AI system

[Traveler]

A lot of customers have asked for AI to be added to the main arena over the last 22 years, it never happened, I doubt it ever will now. 

[Oldman731]

A lot of customers have asked for AI to be added to the main arena over the last 22 years, it never happened, I doubt it ever will now.

To be fair, an equal number of customers have said that they would quit AH if AI was added to the MA.

I have no personal preference, because I'm almost always able to find a fight, but I don't think there is a consensus on this.

- oldman

[fd ski]

I'm with Kong, if i wanted to fly against AI i'd fly Il2 or something.

But we do need more targets. Something i think would help - ability for you to fly more then 1 plane at the time.
So you spawn B17 group, roll it, set it on autoclimb. Then you get out of it - it keeps flying. You spawn P51 and take off to fly your own cover.
You can "switch" in and out of those two groups as you see fit.
If you're not in a given plane at the moment - it flies on the autopilot to its target.

If we wanted to get really fancy, you could have ability to "give to other players" your currently flying aircraft. This way couple of players could have a wave after wave of aircraft in the air with very limited "climbout/return" time and constant action over the target.

[wrench]

Have AI B-24s, with AI gunners, outfitted to fly low level resupply missions to damaged bases as part of supply system.

Similar to Operation CARPETBAGGER missions during WW2.
https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/195994/operation-carpetbagger/

The CARPETBAGGER B-24s could be available to players to resupply, or drop "Joes" out the "Joe Hole" to capture bases.

A cargo hatch, called the "Joe Hole," replaced the B-24's ball-turret, and parachutists, called "Joes," dropped through it.

[Eagler]

I'm with Kong, if i wanted to fly against AI i'd fly Il2 or something.

But we do need more targets. Something i think would help - ability for you to fly more then 1 plane at the time.
So you spawn B17 group, roll it, set it on autoclimb. Then you get out of it - it keeps flying. You spawn P51 and take off to fly your own cover.
You can "switch" in and out of those two groups as you see fit.
If you're not in a given plane at the moment - it flies on the autopilot to its target.

If we wanted to get really fancy, you could have ability to "give to other players" your currently flying aircraft. This way couple of players could have a wave after wave of aircraft in the air with very limited "climbout/return" time and constant action over the target.

You say you don't want to fly against AI planes but you want AI to fly your extra planes so you can jump in and out of them 

We need AI to fill in the action the low numbers of players are providing today since we can't get the map list edited to remove the slow maps..

But since we can't a map list edited, I  don't think we should expect a huge coding change as would be required to add AI

But it's therapy at this point that we keep talking about game change enhancements lol

Eagler

[fd ski]

there is no difference between my bomber group flying unattended while i'm flying a Ki84 somewhere and my bomber group flying unattended while i'm on the potty
Will get shot down just the same I'm not advocating for AI gunners by any means. death to Otto !!!

 

[Eagler]

there is no difference between my bomber group flying unattended while i'm flying a Ki84 somewhere and my bomber group flying unattended while i'm on the potty
Will get shot down just the same I'm not advocating for AI gunners by any means. death to Otto !!!

Actually when you go auto pilot in a bmbr maybe the gunners should go ai and offer some sort of defense..

After all the bmbr has a crew of more than one

Eagler

[Bopgun]

Actually when you go auto pilot in a bmbr maybe the gunners should go ai and offer some sort of defense..

After all the bmbr has a crew of more than one

Eagler

+1

[The Fugitive]

Air Warrior had AI goons running supplies. For me it was disappointing to come across one and shoot it down and all you got was less ammo onboard.

AI isnt the answer for anything other than relieving the boredom on climb out. HTC War Online: Pacific had all the AI you wanted and nobody plays that game.

No the biggest issues in the game are the lack of numbers due mostly because WWII air combat isnt the most popular game out there, and the long learning curve. New players dont have enough intret in history to stick it out to get better.

If your bored because the numbers are so low when you log in, there are some AI missions you can run, I think they still work. Plenty of AI there.

[CptTrips]

No the biggest issues in the game are the lack of numbers due mostly because WWII air combat isnt the most popular game out there,

And yet IL2 sells millions of copies yearly.

and the long learning curve.

And yet DCS and IL2 sells millions of copies yearly.

New players dont have enough intret in history to stick it out to get better.

And yet IL2 sells millions of copies yearly.

Whatever AH's problem are, it's time to stop using the crutches of "Nobody has an interest in WWII" or "This game is too complex for mere mortals."

However, I understand players like Kong's concerns about AI in the Melee.


Maybe a compromise would be to have an "AI Town" area in the Melee where someone can go and plink at AI while still being able to stay in the Melee arena.  You would have to go there intentionally so if that doesn't appeal, then don't go there. 

It might keep someone in the Melee a little longer when things are dead, so they can be there to get a heads up if a fight develops somewhere or someone starts a mission.  As opposed to leaving the arena completely and going to Match Play.  Also keeps the arena count up so someone browsing sees warm bodies in the arena list.  But Kong won't run into one unless he specifically spawns there.  There wouldn't be base there.  It doesn't effect map win.  Stats against AI don't register.  AI can be coded to not stray out of zone.  Maybe every base has a "Spawn AI Zone" button (like a remote GV spawn location).  It's situated way off in a corner away from everything.

