The single most annoying problem with allied AI right now

[turin turambar 0]

We (my AI squad) have a firefight, they enter in combat (aka "danger" in behaviour menu) mode, icon of a little cross included in hud. We exit from the combat zone, we are already like 1.5 km away, i wait a few minutes... and they are still in combat mode!

And you know how the AI is in that mode: they stop and look around and crouch and go forward and backwards a ton of times for each metre walked. Simple commands like mounting in a vehicle 15 meters away need 3 minutes, and if you need to heal someone don't lose your time giving the order to the medic, the soldier will die before the medic can't reach him from all the little circles and stops he will make!

Of course, it doesn't matter your orders, i tried to change the bevahiour to aware or safe or give them the "no target" order, or even forbid to fire. They remain in combat mode until they think it's totally safe.

Sometimes i think it happens if they "know" a enemy position, even if it's 900 meters away and there is a mountain between, they won't left the 'danger' mode. Or if someone from the squad is in combat, everyone will enter in the same mode, even if the one in combat is 5 kms away, and the rest is in base.

Please Bohemia, fix this. I lost tons of missions, like ambushes or sniper ops or hit and run missions or rescue missions, because the AI doesn't know that "run fast" is sometimes a valid tactic (sometimes even the desirable tactic).

Also, right now the AI is very good, if we forget this issue, but it's a pity when the medic from your squad need 4 minutes to cross the street and heal a soldier or i can't make the enemy lost my trail after a critical sniper shot because the AI can't keep my pace.

[Comrade12 0]

What would be cool is a way to use a headset to tell your team m8s what to do.

Instead of the usual "`" and scroll with mouse thing. That doesnt work that well in my opinion unless your good at it.

I remember doing this with Socom navy seals. I think it would be cool.

[maturin 12]

We were screaming out lungs out the minute the beta patches introduced this months ago. What the heck has been going on since? I know I haven't played as a squad leader if I could help it.

[mrcash2009 0]

What would be cool is a way to use a headset to tell your team m8s what to do.

Instead of the usual "`" and scroll with mouse thing. That doesnt work that well in my opinion unless your good at it.

I remember doing this with Socom navy seals. I think it would be cool.

You can, you can use voice recognition (check my sig for more) :)

AS regards danger mode I will have to look further, I never noticed that they stay stuck in that mode, have you tried a new beta? What version have you got? OA, combined ops, Arma2 only ... patch version?

Edited July 14, 2010 by mrcash2009

[cossack8559 10]

Yep i know the feeling... just the other day my T-55 took a hit which made the crew bail and enter danger mode... so after taking out the enemy rpg team i repair the tank and order them to enter the tank... i even tell them to enter safe mode... it took nearly a whole 5 minutes before the first guy entered and by that time more enemies had come to destroy us! its very frustrating.

Commanding infantry when they won't leave danger mode almost makes me want to put a few rounds in them.

[bwc153 10]

What would be cool is a way to use a headset to tell your team m8s what to do.

Instead of the usual "`" and scroll with mouse thing. That doesnt work that well in my opinion unless your good at it.

I remember doing this with Socom navy seals. I think it would be cool.

Some people did that, you just gotta search around. It works pretty good, but I always had my voice coarse after a while, as you have to make the voices somewhat like your person does ingame. Here's a link to ONE of the 2-3 topics for profiles. This one isn't a freebie, but its the one I tried and I like it the most. http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=96773

Me "2,3,4" Me "IS TEAM BLUE" Me "5,6,7"

Me "IS TEAM RED" Me "TEAM RED" Me "HOLD POSITION"

Me "TEAM RED" Me "ENGAGE" AI "ENGAGING!"

*gunshots* Me "TEAM BLUE" Me "ADVANCE" AI "F*** 3 Is DOWN!" AI "TARGET ELIMINATED!" :icon_rolleyes: Im not sure what it is about 3... but he always seems to take the 1st bullet for me.

I've also noticed that after using it for a while... you start to mimic that way the you sound in-game, if you set the voice similar to yours in the first place.

