[chas1963]

Not too sure what to tell you chas, other than F4Fs are seriously outclassed by Ki-84s (almost 150km/h lower top speed). I ran that same quick mission, and the AI didn't seem to hesitate to shoot, although they did have a heck of a time staying with them through maneuvers, climbs etc.

I'll keep an eye on it though.

Ya, I'm aware of the miss-match thats why I cut the engine & prop pitch...so I ran a few other quick missions (with different aeroplane combination's) just to see what would happen. And with everyone set at average skill level I found the AI to lack a certain "killer instinct" I would expect.

I don't know...how do I explain a frustration at "not getting shot" (lol) when I want to be (and expect it)????

Anyway keep up the good work...its a good old sweaty time when I'm trying to kill'em!!!!

[Guest]

Sry for the noob question...do I need to install later versions of this awesome sounding mod over previous versions? Does just a v0.16 download and install give me the full benefits of all this amazing work?

vanir, each version has been differently 'tweaked'. you would have to chop and change different vrsions, and decide which you prefer....pretty much. :wink:

[caldrail]

Not really. An experienced P-47 pilot would use his superior aircraft to lure his opponent up to higher altitude. He has enough power to maintain the lead and keep himself out of range of the Ki-61's guns.
All the while, the Ki pilot thinks he's got the upper hand. :lol:

Except that in real life, P47 pilots dived rather than climbed. As far as I'm aware, the rate of climb for a P47 wasn't that much better than anyone elses, hence the situation between the AI pilots on my PC! Circling upward indefinitely is all very well, but it uses up fuel in a high power elongated manoever, so whilst it might be a reasonable tactic in IL2 with short flight times, in real life the jug pilot would need to mke a decision sooner or later and outnumbered by the enemy he would likely make a break for it.

[Xoddam]

certificate,

Confirmed fix: .16 fixes the strange wingmen behavior. Tested first mission of Storm Clouds once more and Spits now follow waypoints normally.

Thanks ;-)

Will take another look at ground attack patterns, maybe something has been fixed there as well.

Regards,
Mark

[fernand]

thanks Certificate,

I agree with Rone about landing light off for ia and randomize AI dropping bomb when attacked. I'm always afraid to see "christmas tree AI" at landing near a battle zone.

[Mutet]

Is it possible to make AI level bombers drop bombs when the lead player does with out using all the commands and the bombers going nuts afterwards like they do in stock?

[Bimmer]

Being the one who requested the landing light on, I disagree; usage of the light is a safety feature that should be standard practice. The reality of it is that very few operations were conducted from fields close enough to the front for there to be an issue of being observed by the enemy (who frankly would hear the planes long before seeing them or their lights). Many aircraft were lost to landing accidents, including collisions; the landing light is to alert everyone on the field to keeps their heads up.

Certainly, if the beacon effect of the light could be toned down in daylight it might be more realistic, but given the way lights work in IL2 that doesn't seem likely. The light should only be switched on when the pilot is given landing clearance, minimizing the time in which it is illuminated (not sure if that's how it's working now - haven't had time to check).

[Trooper117]

Seen a great many wartime clips of Hurri's and Spits returning to land during daylight hours.. have to say the vast majority are not showing landing lights..

[dummy01]

Report for AI .16

Attacking a flight of 190F8s flying low .... fired on lead aircraft... shot him up.. the other three paniced and crashed into the ground.

Saw this happen three times in as many missions.

Also watched a flight of 190D9s just flying along... two collided with each other after coming within visual range of some A20s

Were the planes that crashed into the ground all low flying jabos?

I just did a 4 vs. 4 QMB spits vs. 190F8s at 100m without the mod installed. After the pass, 3 of them pulled up then crashed into the water. Any chance you can send me that mission so I can tell if it's definitely mod-related?

The AI always had problems with low-flying QMBs.

