[Hawkman]

Maybe this weekend I will crack open some of the files and try to make a list of the parameters that go into ai behavior. Maybe that would be a way to start the ball rolling on this massive project.

Well, good luck with that. I'm no coder, but if you need help with testing, I'll see what I can do.

As you say, BoB II is obviously a different engine and code, but looking at the parameters & conditions the BDG team used to trigger different AI behaviour in that game could be a useful starting point for developing something similar for the IL2 engine. I know that the BDG team used the basic parameters of

1. Altitude (how much altitude and rate of change)
2. Speed (how much speed, and rate of change)
3. Position of A/C to each other (none to tail, tail to tail, nose to beam, tail to beam or left, right, front, back)

in determining what flying manouvres AI pilots would select in a given situation.

Added to this would be the skill & experience level of the AI pilot, in executing a manouvre, how well he could fly that manouvre, and of course what the given a/c type was physically capable of (e.g. for a diving attack, 109 pilots could simply 'bunt' - Spit & Hurricane pilots had to half roll). And then on top of all that, you have to take into account factors such as remaining fuel & ammunition/ordnance and damage to the a/c.

It's a lot to think about, but have a look at how BDG tackled it here:
http://shockwaveproductions.com/forum/v ... 6c891d2026

Hawkers