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Author Topic: AI sometimes doesn't understand appropriate weapon ranges  (Read 1532 times)

Phenice

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AI sometimes doesn't understand appropriate weapon ranges
« on: February 22, 2020, 06:08:20 PM »

Problem: Ships sometimes don't move into firing range.

Hypothesis one: The problem is due to Gunnery Implants. Maybe the increased firing range isn't implemented in simulations, even though the pilot is expecting it?

Hypothesis two: The AI seems to move into what it believes is shield-shooting range. However, if the AI is behind an enemy that doesn't have omni shields, no shields will appear to shoot. Consequently, the AI stays just out of range of shooting the hull and rarely fires its weapons.

Replicating:

Create an Aurora with:
Heavy blasters on the two medium turret mounts
Unstable injector
Auxillary thrusters
Safety override
Max the capacitors, then the vents as much as you can

Pilot it with a pilot that has level 3 of Gunnery Implants, and ideally Helmsmanship and Evasive Action.

Now run a simulation against an Onslaught and enable AI control.

Result: the Aurora soon enough moves behind the Onslaught. It will rarely shoot the Onslaught, however. It instead likes to stay behind it, just out of its own firing range (while still getting pelted by the Onslaught). The AI only shoots the Onslaught if it overshoots in its movements and gets "too close".
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Alex

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Re: AI sometimes doesn't understand appropriate weapon ranges
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2020, 07:15:06 PM »

Hi - welcome to the forum, and thank you for the report! I really appreciate the detailed instructions for how to reproduce the behavior, that makes a world of difference with AI issues.

So, right - looked into it; turns out this is due to the Aurora's heavy blasters being set pretty far back along the hull from its front, and the AI not accounting for this. Fixed this, at least for forward-firing weapons; the AI now consistently engages the Onslaught - firing more or less non-stop - in this scenario. I think this might help a lot with various safety override builds, actually; I suspect the Medusa suffers from this to a degree as well.
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Phenice

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Re: AI sometimes doesn't understand appropriate weapon ranges
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2020, 07:22:24 PM »

Wow, that was quick!

I speculated it might be due to Gunnery Implants not being implemented, partially because the visual range marker (the arc that protrudes from weapons) doesn't lengthen with Gunnery Implants. I did a brief test in a real combat situation, and it seems that even outside of simulations, the marker still doesn't lengthen. So that might be another bug?
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Alex

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Re: AI sometimes doesn't understand appropriate weapon ranges
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2020, 07:54:06 PM »

It does lengthen, though! It's just not the easiest thing to notice since it's a fairly small boost, and is cancelled out by Unstable Injector/SO, and so on. And Gunnery Implants - along with other range modifers, positive and negative - is definitely considered by the AI.
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Nia Tahl

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Re: AI sometimes doesn't understand appropriate weapon ranges
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2020, 08:10:17 PM »

Hi - welcome to the forum, and thank you for the report! I really appreciate the detailed instructions for how to reproduce the behavior, that makes a world of difference with AI issues.

So, right - looked into it; turns out this is due to the Aurora's heavy blasters being set pretty far back along the hull from its front, and the AI not accounting for this. Fixed this, at least for forward-firing weapons; the AI now consistently engages the Onslaught - firing more or less non-stop - in this scenario. I think this might help a lot with various safety override builds, actually; I suspect the Medusa suffers from this to a degree as well.

Out of curiosity: In what manner is it fixed? Does the AI now properly recognise weapon ranges based on their mount locations?
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Alex

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Re: AI sometimes doesn't understand appropriate weapon ranges
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2020, 08:16:36 PM »

Right, yes - it'll make a reasonable estimate of how much the effective range is affected by placement for forward-firing guns. It still errs on the side of caution a bit - but it's sufficient for consistent use of the HBs by the Aurora, which is a pretty extreme case.
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Morrokain

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Re: AI sometimes doesn't understand appropriate weapon ranges
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2020, 10:23:29 PM »

So hardpoints, but not turrets? Or things placed near the front? (Just so I'm clear on what is being modified overall)
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Alex

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Re: AI sometimes doesn't understand appropriate weapon ranges
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2020, 10:26:13 PM »

It's "weapon slots that are capable of facing front"
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