Here is an MP4 video showcasing some of the new Scripted AI capabilities.
To set the stage, the depicted scenario's (LA_690915_SAR_A.scn) description:
[Moung Soui][Play Side A][HISB][CSL][NO:HLZ] During Operation ABOUT FACE, the Hmong forces, with much air power support, retook the Plain of Jars. A Pathet Lao battalion was isolated at Moung Soui, surrounded by RLA ADC units, trying to close in. A Hmong T-28 was shot down, but the pilot ejected, and was on the ground, Pathet Lao were nearby. A RAVEN FAC was on the scene to direct airstrikes on the Pathet Lao. 30 minutes later, two HH-53 Jolly Greens were dispatched from Long Tieng. Can they arrive in time, and withstand enemy ground fire long enough to pick up the pilot?
In this scenario, the Hmongs' aim is to shield the downed pilot long enough for a couple of CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters ("Jolly Green [Giants]") to swoop in from the south and carry the precious pilot away to safety. Conversely, the Pathet Lao's aim is to kill the Hmong pilot if they can.
Here is a screenshot mid way through the video to make things clearer:
The Hmong pilot is circled in magenta. He is fleeing to the designated rendezvous point (green circle), where the Jolly Greens are waiting. The Pathet Lao (turquoise circles) have broken through the shielding Hmong defenders and are closing in on the fleeing pilot. Will the pilot survive, be rescued? Click the link above to find out!
...
Or read the following spoilers. In the video playback of an automated AI vs. AI test game:
[*]The Hmong ADC Company rushes towards the Hmong pilot.
[*]The Laotian Birddog (RAVEN) spotter plane moves to circle over the downed pilot. Pathet Lao forces fire at the advancing Birddog.
[*]The Hmong pilot begins to flee to the northeast.
[*]The Pathet Lao give chase. Ground fighting ensues.
[*]The Jolly Greens show up as reinforcements near the south map edge.
[*]More fighting between the Pathet Lao attackers and the defending Hmong.
[*]The Hmong pilot continues fleeing to the northeast.
[*]The Jolly Greens head towards the pilot. As they do so, Pathet Lao AA near Muong Soui Airfield fire twice at the passing HH-53s but miss. The Jolly Greens eventually reach the rendezvous point, where they settle down to land.
[*]More ground fighting, more pilot fleeing.
[*]The near Pathet Lao platoon gets in a single shot at the Hmong pilot, but misses.
[*]Try as they might, the Hmong defenders are unable to block the attacking Pathet Lao. The PL break through.
[*]The Hmong pilot reaches the rendezvous, and a while later boards one of the waiting rescue helos.
[*]More ground fighting.
[*]Being short of fuel, the Birddog leaves the scene, flies off the south map edge seeking resupply.
[*]The Pathet Lao draw uncomfortably near the rendezvous point. Can the Jolly Greens, with pilot onboard, take off in time?
[*]They can! But as they do, the Pathet Lao fire at the climbing helo and ... miss!
[*]The Jolly Green flies off to the south, and eventual exit off-map. By rescuing the pilot, the Hmongs have just won the scenario! (Are awarded 200 Event Points.)
[*]But all is not quite well with the Hmongs. The Pathet Lao fire at and destroy the other Jolly Green as it attempts to take off.
[*]More ground fighting, but to little purpose. With the pilot now rescued, the scenario is effectively over.
Near the end of the of the video clip, after the game has exited, you will see a small terminal display showing this:
2018-08-22 10:34:25 vnengine.exe: [DEBUG ID 10] (lua.cpp, line 445, l_log()) in on_unit_kill(), trackid 513
2018-08-22 10:34:31 vnengine.exe: [DEBUG ID 10] (lua.cpp, line 445, l_log()) in
on_unit_remove(), trackid 514
2018-08-22 10:34:31 vnengine.exe: [DEBUG ID 10] (lua.cpp, line 445, l_log()) in
on_unit_remove(), trackid 512
2018-08-22 10:34:32 vnengine.exe: [DEBUG ID 10] (lua.cpp, line 445, l_log()) in
on_unit_remove(), trackid 515
512 is the Hmong Pilot, 514 is the one surviving Jolly Green, and 515 is the Birddog. 513 is the unlucky, destroyed other Jolly Green.
This video shows an automated AI vs. AI test game. In automated test game mode, all pop-up dialogs, are suppressed, including the Victory Dialog. If this were a normal game, the human player(s) would see direct, in-game confirmation of the successful rescue, and the victory (or loss). But in this example, we need to show the log entries above to demonstrate the map exits (also the kill).
So what's the big deal? It is this:
[*]In this demonstration, both AI sides are scripted. If you the human were playing Side A, you would play vs. the scripted Side B AI. Or if you the human were playing Side B, you would play vs. the scripted Side A AI.
[*]The AI scripting is done in broad outline. The scripting nudges and directs the AI, but the usual legacy game AI still manages the hex-to-hex movement, the firing, etc. There is no micromanaging the AI here, but there could be! (The more micromanagement, the harder the scripting.)
[*]The video depicts one Hmong overall battle plan, and one Pathet Lao overall battle plan. We could script alternative battle plans, to be selected randomly, else more intelligently in reaction to actual game play conditions.
[*]The scripting is
dynamic, constantly adapting to changing game conditions. For example, as the pilot moves away, the Hmong and Pathet Lao, fighting aside, move to shield/pursue the fleeing pilot. (With an alternative battle plan specifying a different rendezvous point, the forces would automatically adapt to flee toward and fight around the different location(s).)
[*]You are seeing here the first demonstration of the game's new helo-specific AI. By way of scripting, the AI can now direct helos to take off, to move, to climb or descend, to onboard or offload passengers, even to fire as necessary. The AI can also be fuel aware, retiring low-on-fuel helos as needed.
[*]Heretofore, the legacy CS AI has been entirely guided by pre-designated objectives. You will note that in this scenario, there are no formal hex objectives. The AI directs the forces to follow a specific unit, the pilot, not aim for a specific hex objective (or set of objectives).
This is entirely new.
[*]Since we have freed the AI from aiming for specific, pre-designated objective hexes, we can direct the AI to move towards, to fight for, any location we choose (even if not a designated objective).
... And so much more. But we will save the "much more" for future sneak peeks.
As Crossroads says:
ORIGINAL: Crossroads
Not your father’s AI, anymore [:)]
