[OPEN BETA] [SP] bCombat infantry AI Mod

[Brisse 78]

Tried this mod today. Wow, I'm impressed. Did not think modders would be able to improve the AI since devs are having trouble with it, but this actually improves a lot on the vanilla game.

[fabrizio_t 58]

Welcome back Fabrizio. Thanks for the response. That sounds like a good solution. I've been researching FSM and looking around in FSM editor lately and continue to be impressed with your work.

One of the topics relevant to this discussion is http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?168987-set-a-unit-to-look-out-of-window-function/page3

That's something i coded much time ago (ArmA 2), for some kind of garrison script i've drafted.

I designed it the same way, by using existing building positions and intercepting windows with LOS logic.

I also used to sort positions on z-axis, so that higher ground positions (e.g. roofs) were preferred.

The biggest showstopper was AI units locked into these position acted quite poorly, mostly due to engine constraints: sometimes they just refused to open fire on targets and generally they did behave like "deaf".

Also attacking AI units were very proficient in pinpointing those steady targets (albeit almost hidden), so garrisoned units didn't last long, even in bunkers.

Edited February 9, 2014 by fabrizio_T

[bravo409 13]

I want you all to know something very strange...I used ChrisB mix pbos and have no problems with ai path finding and or grenade throwing there must be something in those codes that is making the path finding work the correct way because I have seen every test I do they use the building and they take positions at windows in building or door ways.. But when I use bcombat all that stops so very strange...must be coding and nothing to do with stable non stable version since I tested both. here are some videos of mix then bcombat ....first mix pbo...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzheMEo5weI....bcombat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=natI1cWaKoU...yes they did use the house in v.15 but not all the time I tested it 5 times 3 out five they used other they just surrounded the house or moved away.

[wedieyounge 10]

fabrizio_T,

BIS should hire you to treat Arma's AI.

Are you planning any updates on bCombat before any other game patch?

[fabrizio_t 58]

fabrizio_T,

BIS should hire you to treat Arma's AI.

Are you planning any updates on bCombat before any other game patch?

Let's have dust settle.

This evening i've run a few tests with latest DEV build (before i tested just a bit with 1.10 stable).

I've noticed 2 sensible issues:

1) Looks like some hits are not registered (e.g. handleDamage is not being triggered at times).

2) Many times in CQB some units just stare eachother. That happens while a doFire command has being issued, so something is wrong.

Edited February 9, 2014 by fabrizio_T

[froggyluv 2136]

Also attacking AI units were very proficient in pinpointing those steady targets (albeit almost hidden), so garrisoned units didn't last long, even in bunkers.

Is it possible to throw a LOS penalty to the outside AI unit that is trying to spot an indoor unit possibly factored by distance?

[fabrizio_t 58]

I want you all to know something very strange...I used ChrisB mix pbos and have no problems with ai path finding and or grenade throwing there must be something in those codes that is making the path finding work the correct way because I have seen every test I do they use the building and they take positions at windows in building or door ways.. But when I use bcombat all that stops so very strange...must be coding and nothing to do with stable non stable version since I tested both. here are some videos of mix then bcombat ....first mix pbo...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzheMEo5weI....bcombat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=natI1cWaKoU...yes they did use the house in v.15 but not all the time I tested it 5 times 3 out five they used other they just surrounded the house or moved away.

Within bCombat, provided you changed bcombat_cover_radius setting, units may move to building positions for cover.

This depends on morale, distance as well as other criteria, all evaluated at the time the danger event is triggered.

So it's unlikely AI units will repeatedly behave exactly the same way, unless situation plays exactly the same.

I tend to consider this a feature, rather than an issue.

Movement to cover position is done via a plain doMove command.

So whenever it fails, it's very likely to be due to some underlying (=engine) pathfinding problems.

bCombat enhanced grenade throwing is broken due to selectWeapon issues, as i wrote many times.

That's not the same as vanilla grenade throwing, which still works as usual, but is not helping much.

Enhanced grenade throwing is better because allows for grenades throwing over obstacles either at long (e.g. over roof) or at point blank range (e.g. over a close wall).

Blind throwing is another enhanced feature.

---------- Post added at 21:14 ---------- Previous post was at 21:07 ----------

Is it possible to throw a LOS penalty to the outside AI unit that is trying to spot an indoor unit possibly factored by distance?

As far as i know it's possible to increase knowledge of a single target, but not reducing it.

Also once target is acknowledged LOS would basically make no difference.

An easy (and raw) way out would be artificially "shielding" units into buildings via some damage reduction coefficient.

This is the way RTS games usually deal with the issue.

---------- Post added at 21:52 ---------- Previous post was at 21:14 ----------

A couple tickets worth voting ...

