Jungman, if you don't mind, let the graphics section to me. I have almost all under control. Concentrate on the AI part, that I have no idea how it works. Keep for sure that I will send you first the first 'beta' of the enhanced visual distance. Then you can test with your modified sensors.dat file if everything is correct. Then we can find together the best adjustments for bot parts, before releasing it.
I say this because there are a LOT of values to modify, and it's useless to research again the work that I have found. Trust me

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Those are the last improvements, testing the mission Happy Times:
That's a very very far convoy. Ships are not visible at all, and smoke is so small that is almost invisible (without binoculars, with luck they show as a little pixel).
http://www.mp-labs.com/sh3mods/convoy1.jpg
That's because the convoy is at 18 km!!
http://www.mp-labs.com/sh3mods/convoy2.jpg
Through the UZO, to check distance (sorry, my game is in spanish, and not thanks to Ubi :rotfl
http://www.mp-labs.com/sh3mods/convoy3.jpg
Another silly graphic glitch I have found. To the to-do list :hmm:. In addition, there is no clouds, but it's for testing purposes only, it's not a problem now.
http://www.mp-labs.com/sh3mods/convoy4.jpg