WTF is up with the ARMA AI?

[FOTF 0]

I am done with this game. I have been playing ARMA on and off since it came out and I have gotten to the point where all I can do is clean off my hands and walk away.

 

The AI is borderline super human. To the point where it makes an almost unplayable and unenjoyable game. A perfect example....I am playing a mission where I am special ops, gotta blow up some armor at night. I manage to kill one guy and sneak up to a tank that is on the outskirts of the camp. I plant my satchel charge and set it for a 30 sec timer. In the meantime, I run around the backside of a rather large hill that overlooks the camp. Keep in mind that it is darker than dark out. I come around the other side of the hill completely silent, belly crawling up to the ridge overlooking the camp so I can see the chaos I just caused....when somehow I get spotted and get nailed in three shots....while crawling through tall grass with the higher ground and the cloak of darkness.

 

Now how in the hell did the AI know I was there and kill me in three shots? Ridiculious.

 

Anyone else had similiar problems?

[JediMaster 451]

Yes, the game has known issues with the AI being too good. There's changes you can make, though. There's a slider in the options if you choose "custom" for the AI's level. I think it goes from 0 to 1, and we've found .4 seems to be a good spot.

Alternatively there's a .cfg file you can alter where you'll see their abilities broken down into 2-3 stats. The important one is precision, I think, as that affects how well they aim.

You can also grab mods to help this stuff, although generally speaking they don't affect older missions in that case, just new ones made with the mod in use.

 

At default settings, though, the AI is like fighting Jedi with guns...they see things before they happen, and know where you are as soon as you fire! Not just firing your gun, either. It's a more global thing, so setting off a satchel charge will let them see where you are as surely as if you'd fired an RPG with a big smoke trail, even though realistically that can't happen. It's like a "IF 'player' fires THEN 'AI' know location at time of fire" regardless of weapon used. Darkness and shrubs don't block their view either, again unless you use a mod to change that.

 

That's the beauty of the game, more mods than you can shake a dead cat's stick at.

[FOTF 0]

Thanks Jedi......I toned down the slider and suddenly the game is playable

[+streakeagle 871]

Actually, despite how unrealistic it is in some situations, I have always liked the super AI of the original OFP/Resistance and like the even smarter ArmA AI better.

I don't want a game where I can stand in the middle of the street and single handedly gun down 40 people.

In original OFP, I played on full hard settings (no white dot -- if you want sights you have to use iron sights) and played so much (both single player and multiplayer) that I could engage a full squad at short range on flat open ground and kill at least 10 and typically 12 of them without using sights... double tap, next target... double tap next target... If I didn't miss any I got all 12, if I had to shoot an extra round or two at one guy, then 10 was about the best I could get before they got me.

 

With ArmA, I find it challenging to take on 4 to 6 at long range with cover (which would have been a piece of cake in OFP).

I know they shouldn't find me so quickly and I would prefer more realism... but it is fun nonetheless.

To beat the basic stock single player missions on full difficulty, you almost have to get single shot kills on everyone you see or they will react so fast that they shoot you or flank you, close, and then shoot you from behind at point blank. It is frustrating, but fun. I simply play the missions over and over until I don't make any mistakes and complete the objectives. Since I don't put the time into ArmA that I used to put into OFP, I am not as good, so the stock missions have kept me busy when I do play. That's a good thing when I am still having fun and getting challenged without even adding a single mod.

[Guest pfunkmusik]

Ashamed as I am to admit this, I have it dumbed down to what amounts to a very difficult version of DF:BHD.

 

pfunk

[+Dave 2,322]

I hate the game, totally. I can give you a list 20 paged long why I do too. I am looking for someone to buy my copy.

[JediMaster 451]

I must have over 150 hrs in it so far...but less than 5 in solo missions and I've not even started any of the campaigns! All of it in MP, most with SimHQ, but some with some other guys I know.

[+Brain32 265]

At default settings, though, the AI is like fighting Jedi with guns...they see things before they happen, and know where you are as soon as you fire!

Oooooooook, that sure explains some things lol