AI revision: High angle leadshots below nose

[216th_Jordan]

Hello,

 

this has been a real problem and joykiller:

 

Problem: The AI is able to pull high angle deflection shots while it cannot 'physically' see its target below the nose. In this way it is often not possible to properly evade enemy gunfire and makes many tactics useless as the AI sniperaims with surround view.

 

Suggestion:

#1 If possible AI should be able to make leadshots where it cannot see, but if it does it has to assume your position based on the last time it was actually seeing you. (lets say it pulls lead for a second and then tries to get the target back into sight, assuming a linear flightpath for the time the enemy plane is invisible)

#2 Otherwise if this is too complicated maybe a compromise could be found that AI can see 1 or 2 degrees below the nose blocking angle to simulate the ability of it to make realistic leadshots. (this could then be applied to different AI levels)

Edited April 1, 2018 by 216th_Jordan

[sniperton]

I have the impression that the AI has a transparent cockpit and I'm not sure that he is 'aware' whether the target would be visible or invisible to him under normal circumstances (a sort of Wonder Woman View). 

[CountZero]

If you extract game .gtp data you will have ai folder with comands and limits for each airplane in files, and skill type, and there you can see their angle of fire limits, i didnt try to edit and test in mod if its posible to adjust them and play with AI behavior that way and maybe inprove some of their errors, maybe you can play with thouse and get what you wont. If you show it in mod that is better then in game maybe its easyer to convince them to edit it.

 

This is just small part for P-40 AI from thouse files, novice and ace skill differance in limits, maybe changing stop and start fire angles could improve on what you wont:

 

Spoiler

 

 [novice]
        RefNoseAngle      = 30.0
        MinCAS1           = 200.0
        MaxCAS2           = 650.0
        MaxPitchRate      = 180.0
        AttackDistance    = 500.0
        EngageDistance    = 1500.0
        MinFireDistance   = 50.0
        MaxFireDistance   = 200.0
        MinOpenFireAngle  = 14.0
        MaxOpenFireAngle  = 7.0
        MinStopFireAngle  = 28.0
        MaxStopFireAngle  = 14.0
        CollisionTimeTreshold  = 3.0
        HBTNegativeRoll        = -60.0
        HBTPositiveBTRoll      = 60.0
        InterceptAltitudeAdvance = 0.0

 

    [ace]
        RefNoseAngle      = 30.0
        MinCAS1           = 200.0
        MaxCAS2           = 450.0
        MaxPitchRate      = 180.0
        AttackDistance    = 2000.0
        EngageDistance    = 3000.0
        MinFireDistance   = 50.0
        MaxFireDistance   = 400.0
        MinOpenFireAngle  = 5.5
        MaxOpenFireAngle  = 1.5
        MinStopFireAngle  = 6.8
        MaxStopFireAngle  = 1.8
        CollisionTimeTreshold  = 3.0
        HBTNegativeRoll        = -80.0
        HBTPositiveBTRoll      = 80.0
        InterceptAltitudeAdvance = 1000.0

 

 

[216th_Jordan]

Good find! @77.CountZero

I'll given that a try.

[Blutaar]

It is obvious that the AI has the ability to shoot while the nose should block thiere view. Even if there is a restriction it seems not to work how it should then. Just my observation and not documented fact of course.

[216th_Jordan]

It appears that AI is shooting less high angle shots with a lower RefNoseAngle, however the AI seems to also behave differently, for example it will disengage a lot quicker, which makes me think that the less shots are more a sideeffect.

[216th_Jordan]

After further testing the disengaging observations could re related to a normal deveation. I have put all fighters on refnoseangle = 10.0 for now and the fights and shooting seem a lot more plausible. I'll give this another week to verify the results.

[sniperton]

Sounds promising, thanks