Zeus AI Combat Skills

Update: A test version of Zeus AI Combat Skills compatible with ArmA 2 and CO or OA

together with further information is available here.

There are a number of new features for those interested in testing, including

dynamic AI response to contact, use of buildings for cover and improved CQB.

If you use ACE, follow the instructions in the readme.

Rumour has it those sneaky folk at BIS cunningly camouflaged a search button

on this page.

Cordon and Search!

For those that find it, it is alledged to reveal answers to any questions...

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Credit and thanks to:

Sickboy (config reference ai_override addon (sb_at_dev-heaven.net))

Jinef for reference values & Hund for setting up the testing!

Zeus (beta testing)

fabrizio_T for reference FAB_character2_mod

Charon Productions for TroopMon2 tool

(http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=88670)

Solus for reference information and improvements

(http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=84968)

BIS and BIKI ref.: http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Main_Page

This mod improves the ability of AI soldiers in a number of key areas:

- Improves AI's ability to spot and engage enemy, extending engagement ranges

out to 500m and beyond

- Changes the speed at which an AI can get a bead on a target

- The AI now reacts to effective enemy fire, before taking casualties

- Accuracy is changed to ensure sustained firefights take place, allowing

movement under contact with good use of cover. Ammunition dispersion and

weapon accuracy are not changed

- AI use smoke and frag. Be aware of your enemy's ability to throw frags!

- AI hearing ability is reduced to realistic levels, enabling a player to make

stealthy close quarter approaches providing he can remain unseen

- Vehicle gunners now react to enemy fire

- Building on the native game feature, AI characters have varying ability to

spot enemy according to role. This is to represent equipment and training

variation, e.g. Observers, Snipers and Officers with Binoculars have greater

ability to detect enemy

- Sniper teams that make effective use of tactics, cover & concealment can now

carry out their mission, especially at extended engagement ranges

- Careful movement and correct use of formation is now an important factor in

improving a soldiers survivability, as are planned ingress and egress routes

- AI react more aggressively under contact and don't give up as easily

- Injuries occur more frequently in firefights. Good drills and wise medics are

now an essential part of the game

It is fully tested in single and multiplayer and causes no known issues.

For coop multiplayer, it is recommended to be installed both on the server and

clients.

If the server is running the mod and you choose not to install it client side,

then any AI you command will be at a disadvantage compared to the server

controlled AI.

It has greatly increased the immersion and challenge of coop play for Zeus,

hope you enjoy it!

// Installation ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Extract the @zeu_cfg_core_ai_skills.7z archive to your main ArmA II directory.

If you don't already have a suitable archiving tool, ref.:

http://www.7-zip.org/

Inside the new @zcommon\Addons directory are the .pbo and .bisign files:

zeu_cfg_core_ai_engagement.pbo

zeu_cfg_core_ai_engagement.pbo.ZEU.bisign

zeu_cfg_core_ai_sensors.pbo

zeu_cfg_core_ai_sensors.pbo.ZEU.bisign

zeu_cfg_core_ai_skills.pbo

zeu_cfg_core_ai_skills.pbo.ZEU.bisign

zeu_cfg_core_ai_spotting.pbo

zeu_cfg_core_ai_spotting.pbo.ZEU.bisign

The .bisign file is to enable players using properly signed addons to join

servers that require them.

Make a copy of the ARMA II shortcut on the desktop or wherever you have it.

Right click the copy and select properties. In the target box, append:

-mod=@zcommon

It should look like this:

"C:\Program Files\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA 2\arma2.exe" -nosplash -mod=@zcommon -maxmem=2047

To load more than one mod folder use semi-colons to separate the mod list:

...\arma2.exe -mod=@mod1;@mod2;@mod3;@zcommon

For an explanation of the -nosplash & -maxmem= parameters, reference the ArmA II

startup parameter page:

http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/ArmA:_Startup_Parameters

Player and server profile skill levels significantly affect gameplay. Empirical

data provides the following recommended skill settings for the profile:

skillFriendly=0.98500001;

skillEnemy=0.98500001;

With the above settings, AI provide good suppression levels, attempt flanking

manoeuvres on spotted enemy while maintaining close formation and also make use

of cover and concealment during movement. Attacks are slower, in larger force

and more deliberate. Spotting distance is slightly extended in comparison to

lower skill settings.

