Top Gun AI - The Official Tournament Thread

[Guest]

Welcome to the AI dogfighters! May your missiles know the difference between flares and engines!

Missiles? Bah! Who needs 'em! I have a few designs in development, but I'm not yet ready to make a submission. I just built a BD Armory installation two days ago and I'm still learning the systems. Not to mention my KSP time is rather limited, and will be split between building and testing fighters, and working on the Apollo Applications Challenge.

I'll probably have to skip the current tournament, but I'll see about hosting after this current one is finished. I'm thinking 2v2 or 3v3 fights over the North Pole. Should be suitably epic.

[GDJ]

So how's my lump of a plane holding out?

[Alphasus]

Quite well for its maneuverability. If you get seeded against one of the Wheesley powered CK fighters you have a reasonable chance to win. It is quite good at turning for its mass.

[GDJ]

Thanks! I felt it did turn and maneuver for a 11 tonne delta wing design. At least it has lots of wing area for LOTS of weapons.

I think it would be better suited as a first strike fighter than a dog fighter tho'. Goes in low and fast, pop up, shoot, and LEAVE in a hurry.

[Slam_Jones]

Is there a limit on entries per player?

[Zixor]

Thank you! Already got mine .

During testing the Stormwind a problem has ocured to me. The missiles fired at any plane simply seem to ignore all the countermeasures. Every missile hits by 100% chance, regardless how many chaff and flares my plane/the enemy plane fires. Does this happen to one of you guys, too, and do you have found a solution?

As Alph has suggested, the problem is that your plane is not changing its heading. The radar-guided missiles seem to track last-know-heading in the case of loss of radar lock. Is your craft climbing to its min altitude while this occurs? If so, lower the min alt.

The downside to this is that having a low min altitude can lead to collisions with the ground. The other possible solution is to design your plane in such a way that it constantly oscillates in flight. Maybe try making the plane aerodynamically unstable and lower the damping value on the AI flight module .

[GDJ]

Hey Alphasus;

Would you mind trying something on my plane with the AI? Crank up the peak velocity to 800, turn rate to max, turn limit to max, and bump the dampening to 2.5? It seemed to work favourably on my rig.

[Alphasus]

Is there a limit on entries per player?

I was saying 5 each to colmo, but that is 2 now so we have space for new people. I will open it up if no others have interest to 3.

- - - Updated - - -

Hey Alphasus;

Would you mind trying something on my plane with the AI? Crank up the peak velocity to 800, turn rate to max, turn limit to max, and bump the dampening to 2.5? It seemed to work favourably on my rig.

Sure, I will test it that way and report on results. I will probably test against it with the Gladius, Hummingbird, AAIF, and CK-232.

[Slam_Jones]

Okay, cool, I'll prolly get another design up to spec and shipped out this afternoon.

[Alphasus]

Yeah, I didn't make a second entry because I didn't want to clog it, and my current entry is doing very well. Your gladius is doing well as well.

[GDJ]

Sure, I will test it that way and report on results. I will probably test against it with the Gladius, Hummingbird, AAIF, and CK-232.

Thank you!

BTW, what's the altitude ceilings for the sims? Default or something else?

[Alphasus]

we are allowed to choose them individually. But, low is preffered. (<2000 m)

[GDJ]

we are allowed to choose them individually. But, low is preffered. (<2000 m)

I'm good with that, as long as the lower limit isn't any lower than 600m. 13.4 tonnes takes a bit of room to pull out if it's in a power dive.

[Alphasus]

I am 11 tons with 2 engines by the way. Why is your design so heavy?

[GDJ]

My guess is the womdigious amount of weaponry on it. That 30mm gatling gun on it's belly is a heavy MOFO. If I eject everything weapon wise it drops to just under 10 tonnes.

Apart from that, I'm not certain. I do know that the radar dome is heavy for it's size, and of course the fuel tanks. It does have alot of wings, but wings don't weigh much. Landing gear might be adding to the weight, but for dirt landings and stability they work great.

Oh well. Let her rip.

Edited August 14, 2015 by GDJ

[Alphasus]

Hmm, ok. I will leave the air open. No suggestions, as you can tell from here. But a hint: 2 or 4 missiles alone work well.

[GDJ]

CORRECTION: Without weaponry (but not taking off the radar dome) it weighed in at 8.1 tonnes. The weapons are the major weight factor on my plane.

I think I will back off on the heavier stuff on my next plane.

[Slam_Jones]

For most of my jets, I aim to be a little low of 10 tons. I don't always make that mark, but I've found fuel can make a big difference as well. I usually leave in enough for just over 5 mins of flight time, according to KER. I'm on the fence on how I feel about the last plane with fuel left being the winner... IMO that should be considered a stalemate :\

[GDJ]

I can stay aloft for just over 7 1/2 minutes at full throttle, 12 if I include gliding. Not much of a difference.

[Alphasus]

For most of my jets, I aim to be a little low of 10 tons. I don't always make that mark, but I've found fuel can make a big difference as well. I usually leave in enough for just over 5 mins of flight time, according to KER. I'm on the fence on how I feel about the last plane with fuel left being the winner... IMO that should be considered a stalemate :\

I agree as well and will make that a rule for this.

[Zixor]

I agree as well and will make that a rule for this.

If the match is a stalemate when one competetor runs out of fuel, how do you deal with a plane that launches, fires all its missiles, and runs out of fuel 5 seconds later?

A better rule might be to call a match stalemate after X minutes.

[Slam_Jones]

If the match is a stalemate when one competetor runs out of fuel, how do you deal with a plane that launches, fires all its missiles, and runs out of fuel 5 seconds later?

A better rule might be to call a match stalemate after X minutes.

Personally, I'd say each plane must carry X minutes of fuel minimum (let's say 5 minutes) upon launch. How much more you have beyond that is up to you, but keep a minimum so there's time for battle to occur.

[Alphasus]

How about you must have 5 minutes of fuel(in KER)

[Slam_Jones]

I think that's fair.

[Zixor]

I'd rather avoid adding manditory constraints on plane design when possible.

There is naturaly going to be a risk/reward game around how much fuel to add to a plane. Less fuel = less mass = more menuverable. Conversly, packing extra fuel on a plane costs menuverability early in the match, but you might be able to outlast the competition. Manditory fuel allotments would remove an eliment of depth to this competition. As would removing the penalty for running out of fuel by calling it a stalemate.

My revised recomendation for a new rule:

For the sake of keeping matches to a resonable length, have a time limit of 10 to 15 minutes. When the buzzer rings, the plane with the least damage taken wins. If both planes are undamaged, its a draw.