VFAI - AI Extension - ARMA II

[nettrucker 142]

Dear Victor

i'm using your VFAI addon for my current campaign still WIP, it's a great addon the only thing is that I'm having constant problems with script errors and missing config bin classes type hand grenade and so on. I enhanced my ArmA II mod launch Icon with the show Script errors command line and indeed it's giving a whole lot of scripting errors. I installed it just to understand if I would be able to fix them by myself but my scripting knowledge is only basic and I did not mess around with your scripts to avoid messing up things. It's not really a game breaking thing but the missing config bin entries are, because they are popping up from time to time which is quite a show stopper ' Cause they stop the game. You gotta click on the OK button and then you can proceed to play. I downloaded the latest version I could find last week. But I'm still receiving all the errors mentioned before. Is there any chance that this will be fixed, otherwise I'm forced to remove your addon which would be kind of bad, because it's really helpful. If you want I can send you all the error messages I receive in order to understand. best would be if you could also check adding the show script errors to your ArmA launch icon command line.

Is there any chance that you could take a look at that problem?

Thanks

Best regards

nettrucker

[dmarkwick 261]

I still use this excellent addon too even with all the recent AI fixes & improvements. One of a very few addons that I ALWAYS enable. Any improvements to this addon are always welcome :)

[VictorFarbau 0]

True, it's time VFAI gets a review. Lack of time lately; business requires my attention hence I am lacking the hours to spend on scripting.

Anyway, I'll do my best to at least get rid of this error popping up (saw it myself).

VictorFarbau

[manzilla 1]

True, it's time VFAI gets a review. Lack of time lately; business requires my attention hence I am lacking the hours to spend on scripting.

Anyway, I'll do my best to at least get rid of this error popping up (saw it myself).

VictorFarbau

Poor excuse, poor excuse! ;)

Take your time bud. It's nice seeing you around.

[kroky 1]

True, it's time VFAI gets a review. Lack of time lately; business requires my attention hence I am lacking the hours to spend on scripting.

Anyway, I'll do my best to at least get rid of this error popping up (saw it myself).

VictorFarbau

Just to let you know, Im using your addon since it came out for ArmA I ALWAYS. Its kinda standard for me.

The only thing I would like to see updated to it is:

- AI rearm at ammo boxes

- AI rearm at trucks, APCs, tanks

- AI pick up weapons and magazines lying on the ground

- AI pick up weapons that suits the situation: I.e. when they see a tank they look for a launcher EVEN if they already are full equipped.

A little issue I have for a long time already with VFAI:

- Even when I disable the rearming through the menu (global or for my group), it enables automatically after some time. Maybe this is related to some other mod, cause Im running a lot of them at the same time. (With success and good frame rates.)

Thank you for a great addon, enhancing the gameplay a lot.

[nettrucker 142]

True, it's time VFAI gets a review. Lack of time lately; business requires my attention hence I am lacking the hours to spend on scripting.

Anyway, I'll do my best to at least get rid of this error popping up (saw it myself).

VictorFarbau

Thank you so much. I perfectly understand, time problems are a major issue I suffer myself, not withstanding a weekly planning. Your addon is awesome the only annoying thing I encounter are missing entries in the config bin related to weapons. Handgreandes and some other. Enabling the show script errors I see lot of different minor errors popping up on screen. Nothing serious I guess, because without enabling show script errors everything seems to run ok and no error messages are showing. The biggest show stopper are the missing config bin entries which are popping up once in a while. If you want I took some screen shots of the error messages I receive and I could send them to you in case you need some further info.

Thanks again.:D

Kind regards

nettrucker

[VictorFarbau 0]

@nettrucker, let me first go back and so some homework on VFAI. With the next version rolled out I'd be happy to hear about further errors from you.

@Kroky, the old and obvious request. Biggest obstacle is that there is still no way to query any kind of external "weaponholder", be it vehicles, the ground or ammoboxes. Even the latest BIS_fnc library seems to be of no help here.

Robalo_AS had an idea how to use ammoboxes - not sure the concept would fit into the VFAI loop. Anyway it was an interesting idea and we'll see if it materializes into some "plug-in" of VFAI.

Cheers,

VictorFarbau

PS: After you have read this post, please make way for ACE beta thread again. Thank you ;)

[manzilla 1]

PS: After you have read this post, please make way for ACE beta thread again. Thank you ;)

What's over there? Are you posting something?

[kroky 1]

@Victor Farbau

There is an issue with VFAI and ACE2. I.e. when a soldier is equipped with a weapon that doesnt use ammo - like the disposable launchers, then AI would drop the weapon right at the mission start. I know you can change this by ordering them not to drop the weapons in the console. But is it possible to make them to keep this kind of weapons?

[dondaddah 10]

i've been using this addon since i installed the game.

i have yet to see the AI attempt to rearm themselves on the Battlefield.

