Discussion thread - BD Armory AI tournaments

[colmo]

I'm glad someone liked my JSF idea. I've had no time in months to look at it, and 1.0.5 breaking Kerbal Konstructs was a significant setback (I haven't had a chance to see how broken it is).

Edit: Kerbal Konstructs lives again!

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/94863-104on-hold-kerbal-konstructs-v0950-105-broke-it-i-cant-fix-it/&do=findComment&comment=2329126

The reason I didn't want the JSFs to dogfight each other was for consistency - each design undergoes the same challenge.

Dogfighting and ground attack are already doable. Bomber intercept is a tricky one to automate; as bombs aren't currently AI controlled, perhaps Smart Parts timers open the bays and drop the payload from planes already spawned in flight (they start with zero velocity, so would start high), on a bearing controlled by one of the autopilot mods.

The bomber escort becomes feasible once BDA gets wingman capability.

Edited December 21, 2015 by colmo
Update info

[colmo]

I spent a while reacquainting myself with BD Armory AI and Kerbal Konstructs, which works again thanks to community patches.

By increasing BD Armory physics range, and judicious use of radar links and dummy probe rockets with weapon managers, I was able to trigger a fight between two planes launching about 12km apart, with a mountain in between to boot.

The last trick I need to perfect is launching both the dummy probes simultaneously. I should be able to do that with the Smart Parts mod.

[Wjolcz]

I'm normally against any weapons in KSP, but some of those battles are way too much fun to watch.

I think I found a new favourite sport.

[colmo]

30 minutes ago, Veeltch said:

I'm normally against any weapons in KSP, but some of those battles are way too much fun to watch.

I think I found a new favourite sport.

I wasn't interested in the weapons either - it was the AI that fascinated me. It's set to get much better too, if the testing videos Bahamuto D has posted are anything to go by. Radar has made it more fascinating, and tactical, still.

[colmo]

Top Gun AI: Shoreside Arena

Here is it, my first completed arena. Please read the notes on the video carefully.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/130341-top-gun-ai-arenas/&do=findComment&comment=2371176

 

Edited January 20, 2016 by colmo
Couldn't embed video. Link to new thread.

[Jakerblam22]

Hello all! First post, putting it here because I feel it is relevant.

I feel as if "locked" turrets are acceptable for the most part, but what about the .50 cal turrets? They don't seem like they do too much damage, but they do have nearly unlimited turning range. Maybe you could allow .50 cals to turn at least a little bit, to offset the damage deficiency?

[colmo]

1 hour ago, Jakerblam22 said:

Hello all! First post, putting it here because I feel it is relevant.

I feel as if "locked" turrets are acceptable for the most part, but what about the .50 cal turrets? They don't seem like they do too much damage, but they do have nearly unlimited turning range. Maybe you could allow .50 cals to turn at least a little bit, to offset the damage deficiency?

As Top Gun AI is currently run, each tournament has its own rules. By all means run one with turrets allowed.

The problem with turrets is they take away from good plane design. We arrived at the fixed gun rule very quickly when we realised how OP turrets, even limited, were.

The fixed .50 cal gun is more compelling because it's very lightweight, especially important on single engine planes struggling for TWR.

Edited April 8, 2016 by colmo

[inigma]

I wanted to formally report the ASC - King of the Hill for your list of AI tournaments:

[ASC] Air Superiority Challenge - King of the Hill - 2v2 AI Dogfight Battles

No holds barred, practically anything goes. 2v2.

 

Edited April 18, 2016 by inigma

[inigma]

I had an idea, wondering if it would be feasible:

An open Player vs AI Tournament, with each "level" being a more targets, more enemy fighters to fight against, but each level the player keeps the same planes (such as 3 AI planes which he can control at any time).

 

Thoughts?  The idea is that the most robust designed team wins.

Edited April 18, 2016 by inigma

[inigma]

And another idea that's been percolatin'...  a general Thread in Challenges: My Fighter Can Beat Your Fighter - a place for players to post videos of their planes owning other's designs, or getting owned themselves.

Edited April 18, 2016 by inigma

[colmo]

@inigma - it's all good! My own focus was testing craft v craft with the AI as the level playing field. Changing that up into a pilot challenge would also work, not least for bragging rights! Where players are involved, I think it's most interesting as a contract, so that it folds into the career gameplay. e.g. I suggested a contract which air-spawned incoming craft to the KSC. The incremental nature would be the contracts getting harder and harder as the attacks become more deadly.

I'm still looking forward to finally running the JSF challenge, as I see that as the constructors' championship for plane designers!

[kcs123]

Just voted in OP. I didn't see anywhere in thread that someone suggested procedural wings, although I didn't read carefully trough whole thread.

Either B9PW or continuation on PW mod. Both are helpful in craft designs to reduce overall part number and to minimize part cliping.
At the same time it allows freedom in shaping overall craft, something that is even more important with FAR phyisics.

B9 Aerospace(part) mod have also some few features that comes handy in craft designs. You can easier turn some fuselage from structural to fuel tank without replacing all parts when you figured out that you need some extra fuel. But I understand that part mods should be limited to allow wider public to join tournaments.

Perhaps all of tournaments need to be put on hold until BD Armoury is updated for KSP 1.1.2 or future upcoming patch.
Like some others mentioned, I'm not much of fan for weapons, but like a chalange in good craft designs, might join some of tournaments if procedural wings are allowed in at least one of them.

Instead of pure dogfight chalange, maybe to consider Fighter vs Bomber chalange ? Bomber needs to reach some target on the ground and destroy it while dodging fighter, while fighter need to shoot-down bomber before it reach target. Target can be some of KSP building or other craft on the ground. Bomber can start on old runway while fighters take off at KSC. It could bring some more interesting videos to watch.