Stress Simulation Module

[instagoat 133]

Hello, BIS

I´ve been playing some stealthy sneaky missions recently, and had an Idea regarding how to make the AI react more realistically on the battlefield. Right now, they have a solid system to simulate realistic reactions to situations on the battlefield, deciding to retreat, being suppressed and searching for enemies they have spotted.

However, I think a more advanced system to simulate stress and fear would be helpful, especially for stealth-missions.

To my Idea: Instead of using scripting solutions, I think it would be great if this could be made as a placeable editor-module.

The Modules would come in two forms: Individual and Global.

The purpose of the Modules is to create more advanced stress simulation for the Units affected by it.

Each Unit affected would be assigned a "Stress Level". This value would be compared to their skill level, and yield different results for each skill level.

For example: A 8 man group of insurgents (all with less than 50 % skill level) are assigned to a global Stress Module, with the stress level placed at 0 %.

0% Stress means the Units are completely relaxed and not expecting any threats. Their spotting range and speed are reduced, their reaction time is reduced and they will be more prone to panic when attacked.

Now this group stumbles over a group of US Marines sweeping trough their area. These have high skill levels and are also attached to a stress module, with their level placed at 50 %. They would spot the enemy quickly, they would react with coordination and not be prone to panic once the air gets a high lead content.

The Insurgents, because of their low skill combined with low stress, don´t spot the Marines until they open fire. The Insurgents take casualties: Low skill + 0% Stress + No spotted enemies + Casualties would immediately catapult the stress level to 100%, and have the Units fall into a panic.

Panicking Units would begin to spray bullets into every general direction, and ignore orders as they try to get into cover. Units that are panicking also should even detach themselves from their parent Unit and hightail it out of the combat zone (Desertion) if skill level is lower than a certain level (say, 25%).

The Marines, as soon as the enemy begins to return fire would probably raise their Stress level too, and would begin to favour rapid fire over single shots in an attempt to bring the threats down as quickly as possible.

Similarily, if a Unit of insurgents, placed in a forest at night, with stress-level set to 50 % comes across a board, they may mistake it for an enemy Unit and begin spraying the forest in an attempt to kill the perceived attacker.

Right now I think some kind of tool like this would make for more realistic scenarios, and you could play some nice tricks in missions using this.

For example, you could deliberately raise the stress-level of an enemy Unit by picking them off one by one, and at some point they would break and run for it, making it easy to eliminate them. I am not sure if the current AI does support things like this in its Vanilla state, however so far I don´t feel it does.

I hope this is at least a little source of inspiration, somehow.

cheers

[Psilocybe 3]

I like the idea, but do not mistake all insurgents to be a bunch of no brain idiots with a weapon in their hand. If this could be done, it would be pretty good though.

[jasonnoguchi 11]

Try GL4. Its all there.

[Asmodeuz 54]

To start commenting this briefly: the line should be drawn here where it is now.

You don't stress too much sitting in front of your screen and playing these games, because you have the possibility to revert your mission anytime, so why should AI get stressed out when you don't.

Yes, it would be a realism boost, but then again, read the second sentence again and think out loud "adding realism to that extent would be just useless, yeahhh".

[xPaveway 10]

The thing about simulating fear response and suppression etc in games is that it can make it unrealistic.

Yes in reality your adrenaline will probably start flowing pretty damn good when you're in the middle of a firefight, but what if your response was beneficial? I.e. you react well under the pressure.

These kinds of things need to be left to the actual person playing the game, not the game itself. Maybe my soldier in the game can't handle it, but in real life I could. It's just penalizing the player.

Now I realize you're talking about the AI, but I think the same thing applies to both them and us. I don't think it's fair to FORCE the AI (or players) to totally panic in a firefight. Sorry, this is just one of my pet peeves about "realism". While the idea is interesting, I think this could be achieved with perhaps just fleeing and the skill level (i.e. they don't aim very well, but it's not due to them "panicking"), which is up to the mission maker if they want to make the enemies a bunch of dolts.

[sic-disaster 311]

I would love to see something like this, but i wouldnt make it global for all units.

A mission maker should synch a squad to the module, so not all squads will panic and possibly flee.

But i definitely agree it would be cool to have some more different reactions for the AI.

As far as stress for the player goes, it already is simulated (note your weaponsway when you are taking close fire, and your breathing).