[rockyalexander]

I agree with Trooper; have seen countless video of planes landing (in the daytime) without lights, even when damaged. This includes Spits, Hurris, B-17s, Corsairs, Hellcats, Bf-109s, He-111s, p-47s, Zeros, FW-190s, and countless other types landing plenty far enough away from battlezones. While it's standard procedure to show landing lights on combat aircraft today (while landing day or night), there doesn't seem to be any indication that it was during WWII.
But I'm not griping; I don't necessarily have a problem with it, as the new AI defensive routines make such a thing very easy for me to overlook.

[XabaRus-1]

Does it have to be activiated somehow apart from installing it in the mods folder?

I ask because I set up a QMB with 12 Spits taking on 16 He-111s and the spits didn't do a head on attack but went round from behind.

[Bimmer]

I still prefer the landing lights on, but if there is sufficient evidence that it was not common practice during the war, then I suppose I'll have to defer to the majority. I am very curious, however, as to whether it was by design that many pilots landed without the lights on, or if it was unofficial practice in combat squadrons, or just pilots being lazy and not following their checklists.

[WWSandMan]

Flew several co-op missions via a DCG generated Italy campaign using AI Mod v.16 last night. Had a ball! No anomalies reported, and the human players had their hands full dealing with the enemy AI aircraft. AI aircraft proved to be quite willing to disrupt a player's aim by effective defensive maneuvering. No take off or landing incidents involving AI reported, and AI seemed willing to follow instructions when they could ("attack bombers", "rejoin", "attack ground targets", etc.).

Other than the odd habit of turning landing lights on during a daylight mission, I didn't run across any issues. Oh wait ...

I still prefer the landing lights on, but if there is sufficient evidence that it was not common practice during the war, then I suppose I'll have to defer to the majority. I am very curious, however, as to whether it was by design that many pilots landed without the lights on, or if it was unofficial practice in combat squadrons, or just pilots being lazy and not following their checklists.

I find the use of landing lights during daylight missions by anyone (AI or human) to be almost rude behavior. The extreme brightness of landing lights on any aircraft can throw off the aim of any human players attacking those aircraft in the landing pattern. If it were possible I'd dis-allow landing light use in any mission I host other than those designed specifically as night-time missions. I have no problem if the landing lights are used at night-time when they would be useful (if not required). This is not from any historical point of view, but from a sim player's point of view.

If the landing lights were switched to nav lights, I'd have no issue. Nav lights being on during the final stages of landing or take-off is a common practice among human players online, and quite useful to avoid collisions at crowded airfields. Also, nav lights are not so vibrantly bright as to disrupt the aim of attacking aircraft (not that a lot of "intruder" type missions are flown, where sneaky attackers attempt to shoot down players setting up for landing, but it does happen).

If it is possible, I'd suggest limiting AI landing-light use to the hours between 2000-0400 (mission time). All other times have the AI use nav-lights only for the final landing approach, if lights of any kind are going to be used.

[larsen]

Hi Certificate,

Some report from v1.6.

Tested it with carrier operations. Still a problem with take-off clearance but landings seem OK.

I confirm gunners are much less lethal, some even do not fire but I think this to be more realistic than being systematicaly shot down (not to speak with the gunners killing the attacking pilots in 2 or 3 shots without even hitting the plane!). And they seem to maneuver as before; indeed, it is still not so easy to shoot down a medium/light bomber.

By the way, i repeat a question i had about morale : do you think it is possible to introduce a morale value, like skillness, and use it to simulate more accurately the AI behaviour?

Thanks again for your work.

[Tigershark]

I think nav lights, for AI, should be turned off permanently.

For years we had the AI using the lights at the most ridiculous times, whenever I see them on it just invokes the many years of being a strain and eyesore to the game. That feature, nav lights, is simply shot now. I get so infuriated when I see them on. Finally, after so many years of avoiding night missions, someone here in the community made the Nav lights off mod. All I fly now, exclusively, are night missions. Its like I am a kid with a new toy.

I love how the AI has been adjusted. Poor AI is something which has plagued IL2 for ages.

However,
Please dont have this mod ruin my night missions also.... :wink:


TS