Top Gun AI Revamped

[drtricky]

Since I'm the kind of guy who works with big, noisy planes, do ECM jammers actually work on smaller, sleeker designs?

[qzgy]

Question: What do you mean by dry flighttime?

[drtricky]

1 hour ago, qzgy said:

Question: What do you mean by dry flighttime?

If you're using panther engines, dry flight means running the engines without afterburners.

[qzgy]

Ahh, ok.

[Alphasus]

2 hours ago, drtricky said:

Since I'm the kind of guy who works with big, noisy planes, do ECM jammers actually work on smaller, sleeker designs?

Yes, they do work properly in large planes. You just need the right angle. Stealth planes weigh a lot, and most of my designs are just a hair under 20 tons.

[drtricky]

1 minute ago, Alphasus said:

Yes, they do work properly in large planes. You just need the right angle. Stealth planes weigh a lot, and most of my designs are just a hair under 20 tons.

Can you elaborate what "angle" is needed?

Also, what are you adding onto your fighters that make them 20 tons?

[Alphasus]

1 hour ago, qzgy said:

Question: What do you mean by dry flighttime?

I believe the F-119 of B9 also has an afterburner, and the DF-307 in B9 does too. 

12 minutes ago, drtricky said:

Can you elaborate what "angle" is needed?

Also, what are you adding onto your fighters that make them 20 tons?

The jammers really care about how much of your plane(called RCS)they can see from the radome's point of view( or the radar's). Therefore, if only the front of your plane is visible from the opponent's angle,you will have a higher chance of radar lock failing or flickering(which stops AMRAAMs a lot and the launch of missiles in general).

What also matters is distance. At above 10KM, jammers are extremely effective as opposed to 5km, where chaff is a better option. I may be using competition mode at 20 KM to prepare the aircraft or I may randomize that number anywhere between 3km and 20km for competition mode distance.

 

So, to make a maneuverable plane for these original tournaments, my target was about 10 tons. Missiles were externally mounted and so on.

But now, I use Mk.2 parts, which are inherently heavier. The 30 mins of fuel for dual F119s means about 1200 units of fuel, and that weighs quite a bit. As opposed to about 400 units of fuel and 2 engines on earlier craft, this has 3 times the fuel and the same engine count.

Now add extra aerodynamics, large intakes, and all needed to keep engines fed and the plane turning well, and you can easily hit 20 tons with weapons, which are heavier because AMRAAMs are better at longer ranges.

Edited August 8, 2016 by Alphasus

[qzgy]

I have a question: So, if the missiles are mounted internally, does the AI know that? If so, would it open the cargo bay and thus fire the missile?

[Combatsmithen]

I also have a question. How long do we have to build?

[drtricky]

24 minutes ago, qzgy said:

I have a question: So, if the missiles are mounted internally, does the AI know that? If so, would it open the cargo bay and thus fire the missile?

The missiles have a right-click setting that tells them whether they're inside a cargo bay or not.

Edited August 8, 2016 by drtricky

[qzgy]

Just now, drtricky said:

The missiles have a right-click setting that tells them whether they're inside a cargo bay or not.

Yeah... So what does that mean?

[GDJ]

12 minutes ago, qzgy said:

Yeah... So what does that mean?

It means that the cargo bay doors open as the AI preps the missile for launch, then launches the missile when it has the opportunity. The AI will also close the bay doors if needed.
Also the right-click menu has adjustments for drop speed and drop time before the missile ignites it's engine and tracks the enemy. Adjust these with some care. You want the missiles to be well clear of your plane before they arm themselves and ignite their motors.

Edited August 8, 2016 by GDJ

[qzgy]

4 minutes ago, GDJ said:

It means that the cargo bay doors open as the AI preps the missile for launch, then launches the missile when it has the opportunity. The AI will also close the bay doors if needed.
Also the right-click menu has adjustments for drop speed and drop time before the missile ignites it's engine and tracks the enemy. Adjust these with some care. You want the missiles to be well clear of your plane before they arm themselves and ignite their motors.

