DWReese
Posts: 1824
Joined: 3/21/2014
From: Miami, Florida
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This is an observation. It is not a criticism. It may be helpful to the devs to have this info, if they aren't aware of it, or haven't thought about this topic recently.
Often, game players wonder WHY a unit won't fire. Usually it can be traced back to some legit reason.
Sometimes, however, something appears strange. A game player may be able to manually fire a weapon, but the AI-controlled side will not fire, even though a quick look at their weapons through the Editor reveals that they are GREEN and ready to go. So, I asked myself, why? Why would a game player be able to shoot, but not the AI?
I researched this further, and found that often the AI-controlled unit WOULD eventually fire, but it was delayed and not nearly as fast as a human could, even when both were GREEN. So, it occurred to me that the programming must go through cycles, and those cycles are probably time-related. When a certain time on the clock occurs (probably at the top of each minute) the firing sequence (or detection sequence, or any other sequence) is evaluated. If the criteria is met, then the weapons are fired by the AI. If not, then they aren't. At most, this would probably delay normal weapons from being fired by up to one minute slower than the human player.
But, here is the icing. For many months I have tried to figure out why some ABM SAMs would be fired by the AI-controlled side, and then others wouldn't. Even with v21, the missiles can often be fired manually, but the AI-controlled unit doesn't always do it.
Then it occurred to me, if a player monitors it, and fires as soon as he can, then it works. A few minutes (maybe seconds) later (depending on the missile) the target now no longer appears within the DLZ, so the SAM can't fire.
But, what about the AI-controlled unit? Well, if the AI side has to wait for a sequence to roll around, then because the incoming ballistic missile is travelling so fast, it could literally enter the DLZ and then EXIT the DLZ before the sequencing window comes around. Therefore, the missile would never be AI-fired (even though it was GREN) if that was the only opportunity within the DLZ.
This would explain why it fires sometimes, and other times it doesn't. There may not have been much wrong with the missile logic. It may have been a sequencing programming issue that was having trouble dealing with the speed of the incoming missile.
That sequencing module has worked great for normal missiles for years, but when you are now dealing with supersonic missiles, or ballistic missiles, the DLZ isn't open very long, and if you don't catch it just right, then the SAM will never fire at them.
This is just a theory. It may be completely wrong. But, if it's correct, or partially correct, then a minor tweak or so, and this just might solve any or all of these mysteries.
BTW, v21 is much better, but there are still some of these sequencing issues that I cited above. If this is true, this might be the cause. Obviously, I don't have access to the source code so if this isn't how you have programmed the game, then disregard this message. I just offer this as an observation. Perhaps it can be helpful.
Anyway, It's just a thought. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Hopefully, it can be of some use to you.
Doug
< Message edited by WSBot -- 4/22/2021 11:53:14 AM >
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