Mission Editor(designers) &AI Intelligence

[Petteerr]

Hi,

I would just like to mention a few things that i found to be little dissapointing as concern desinging missions and AI intelligence!

As I have also reported in my other topic, I believe that it is not so interesting and useful for needing we code always using triggers.

Eg I had reported that [AI] does not select automatically the use of artillery or bombing(any kind of support we enable) according to running situation, should that is to say we we mark to him with triggers the region where it should it affects.

Also, from what I have tryed up to now the artillery of [AI] it is not moved if is not used again code from triggers! While we as human players we can move the artillery as we want this doesnt happen with AI intelligence.(I mean dynamically and according to situation)Triggers is sth static or need much programming to be part dynamic.

Trying to create a mission doesnt mean we just create it only for others,i would also like to test this mission but without knowing where he Ai will support its Army or where to Strike or how will move its Artillery.(through premade triggers)I believe this should be fixed at future patches,some things about Ai Intelligence should be basic and should not need triggers.I mean should be more easy for the simple creators(who dont have much knowledge about programming) of missions.But i also strongly believe that those things would be there without needed to be triggered as the Automated reaction of finding a better place to hide or to outnumbered the enemy or even to fire, i believe the Automated support of fires and Automated strikes for AI(when we enable) should be there as basic features.

[dmg]

You may write your own AI with using the mission trigger scripts, so it might act in unpredictable way against the player's army.

For example,

- You may call ArtSupportCall against a single unit or against a unit group.

- You may create a dynamic RECT by means of CreateRectByObject (it can find compact groups of players' units convenient for a sudden counterattack).

- You may call Rnd function to get random values and make scripts work in unpredictable way

- You may use variables and trigger instances to make your code more compact and more functional.

Eg I had reported that [AI] does not select automatically the use of artillery or bombing

You can get a random value by means of Rnd function and then randomly choose the proper support type. You may also evaluate player's forces by means of GetNUnits/GetNUnitsInArea/GetNUnitsOutOfArea. And for the player such a behaviour will seem unpredictable.

If it was a fixed tactical AI layer you wouldnt be able to control it and make it individual for each new mission. By using the script triggers you may write your own AI and tune it for your own Theatre of War scenario.

[Petteerr]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply..

I dont disagree with that,i subscribe with this point of view.

But i was wondering for some people who dont have so much time to make all those triggers and variables as me,lol,why couldnt be a prefixed AI tactical so we can use it.I know that every mission is different and the capabilities with those triggers could be really unlimited but would need many hours of doing for each mission.I think would be better if there was a prefix tactical AI intelligence or many prefix tacticts to choose from so we adapt our mission to those prefixed tacticts of AI(About support).

As concern the movement of Artillery if we give an attack command or storm command we notice that Army groups consisted of soldiers and some vehicles(spg tanks etc) will move to attack or storm to the specific RECT while Artillery crewed units standing there with out moving.Why not reacting as the other vehicles,notice enemy and take suitable positions to attack and adapt their positions acordingly the situation?

As i said i understand the values of triggers and variables but trying to make things unlimited or too much complicated sometimes we miss the point.I think it wouldnt be so difficult if you made a choise who want to use prefix Ai for some units and who would like to create a new tactical using all those variables.Like enable prefix Ai or disable etc.

As concern moving artillery i really cant understand why spg's and tanks moves while artillery stay there?We dont need to add anything when we give an attack command or storm so they move right? why to be different with Artillery units?

We also could use triggers and variables for moving with a SPECIFIC ways tanks and spg etc,but when we give Runcommand we notice that they simple move.Now if we want to do sth different than just move we could make some triggers etc.The artillery guys seemed to be forgotten!

Its a very nice game with many features and capabilities,why not try to make it for people that dont have much time as simple and as more functional as it can be?

[Thomm]

Does all this imply that there is no 'Strategic AI' in CM terms, only a 'Tactical AI' and mission scripts?

Best regards,

Thomm

[stic.man]

Thomm,

I think that would be correct to assume. This is almost surely why CM-style qb's are impossible at this point.

[Blond_Knight]

I dont know if this is even possible, and at this point I wouldnt be able to do it fully, but I was thinking it would be nice to have a 'close combat' or 'combat mission' style script. It would be generic and heavily driven by variables, but would be like a base-template for the AI. I dont think the scripts can create stuff on the fly like place-holders for units but the quick mission CM/CC format is what Ive been thinking about.