$0.02.

[nopoop]

EVERY TIME I log on the FIRST thing I do is ask on country radio is "Where is the fight ??"

Nine times out of ten the answer is crickets...

[The Fugitive]

And yet IL2 sells millions of copies yearly.

And yet DCS and IL2 sells millions of copies yearly.

And yet IL2 sells millions of copies yearly.

Whatever AH's problem are, it's time to stop using the crutches of "Nobody has an interest in WWII" or "This game is too complex for mere mortals."

However, I understand players like Kong's concerns about AI in the Melee.


Maybe a compromise would be to have an "AI Town" area in the Melee where someone can go and plink at AI while still being able to stay in the Melee arena.  You would have to go there intentionally so if that doesn't appeal, then don't go there. 

It might keep someone in the Melee a little longer when things are dead, so they can be there to get a heads up if a fight develops somewhere or someone starts a mission.  As opposed to leaving the arena completely and going to Match Play.  Also keeps the arena count up so someone browsing sees warm bodies in the arena list.  But Kong won't run into one unless he specifically spawns there.  There wouldn't be base there.  It doesn't effect map win.  Stats against AI don't register.  AI can be coded to not stray out of zone.  Maybe every base has a "Spawn AI Zone" button (like a remote GV spawn location).  It's situated way off in a corner away from everything.

$0.02.

How many servers have 100s of players? How come all the videos I watch of DCS and IL2 are bore fest of a guy flying around for an hour looking for a single plane to go up against.

They may be selling "millions of copies" but nobody seems to be playing them.

You spend time in DCS, and IL2 right? Ask those players.....if you run into any.... why they dont try AH. Ask them why those guys dont have hundreds of players playing on a server each night. My guess it the same reason we do, too big a learning curve, not enough fights. Of the millions of gamers on services like steam and such what type of games are they playing? Not flight sims. Id bet most collage kids these days couldnt tell you who was axis and who was allies during WWII. It just isnt a mainstream theme.   

[fd ski]

I own both il2 and dcs. Haven't touched either in almost a year.

I don't think number of Il2 copies sold should be compared with AH subscription. Those two games are two very different bowls of wax. But cuter graphics would be nice..
 

[CptTrips]

I own both il2 and dcs. Haven't touched either in almost a year.

I don't think number of Il2 copies sold should be compared with AH subscription. Those two games are two very different bowls of wax. But cuter graphics would be nice..

FD,

I think you miss my point.  I'm not suggesting IL2 or DCS are direct replacements for AH.

My point is assertions that no one likes game based on WWII is not supported by evidence.  I.e.  the millions of copies of IL2 sold suggest that is a false assertion.

My point is, that AH is so complex, that no one will bother to take the time to learn it, seems to be an excuse.  Both IL2 and DCS have plenty of complexity, if not more.  If a game is appealing, there is no shortage of players who will dedicate any amount of time and effort into mastering it.  DCS is not a stranger to complexity and skills based mastery.  IL2 is not World of Warplanes.

My point is falling back on those two comforting tropes is false logic and avoids having to look at the real issues.  Those may be contributing factor in some cases, but are not AH's core problem.  Other WWII games, and other complex high-skill games have done quite well.

Yes, they are different in other ways, but skill challenge and WWII theme is not what is holding AH back.  If people feel more comfortable believing that, well, OK then.  Good luck with that.

[eddiek]

To revisit the OP's topic, I still think adding AI defenses would help the game. 

I read other's viewpoints about not wanting to fight against AI, they want to go up against human players.  I get that, completely. 

But what is espoused here on the BBS and what takes place daily in the arena are complete opposites:  In the arena, some players are all
about base taking and the war effort.  I have nothing whatsoever against those players, it's just not my "thing". 
In order to achieve their base captures, time and time again you see isolated and undefended bases being the ones attacked and captured.  Once in a while,
enough people see the base flashing, or enough people sound the alarm, and a decent human defense is mounted.

What I see most of the time is a base flashing, usually a GV there (some people have no problem locating them, I have to get down low and search to find them),
followed by sets of fighters and bombers.......before you know it the town is prepped, and while you are trying to deal with the air threat, the base gets captured...
or, you try to deal with the GV's and have to try and locate them while dodging fighters.  Hard to do with one or two defenders, if not impossible. 

My opinion only, is if players REALLY wanted to face human players, they would go after bases that they know they will have to fight for, not the nearest undefended
target.  But from seeing how people really play, it's all about achieving the base capture at minimal expense. 

Adding AI defenders might make base defense worth attempting, at least for me.  The way the game is setup right now, if I see a base flashing with a GV dar closeby,
and see multiple cons inbound, I land or bail and go elsewhere.  I don't mind getting shot down.  I do mind wasting my time in a futile defense.  I refuse to pad others' kill
stats because they would rather take the path of least resistance than go after a well defended target and have to fight their way in and risk failure.

This is just a game to me.  I log in to have fun, which might mean getting in a turret on a cruiser or battleship and engaging an enemy fleet, going on a lone wolf patrol,
perhaps even getting in a buff and seeing if I can hit anything.