Anyways, on topic... But try ordering them to stand. I know it sounds odd, but the AI likes to go into aware mode when crouched, and danger mode when prone. This includes if only ONE of your AI guys is that way, so trying to order them out of danger mode often does not work.

[Tempai 10]

Never had this problem in Arma or arma2 as if AI was on Aware they would switch to Danger automatically in contacts then back to Aware soon after all known enemies were clear. But have noticed in OA they stay on Danger even if one of your AI on the other side of the map has enemies in detection range, Dare say BIS will be on to it soon.

[turin turambar 0]

We were screaming out lungs out the minute the beta patches introduced this months ago. What the heck has been going on since? I know I haven't played as a squad leader if I could help it.

I think it's not bad how the AI changes the mode itself when it thinks is dangerous or is safe... but player's orders always should have priority. I even would say it's one of these things were gameplay trumps realism, players orders always have to be obeyed, so if i am in one of the times the AI is wrongly in danger mode, i can rectify it ordering them to aware mode again, is too frustrating otherwise (of course, the other solution where realism is kept is to make a much mooore advanced AI, which i suppose is out of the question, at least until Arma 3).

[r.flagg 11]

There have been numerous threads on this topic. Here's just one other example;

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=92534

What concerns me most, is the apparent possibility that the devs don't even consider this to be a problem. Just reading the forums proves that it's clearly a big deal to many players (and it's the sole reason I've not yet purchased OA), yet it's not so clear that the devs agree, and that they intend to fix it.

[paplate 10]

Thing is, this could easily be fixed if they just gave the player the ability to say "Contact" or "Area Clear!".

Wait...has anyone considered modding this in?

[shataan 1]

I`d like the A.I. Medics to actually make Med`ing a priority. Back in OFP, you could at least move somewhat when injured. But in ARMA 2 and OA, many times I can`1t move at all. So when I call for that Medic, it`d be nice if ultimately, they do get to me.

[Arasaka 10]

I`d like the A.I. Medics to actually make Med`ing a priority. Back in OFP, you could at least move somewhat when injured. But in ARMA 2 and OA, many times I can`1t move at all. So when I call for that Medic, it`d be nice if ultimately, they do get to me.

Agreed.

Last night the Corpsman advanced with the rest of the group and left me behind to bleed out, even after the AI Leader gave him orders to heal me. Similarly, the Corpsman will not heal teammates until I give them the 3 -> 6 order to "Disengage". Sometimes I have to give them the 2 ->1 "No Target" order as well. This is frustrating!

It seems that no AI team members follow orders when they are in "Danger" mode. They do their own thing, and this is really annoying. It makes suppressive fire a waste of time as well, as none of my men will move to a flanking position to take advantage of the fact that we have the enemy pinned down.

[Killerwatt 0]

I`d like the A.I. Medics to actually make Med`ing a priority. Back in OFP, you could at least move somewhat when injured. But in ARMA 2 and OA, many times I can`1t move at all. So when I call for that Medic, it`d be nice if ultimately, they do get to me.

When you find yourself on your back writhing in agony and unable to move, just double tap "W" and you will be able to crawl again. Albeit very slowly.

[victim913 10]

I recommend you get the "copy my stance" addon. As long as you have it turned on the will not only copy your stance but they will stay with you and they won't stop and drop in combat mode unless you have stopped. If you are walking they will walk with you, and if you have the copy my stace or keep low option in the menu they won't even drop down unless you tell them to. And when the heat is on, in your action menu simply turn off copy my stance, and they will go to whatever you havethem set to.

[turin turambar 0]

Link to the addon victim?

Does the AI still use cover and watch different flanks if it's near you?

[froggyluv 2130]

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=8483&highlight=COPY+MY+STANCE

Here ya go. Pretty sure standard AI behaviour remains and this is a very helpful addon. Read the warning though.

[turin turambar 0]

Nah, it didn't work. It seems the "danger" behavior have priority over this addon.

