Making AI Drivers just do as they're told?

[Radic 0]

Something that bugs the crap outta me in ArmA - and OFP as a matter of fact - is that when you have overall command of a vehicle, your instructions are not simply performed by the driver - instead they're evidently filtered thru the AI.  

I would like to know if it's possible to modify the AI so that drivers simply do EXACTLY as you order WHEN you order it - ie. you press the forward command key and they will immediately go straight ahead - press "fast" and they'll IMMEDIATELY go fast - instruct turn left or right and they'll IMMEDIATELY make the turn.  This would make it your job to avoid driving into impassable obstacles - but that would not be too difficult IMO and the AI manages to do that pretty well at the moment anyway (drive INTO obstacles I mean) - but with lots of hesitation and BUGGERING ABOUT!  

The benefit would essentially be that you can still effectively drive the vehicle directly while manning a station other than the driver's position - this is evidently the intent of the already existing command system in place - but it's flawed - so my idea I think has great merit.

Can anyone point me in the right direction for how / where to edit the AI to make this so??

[.kju 3245]

Not sure if it actually helps:

Map NoVoice

Quote[/b] ]This pbo file eliminates the acoustic feedback of the teammates.

and therefore should act faster...

[Flat!!! 0]

That won't work as they never even reply to the commands they just do them. I totally agree with you Radic... Especially when standing still and you want to turn and go forward they seem to only turn without even hitting the throttle

[Benoist 0]

AHAHHAg

I'm with you Radic.

I HATE how the AI drives, it make me nuts!

I allways go to the driving position and then to the gunner position, because they not only respond slow when the drive, they also do that when they fire.

If someone find a way, i'm in.

[mr burns 132]

If it would be easy to fix, BIS would supposedly have done it that way right form the start.

All i can imagine is that they tried helping Jonny AI to speed up on his thinking process and then all the routines got fubared (i.e. tanks running full throttle into the sea, choppers flying upside down, etc.), so in the end they chose the lesser evil and left us with all those retard student drivers.

edit: typo

[NoRailgunner 0]

Lets make a poll for better AI driving/pathfinding in next patch - only with "Yes" and "No" votings.

After release next poll - AI should find waypoint:

a) fastest way

b) shortest way

c) safe way

d) right way

...

[Radic 0]

I definitely think the AI pathfinding could be improved - but in the meantime I can actually live with the existing pathfinding as in how the drivers find their way to a selected distant crosshair position, map selected co-ordinate or current or next waypoint - my beef is with the direct command system which is a mishmash of your instruction then being ruminated upon for an indeterminate period of time then executed in usually very contrary ways (command forward, vehicle wobbles for a while then spins 90 degrees and charges of in a completely different direction to where "forward" originally was!

- IMO it would be a whole lot simpler if - with regard to "Forward", "Fast Forward", "Reverse", "Left" and "Right" commands - the drivers simply did exactly what you've instructed - IMMEDIATELY!! - if you 're pointing at a tree or building then it's your bad. Such an immediate response method would make life a whole lot easier when trying to get from A to B or even in combat whilst trying to man the commander's position or a gunners station.

I also think vehicles need a "maneover tactical" command - ie. so that a tank driver can be commanded thus, which would mean he'd keep the tank moving in the combat area while you as commander concentrated on selecting targets or as gunner concentrated on hitting them. That command could even be broken down to "maneouver offensive" - close with the target but keep moving and changing direction, "maneouver combat" - maintain line of sight whilst keeping roughly constant current distance and "maneover defensive" (or "maneover retreat") - get the heck outta dodge - ie. break line of sight + increase distance as rapidly as possible.

[bravo 6 0]

Im not so sure if we will get a better Ai then what we have now.

I hope we do but i thought BIS already improved/fixed this issue with AI path in last patch 1.08

To me its the same, i didn't notice any improvements.

Maybe in 1.09..

.. maybe not

edit: typo

[ArmaVidz 0]

Jesus I'd be happy if the damn driver kept the hull straight travelling in one direction while the gunner fires without flipping the hull right/left wildly like a wilf boar with a bad case of bobble-head.

[Radic 0]

My modification on just letting the AI drive to the next waypoint or a selected co-ordinate is to periodically just command "forward" then alternate this with respecifying the co-ordinate/waypoint to get him more or less back on track.

Maybe another option to compex stuff like the maneouvering commands I described is - after establishing the direct response system I'm after - have an option called "Maneouver Tactical" where the movement commands are still obeyed promptly but "Forward" is actually a snaking path - I could live with that as a way of combat environment driver control in anything from Hummers to MBT's