AI leader orders crouch stance when in 'Danger' mode

[metalcraze]

I'm sure many of you have noticed this stupid thing with AI which looks quite unnatural when it comes under fire in the open field - when it isn't prone it just stands making itself a very easy target - and it happens all too often.

Surely for a human commander this is very easy to fix by ordering AIs to crouch and then their survival rate goes up ten times but what about when the squad is being led by an AI leader (like enemy squads)?

So the suggestion is as follows:

- When in 'danger' mode AI leader orders crouch stance
- When AIs come under fire they are still able to go prone to avoid being shot
- Note this won't hurt AI moving from one waypoint to another as the engine already has them running normally even when crouch stance is ordered
- When AIs go back into 'aware' mode the leader orders standing stance as it is now


If you think it's needed to be done and there is a better way post it

[NkEnNy]

I wholeheartedly agree and have suggested something similar myself.

Standing up in a firefight is a silly thing to do, many human players die this way too. I would ask that the HIGHEST stance adopted by the AI when danger mode is active is Crouched-- but absolutely permit them to go prone when they deem it appropriate.

-k

[NeMeSiS]

No, the standing position may be needed to shoot/see over stuff. Hard rules like this should never be used, since there is nothing that is *always* true in such a dynamic game as this.

EDIT: Also, this is very easily scripted and can be added as the mission maker wishes.

[metalcraze]

This can only be done well through editing danger.fsm which isn't something a mission maker can do.

You are wrong however. I just tested it. I added "_this setUnitPos "Middle"; _this setUnitPosWeak "AUTO"; " to the start state of a danger.fsm.

It looks seriously cool. Basically when AI sees enemy he crouches and moves around crouch-running, keeping his head down - both your and enemy AIs do that. However as soon as they can't see any enemy they try to look for him by going into standing stance too (and moving around standing - even in "danger" mode yes, as originally) - as soon as they see an enemy the start crouching again, engaging so none of that stupid "I'm standing in the open field under an enemy fire yay!". Note that those commands should be overridden when the player gives commands so it should be non intrusive if you command AI squads.

Now I need to test this some more to confirm it.

[ffur2007slx2_5]

So, do you think it is good to see all guys crouch on the battlefield?

[metalcraze]

No what I want to see is them not standing in the open field. Because they often get shot that way.

Meaning they should crouch, go prone or if it comes to them standing - doing that only behind cover. Are you standing in the open field when engaging? No. So why AI should?

[NeMeSiS]

Meaning they should crouch, go prone or if it comes to them standing - doing that only behind cover. Are you standing in the open field when engaging? No. So why AI should?

Do you have grass turned on?

[metalcraze]

Of course. Why? Everything is perfectly seen when crouching in the highest grass on Chernarus.

Tell me - when you are leading an AI squad and get into the combat what's one of the first things you order your guys to do?

[CarlGustaffa]

Salute me

I guess setUnitPos parameters like "NOT UP" and "NOT DOWN" would be sufficient.

[LeadCommando65]

I guess setUnitPos parameters like "NOT UP" and "NOT DOWN" would be sufficient.

+1

At least "NOT UP" is needed.


The position of the AI is one of the major things still annoying me when I play. I would even go as far that it should be also applied to the "stealth" mode. In OFP, AIs went immediately prone when ordering "danger" or "stealth" (in stealth mode they even stayed entirely prone while moving etc.). I wish we could have some of that behaviour back (without ordering the forced position separately; that's a matter of time in combat situations and annoying to issue it every time). As for A2, there is now the possibility of crouching. So the crouch position has to be the "keep low limit" in "stealth" or "danger" mode. But the AI still has to be able to go prone.

Would be really nice to see the AI make more use of the crouch position. I rarely see them moving while crouched, only while they are taking cover behind objects.

Like CarlGustaffa said, something like "NOT UP" is necessary. It's long due.