They are forever turning red when they run out of ammo, and shouting complaints about it.

I am ALWAYS the one having to direct them to get weapons and/or ammo with the 'gear' or 'rearm' commands.

And yes, this time i have read through this whole thread before posting.

And yes, the VFAI is in my mods string, and the console does show up in game.

I'm just getting jealous that mine isn't working as advertised.

Any suggestions?

ps.

i have even called the all clear 'safe' command, and waited, and waited, and waited ... well u get the idea.

[VictorFarbau 0]

@Kroky - I think I will either disable the "drop weapons" feature alltogether or at least make it less prominent. I wonder if it has any use after all; especially since it causes odd behaviour when used with non-standard classes such as specific addon weapons. Point for the next update (ETA 2 weeks from now).

@dondaddah - I have observed that behaviour myself. Based on what I saw here are my conclusions:

1. No threat: units behave all fine and take weapons.

2. Higher threat level (awareness shows units around): longer response time, frequent prone position sometimes leads to timeouts

3. High threat level (units being shot at): units will stay put even if you script them to go elsewhere. The threat level is being determined by the AI; setting the unit behaviour to "SAFE" or similar won't have any effect.

Hence, the override policy would be: Player command -> engine AI command -> script command.

Unfortunately situation 3 often coincides with the biggest need for weapons and ammo but then units are tied to the ground and won't react to move commands from scripts.

Cheers,

VictorFarbau

[dmarkwick 261]

Only last night did I ever make use of the ingame dialogue box, to try and prevent my units from rushing forward to dead bodies. I set the option to "disable" but a couple of minutes later I noticed them continuing with the behavior, and when I checked the dialogue box it had reset to "enabled".

Couple of times this happened.

[kroky 1]

Only last night did I ever make use of the ingame dialogue box, to try and prevent my units from rushing forward to dead bodies. I set the option to "disable" but a couple of minutes later I noticed them continuing with the behavior, and when I checked the dialogue box it had reset to "enabled".

Couple of times this happened.

For me this happens ALWAYS. No matter how often I order them to disable for pick up weapons. And no matter if I do it for my group only or global.

I think this addon has to be rechecked. There have been many changes since its release. I for now disabled it because there are too many issues with it. Like dropping weapons which dont have magazines...

[dondaddah 10]

and unlike you guys i have NEVER seen my AI squad members rearm themselves on the battlefield. i have ALWAYS had to give each individual member who yells '"out of ammo" the 'get gear' commands.

i've tried everything:

stand down - "be aware"

"safe"

"disengage"

SIGH!

[VictorFarbau 0]

This control panel is really a pain in the butt. I am not happy with it either. I am currently working on an improved and optmized version of VFAI where I will use a userconfig file instead.

@dondaddah, hold on for the next release. If you then still observe the same behaviour please let me know in a PM; we'll get to the bottom of this.

Cheers,

VictorFarbau

[kroky 1]

This control panel is really a pain in the butt. I am not happy with it either. I am currently working on an improved and optmized version of VFAI where I will use a userconfig file instead.

@dondaddah, hold on for the next release. If you then still observe the same behaviour please let me know in a PM; we'll get to the bottom of this.

Cheers,

VictorFarbau

Happy to read this. Really looking forward to the next version. Please try to make it ACE compatible, since its the mod that almost everybody has nowadays.

[VictorFarbau 0]

Updated 1st post with the new revision. Primary objective in this release was to restore functionality and ease of use. I have split the code into a simplified and a complex path. For now I am pursuing the simplified path to focus on speed and better compatibility to things such as ACE and other mods. Development to be continued.

Before updating please remove all old VFAI files from your addon folder. The Control Panel addon is obsoleted as of this revision - it never worked so well in Arma II anyway.

Cheers,

VictorFarbau

[kroky 1]

After a short run it works well. I will be using the new version for the next missions and lets see how it works.

[dondaddah 10]

@dondaddah, hold on for the next release. If you then still observe the same behaviour please let me know in a PM; we'll get to the bottom of this.

Cheers,

VictorFarbau

i am late for the Party as usual.

THANK YOU very much the direct response.

Between You and Manzilla i am beginning to feel like a member of the 'Family'.

(... well ... at least a distant cousin for now) :)

Salute.

IRIE.

[AnimalMother92 10]

Thanks for the update :)

[Guest]

Release frontpaged at the Armaholic homepage.

VFAI - AI Extension build 0.13



Community Base addons

[kuIoodporny 45]

What about firedNear EH for smoke shells? :)

[manzilla 1]

Thank you Victor! It's great to see an update. Your time is greatly appreciated. Thanks again bud.

[domokun 515]

I really like this idea.

Can it be installed on just the server?

Or does it need to be also installed on clients?

[kroky 1]

@Victor

Would it be possible to include the function in VFAI, so that AI team mates would pass magazines to each other in case they are low or out of ammo, before looking for other weapons?