Reducing skill settings to:

skillFriendly=0.5;

skillEnemy=0.5;

With these settings AI tend attack individually or in loose formation with

little regard for use of cover. Frontal attacks are common.

Recommended precision settings for the player/server profile are:

precisionFriendly=0.5;

precisionEnemy=0.2;

Higher precision settings tend to make the AI too accurate, which destroys

some of the immersion. These are recommended values borne out of extensive

testing. You can of course vary them as you wish to make enemy more

lethal, but the window for adjustment is very small for precision: 0.2 - 0.245

Friendly precision is set higher to mitigate against friendly fire and does not

appear to unbalance gameplay when commanding AI squads.

It is recommended that enemy tags are disabled for all difficulty levels by

setting the server profile entries to:

EnemyTag=0;

UltraAI should also be disabled - enabling it makes AI into AK snipers, ruining

any chance of movement under fire:

UltraAI=0;

// Changelog //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Please refer to the readme included with the packages

Video showing some of the AI improvements:

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Downloads

----------

Armaholic mirror:

- Zeus AI Combat Skills & AI Spotting modular

ArmA II Zeus AI Combat Skills for ACE2 mod:

Armaholic mirror:

- Zeus AI Combat Skills & AI Spotting modular - ACE

Protegimus

Nice one :) I always welcome AI improvements.

Awesome. Downloading now :D!

Might check this out. What do Zues have their AI settings set to on their server cfg? Or does this override them?

Err... can we get more details:

- how exactly is this mod different to accuracy setting on server via Arma2Profile config?

- do clients need it or dedicated only?

Daniel;1484563']Might check this out. What do Zues have their AI settings set to on their server cfg? Or does this override them?

Skill is up to the mission maker, accuracy is modified.

Maybe I didn't make it clear, but ideally should be installed on clients as well as server.

.pbo contains source for those interested, if you modify it and make improvements, be sure to let me know.

Good mod.

The one problem I have with it is the detection range. 200m seems a little too short, but I understand it's to force close range firefights and I may just tweak that myself.

Good mod.

The one problem I have with it is the detection range. 200m seems a little too short, but I understand it's to force close range firefights and I may just tweak that myself.

Detection range is well over 200m for a grunt on default 50% skill and almost double the default detection range.

Better for some types of units, but other config work will have to be done to improve it further. If you can help increase it, let me know.

The engage/disengage bug is also fixed by this, whereby all you had to do was step back 1m and the AI would cease fire on you.

Tried this out. Put 4 squads (2 blue, 2 red) on the Utes runway about 250m apart. didnt do anything until I created search and destroy waypoints.

Protegimus:

First off thanks for doing this! :) Second, i would kill for similar values as the ArmA TrueRangeAI addon had. Scoped AI would see you and detect you as hostile from almost the distance you do yourself (human like spotting), and scopeless AI about the same there - shorter range, but similar to where you yourself can distinguish friendly from foe.

Basically those values but then chip off a little extra range so its not exactlly as a human can spot for bit closer engagement ranges (less insane). In ArmA this made you HAVE to go from cover to cover when moving towards enemies, and i cant help think how AI will react in ARMA2 now that they are better to use cover etc. Is that something you would be able to create (wanting/have time to create)?

Ok time to test this addon. Thanks again Protegimus!

Alex

Tried this out. Put 4 squads (2 blue, 2 red) on the Utes runway about 250m apart. didnt do anything until I created search and destroy waypoints.

Yeah gunterlund21, that's a known bug http://dev-heaven.net/issues/show/2209 in the game that this mod doesn't overcome. However, as you reported the impact in a mission is negligable as the two opposing forces are rarely standing still doing nothing in open view.

