(MAJOR Bug) - RocketTank AI "Hold" bug.

[Slaor]

The rocketTank AI is pretty much the most useful thing that there is for modders in BZ2 as far as unit creation goes.

It fights well, performs subAttack tasks well and obeys weaponMask. It can be used to make cloaking units or flying units or kikass megadeath boss units that belt you with 5 cannons, or simply just provide competent AI units that can weapon switch and strafe.

Its when you command it however that the problem becomes apparent. RT units under player command will all of a sudden decide to stop using all their weapons, apprently stuck on the first slot, and then continue to be gumby for rest of their lives. This is a very well known bug, still apparent in 1.3 and it kills mods. Same for morphTank AI. All of a sudden your powerful and expensive AI wingman becomes effectively useless at what it was designed to do. Even stock RTs instantly drop 50% effectiveness.

It seems to happen most often when an RTAI unit is told to change targets (eg: through telling it to Hold, hence the handle).

1.3 has a lot of cool new modding stuff, but a few little critical fixes like this have been missed, possibly because the significance of them was not immediately obvious. Well this one is significant. It is nasty and it seriously undermines attempts to mod new unit functionality. Can this bug be addressed?

Thanks from the mod community.[/b]

[Jwk the Hemp Monkey]

rename it (MAJOR bug) so that it fits in with all the other major topics listed, ill ad it to the sticky thread as well.

[Commando]

I noticed a problem with rocket tanks regarding the hold command too.  They seem to get distracted by construction rigs, or other objects, that are behind hills or buildings.  When they are going from point a to point, and you tell them to hold while the constructor is in the Rocket Tank's radar range, the Rocket Tank will refuse to hold when told to.  It will go on in a straight line until the target is out of its radar range.  It will then come back when the target is out of its radar range.

I could have gotten radar range and engage range mixed up so it could be the engage range that is the problem.  Either way, the Rocket Tanks have problems when there are nearby enemies behind hills or structures.

[Jwk the Hemp Monkey]

Should comet cruise shoot 'though' terrain? As in , lock on and fire.

[Slaor]

Yes.

[Zero Angel]

I second that, RocketTankFriend/Enemy AI is *THE* best combat vehicle AI in Battlezone II thanks to its aggressive, ruthless, and human-like fighting style; All combat AIs would benefit from using this aiName if it weren't for the weapons bug.

[Red Devil]

I've noticed Sabres doing that too.

[Zero Angel]

I noticed a problem with rocket tanks regarding the hold command too.  They seem to get distracted by construction rigs, or other objects, that are behind hills or buildings.  When they are going from point a to point, and you tell them to hold while the constructor is in the Rocket Tank's radar range, the Rocket Tank will refuse to hold when told to.  It will go on in a straight line until the target is out of its radar range.  It will then come back when the target is out of its radar range.

I could have gotten radar range and engage range mixed up so it could be the engage range that is the problem.  Either way, the Rocket Tanks have problems when there are nearby enemies behind hills or structures.

I've noticed other AIs doing this at odd times, seems to be a fairly common AI bug?

Ah! Now that I think about it, i've seen (broken) "CombatProcess" AI do this almost every single time under 1.2 (haven't yet tested in 1.3). It would run away from the player, then kinda stalk around; not to mention its very odd weapons usage when its not busy running away and/or stalking things.

P.S.: Red, you should quote the post you're replying to if its one thats in the middle of the thread. Its confusing when people say things out of place like that.