My Arma 2 AI opinion,good points and some flaws!

[krycek 349]

I'm a single player freak so I didn't played too much in multiplayer,always enjoyed BI games although Arma 1 was unplayable before it was heavily updated,so here is my opinion regarding the AI aspect in Arma 2 after a few days of playing with the editor(didn't start the campaign yet).

AI infantry,with lock and load order they advance tactically,covering each other,using cover and basically not killing themselfs like morons(like in Arma 1).Although in some situations they are still killed especially when the enemies are expecting them coming from a street or a corner.

Also pathfinding is improved,I was playing with high command module and I was positioned on that tall factory building in Chernogorsk ordering a squad of 20 men around the streets of the city,I didn't see anyone get stucked in a fence or a building and basically they did what I ordered them to do without problems.

AI tanks,again no problem here they engage their targets without problems choosing the higher threat,again I'm comparing this with Arma 1 when it was released,back then the AI tanks didn't even engage targets unless I choosed targets for them.I noticed some problems with tanks and apc bouncing in the sky like friggin rockets:p when hitting a rock but that didn't happened very often.

AI driving,oh boy here we have big problems,it's a mess trying to lead a convoy of cars or trucks,BIS I hope you improve this,for ex. in a convoy of 3-4 cars those behind me decide to leave the road for a few seconds even in a straight line,of course halting the convoy every 50 meters.Even when I order a single car to move from point A to B the driver suddenly decides to leave the road hitting a rock,tree,fence,house or whatever,it's like I'm in a car with a psychopat,it's something like this:driving for 30-50 m "oooh a tree" BAM,reverse, getting on the road again for 30-50 m and the situation repeats itself.

AI flying choppers and aircraft,I must say BIS improved some things and screwed up others,for ex. in Arma 1 even after latest patch in a A-10 or Cobra I was shot down by a stinking UAZ with a machinegun on top.In Arma 2 the real danger to aircraft is the AA units like it should be,no more getting killed by BRDMs or technicals so fast that was almost useless flying(and no I wasn't flying in the middle of the enemy camp).Yes,it still happens from time to time but no big problem.

There are other big issues here and I hope BIS will improve things,for ex ordering an chopper to stop,it will make that chopper to hover until the end of the map,or God knows how many times they crashed in a tree or instead landing in a clear area the pilot choose to land in the friggin forest.

I also still see some old problems from the OFP era,c'mon guys it's 2009 no offence,I'm talking about about 2 or 3 AI choppers or aircraft flying together and crashing into one another,couple this with AI copters loving the trees and it's really frustrating.Even today I was flying in a F-35 and my A-10 wingman crashed into me.I don't expect ultra smart AI but just make it work like it should.Also change the engage angle of the planes,they still dive too low and although they destroy everyting I tell them they can't gain altittude in time and they crash in tall buildings or trees.

Long post I know,but after playing for a few days with the editor this is my impression regarding the AI,I know it was just released and I also know BIS it's the only company whom I trust will patch their games even after a long time has passed.With the problems that I wrote I feel that Arma 2 in this current version it's very playable unlike Arma 1.I admit I didn't tried the campaign because I heard of some bugs and screwed up missions so I'm waiting for the next patch to start that.

I also know that perhaps for many the multiplayer aspect is what matters in this game but I'm also sure that many others also like the single player and I hope BI will not neglect this part.

Forgot about the Artilery and Civilians modules,the MLRS and Grad Artilery is broken in this patch and with the civilians module I sometimes see civilians stucked in buildings or doors,or even dead ones.Those stuked in doors are really scary,found one in a door at night with enemies chasing me.:)

Edited July 10, 2009 by Krycek

[Sabbathius 10]

Good post, good feedback. But have you noticed "insanely accurate" AI, especially the vehicles? I haven't noticed this when it comes to infantry, but any vehicle with a machinegun mounted on it in the demo can score a headshot on a prone person from up to 600m.

Example, I'm in the grass behind a tree prone at 600 from a jeep, I start shooting at it, the gunner shoots me in the head. I'm crawling through bushes and see some infantry at 500m, I start shooting it, an APC comes out of the town and shoots me in the head. I'm in the gunner seat of an attack chopper, we're did a pass over town and turning for another go, I die, camera zooms in on the T84 tank, and based on the angle it used the machinegun mounted on top of the turret. Don't know the exact distance in this last case, but I do know the tank was on the other end of town, so probably at least 500-700m range.

This was in the demo, and it's actually the reason I still haven't bought the full game, if this kind of stuff happens it's not something I enjoy. Were these just freak accidents, or does this sort of uncanny accuracy happen often? This wasn't even on high difficulty setting, but these shots should be impossible to make.

[Kupla 10]

Good post, good feedback. But have you noticed "insanely accurate" AI, especially the vehicles? I haven't noticed this when it comes to infantry, but any vehicle with a machinegun mounted on it in the demo can score a headshot on a prone person from up to 600m.

Example, I'm in the grass behind a tree prone at 600 from a jeep, I start shooting at it, the gunner shoots me in the head. I'm crawling through bushes and see some infantry at 500m, I start shooting it, an APC comes out of the town and shoots me in the head. I'm in the gunner seat of an attack chopper, we're did a pass over town and turning for another go, I die, camera zooms in on the T84 tank, and based on the angle it used the machinegun mounted on top of the turret. Don't know the exact distance in this last case, but I do know the tank was on the other end of town, so probably at least 500-700m range.

This was in the demo, and it's actually the reason I still haven't bought the full game, if this kind of stuff happens it's not something I enjoy. Were these just freak accidents, or does this sort of uncanny accuracy happen often? This wasn't even on high difficulty setting, but these shots should be impossible to make.

I have noticed exactly the same thing. Once me and my friend were playing a seize the area mission in the demo, and decided to run downhill in a forest around 500m from a car. Then suddenly the UAZ shot me with a short burst out of nowhere...

[maturin 12]

I've heard that calling 'Safe' in commands improves AI driving skill. They're less cautious and actually use the road.

[krycek 349]

Yep they still have deadly accuracy,I guess this is another legacy from Ofp era,although lowering the enemy skill could also affect their laser accuracy.

It's weird but in fact I noticed firefights last a little longer when I set the enemy AI difficulty to 0.30 or 0.50 and allied AI to full.This applies to infantry combat,the apcs or technicals still kill you very fast,but hey look at the birght side this also applies to your allies,now those 50 cal. Humvees are better at something.

About the safe command,that's how I usually order my convoy(including the column formation) or my AI ride to drive and it worked in Arma 1 patched but here doesn't work so well,they still love to drive a little then "admire" the scenery instead of keeping the damn vehicle on the road.If you also have forest on both sides of the road then you're really in for some fun,I had an Lav,an MTVR and a Humvee stucked because they were trying to get on the road after the Humvee crashed in a tree.At that moment I pulled out all the AI drivers and got the vehicles on the road by myself.Talking about one man army.:)

Edited July 10, 2009 by Krycek

[topeira 10]

i got a warning for starting a thread about the AI cuz there is one already opened so aexpect a warning and close.

about the AI - the thing that bugs me the most is that u can't get within 100 meters from them without them instantly knowing where u r. u cant sneak up on the AI at all.

use the editor- place yourself behind some AIs and dont move or do anything. they will turn and shoot u even if u didnt make any noise or gave any reason for them to turn.

[SEAL84 0]

I've heard that calling 'Safe' in commands improves AI driving skill. They're less cautious and actually use the road.

This.

Since the early days of OFP it's always been this way. When not in safe mode the drivers will not stick to the road for very long.