To immediately appreciate the difference this mod makes you can replace one side in your test mission with a single playable slot, approx. 400m from the enemy. Then first without the mod walk towards the enemy on the runway and note at what distance they engage you, how efficiently they engage you, plus what effect retreating has.

Once done, load the mod and repeat the procedure. The enemy will engage you at significantly longer range and if they have a section leader/officer, he will order them to attack you. Try withdrawing under fire, note that the fire doesn't stop after you step back 1m. In fact no matter how far you withdraw they will suppress you and hunt you down until either you or they are dead, or you escape.

Next, without the mod loaded from your starting position engage one of the enemy section. Note what happens - the enemy obligingly stands completely still while you whack them one by one.

Load the mod and try it again. Move back beyond 500m and try it again...

For anyone or team that plays coop missions against AI, this mod makes missions a great deal more immersive without introducing the old AK headshot at 1km through trees that placing AI on the most difficult settings introduces - which basically ruins play and certainly any possibility of decent infantry movement and combat.

Don't get me wrong, there's still plenty of room for improvement (not least within the game engine itself), but once you've tried the mod in missions rather than synthetic tests like above, I expect you'll want to keep it.

For the guys that asked, Zeus server skill was 0.750000, precision was 0.450000; though this is dependent on the individual mission maker for actual values.

Hope that helps and feel free to fire away with any more questions.

Have you increased dispersion as well?

Have you increased dispersion as well?

Dispersion is not changed as that is a parameter for weapons.

To me that is something that should be a seperate piece of work, released as a seperate module.

One step closer to improving BIS's AI

Once done, load the mod and repeat the procedure. The enemy will engage you at significantly longer range and if they have a section leader/officer, he will order them to attack you. Try withdrawing under fire, note that the fire doesn't stop after you step back 1m. In fact no matter how far you withdraw they will suppress you and hunt you down until either you or they are dead, or you escape.

I have tested it on a mission, indeed, it work. I tested with the last beta patch (60000) included. great work:cool:

Hi,

nice to see people working on AI!

Took a look into your stuff and i was plesed to see some skill values close to those i'm using for my own mod :)

What surprised me was:

spotDistance[] = {0, 1, 1, 100};

I thought "1" was the max allowed value, is actually "100" doing any real difference?

---------- Post added at 03:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:37 PM ----------

Yeah gunterlund21, that's a known bug http://dev-heaven.net/issues/show/2209 in the game that this mod doesn't overcome.

Right, hope to see that fixed soon.

However spotting capabilities can be eventually increased by raising their "sensitivity" param. That works to some extent ...

Hi,

nice to see people working on AI!

Took a look into your stuff and i was plesed to see some skill values close to those i'm using for my own mod :)

What surprised me was:

...

I thought "1" was the max allowed value, is actually "100" doing any real difference?

Hi fabrizio_T, you are quite correct of course "1" is maximum value according to documentation.

In practice however, "100" is not a typo or error in this case, it genuinely adds approx. 70m detection range over and above that which a value of "1" provides.

I am sure this is due to a problem in the detection coding, nevertheless it provides an important boost for the moment.

Right, hope to see that fixed soon.

However spotting capabilities can be eventually increased by raising their "sensitivity" param. That works to some extent ...

I've been reading your thread with great interest - fantastic work and I look forward to being able to check it out.

You are way ahead of me in this field I'm sure, but if I can be of help let me know.

Ref. sensitivity, I'm looking at that and a number of additional areas to add to the existing work and thank you for your feedback.

Hi fabrizio_T, you are quite correct of course "1" is maximum value according to documentation.

In practice however, "100" is not a typo or error in this case, it genuinely adds approx. 70m detection range over and above that which a value of "1" provides.

I am sure this is due to a problem in the detection coding, nevertheless it provides an important boost for the moment.

I've been reading your thread with great interest - fantastic work and I look forward to being able to check it out.

You are way ahead of me in this field I'm sure, but if I can be of help let me know.

Ref. sensitivity, I'm looking at that and a number of additional areas to add to the existing work and thank you for your feedback.

