at_lowe
Posts: 6
Joined: 8/13/2004
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Hi ppl. Just wanted to get some responses on a game I'm currently developing (90% complete).
It's a Turn-Based, pseudo real-time (or fully unlimited) 2D modern military simulator.
It combines strategy, role-playing, action, *adventure*, micro-management all in the one package.
As commander, you are responsible for the day-to-day runnings of a small military base in a desolate setting, playing the role of peacekeeper and general watch-dog.
The game is mission-based, yet so open-ended that it is played on the same persistent map which means that the player has full control over between-missions action. eg, at 0900 you may get mission orders to escort a particular unit to dest X, utilising whatever resources you have currently accumulated up until that point, from within your base region and a 'neutral zone'. Realistically, whether hostile outposts & units remain b/w missions is fully dependent upon your course of action during and in between missions. eg, that M1 Abrams scout post you took out along the way won't appear for the rest of the game, but may be reinforced at a later date (in which case you would be notified by Intelligence as the units are deployed across the map with subsequent actions completely left to your discretion).
As peacekeeper, you operate on a funds basis, which is subsequently based upon mission performance. Due to the emphasis on peacekeeping, protection of civilians is of paramount importance - allow harm to come to civilians and you will be severely penalised. Imagine it: your current mission involves protecting a small town situated on the border of the Neutral Zone. You have previously built up a network of airfields, radar installations and munitions dumps at key positions. You previously purchased a C-130 Hercules and load up your ground troops and vehicles accordingly. You send the Herc out and paradrop them over the target zone. Once on the ground, you direct the civilians into transports previously set up as watch dogs, and quickly get them out of the line of fire. Within minutes, enemy forces break through the Neutral Zone, bombarding the town with M109 Artillery...how you decide to eliminate the hostile forces is completely up to you. Snipers, Special Forces, Main Battle Tanks, Apache Helicopters, each with unique weapons systems and abilities.
Over 200 units can be in play simultaneously. Issue group orders, destroy enemy installations, lay claymores, sneak behind enemy lines, even hack Communications Centers!
Advanced AI (90% complete at the time of writing) provides an opponent that knows how to utilise his forces. In fact, the AI in this game is one of its strongest points.
AI Overview
The power and level of detail engineered into the AI is by far one of its highlights. Much effort has gone into creating an oppositional force that reflects real-world possibilities and natural intelligence.
Respectively, the AI system only operates on knowledge about the battlefield that it can realistically gather, ensuring that the player isn’t at a disadvantage due to sneaky software ‘cheating’.
The following is a brief look into the innards of the game...
Brief, because I don’t want to give too much away!
Unit Modelling
Each unit, whether player or computer, has the following attributes and abilities:
Armour Level, Primary Weapon, Secondary Weapon, Ammunition, Current Selected Weapon, Visibility Distance, Speed, Unit Type, Altitude Reference (whether its on the ground or not), Rank, Situational Awareness, a list of Visible Enemy Units, a list of Immediate Targets (unit and structural), a list of Possible Targets (unit and structural), Cautionary State (whether it should hold position due to danger and for how long), the TransportID of the vehicle/air unit that it has boarded, whether its Parachuting, the Damage level and Type (eg weapons system, mobility system), its current Destination, a list of WP orders, a Priority Action (Attack, Protect, Investigate something, etc), its current Cargo Space and a list of Threats, to name a few.
Each unit first derives its abilities and properties from a stock Unit Model, which itself is comprised of a number of stock Weapons Models. eg, the unit keeps track of its dynamic attribute values that alter as the action proceeds but can reference a library of stock Unit Data for strategic decision making.
Weapons Modelling
Each weapon or weapon system has the following attributes:
Min & Max Range, Max Rounds, Firepower, Attack Style (LOS – Line Of Sight, LOB eg can be thrown over obstacles or is a Fire & Forget type weapon) and the Target Type (Mine, Ground, Air, All, Low Altitude). With these details, a logical implementation of valid target acquisition can occur.
eg, an Infantry unit with a LAW can attack ground units if it has LOS and also low altitude units such as helicopters. It cannot, however, attack high flying units such as Jet Fighters. Common sense. You’d need a SAM for that…or another Air unit. Of course, when an air unit lands for resupply that’s another story…
An exhaustive effort has been made to make the game as open and realistic as possible while reducing the need for arcane stats. Hence, you don’t need to concern yourself with angle of attack, ballistic mass and all those other unnecessary details that just get in the way of a good game. IMHO.
