reported Contact reports

[YoYo]

Quote

• Added: Petrovich AI now scan for targets routinely from his cockpit when he is not using ATGM aiming sight. Petrovich will report contacts clock wise if he will detect anything. Contacts report if remembered and not spammed constantly, he only warns commander ones then some time should pass before he warns commander about same contacts again. Only subtitles for now.

I have mixed feelings about this feature in the current edition.

First of all, reporting of spotted objects occurs too frequently. I have a mission in which there are a dozen or so objects and the message basically does not disappear (truck, infantry, jeep, infantry, AAA, copter, infantry, truck, etc). The problem for me is that it reports everything, enemy objects and its own (allies), so basically these messages are not useful. However, I suggest limiting reporting only to enemy units it will be more useful. It's a bit of a mess at the moment according me.

However, he also reports objects that he has already seen before, all I need to do is make a turn during the flight and for Petrovich they will probably be new objects again, because he reports them to me again.

Edited October 26, 2023 by YoYo

[YoYo]

Overall the idea is good. I once wrote that Petro should inform about threats, not only during an attack, after all, that is his role. The problem, however, is that it informs about everything currently, which causes an unnecessary avalanche of information (a lot!) in which we lose information about the most important thing - the threat. 

I checked whether the Special tab for the Hind has a filter for this - all information, only reports about enemy or about only allies, but unfortunately there is no such thing. I think we do not need other reports, possibly If there are more of them, there should be a filter for all/enemy only information in the Special tab, just idea.

[YoYo]

The reporting scheme itself seems ok I think: the so-called first reports the number of contacts (as much as he sees), e.g. 5 contacts, and after some time it gives the names: 1 truck, 1 AAA, etc. but we have an avalanche of information now. When I was flying from my airport for example, Petrovich's "mouth" basically didn't close, it gave me a headache  because every time I had to read these texts (in VR you involuntarily look at them and constantly move your head to read the message because the content is above the visual field - top left). A request for only a report from enemy units, or at least a filter in the "Spacial tab" about what it should report and will be perfect, maybe like this(?):

- full report, all: text only / voice only / text + voice 

or

- enemy only: text only / voice only / text + voice

I think it would work as separate text and the voice too if possible.

[FrostLaufeyson]

He can count 113 targets in several seconds

Although you may not encounter this training scenario in actual combat, this is indeed an area that needs improvement.

[YoYo]

2 hours ago, FrostLaufeyson said:

He can count 113 targets in several seconds

There won't be enough time to determine this ;). 

[YoYo]

@Flappie any chances to add it to wishlist? However for me its an issue, not just wish . Current new "reports" distract the user. It would be different if they only affected enemy units - that's ok! What we have now doesn't make sense and unfortunately it's junk reports, it doesn't do anything, and there's a lot of it.

Edited November 11, 2023 by YoYo

[Flappie]

If that's an issue, I need a short track showing Petrovich going crazy.

[YoYo]

On 11/12/2023 at 12:02 PM, Flappie said:

If that's an issue, I need a short track showing Petrovich going crazy.

I don't think it's necessary, just run the Quick mission gerenator and see how it reports everything around non-stop. This information is useless in its current version. For example, it will say that it sees 6 tanks, but it will not say that 3 are ours and 3 are enemy. Just give him report for only enemy units and it will be ok :).

[YoYo]

test3.trk

Track example with beginning of mission, the reports don't end, it's distracting, the reports are about our units.

After Todays patch the same (DCS Open Beta 2.9.1.48111). 

Edited November 16, 2023 by YoYo

[YoYo]

So, any chances to change this? Only reports of enemy?  If you will add the voice, it will 100% not be a good option, what we have now, in this version (all contacts every few seconds).

Pretty please. Idea is good but only for enemy units. The reports are still a big mess and it's annoying, and in the current version this option makes absolutely no sense.

• Alternatively, an option to choose from in the Special tab - all contacts / only enemy / only friendly 

Edited December 8, 2023 by YoYo

[Flappie]

Thank you for the track. Now, the issue is obvious to me. And I don't think an option would help. Petrovich simply should be more reasonable.

Some ideas that come to mind:

1. If facing identified frendly units, Petrovich should not report them.
2. If facing identified enemy units or unknown units, if both unarmed and armed units are present, he should only report armed units.
3. If facing more than ~20 vehicles or ~20 infantry units, Petrovich should stop counting. He should say something like "Enemy vehicles" or "Infantry units".

Are you OK with these ideas? Do you have some more? Time for brainstorming.

Edited December 8, 2023 by Flappie

[YoYo]

I think he should also report unarmed units (of enemy). What about enemy unarmed targets, convoys, etc.? That's also a target during the mission. Yes, they do not pose a threat, but the information from CPG should be there. I would limit it only to reporting enemy units and completely stop reporting friendly units.

The idea of reporting the entire group is ok I suppose (digits). That is, it first lists the number of targets spotted: 10 enemy vehicles, and then goes into details: 1x tank, 2x combat vehicles, 1x AAA cannon, etc.

Edited December 9, 2023 by YoYo

[Flappie]

On 12/8/2023 at 11:15 PM, Flappie said:

Thank you for the track. Now, the issue is obvious to me. And I don't think an option would help. Petrovich simply should be more reasonable.

Some ideas that come to mind:

1. If facing identified frendly units, Petrovich should not report them.
2. If facing identified enemy units or unknown units, if both unarmed and armed units are present, he should only report armed units.
3. If facing more than ~20 vehicles or ~20 infantry units, Petrovich should stop counting. He should say something like "Enemy vehicles" or "Infantry units".

1 and 3 reported.

[randomTOTEN]

I'd like to suggest lowering the counting threshold to 8. I.E. Petrovich stops counting unit numbers after 8 units. I think I don't really care if the number of units is between 8 and 20. Also at most I have 8x ATGMs.

I'd also like to have a discussion if others have other numbers in mind.

[admiki]

Problem with low count is current logic of the AI.

Small target count will inevitably filter out some targets, and if you have a number of SAM/AAA, some dangerous targets like IFVs will be left out.

I prefer sifting through big list ,with accompanying SA, to finding out there is an APC sitting under me.

[randomTOTEN]

6 hours ago, admiki said:

Problem with low count is current logic of the AI.

Hi, I don't think we're talking about the same thing here.

6 hours ago, admiki said:

mall target count will inevitably filter out some targets,

I prefer sifting through big list

I believe this thread is about the Petrovich reports of units he can see outside of the canopy, not the "Target List" when using the periscope. I assume at some point the text will be replaced with voice lines. There will be no list for you to sort through, and these reports are for units long before they have a chance to sit under you.

[admiki]

10 minutes ago, randomTOTEN said:

Hi, I don't think we're talking about the same thing here.

I believe this thread is about the Petrovich reports of units he can see outside of the canopy, not the "Target List" when using the periscope. I assume at some point the text will be replaced with voice lines. There will be no list for you to sort through, and these reports are for units long before they have a chance to sit under you.

True, but if there is bunch of targets, small count implies some targets will be dropped.

If I then tell him to scan and list matches what he called out, that could get me in trouble. If he calls 20 units, I will expect to see 20 units long list after scan. If I don't, I'll keep scanning.

[randomTOTEN]

37 minutes ago, admiki said:

If he calls 20 units, I will expect to see 20 units long list after scan.

If he calls "group of units," you won't know how many there are, but that there are a certain number of them. Upon scanning them, you will see the number is (in this example) 20, and what each type of unit it is.

Edited December 11, 2023 by randomTOTEN