I can sense the forming of a beautiful friendship occurring here ;)

Hi fabrizio_T, you are quite correct of course "1" is maximum value according to documentation.

In practice however, "100" is not a typo or error in this case, it genuinely adds approx. 70m detection range over and above that which a value of "1" provides.

I am sure this is due to a problem in the detection coding, nevertheless it provides an important boost for the moment.

I've been reading your thread with great interest - fantastic work and I look forward to being able to check it out.

You are way ahead of me in this field I'm sure, but if I can be of help let me know.

Ref. sensitivity, I'm looking at that and a number of additional areas to add to the existing work and thank you for your feedback.

Thx for your reply.

I tried using "100" as value for spotDistance and it seems to work.

I think this longer detection range may cope well with a slightly increased sensitivity value, since this will help in properly identifying as friend/foe targets being detected.

Looking forward to your progress with this mod.

Version 1.01 is released which adds zeu_cfg_core_ai_spotting.pbo

This introduces changes for almost all character classes to the following values:

accuracy = // accuracy needed to recognize type of this target

camouflage = // how dificult to spot - bigger - better spotable

sensitivity = // sensor sensitivity

fabrizio_T - thank you for the reference config and thanks to Jinef for the values he developed.

If you are already using the initial release version 1.00, please delete it before installing the new version.

The modular approach is used so that you can use either or both modifications according to your preference.

With respect to gameplay, AI can now spot, ID and engage enemy at extended distances. A base rifleman with 50% skill will spot and engage you at around 450m if you are moving out in the open. Other classes are a threat at even greater distances.

If you engage the enemy (again using a base rifleman as an example) they will react and return suppressive fire out to almost 600m.

AI now also react to each other much earlier than before. Static AI without orders will now spot, ID and engage to just over 350m - a considerable improvement on the default behaviour reported above.

Moving wisely using cover and concealment will be rewarding. Snipers still have a useful edge on concealment.

Moving carelessly in the open will quickly get you into a firefight - perhaps just not on your terms any more...

Hopefully this is getting closer to what some of the feedback/suggestions raised. Next up I'll look at vehicles, armour and aircraft to see what can be done there.

Nice work, will test it when I get home. Implying detection based on camouflage is indeed a great idea.

Just theoretically, can unit detection and engagement ranges of AI be separated? So that opposing sides detecting each other somewhat further than the effective ranges of their weapons and will try to move closer (for example rifleman detecting enemy at ~800m, and gets closer to 500-300m before firing on them)

In Arma 1 I remember I made a mission on Rahmadi where two squads started at the opposing side of the "runway" (I was one of the squad leaders), started to reveal targets at 8-600m. machine gunners and SAW equipped soldiers started to engage at about ~500m, rifleman started to engage about ~250-350m (of course on the other hand there were several problems with unit cohesion, AI running at each other in straight line, ect,ect...)

I don't remember exactly wich mod I used it was either SLX or ECS (or both together)

I can sense the forming of a beautiful friendship occurring here ;)

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:D

Thanks for this guys!

For those interested in running these addons ion a dedicated server, the Zeus server uses the following settings for all difficulty ranges in it's ArmA2.cfg file

skillFriendly=0.75;

skillEnemy=0.75;

precisionFriendly=0.45;

precisionEnemy=0.45;

Protegimus's testing has been done at these values

I have this running on our dedi server, damn it's tough going but lots of fun.

Do the players need the mod loaded client side as well as on the server? I'm not sure what drives the friendly AI the client computer or the server...

One thing that may or may not be within your power to affect, is there a way to make the friendly bots aware of arcs of fire so they don't walk in front of you as your firing??? How many times..."Blue on blue, your firing on friendly! Wounded!" Grrrr it's a damn big gun! I have been suppressing that area for half clip, don't walk in front!! Anyhow, thanks for your mod and please keep up the good work...

If AI is in a player's group then that AI is local to the player, so if the player doesn't have the addon and the server does his AI will be dumber than the server's.