the nemy, they hit me with some single shots but in my opinion that not realistic. often firefights are over after some seconds. But if we take a look at real fights, often soldiers dont shoot so preciseley to the enemy. Or for Example Air assaults, in My opinion machine gunners or even Tank MGs AI are attacking air units with a very high precisition.

[maturin 12]

So turn down the accuracy...

Granted, the AI is extremely good at hitting air units. This is overshadowed by their inability to control recoil, making non-prone machinegunners useless, or their difficulty with elevation differences.

[Drumheller 19]

All I'm worried about is AI's use of buildings and interiors.

[Phantom Six 25]

It would be a dream if the AI can use interiors and buildings right. Not only will the ARMA OPF vets be satisfied with how ARMA will be but it can also attract tactical gamers of all kind. Probably the CQB people in tactical gaming (The SWAT and R6 people) would be satisfy as well. More diversity to the sandbox of ARMA would make it better and people can make whatever they can or want of it.

[Flash Thunder 10]

All I'm worried about is AI's use of buildings and interiors.

You're not worried about their terrible piloting and driving skills?

AI should be proficient at driving on a shared road with other vehicles they shouldn't stop and sit there forever to pass each other.

Basically just want the AI to be less dependent on me. They should use the best stance for the situation, fall back if needed, use static weapons if they're available and not damaged, pick up AT's, AA launchers and not just let tanks, and armored kill them.

[metalcraze 290]

AI was proficient at driving on a shared road with other vehicles in a BIS game already. That game was called OFP. It was 11 years ago. Nice to see that BIS "doesn't cut anything out" in their new games.

[^Th0mas^ 10]

AI was proficient at driving on a shared road with other vehicles in a BIS game already. That game was called OFP. It was 11 years ago. Nice to see that BIS "doesn't cut anything out" in their new games.

Thei

They downgraded the AI in their games?

[maddogx 13]

They downgraded the AI in their games?

More like: they upgraded the AI but broke certain elements along the way. This is usually a symptom of moving too fast in the development process, changing the way the things behave without checking all situations (or at least the important ones).

Technically speaking, the AI has become more advanced and complex in each iteration of the engine. Unfortunately, such increased complexity can become very difficult to manage, requiring much more time for testing and polishing. Let's just hope they actually take that time for Arma3.

[NeMeSiS 11]

Should have made a car come from the other direction, everything would be jammed for hours. :p

EDIT: Also, that video is made in pretty much perfect conditions on a perfectly straight road and with vehicles driving in a straight line at a steady pace, hardly something you would encounter ingame, and i remember plenty of times when the AI in OFP got stuck.

Edited May 9, 2012 by NeMeSiS

[metalcraze 290]

Ugh MadDogX that doesn't cut it. They utterly broke driver pathfinding in ArmA2. For 3 years now AI can't drive straight on a straight road and you want him to overtake someone?

I don't know which improvements were made because AI driving is inferior to OFP in every way.

It's really easy to see how sad the situation is in one of CWR2's missions where your squad leader drives you somewhere and there's a truck moving on the opposite lane.

In OFP cars pass each other without any problem. In ArmA2 you are forced to wait for 5-10 minutes, watching how both cars turn off road, drive into a forest and try to get out of there and back on a road.

Should have made a car come from the other direction, everything would be jammed for hours. :p

EDIT: Also, that video is made in pretty much perfect conditions on a perfectly straight road and with vehicles driving in a straight line at a steady pace, hardly something you would encounter ingame, and i remember plenty of times when the AI in OFP got stuck.

Try the straight road in OA and see how a convoy itself can't move straight there - constantly stopping and making a mess. And that's without the car overtaking it.

I've made a ticket a long time ago with a repro where AI in a car can't drive through in between two bushes even though for a player it's as easy as holding W. Nobody cared.

Should have made a car come from the other direction, everything would be jammed for hours.

O RLY?

Years go by. ArmA2 comes out

Edited May 9, 2012 by metalcraze

[NeMeSiS 11]

Its great that you can find videos were it works properly, you can do the same for ArmA2 if you wanted to. AI driving in both games sucked, but in OFP it was easier to get away with since the object density was a lot lower.

[metalcraze 290]

The object density is the same in CWR2's Everon unless grass is taken into account by AI as solid objects. Which doesn't happen. Launch the same mission in CWR2 and you will feel the overburdening pity for AI.

In fact you have a whole "escorting the convoy" mission in CWC campaign. Where AI drives a convoy. And it somehow can move forward in a straight line on a straight road. Then take a convoy mission in ArmA 2... oh wait, convoy missions in ArmA2? Yes good luck with that

Edited May 9, 2012 by metalcraze

[maddogx 13]

Ugh MadDogX that doesn't cut it. They utterly broke driver pathfinding in ArmA2.

Ugh, no one is arguing with that. I'm simply explaining how such things can happen. Or are you suggesting that they broke driver pathfinding intentionally?

The point is: if they took the time to run more test cases, they should be able to find and fix the problems. Such is the way of software development.

[Tonci87 163]

Lets face it guys, the Driving AI in Arma 2 is beyond good and evil. It is a mess. Convoy Missions in Arma 2? Not gonna happen.

[Flash Thunder 10]

Yeah i tested it out the other day on Takistan 2 Urals, 2 atv's and a m1a1 abrams going eastbound, 1 LAV, 2, hummers going westbound they couldn't pass each other, that and the convoy was going extremely slow even though I set their speed in the waypoint to full.

Mainly AI improvements need to be vast in

*Interior pathfinding/independent usage of all buildings/ladders to get to a vantage point or to waypoint

*Vehicle pathfinding, piloting skills less crashing into the side of a hill because they didn't increase altitude.

*Be able to use tools, environment more to their advantage, like if theirs an empty IGLA near by one of the AI can man it to shoot down air threats if one exists. Or if there's fallen soldiers with AT launchers the AI can rearm to use the launcher to take out an armored threat if one exists.

BIS said AI will be getting a lot of work and tweaking so hopefully we can get good judgement in alpha.

[metalcraze 290]

Ugh, no one is arguing with that. I'm simply explaining how such things can happen. Or are you suggesting that they broke driver pathfinding intentionally?

The point is: if they took the time to run more test cases, they should be able to find and fix the problems. Such is the way of software development.

No what I'm saying is that it's been 3 years and BIS doesn't try to fix it. Instead they waste time on animations, some of which now look worse than in ArmA2.

But I guess the fault of the community is also there. More people care about how their soldier looks while running than a competent AI which is a large and important part of the game.

Driving over a rabbit is the same as driving over a civilian? Pfft who cares