Do the AI have peripheral vision?

[Kyle_K_ski 1]

Hello All,

I was wondering if anybody knew whether or not the AI actually turn their “heads†left to right to take in a greater view of the area that’s around them when they’re assigned a direction. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen my men scanning a certain direction and an enemy AI walks up and shoots them even though they’re clearly WITHIN my men’s peripheral vision, and yet they’re not seen. When AI are assigned a direction, do they get tunnel vision? Is there any way to work around this, such as an AI mod that addresses this all too frequent problem?

Kyle

Nov. 8, 2005

[Dynamax 0]

"three scan horizon"

[suma 8]

They have some peripheral vision, but not very broad - we tried to give them approximatelly the same vision as the player has, including peripheral vision, which should in turn be approximatelly the same as you have in the real life.

Besides of the peripheral vision, AI is also sometimes turning their heads to scan surroundings. This depends on many factors, like if they are already watching some other target, what they hear, etc. It also depends on formation. In formation LINE all soldiers are supposed to watch mostly forward. In other formations, esp. in COLUMN, each is assigned a different direction to watch, which he then scans periodically by turning his head as much as possible.

You can see those directions when you stop, because when stopped, the man turn their body there - in such case they no longer turn their head unless they have some reason to do so.

[Kyle_K_ski 1]

Suma,

Thanks for the nicely detailed reply to inquiry.

It's good to know that the different formations have an influence on just how much the AI "sees," and it's also good to know that their scanning behavior changes based on their formation. Now that I know that having the AI in columns (and I assume staggered columns) instills in them the "desire" to look around more I'll be using said formations more regularly.

Yours,

Kyle

Nov. 9, 2005

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[Heatseeker 0]

Have you ever turned around to be faced with a enemy a.i. unit real close aiming at you but not shooting you on sight?

It spooks me because it almost feels like someone coded conscience into those little bastages, really feels like they dont know if they should shoot you or spare you, not bad for something that might be considered a bug but still, spooky stuff .

[blackdog~ 0]

Have you ever turned around to be faced with a enemy a.i. unit real close aiming at you but not shooting you on sight?

It spooks me because it almost feels like someone coded conscience into those little bastages, really feels like they dont know if they should shoot you or spare you, not bad for something that might be considered a bug but still, spooky stuff .

Indeed it is, I always look right into their eyes and as soon as I think I feel something happening, it's actually a bullet piercing through my body.

[suma 8]

To clarify: my answer described how things work now in the Xbox version. The inner workings of the original OFP are similar, but the details may vary.

[Guest major gandhi]

recently noticed the stuff AI does when in column formation. every soldiers watches an alternative direction and the last one always watches backwards, at least when you stop, that's exactly how it should be. those little details are the essence of OFP's excellence, that's what keeps one playing.

[Heatseeker 0]

Yes, they "see" alot, unfortunatly they cant hear all that well. Like when we hear enemy armor or helos moving around close but your squad a.i. units wont care untill they have it on sight.

Improving a.i. ability to detect enemy movement by sound would be very nice in a possible future game.

Imagine that:

a.i. squad leader "hears" hind helicopter or enemy BMP.

Now imagine that the take cover comand actually works properly .

He could use the order: All, take cover. and once every a.i. unit is hidden he would: All, stealth.

hmm, sry for going slightly OT, i just couldnt resist ...