WW2 BAD-T III - BDAc AI Dogfight Tournament

[SuicidalInsanity]

Create a new text document, paste the above code into it, and rename the file extension to .cfg, then place the file somewhere in the GameData directory or one of its subfolders.  Module Manager will do the rest.

[keptin]

1 hour ago, aleksey444 said:

 

I have this problem!

Which file do I add this to?  And where?

You add the code below to a text file, save it as .cfg, and put it anywhere in your GameData folder. (It requires having Module Manager). Or you can download it here, I just added it to my Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2LnpIwDhmD-RXVqZGFWQ1BmY3c

 

@PART[AIantenna]
{
    %MODULE[ModuleWingCommander]
    {
        %name = ModuleWingCommander
    }
}

 

[aleksey444]

I did as you guys suggested.  Seems to be working.  THANKS!

[tetryds]

Got some very weird design running, it also looks awfully awesome.

Now to the tweaks and testing to turn it into a death machine.

[DoctorDavinci]

So I updated DCK ... https://github.com/DoctorDavinci/DCK/releases/tag/0.2.7

KSP v1.3.1 Compatibility
Added 8 additional camo textures
Major reduction in texture file sizes

Please note- Additional camo textures for BDMk22, Quiztech, BDAc's M1 Abrams turret and SM_AFV's AFV radar did not make it into this update as this update was pushed to be ready for the BAD T3 tournament. Placeholder camo textures have been implemented for the time being ... proper textures will be added come next DCK update

Updated for 1.3.1 and also works in KSP v1.3.0

Enjoy

Edited October 7, 2017 by DoctorDavinci

[Joseph Kerman]

Hey, I got a cool submission. However, while it is supermaneuverable in StockAero, that trait is replaced by speed in FAR.

https://kerbalx.com/The_Kerbal_Way/KP-37-WarBird

Edited October 11, 2017 by Joseph Kerman

[Van Disaster]

@Joseph Kerman You'll need to replace the engine with one from the BAD-T props.

I've come to the conclusion I've forgotten everything about setting up BDA, so I'm just gonna throw what I have in the ring... I have a spare craft if a bot is needed.

Edited October 11, 2017 by Van Disaster

[DoctorDavinci]

24 minutes ago, Van Disaster said:

I've come to the conclusion I've forgotten everything about setting up BDA, so I'm just gonna throw what I have in the ring... I have a spare craft if a bot is needed.

In my case it's setting up FAR which effectively puts me into the same boat as you ... I'll throw one of my creations in the ring but I don't expect her to do all that well

[Van Disaster]

8 minutes ago, DoctorDavinci said:

In my case it's setting up FAR which effectively puts me into the same boat as you ... I'll throw one of my creations in the ring but I don't expect her to do all that well

Well, to do this properly you have to build the craft to work with the autopilot rather than build a craft and then try and set the pilot up, so they're quite linked - I just haven't done anything for 18 months & forgot it all.

[tetryds]

Ok, mine is on the final stages of the setup.

That thing looks super weird, it always seems like there is something wrong with it, but wrongly amusing.

Only slightly worried about its roll rate, but nothing that cannot be fixed.

[Van Disaster]

I posted mine in - it's very conventional but does look good flying & also looks appropriately period - & now it's losing to my twin ... just law of averages I guess, the twin isn't that bad. Had one fight take 14 mins though, glorious.

I've started to remember the procedures I took when I was running one of these - restart the game before every fight, and then start the flight scene & revert again before battle proper. Not sure what wierdness the latter step got round but I remember it was something.

Edited October 12, 2017 by Van Disaster

[SuicidalInsanity]

One thing I found to work for BD AI was to build the craft and manually fly it, tweaking control settings and/or modifying wings/control surfaces as necessary until fight performance was optimized, then it could be handed off to the AI with full steer factor/limiter, rather then having to try and tweak those settings until the AI could handle the craft.

[Van Disaster]

Jets would actually be competitive if BDA didn't do that throttle roll-off climbing, it absolutely cripples them. There's a little issue getting to starting altitude but even a single engined jet is proving quite nasty. I'll have to get round to doing a fix for BDA asap.

- last one standing even with zoom climb issues.

[Joseph Kerman]

I cannot use Aviator Arsenal because it crashes the game, apparently...

[Joseph Kerman]

This is my (unarmed) submission. https://kerbalx.com/The_Kerbal_Way/KP-70-Arco

Where the BDA M2 .50 cals are located is where the specified guns are supposed to be.

AI Settings:
             Default Alt: 2500m
             Min Alt: 750m
             Steer Factor: 7.2
             Pitch Ki: No idea, leave it as is...
             Steer Dampening: 4
             Max Speed: 400
             Min Combat Speed: 110
             Takeoff Speed: 70
             Idle Speed: 200
             Max G-load: 9
             AoA Limiter: 20

 

EDIT: If it is within the rules, can this enter in place of mine? Same armament as the original; just replace the weapons.