Ok, If my missils are instead not in a cargo bay, but a bay formed by control surfaces, I assume there is no way to tell the AI to deploy the control surfaces, correct?

[GDJ]

37 minutes ago, qzgy said:

Ok, If my missils are instead not in a cargo bay, but a bay formed by control surfaces, I assume there is no way to tell the AI to deploy the control surfaces, correct?

I'm thinking they would not work, but I admit I have never tried this method. Give it a try. I may be wrong.

[Alphasus]

57 minutes ago, qzgy said:

Ok, If my missils are instead not in a cargo bay, but a bay formed by control surfaces, I assume there is no way to tell the AI to deploy the control surfaces, correct?

No, you can't. That would require config editing, which won't work because my config is stock anyways. I won't manually deploy the surfaces anyways, but a player can.

1 hour ago, Combatsmithen said:

I also have a question. How long do we have to build?

August 15th is your deadline. 2 planes a person at most.

Edited August 8, 2016 by Alphasus

[Alphasus]

Should I restrict the missiles/target number? Countermeasures sort of don't matter with that number being >2, because too many missiles are present. Also, should I retroactively say no airbrakes? The concept is basically a massive protrusion from a plane, that would ruin the radar signature.

Edited August 8, 2016 by Alphasus

[Combatsmithen]

I have another question. Can you let us set our own AI settings like in the last top gun AI tournament? Because otherwise my plane wont be able to take advantage of its supermaneuverability. Not to give too much away, but its very very good.

[Alphasus]

1 hour ago, Combatsmithen said:

I have another question. Can you let us set our own AI settings like in the last top gun AI tournament? Because otherwise my plane wont be able to take advantage of its supermaneuverability. Not to give too much away, but its very very good.

Do you need altitude settings and speed settings? I may allow changes to speed settings, but altitude settings are the way they are to allow for confrontation.

Edited August 8, 2016 by Alphasus

[Combatsmithen]

1 hour ago, Alphasus said:

Do you need altitude settings and speed settings? I may allow changes to speed settings, but altitude settings are the way they are to allow for confrontation.

I just need to change Max G and angle of attack settings to max. My plane can basically go straight up on dry mode and perform insane acrobatic maneuvers. Speed and altitude can stay the same. 

[Alphasus]

14 minutes ago, Combatsmithen said:

I just need to change Max G and angle of attack settings to max. My plane can basically go straight up on dry mode and perform insane acrobatic maneuvers. Speed and altitude can stay the same. 

Then you can control those. Anyone can use those actually. Speed and altitude are restricted.

[Combatsmithen]

Ok. Thanks! I was in the finals of the last top gun AI tournament. Not sure if I would have won though since the guy who was doing it ragequitted because the post he worked on for 4 hours got eaten by the forums lol. I'm going to be submitting the Raptor 2, based off my original Raptor but improved

Edited August 8, 2016 by Combatsmithen

[Alphasus]

2 hours ago, Combatsmithen said:

Ok. Thanks! I was in the finals of the last top gun AI tournament. Not sure if I would have won though since the guy who was doing it ragequitted because the post he worked on for 4 hours got eaten by the forums lol. I'm going to be submitting the Raptor 2, based off my original Raptor but improved

Does it follow the guidelines on external weaponry and the new points system?

[Combatsmithen]

15 hours ago, Alphasus said:

Does it follow the guidelines on external weaponry and the new points system?

yes

[Alphasus]

10 minutes ago, Combatsmithen said:

yes

Then you're fine. PM me the entry if you're happy with it. I'll put it into the bracket soon. You can replace it or enter a 2nd plane alongside it until 12:00 PM EST August 15th.

http://challonge.com/StealthWVR

Bracket here.

Edited August 9, 2016 by Alphasus

[Alphasus]

Alert to all would-be entrants, please leave altitude settings to their default mode. You may change speed however you like.