This game is primarily concerned with gameplay that is intuitive, quick to learn but deep enough to allow for a great level of creativity.
More importantly, its modeling system focuses on intelligent opponent action and reaction. No point having an incredibly detailed unit model if your opponent just sits there and let’s you blast the crap out of him. Or doesn’t know how to team up en masse against your weakened areas. Or isn’t smart enough to properly protect critical game areas and units. Or doesn’t have the intelligence to command his troops in an APC to bail out when in a tight spot. You get the idea…
So what can the AI system actually do?
Listed below are some actual examples of the AI model.
If the computer discovers the location of a player unit, and it has no current priority order, it will move to intercept the last visibly known location of the player unit or try pick up another order if enough units have already been assigned. While the player unit remains within visibility of the enemy, the intercepting unit will be updated as to its location. If a priority unit or structure is destroyed, any computer units with that priority order will get a WP order to go and check the area out. Once satisfied that no other enemy is present, it will return to its previous WP path, but will return to the hotspot periodically to scout the area out. eg, An idle Attack Helicopter receives an order to intercept a newly-discovered approaching assault team, flies out, deals with the threat and returns to base, but returns every now and then to make sure no-one else is trying to sneak into enemy territory.
Note that opposing forces have radio communications and radar ability, just like you do. If one unit knows of your presence, they all do! Therefore its critical to avoid enemy radar, take their stations out, or hack them for your own use. (Yes, you can actually hack enemy electronics!)
Interception In Detail
Each turn, a list of Interception Orders is generated based upon gathered intelligence from Radar and individual units. Computer units not assigned any current priority order(such as protect a key unit or structure, assassinate a target, etc) checks the list of interception orders and tries to find a suitable interception job, depending on its armour level, firepower, the fire capabilities of the enemy and of itself, and the number and type of other computer units already assigned to intercept the player unit. No point sending a lone and injured Infantry unit armed only with an M16 to take on a fully-operable Abrams!
The AI places priority on those targets posing the most threat, but can rearrange its priorities at any time to deal with immediate targets, targets posing a security violation to protected units, weakened targets, geographical density of targets, etc. Additionally, a simple but effective Personality Model has also been implemented to simulate extremist behaviour, if the opposing mission force is so comprised.
Strategic Awareness
All unit activity is governed by SitReps, or Situational Reports. Each unit effectively generates its own Sitrep which is taken into consideration by allies when deciding what the most effective course of action is. Another words, units don’t just go off on their own without considering the entire known battlefield state.
A SitRep is comprised of such data as:
the number and type of threat
the geographical density of the threat if more than one
the geographical density of surrounding allies,
the operational condition of the threats
the number and type of targets both immediate and possible
visible weapons types
current priorities
WP orders
and much more.
As an example, if an Infantry unit packing an M60 as its primary weapon and a belt of grenades as its secondary comes into contact with an enemy APC, its course of action is majorly influenced by what its allies are currently up to on the battlefield and the priority of any orders it currently has. It effectively analyses the target’s condition, determines the chances of success of an M60 or Grenade attack, places a SitRep in case another unit is more likely to succeed or if it needs firesupport. A unit can utilize any of its teammates, so if an artillery unit is nearby, it would most likely take evasive action and let the big guns handle the threat from a distance.
Evasive Action
All units are capable of evasive action, but the type decided, again, is determined by many factors. A unit can take cover, try to outrun, try to board a nearby vehicle or aircraft, or, if already in one, get out ready for action. Taking cover takes into account geographical force density and capability, so the unit will try to bunch up in accordance with the fact that, generally, there’s safety in numbers! Similarly, if a unit decides that outrunning is the best course of action, it too will analyse the battlefield for strategic positions to flee to. Alternatively, if it’s priorities are high enough, and depending on the unit’s personality type, it may try to make a run for its primary target with a ‘bugger the consequences’ attitude!
Basically, if it makes sense to do it in the real world, this game tries damn hard to do it in the silicon one!
On a broader note, the game is wrapped together by a mature, logical and realistic story with missions ranging from simple escort duties, intelligence gathering, 'crowd control', base management and protection, etc through to full-scale all-out battles.
Please feel free to email me your comments. I will have a website up shortly, containing the official demo.
Regards,
AT.
digitallogic0@telstra.com
< Message edited by at_lowe -- 8/20/2004 7:10:16 AM >
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