Strange AI aircraft performance

ekg · April 1, 2016

I decided to do a dogfight against AI. It took me some time but I've been able to spot them (although in this track I got the ai to bleed smoke early). Anyways, the plane stalls with what I would think are reasonable inputs. The P-51 flys circles around me the whole time. The most bizarre thing is at the end of the track. Watch for the Airspeed Indicator... What was that fluctuation from 100-300 in less than a second? I'm no expert but that seems strange to me.

Thoughts? Is this a bug?

strange_asi.trk

Zimmerdylan · April 1, 2016

Welcome to the world of DCS AI aircraft. They'll do things that amaze and confuse you. It's just the way they are due to the simplified flight dynamics. It has been a source of grief for many a DCS flier from the earliest of times.

Aginor · April 1, 2016

Yeah, the AI does... strange things. But that's not only the WWII planes. I practised dogfighting in the Mirage against an AI MiG-21 and it also does stuff that I cannot do when flying that plane.

The AI's flight model is a lot simpler than what you have, especially concerning stall and spin characteristics, and then they do not overheat their engines, they won't ever flameout (except when running out of fuel), and they can exceed the G limits for sensors (such as radar) and weapons.

Zimmerdylan · April 1, 2016

Yeah, the AI does... strange things. But that's not only the WWII planes. I practised dogfighting in the Mirage against an AI MiG-21 and it also does stuff that I cannot do when flying that plane.

The AI's flight model is a lot simpler than what you have, especially concerning stall and spin characteristics, and then they do not overheat their engines, they won't ever flameout (except when running out of fuel), and they can exceed the G limits for sensors (such as radar) and weapons.

And I might add that their damage model is pretty hard to grasp. You can shoot holes in both fuel tanks, have oil streaming from the AI plane, have smoke trailing out of it for miles and it will still fly like you never hit it.

This issue isn't particularly a bug or ED's fault per se. It's just a result of having to dumb down the AI in the interest of making the simulator work better for the player. I assume that FPS, performance, and lag spikes are just a few reasons that it probably needs to be this way.

Flatsixes · April 2, 2016

I am still just a rookie in DCS world (Il-2 vet). Love the Dora, but I'm scratching my head at some of the damage modelling. In a recent furball it took only 13 hits from a Mustang's .50 cal to put me out of business, and this was after I had hit that lucky ba$terd with 54 20mm shells and 48 13mm rounds. Sure, he was smoking like a steam engine and looked like swiss cheese, but on and on he flew, long after I belly landed my wounded beast. What's up with that? How do you guys kill one of these things?

Zimmerdylan · April 2, 2016

I am still just a rookie in DCS world (Il-2 vet). Love the Dora, but I'm scratching my head at some of the damage modelling. In a recent furball it took only 13 hits from a Mustang's .50 cal to put me out of business, and this was after I had hit that lucky ba$terd with 54 20mm shells and 48 13mm rounds. Sure, he was smoking like a steam engine and looked like swiss cheese, but on and on he flew, long after I belly landed my wounded beast. What's up with that? How do you guys kill one of these things?

Most of us do not down very many of the AI's. And many people just give up. And why not......it's a losing battle. Better to go find someone close to your level and work at it on line. All the AI can really teach you is how an AI fights, and that is nothing like a real human would fight.

NineLine · April 2, 2016

I am still just a rookie in DCS world (Il-2 vet). Love the Dora, but I'm scratching my head at some of the damage modelling. In a recent furball it took only 13 hits from a Mustang's .50 cal to put me out of business, and this was after I had hit that lucky ba$terd with 54 20mm shells and 48 13mm rounds. Sure, he was smoking like a steam engine and looked like swiss cheese, but on and on he flew, long after I belly landed my wounded beast. What's up with that? How do you guys kill one of these things?

Yes, damage modeling re-do is on the to-do list, fluid leaks and such are not modeled so it is frustrating to see all that lovely smoke, and nothing result from it, that said, they AI is very easy to bring down, your shots just need to be well placed. I do agree with most, the real fun is against real people. You will find gunnery is a different beast in this sim, much like the FMs and such. Practice Practice Practice.