Ideas on how to reduce wingman spotting capabilities?

[MadTommy]

I'm getting a bit annoyed with how AI wingmen seem to be superhuman spotters.

 

For example, in a present mission i'm working on, my wingman takes off and at about 500ft he starts spotting individual Zu-23 units at 15 miles away, in a mountainous area. There is no way any real pilot would be able to do this 5 seconds after takeoff! :(

 

He is set to 'average' skill level and as far as I'm aware this is the only setting that can adjust his ability to spot threats.

 

Anyone got any ideas how to dumb down this ability.

 

EDIT:.. hmm i never thought about removing his TGP Pod... that should do it.. LOL (will test it)

Edited March 11, 2012 by MadTommy

[Druid_]

You could always set all enemy units to invisibile. They'd be invisible to him but not to the player.

 

If you wanted them to become visible at some point (i.e. Player is bad at finding enemy positions) then you could use triggered actions on a trigger to make them visible again.

 

Haven't tried the silence option on wingmen, try it and let us know if it works.

[MadTommy]

Thanks Druid, but for me such a drastic action is not really a goer.

 

I like missions to be somewhat dynamic where your allies interact, making all enemies invisible to your coalition makes the battlefield very sterile.

 

I just don't want to have a superhuman wingman calling out targets like a nutter. (even set as 'average'.)

 

(i haven't had a chance to try him without target pod yet.. I'll be interested to see how will he does acquiring targets etc etc without one.)

 

Such a potentially obvious solution i cant believe i didn't try it earlier. But i've tended to make MP missions in the past.

[MadTommy]

Ran a brief test... removing the targeting pod is defiantly the solution for my needs.. certainly stops the wingman spotting everything.

 

I need to do further testing to see how it affects other elements of gameplay.

 

Probably increase the skill level from average to high/excellent to make up for his lack on pod.

 

I'm now very interested to try other flights without a targeting pod.. the all seeing recon / afac & SEAD flights are also far to good at spotting everything.

 

Such an obvious solution to something that has been annoying me for ages...:music_whistling: :doh:

 

Will report back.

[Druid_]

Ok, nice find. Just remember that without a pod the type of munition he can drop will be more limited. i.e. GBUs & CBUs in CCRP, GBU38s, CBU105/103s.

[MadTommy]

Ok, nice find. Just remember that without a pod the type of munition he can drop will be more limited. i.e. GBUs & CBUs in CCRP, GBU38s, CBU105/103s.

 

In theory he should be able to use any munitions without a pod. By using the HUD marker as the SOI (can't remember the correct term for it, little square on the HUD you can move and set SPI from to use for CCRP..)

 

Without the pod he does spot things.. but only when close, and far more like a player would be able to spot things. I havent tested it thoroughly.. i.e i haven't sent him after target and such like.

Edited March 12, 2012 by MadTommy

[Charlie_01]

I believe it would be impossible heading all laser guided weapons without targeting pod.

Did you try to edit values on detection.lua and skill factors.lua in scripts/AI folder?

[MadTommy]

I believe it would be impossible heading all laser guided weapons without targeting pod.

Did you try to edit values on detection.lua and skill factors.lua in scripts/AI folder?

 

You can drop laser guided bombs without using the laser though. Obviously you loose accuracy and the ability to 'track' moving targets.... but you can still drop GBU12 etc without having a laser. Either CCIP or CCRP using the HUD as SOI/SPI.

 

I appreciate the suggestion for editing lua files.. but i want my missions to be universal on a stock build.