Stupid AI again?!

Bonfleck · 04-07-08, 12:05 AM

So what gives? I finally encounter my first convoy escorted by 3 mix & match Japanese destroyers. I manager to sneak past the screen cruising with decks away at night time and using manual targeting (I was quite happy with my shooting!) I managed to score 6 hits on two large freighters sending them to the bottom. Cruising away submerged, I send a couple more fish at a slow moving destroyer that I assume is looking for me. Both shots (fired seperately and minutes apart) were right on target but at the last moment the destroyers watch spots the fish and goes from 5 to 20 knots in less than a boat length to evade them and then slows back down to 5 knots?!?!?! After getting about 3500 yds away with no action yet I decide to surface. This is where I discover another game fubar. My crew refuses to man the new larger bow mount deck gun I exchanged for the stern mounted smaller gun in my last port of call. Bewildered I decide to man the gun myself and attempt to antagonize the escorting destroyers. Thinking I'm in for it now I turn tail and order all ahead flank. The escorts are headed toward me but their shots aren't even coming close. I order a crash dive when the range closed to less than 2500 yds and as soon as I disappear below the waves they give up the chase and turn back to the convoy! So did UBI get lazy after making a graphically intense beautiful game and import the AI from SH2 or what. Very disappointing to say the least. The only attacks I've been damaged by so far have been from aircraft under increased time compression. (I choose to ignore a lot of the overly repetitive SD radar contacts that happen every few hours or so during daylight regardless of where my boat is at sea.) Anyway.......just thought I'd share a disappointing encounter. If this is all I can expect from SH4's AI that really is sad!

Fincuan · 04-07-08, 03:01 AM

It is a known fact that the stock AI sucks. Get TMO or RFB for more challenge.

Quillan · 04-07-08, 10:10 AM

I agree with Fincuan, but if you do, do NOT ignore air search radar contacts. Aircraft are deadly with those two mods.

Bonfleck · 04-07-08, 12:38 PM

Thanks Gents.....I was unaware of the aforementioned mods......Where do I find these at?

Quillan · 04-07-08, 03:36 PM

They should be listed in the sticky threads at the top of the Mod Workshop forum here. Those two are not compatible with one another; you'd have to pick between them.

Ducimus · 04-07-08, 06:18 PM

What mods do, is make it so the AI has an easier time detecting you, or maintaining contact once detected. That said, if the AI doesnt look where you happen to be, obviously no detection is going to occur.

There are some definate bugs with the AI - that are totaly behind the control of the modder.

Two most noteworthy:

1.) A convoy will slow down to the speed of the slowest ship. Even if its 1 kt. Where as youd expect them to leave the straggler behind- which as far as ive seen, they don't do.

2.) If you sink the lead ship in a formation, the rest might just sit there. Im unsure of this because i saw this on a single troop transport escorted by 3 ships. After sinking the transport, they all sat there - however, there is a time frame in which they will do this in an attempt to find you, after which they should move on. Im not sure if this time period was really long, or if they were indeed, "lost" having lost the lead ship.

04-07-08, 12:05 AM	#1
Bonfleck Torpedoman Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 113 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	Stupid AI again?! So what gives? I finally encounter my first convoy escorted by 3 mix & match Japanese destroyers. I manager to sneak past the screen cruising with decks away at night time and using manual targeting (I was quite happy with my shooting!) I managed to score 6 hits on two large freighters sending them to the bottom. Cruising away submerged, I send a couple more fish at a slow moving destroyer that I assume is looking for me. Both shots (fired seperately and minutes apart) were right on target but at the last moment the destroyers watch spots the fish and goes from 5 to 20 knots in less than a boat length to evade them and then slows back down to 5 knots?!?!?! After getting about 3500 yds away with no action yet I decide to surface. This is where I discover another game fubar. My crew refuses to man the new larger bow mount deck gun I exchanged for the stern mounted smaller gun in my last port of call. Bewildered I decide to man the gun myself and attempt to antagonize the escorting destroyers. Thinking I'm in for it now I turn tail and order all ahead flank. The escorts are headed toward me but their shots aren't even coming close. I order a crash dive when the range closed to less than 2500 yds and as soon as I disappear below the waves they give up the chase and turn back to the convoy! So did UBI get lazy after making a graphically intense beautiful game and import the AI from SH2 or what. Very disappointing to say the least. The only attacks I've been damaged by so far have been from aircraft under increased time compression. (I choose to ignore a lot of the overly repetitive SD radar contacts that happen every few hours or so during daylight regardless of where my boat is at sea.) Anyway.......just thought I'd share a disappointing encounter. If this is all I can expect from SH4's AI that really is sad!

04-07-08, 10:10 AM	#3
Quillan Samurai Navy Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 579 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	I agree with Fincuan, but if you do, do NOT ignore air search radar contacts. Aircraft are deadly with those two mods. __________________ We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, that we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.

04-07-08, 03:36 PM	#5
Quillan Samurai Navy Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 579 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	They should be listed in the sticky threads at the top of the Mod Workshop forum here. Those two are not compatible with one another; you'd have to pick between them. __________________ We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, that we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.

04-07-08, 03:01 AM	#2
Fincuan Admiral Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Suomi, sauna, puukko, perkele Posts: 2,346 Downloads: 39 Uploads: 0	It is a known fact that the stock AI sucks. Get TMO or RFB for more challenge.

04-07-08, 12:38 PM	#4
Bonfleck Torpedoman Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 113 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	Thanks Gents.....I was unaware of the aforementioned mods......Where do I find these at?

04-07-08, 06:18 PM	#6
Ducimus Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,987 Downloads: 67 Uploads: 2	What mods do, is make it so the AI has an easier time detecting you, or maintaining contact once detected. That said, if the AI doesnt look where you happen to be, obviously no detection is going to occur. There are some definate bugs with the AI - that are totaly behind the control of the modder. Two most noteworthy: 1.) A convoy will slow down to the speed of the slowest ship. Even if its 1 kt. Where as youd expect them to leave the straggler behind- which as far as ive seen, they don't do. 2.) If you sink the lead ship in a formation, the rest might just sit there. Im unsure of this because i saw this on a single troop transport escorted by 3 ships. After sinking the transport, they all sat there - however, there is a time frame in which they will do this in an attempt to find you, after which they should move on. Im not sure if this time period was really long, or if they were indeed, "lost" having lost the lead ship.