New AI features and improvements
Officers! We continue to work on AI-soldiers improvements and have prepared a number of them for the upcoming major update. They will make your squad more realistic and live, adding more logic and tactical options in a battle.
Behavior model selection
You will be able to select among two different behavior models for your AI-soldiers. Aggressive - where a soldier will try to shoot any enemy on sight, and passive - where they will try to stay unnoticed and shoot only if attacked.
Using that selector it will become easier to use flank maneuvering and stealth squad movement remaining unnoticed until needed. The selection is made on the radial menu.
To better understand how to remain stealthy, let us remind you of the key enemy detection factors for AI:
- If the target is moving, and what the movement speed is.
- Body position of the enemy. Prone is less likely to be noticed than crouched, and crouched - less likely than standing.
- Distance to target.
- If the enemy is within the field of view or not.
- The sound of shots have very high priority in attracting AI attention, factored also by the distance to any flying bullets.
Improved danger reaction model
If AI is being shot at, in order to fight back they need to locate their enemy. That now takes some time, depending on a number of factors like distance to the source of threat and it’s position relative to AI (the more behind - the more difficult to locate). Only after finding the source of threat can an AI-soldier start shooting back. But to do it they need to aim at the target, and the speed of turning and aiming will also be lowered to be more in line with the reaction and strength of a regular person.
Less chaotic movement and more thoughtfulness
AI-soldiers will tend to change their position less now, moving from cover to cover and obstructing your aim. Instead they will be more focused on finding incoming enemies, and choosing their position. They will also look more often in the direction of any possible incoming enemy and less time staring at a wall.
All these changes will make squad battles in Enlisted more diverse and realistic, allowing officers to use a wider range of tactical solutions. Naturally, we will keep working on improving the AI further.