0016709: Enemy AI Do not fire for some reason

http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=16709

0016084: AI soldiers, especially medic, may get stuck with no reason

http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=16084

Edited February 9, 2014 by fabrizio_T

[GregP 10]

[message deleted]

Edited February 13, 2014 by GregP

[pulstar 55]

Once in a while I encounter units who ambush me from roofs. lol I still haven't adjusted to the AI taking an initiative :P

[PVT Watt.J 14]

Fabrizio,

Would it be possible to work on improving how the AI engages aircraft? In particular, it would be great if AI would be much more aggressive:

-SAW/MG-equipped infantry should be more willing to fire at fast-moving helicopters.

-AT-equipped infantry should be more willing to fire unguided at hovering helicopters.

-MANPAD-equipped infantry should detect and engage high-flying aircraft at much longer ranges (several KM).

Since bcombat handles these individual level behaviors, I would LOVE it if it made some improvements here.

[kremator 1065]

^^ lot of work for niche gain IMHO

[PVT Watt.J 14]

^^ lot of work for niche gain IMHO

Very important for people in that niche (AKA pilots).

[fabrizio_t 58]

Fabrizio,

Would it be possible to work on improving how the AI engages aircraft? In particular, it would be great if AI would be much more aggressive:

-SAW/MG-equipped infantry should be more willing to fire at fast-moving helicopters.

-AT-equipped infantry should be more willing to fire unguided at hovering helicopters.

-MANPAD-equipped infantry should detect and engage high-flying aircraft at much longer ranges (several KM).

Since bcombat handles these individual level behaviors, I would LOVE it if it made some improvements here.

Sorry but i think this should be handled by BIS.

Coding that that by script would be inefficient and likely to collide with low-level targeting mechanics.

Also bCombat is biased towards infantry combat.

[LykosMactire 298]

Fabrizio how do we adjust the AI so Opfor is not smarter than BLUFOR, because when using the A3 Agressors mod the Middle Eastern units just rip apart anything, they should not be as well equipped

[kremator 1065]

How is Fab responsible for the weapons on A3 Aggressors ? Looks like you need to adjust the skill of those units.

[fabrizio_t 58]

Fabrizio how do we adjust the AI so Opfor is not smarter than BLUFOR, because when using the A3 Agressors mod the Middle Eastern units just rip apart anything, they should not be as well equipped

A bit OT, but you may reduce enemy skill within game options.

[pulstar 55]

Wish I could increase enemy AI that's preset in group configurations (which is always set too low), rather than placing single units in the editor to form squads. Maybe there's a trick to apply a certain AI value to a group?

[LykosMactire 298]

A bit OT, but you may reduce enemy skill within game options.

Oh, i didnt know that those setting effected the way they are in the mod, sorry

[Brutal500 10]

I want you all to know something very strange...I used ChrisB mix pbos and have no problems with ai path finding and or grenade throwing there must be something in those codes that is making the path finding work the correct way because I have seen every test I do they use the building and they take positions at windows in building or door ways.. But when I use bcombat all that stops so very strange...must be coding and nothing to do with stable non stable version since I tested both. here are some videos of mix then bcombat ....first mix pbo...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzheMEo5weI....bcombat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=natI1cWaKoU...yes they did use the house in v.15 but not all the time I tested it 5 times 3 out five they used other they just surrounded the house or moved away.

Any chance you can tell me where i can download ChrisB mix pbos? I really wanna try this out with bCombat.

[LykosMactire 298]

is there a way to make AI use building cover more often, i'd like to see guys actually taking cover from attacks with a chance of surviving

[bravo409 13]

Any chance you can tell me where i can download ChrisB mix pbos? I really wanna try this out with bCombat.

check chrisb youtube channel there you will find your answer.

[hlfritz 1]

isn't that all arma 2 stuff re: chrisb pbo mix? I also saw a fairly recent post by him stating 'not using it in arma 3 yet'.

[Brutal500 10]

check chrisb youtube channel there you will find your answer.

yeah, i looked around there before i asked but i guess you can't just tell us??

[foffy 58]

I want you all to know something very strange...I used ChrisB mix pbos and have no problems with ai path finding and or grenade throwing there must be something in those codes that is making the path finding work the correct way because I have seen every test I do they use the building and they take positions at windows in building or door ways.. But when I use bcombat all that stops so very strange...must be coding and nothing to do with stable non stable version since I tested both. here are some videos of mix then bcombat ....first mix pbo...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzheMEo5weI....bcombat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=natI1cWaKoU...yes they did use the house in v.15 but not all the time I tested it 5 times 3 out five they used other they just surrounded the house or moved away.

This may be silly to ask you, but are you using AllInArmA to get the ArmA II AI mods to work in III, or can they just be dragged and dropped?

Also, I have a question regarding this mod. I am not sure if this is the case due to the mods I'm using, but does bCombat have a suppression system in place? I am not sure if a recent update messed with TPW EBS, but I am no longer being suppressed by the enemy anymore, and my character is often left breathing heavily until he dies. In fact, outside of the breathing and some additional sway, it's actually tolerable. :P

[tortuosit 486]

@foffy. I asked before, and to my knowledge BCombat is supposed to do both: suppress you and have Ai suppressed. I wouldnt use the Ai part of the tpw mods therefore.