Also, i was playing yesterday the use made mission called Long Day (pretty good, btw). But, i somehow encountered all the AI flaws that have the game in this mission, i suppose it was becasue it was a long one. Let's see:

1. The already mentioned "automatic danger mode" in this thread.

2. AI pilots crashing because they fly too low (two of them!)

3. AI drivers being very slow, even if they only have to drive from point A to B, both of them part of the same road (they didn't have to cross the countryfield or anything like that).

4. AI (with a SMAW) confused with my attack command against an armored target. After 12 minutes he still didn't had got to fire his weapon, having clear vision at the target at 250 mts. Funny thing, he did it by himself later when i just give him a move order.

5. AI (both allies and enemy) recognizing contacts behind a good amount of bushes and high vegetation. In one of the moments i felt soo cheated, i had the exact field of vision of my near AI mates, and they could engage the enemy but not me.

6. AI nowtknowing how to get me out of the car to heal me (had to load a previous save here, as i couldn't switch soldier in this mission).

7. AI medics not giving priority to their heal orders (related with point 1, but apart from fixing (1) i think they should code specifically a higher priority to this).

8. AI crossing like a frigging ghost a wooden high wall-fence from a radiotower base.

And these problems apply to most of the game, as AI have a crucial role in both sp (campaign, sp missions, editor, etc) and multiplayer (most of the community is focused in coop, or in Warfare where the AI is still present).

Oh Bohemia, your game is so schizophrenic. Sometimes so good, sometimes so bad.

Edited July 26, 2010 by Turin Turambar

[Kiki 10]

Yeah I didn't get why in Arma 2 the medic doesn't come to heal you when're you injured, even if I come to him, if he didn't receive the order to heal me, he will even doesn't notice me. In armed assault and oFp when you were gettin beside a medic, you had the "Heal" option, in arma 2 you haven't got it

[turin turambar 0]

Yeah I didn't get why in Arma 2 the medic doesn't come to heal you when're you injured, even if I come to him, if he didn't receive the order to heal me, he will even doesn't notice me. In armed assault and oFp when you were gettin beside a medic, you had the "Heal" option, in arma 2 you haven't got it

If you shout "injured!" the leader will give the medic the order to heal you, if he still hasn't made it. But the problem is when the medic is far away, and there is still some enemies in the area. You can wait 5 minutes until he advances slooowly up to your location.

[nkenny 1051]

To mitigate annoying behaviour.

CHANGE YOUR FORMATION TO EITHER COLUMN (CLOSE) [all-8-8] or DELTA [all-8-9]

Do this when:

- Falling back under fire

- Advancing under fire.

- When you need to haul ass (get in vehicles or for medical attention)

Column(close) and Delta formation have a special property in that the AI will do everything to stay close to the team leader. Apparently disable Bounding Overwatch in the process

Try it.

-k

[Bouben 3]

To mitigate annoying behaviour.

CHANGE YOUR FORMATION TO EITHER COLUMN (CLOSE) [all-8-8] or DELTA [all-8-9]

Do this when:

- Falling back under fire

- Advancing under fire.

- When you need to haul ass (get in vehicles or for medical attention)

Column(close) and Delta formation have a special property in that the AI will do everything to stay close to the team leader. Apparently disable Bounding Overwatch in the process

Try it.

-k

Absolutely true.

[cjph 0]

Agree with the medic thing - I thought they were programmed to get to you and heal automatically if ordered and you are down. I guess I have'nt left it long enough or have the team switch option. It would also be helpful to be able to order them to heal anyone within a specific radius without specific orders.

I wonder if the AI stance behaviour is an attempt at mimicking life - after a contact, I would think (I have no combat experience) you would be very wary of standing up and acting normally, even if ordered. Perhaps the skill level of the AI plays a part in determining the time to stand to ? I must try that.

cj

[sniper pilot 36]

I havnt had this problem yet with OA... (beta patches incl) :-/

[santafee 10]

I also dont get why they still get stuck in danger mode...mentioned 100x times.

Anyway, as the poster here said, you can prevend that if you use Delta as Formation! But please BIS...............fix it