Edited October 13, 2017 by Joseph Kerman

[Van Disaster]

Anyone with some B&Z craft ( or anything which likes to go vertical ) like to try this modded .dll? I'm looking for moments when it backs off the throttle when it really shouldn't, and moments where it isn't throttling off when it should be ( you can usually tell if you have the labels up by watching the requested speed vs the actual craft speed ). Otherwise, enjoy the vertical fights.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5fy6pr0duiduui4/BDArmory.dll?dl=0

goes in GameData/BDArmory/Plugins, after you backed up the original...

Edited October 13, 2017 by Van Disaster

[MightyDarkStar]

https://kerbalx.com/MDS/Kestrel-F-1 

It's ready.

 

[Van Disaster]

2 hours ago, Joseph Kerman said:

This is my (unarmed) submission. https://kerbalx.com/The_Kerbal_Way/KP-70-Arco

Where the BDA M2 .50 cals are located is where the specified guns are supposed to be.

EDIT: If it is within the rules, can this enter in place of mine? Same armament as the original; just replace the weapons.

Hm, this one looks illegal too - you've got four engines, rules are 1 or 2 with different weights - check the opening post.

@MightyDarkStarhave you got the PP texture for that? looks a bit amusing in it's default quilted state

Edited October 13, 2017 by Van Disaster

[keptin]

46 minutes ago, Van Disaster said:

Anyone with some B&Z craft ( or anything which likes to go vertical ) like to try this modded .dll? I'm looking for moments when it backs off the throttle when it really shouldn't, and moments where it isn't throttling off when it should be ( you can usually tell if you have the labels up by watching the requested speed vs the actual craft speed ). Otherwise, enjoy the vertical fights.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5fy6pr0duiduui4/BDArmory.dll?dl=0

goes in GameData/BDArmory/Plugins, after you backed up the original...

Tested. Definitely improves the AI's throttle use. I guess it'll be up to OP which one to use, since everyone designed their aircraft based on the stock file.

[Van Disaster]

34 minutes ago, keptin said:

Tested. Definitely improves the AI's throttle use. I guess it'll be up to OP which one to use, since everyone designed their aircraft based on the stock file.

Yeah don't use it for the tournament - I just have a willing bunch of thoughtful individuals here who've just spent time in BDA with low-thrust aircraft who're most likely to appreciate it. Code is a bit messy & I'd like to know why Baha's code doesn't work properly when it really should ( mostly - he forgot gravity in his estimated acceleration ), but it looks promising. I'm still trying to decide how to handle things like supermaneuverable craft where the craft's nose is way off it's velocity vector. Come to think of it I haven't checked properly if the original deals with vectored thrust either.

@SuicidalInsanityI'm curious about the venues ( not sure I ever looked at them last time ) - how far apart are the spawn locations?

Edited October 13, 2017 by Van Disaster

[SuicidalInsanity]

@Joseph Kerman - The AA Bullet Defs .cfg linked from the OP fixes the Jericho Trumpet issue. Alternatively, you can delete it (AviatorArsenal/utilities/JerryTrumpet).
@Van Disaster: The old Kerbal Konstruct BADT Arenas were made before PhysicsRangeExtender became integrated with BDA, so most of the airfields were configured like so:
<--- Spawn 1
<--- Spawn 2
Spawn 3 --->
Spawn 4 --->
so spawnpoints were ~400-800 m apart, depending on runway length. The aircraft carriers were ~4.5 km part, which was the max landed vessel switch distance at the time.

[Van Disaster]

7 minutes ago, SuicidalInsanity said:

@Van Disaster: The old Kerbal Konstruct BADT Arenas were made before PhysicsRangeExtender became integrated with BDA, so most of the airfields were configured like so:
<--- Spawn 1
<--- Spawn 2
Spawn 3 --->
Spawn 4 --->
so spawnpoints were ~400-800 m apart, depending on runway length. The aircraft carriers were ~4.5 km part, which was the max landed vessel switch distance at the time.

Are you still looking at using those? just curious given it seems to favour high TWR craft if you don't set a fight start distance ( doesn't bother me, my entry is pretty good off the deck ).

My hacked dll might have a problem with bleeding energy trying to climb to a target ( or that might be an old issue that was hidden ), so def don't use it for a contest.

Edited October 13, 2017 by Van Disaster

[SuicidalInsanity]

Probably. The fights themselves will be run via the BDA dogfight competition mode. Test fights so far have been using the default 8000m start distance.

[MightyDarkStar]

@Van Disasterhttps://spacedock.info/mod/1301/W3 Fuselage Texture

[Van Disaster]

1 hour ago, MightyDarkStar said:

@Van Disasterhttps://spacedock.info/mod/1301/W3 Fuselage Texture

Thanks.

If there's a BAD-T IV, might  be an idea to give weight breaks to jet twins - 5.5t is way over the dry weight of a WW2 Meteor ( quite a way over a post-war one with double the thrust, too ) & with just that one engine I don't think they're ever going to be competitive. Been trying to make a dimensionally somewhat accurate Meteor work, maybe someone can get something out of it ( note it's underweight for BAD-T, nearer actual weight ). Looks a bit off because the fuselage is way too narrow, but that's driven by the cockpit. I've got one that looks nearer the thing rather than being there, but it's even more useless right now.

Craft

( yes I know it's an F.8, you try doing curves with pWings ).

Edited October 13, 2017 by Van Disaster