[wip]Visual sensor revamp for TMaru

[Ducimus]

I know its kinda silly to be tinkering with anything with a patch looming large, but i coudlnt restrain myself any longer, as the AI visual detection schema is driving me nucking futs.


D/L link
http://www.ducimus.net/sh4/release/T...isuals_1.03.7z

-- Format wordrap

ver 1.03

//AirS_visual->MinSurface from -15 to -4.35


----------------------
ver 1.02

//AirS_visual from -38 to -15.

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//ver 1.01

//AirS_Visual
- MinHeight from -18, back to 0
- MinSurface from 0 to -38


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// AI visuals Test ver 1.0 for Trigger Maru


WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO:
a.) Adds additional visual nodes to assign to varying unit types, so visual detection is more dynamic in game.

b.) To make night surface attacks a little more feasible against merchants.

c.) To allow airplanes the ability to detect shallow submarines

d.) Extend visual range of capital warships.



HOW IT WORKS:
a.) adds a dat file that contains additional nodes for the game to use.

b.) Additional Visual nodes are as follows:
- 1.) M_visual. Max range of 6500 meters, assigned to merchants, and other misc non military units.

- 2.) F_Visual. Max range of 12,500 meters. Assigned to capital warships such as cruisers, carriers, etc.

- 3.) AirS_Visual. Max range of 21,000 meters. Assigned to aircraft. This node also has a min height of -10 meters. My Initial testing indicates that a
player can be detected while at periscope depth within a 6,000 meter radius of the unit equiped with this node. Below periscope depth, player is unable to be detected visually.

-4.) A_Visual. Unchanged, max range of 8,500 meters. Only warships use this node now.



KNOWN ISSUES:
- Max visual distances assigned to the node, do not reflect acutal sensor range in game. For example, 8500 meters equates out to 8,000 meters or so.


MISC ERRATA:
- Sensor information on the nav map has been renabled to better facilitate testing.

- sub marker has been renabled to better facilitate testing.

- If anyone provides feedback, do so in METRIC, not imperial.

- This version is a rough framework, and is not fine tuned. WIth what testing ive done, ive centered it around a 9KM visual sensor on the AI, with a 12KM max visual distance on the scene.dat. (in otherwords, close to stock settings)


CREDITS:
- skwasjer , for his amazing tool.
- NYGM, the dat file in this test modlet is based on NYGM's.
- Tater, This work is inspired by Taters work on the same thing.

Again, this is a WIP. It is not fine tuned. To install, just overlay it on top of TM.

[tater]

Did you make sure to arm the aircraft with bombs?

I have aircraft attack in test missions is why I ask. Some of the loadouts are bogus, though.

tater

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by tater

Did you make sure to arm the aircraft with bombs?

I have aircraft attack in test missions is why I ask. Some of the loadouts are bogus, though.

tater

In the editor i did, but otherwise no. He didnt even strafe me. I ended up testing it by putting the AirS_visual sensor on a escort, park him (not docked), then travel underwater at him and see when he decides to move his ass and chase me down. Was around 5000, 6000 meters. Outside of that he didnt see me. I then cruised under him at 100 feet, and he never saw me. Went back up to periscope depth after i passed him, and i think he picked me up at 67 feet, at around 3,000, meters or so.

edit: using a min height of -12 meters, and i could get him to detect me at periscope depth from a range of 9,000 meters

[tater]

One very cool addition with air visuals messed with would be to start using plotted air searches. Meaning planes on the map following waypoints.

Then have the airgroups set to whatever, but have the airstrike changce near zero---but have the chance if the player is detected quite high.

Very few random aicraft encounters, but if a "scripted" patrol finds you...

tater

[tater]

BTW, there are 2 very related things in the 1.4 changelog posted.

The 20km view distance, and perhaps more importantly the ability for ships to detect torpedos.

The latter could be a fundamantal change in the way visuals are handled, OTOH, it could also just be that they created a new "unit type" that can be spotted (a lot of the AI seems tied to Unit Type=).

It would be cool to know what the technique for wake detection is, perhaps it could be used for shallow subs...

tater

[tater]

- 3.) AirS_Visual. Max range of 21,000 meters. Assigned to aircraft. This node also has a min height of -10 meters. My Initial testing indicates that a
player can be detected while at periscope depth within a 6,000 meter radius of the unit equiped with this node. Below periscope depth, player is unable to be detected visually.

One, does the 6000m radius include altitude?

Two, I think that 6000m might be too far for this. The problem is that planes will be found in all types of water, not just shallows.

An idea:

Make a few aircraft visual nodes. One for single engine planes to differentiate between them and crewed maritime patrol aircraft. The single seat might detect to PD, but only at very very short range. Perhaps less deep than 12 m, too. The idea would be setting the range such that if it was dead calm they could at some short range, but in even typical seas they could not. Another would be for crewed planes, and could detect at PD, but also VERY short range only. Very short, usually impossible die to sea state.

Another node will be the one that detects submerged subs most effectively. For argument, take it as the 6000m version you have now. We then BP-clone the desired maritime patrol planes and give them this visual, and probably shorter range---they'll also get depth charges as bomb load . Now there are 2 versions of of the Betty, H6K, and H8K. One with sensors that can pick up a PD boat at VERY short range, and the other at longer range. We then make special airgroups with the PD-detecting visual equipped planes, and place the bases such that they only cover SHALLOW WATERS.

We can then simulate the specific waters mattering. Anywhere near Java, etc, will be a nasty, dangerous place, for example. The mid pacific? Far less dangerous at PD.

Note that the PD-detecting airgroups can have a few regular planes in them, and the regular airgroups can have a few of the PD-detecting versions, too. Keeps everyone guessing.

tater