AI killing itself while waiting for formation to join

razo+r · August 12, 2023

The AI literally flies into itself while waiting for other groups to join the formation.

It's really astonishing how busted the AI in DCS can act. In this example, there are 3 Groups with 4 aircraft each. The lead group takes off first and is set to go to Waypoint 1, which is far away. Group 2 and 3 have a waypoint much closer with the task to join a big WWII formation with the lead group.

In the mission, it starts well. Group 1 takes off first, then group 2 and lastly group 3. At this point you will slowly observe things going out of control. Lead group goes full power until the last group has taken off. Only then does the lead reduce power to slow down only to maintain a speed slightly above stall speed. And this is the point where things will go really awkward.

- The lead aircraft, and maybe one or two other of his flight, will now continuously pitch up and down in a rythmic fasion.

- Once in a while you will see some aircraft, including lead for some reason, rubberband up and down, occasionally also back and forth. Why do they do that? They were told to maintain altitude, not rubberband around.

https://imgur.com/47U7PP8

- Occasionally, because of the rubberbanding, some aircraft will collide into each other

https://imgur.com/k0aRa7u

And this absolute mess will continue until every group has joined the formation. Only then will they accelerate and fly in a normal way.

AI....trk

As a sidenote: This was all done in SP.

Edited August 12, 2023 by razo+r

Glide · August 12, 2023

Notice how the lead aircraft is flying in a nose up attitude. Then watch as it pitches nose down and back up again every so often, but it is flying straight and level. If the wingman is trying to "follow" these movements, then he's going to oscillate. The wingman's flight path is taking direction from the lead's pitch oscillation. Go down and up, go down and up, etc.

If I were a developer, I would ask:

A: Why is the lead flying straight and level with a nose up attitude?

B: Why is the lead pitching down and up periodically?

Edited August 12, 2023 by Glide

NineLine · August 22, 2023

The issue here is they are being forced into a bomber formation right from take-off. I would recommend getting them formed up first before giving the command to forum into any sort of bomber formation.

I normally have them take off and orbit near each other, and when all groups are up and orbiting, triggering to proceed on the mission, first forming a large bomber formation and then triggering the bomber element formation. There is no need to be in the bomber formation right away, especially when some of the units are trying to catch up to lead elements.

The weird attitude and warping is from them trying to do what the game is asking them to do. I hope the new GFM will help some of this, but in order to get them into a formation in a reasonable amount of time, some weird things might show up right now.