AI Improvement #2: Counter-sniper behavior

[Slappy]

The AI should do something useful when being sniped. They already have the ability to detect when this is happening - they shout "Ein sharpshooter!" or something. How about actually taking cover as well? Their current plan of "walking around slowly" just doesn't do much for avoiding the sniper. I'd like to see them go inside, or go behind a wall, or something to get them out of the line of fire.

[Stakhanov]

They actually have an anti - sniper mode when they're low on health. They run around randomly , turning every 1/2 second and are quite hard to hit then. They keep running until they see the sharpshooter.
However , AIs never strafe. They can't really use avoidance tactics against ennemies they haven't acquired.

[Kiech Bepho]

You have another good thought here, Slappy, but one that looks like a coding nightmare. There isn't a way for the AI to determine what areas would be considered 'cover' or not. Its not to bad the way it is already though. If the AI can reach the taffer, he will usually come after him, and he does go into a chicken run when low on health. Perhaps if the AIs ran to a predetermined area instead of the same spot would be better. But then I think it turns to a map issue.

Kiech

[Yenzarill]

maps could have either actors or zones that denote places to run to when being sniped.

[Mordengaard]

There are a range of triggers that allow this behaviour - the bots themselves have an event (TBot_Triggers->Trigger_Hurt) that combined with an order changer (Actor->Triggers->TTrigger->TOrdersChanger) and dispatchers etc allows a whole range of programmable behaviour. I've been doing fairly extensive planning for guard behaviour on my next map (Th-Airship) including stuff like this. One instance is a guard who usually patrols the main road through the docks in a fairly simple patrol pattern - once alerted his route changes, and if you snipe him he hides inside the guard house :p

[Lurox]

I think Joel made something of this in 1.3. I was surprised when I began sniping the bots during testing, then one of them shot a tag bolt directly at me.

(I was perfectly well hidden)

[Mordengaard]

Heh, yeah, and that - scared me somewhat when that happened the first time :p

[[E.D.G]Chief]

certainly the ai ive seen were rather good at avoiding arrows :cry: but I have a feeling when Joels new ai comes out we will all be n00b's against them

[Yenzarill]

Good to hear Mord and Lurox

[Machine]

So... will AI respond to Bow Cocking? at the moment they sometimes say something if your close enough but a human would take cover, or at least strafe about like an idoit.