[megalopsuche]

I have a slightly impertinent question: although the AI has been improved with some of the mods that are out there, has as much effort gone into improving the AI as improving textures, creating new aircraft, sounds, etc.? I have to ask because although I enjoy Il-2 online, the offline campaigns would be fantastic if there were decent AI, and so it would seem to merit equal attention. Running HSFX 4.1, the AI is better than stock 4.09m: it turns more aggressively and tries a little harder instead of immediately going defensive the moment you get on its 6. But even set to "Ace," the AI are softer opponents than humans I would consider new to online air combat. The AI compensates for its lack of ACM ability with some excellent gunnery (set to "Ace" again), and so it is a poor simulation of human ability.

Some of my biggest criticisms would be:
1. AI do not come close to the best sustained turn rate for their aircraft.
2. They cannot overheat
3. They still go into the rocket-climb mode just like 4.09m...did I say they cannot overheat?
4. The AI frequently play Joust and collide head-on with each other.

I would love to try my own hand at improving it, but that is beyond my ability...and yes, I do understand that it's still difficult for those who understand how.

Thanks.

[armydan]

+1

I hate those AI rocket jousts.

[Alemart_el_Redentor]

I am with you guys

[ROSOBORONEXPORTCORP]

To advocated for the AI:

Some of my biggest criticisms would be:
1. AI do not come close to the best sustained turn rate for their aircraft.
2. They cannot overheat
3. They still go into the rocket-climb mode just like 4.09m...did I say they cannot overheat?

Couldn't it be that the AI is simply better at energy managment than you are? If you combine 1 with 2 and 3 they might cancel out: AI avoids sharp turns and keeps it's energy high so that it can beat you in a zoom climb and get that extra little bit of distance that makes it look like they're going to fast to overheat in a strait-away.

4. The AI frequently play Joust and collide head-on with each other.

So, you've never flown online or gotten frustrate or target fixated (especially when you were still a 'novice' or 'average' player - when you first got Il-2)? It seems to me that a certain number of combat collisions are perfectly realistic.

The AI is far from perfect. I'm just not sure that these are the biggest problems. In real life pilots who were isolated from wingmen usually headed back to base. Furthermore, in most combat situations pilots (at least those with a little experience) would retreat/climb after making a couple of runs at a target. The main exception would be if they were isolated in a dogfight with another fighter.

So, I'd argue that the biggest and most unrealistic problem is that the AI never retreats and almost never gives up.

S!

[US_GRANT]

To advocated for the AI:

Some of my biggest criticisms would be:
1. AI do not come close to the best sustained turn rate for their aircraft.
2. They cannot overheat
3. They still go into the rocket-climb mode just like 4.09m...did I say they cannot overheat?

Couldn't it be that the AI is simply better at energy managment than you are? If you combine 1 with 2 and 3 they might cancel out: AI avoids sharp turns and keeps it's energy high so that it can beat you in a zoom climb and get that extra little bit of distance that makes it look like they're going to fast to overheat in a strait-away.

4. The AI frequently play Joust and collide head-on with each other.

So, you've never flown online or gotten frustrate or target fixated (especially when you were still a 'novice' or 'average' player - when you first got Il-2)? It seems to me that a certain number of combat collisions are perfectly realistic.

The AI is far from perfect. I'm just not sure that these are the biggest problems. In real life pilots who were isolated from wingmen usually headed back to base. Furthermore, in most combat situations pilots (at least those with a little experience) would retreat/climb after making a couple of runs at a target. The main exception would be if they were isolated in a dogfight with another fighter.

So, I'd argue that the biggest and most unrealistic problem is that the AI never retreats and almost never gives up.

S!

I'm afraid I must disagree with some of what you have said. I have sat in my cockpit and let the AI fly it and guess what?
My engine coolant guage NEVER moves. Let me say that again. My engine coolant guage NEVER moves. The Ai pilot will fly most of the mission at full throttle and that guage will sit at the bottom, but as soon as I take control, the temp guage goes right on up.

When in a dive towards an enemy, I have seen my AI pilot go into a vertical dive from 15000 feet go straight down to less than 500 feet at full throttle and pull out without so much as a grayout, let alone losing parts of his plane like a wing like i have done when trying the same maneuver.

As to the jousting; no biggy, I've seen human pilots do the same online so I don't worry about that.

[megalopsuche]

Yup, sitting in the cockpit and watching the AI fly the plane is the way to judge these things. I always keep the ball centered and keep my aircraft trimmed out correctly; I have flown online air combat since the '90s. I know how to manage energy. You have to be the ultimate fanboi to defend the legitimacy of how AI flies in Il-2.

The issue with jousting is that the AI makes zero attempt to avoid the collision. Naturally, humans collide from time to time, but not in the manner of the AI. Try this, set up a 1vs1 situation between two AI pilots with the QMB. Engage the autopilot and sit in the cockpit. The two AI aircraft will line up on each other from 2-3km out, start firing at about 600m and continue firing right until the collision. These are supposed to be "Ace" AI, and they fly like noobs.

Anyway, the point of this thread is to ask if as much effort has been put into improving the AI as it has been put into improving textures, adding aircraft, etc. Again, some of the mods do improve the AI, but I get the feeling that what we have is a quick fix and not an overhaul, and it's an overhaul that's needed.

[PANZER77]

hello!
try

(The link is inoperative)

ai

[megalopsuche]

[quote="PANZER77"]hello!
try

(The link is inoperative)

ai

[megalopsuche]

Nice work. The AI fight harder with your mod. I haven't experimented with it enough to give a detailed review, however, I was still able to maneuver onto the 6 of an "Ace" A6M5 with the P-47 in a low speed stall fight.

Can you make the AI turn their aircraft at a faster rate?

[max_thehitman]

Personally I REALLY enjoy the games AI.

I mean, if it wasn

[Alemart_el_Redentor]

I think that most of us enjoy the AI, specially after installing the recent ai mods, now the ai guys perform a lot of manoeuvres and stuff and sometimes the just left you speechless, but still, it is VERY frustrating to watch the ai outclimb you because they do not overheat, or just stupidly crash on a hill because they did not climbed just a couple of feet.....

[P/O W. 'Moggy' Cattermole]

I always found it funny how they could outclimb and out manoeuver me if we flew the same aircraft, and could always get that extra 5mph out of their aircraft, only to fly slap into a mountain because their pilot never noticed it!

[Guest]

I always found it funny how they could outclimb and out manoeuver me if we flew the same aircraft, and could always get that extra 5mph out of their aircraft, only to fly slap into a mountain because their pilot never noticed it!

Yes, that always used to make me laugh

[megalopsuche]

I always found it funny how they could outclimb and out manoeuver me

You must be referring to the AI's immunity to black-out when pulling out of a dive? Otherwise they are childishly easy to outmaneuver.

[CloudConnected]

Maybe, but whats the point of outmanouvering them if they are outside firing range when I got a decent aim on them. Seriously: It annoys me to see AI fighters "boom & zoom" on me while according to in-game infos their max speed is much slower than mine and they outclimb me afterwards with me stalling if I try to follow them. They simply do not loose kinetic energy while climbing.

What am I doing wrong then? There is not much more than pushing the engine to 110 %.