Why dont the AIs take cover?

[Shunk]

I've noticed this problem for as long as the franchise has been around. In an urban battle, rather than hide behind walls or even in buildings, the AI has a nasty habit of laying in the middle of the street. That doesn't scream "realism" to me. Honestly, that's the only thing I'd change so far. I think it would do a lot for this game if that was optimised. I hope that if this does change, they would go one step farther and make it a bit more cinematic too. Look at (please don't hit me for using these as examples) COD4 or BF3. These games are not realistic, but the way the computer takes cover is a bit less robotic. They'll crouch behind something, peek from cover, get down when a hail of bullets comes their direction, etc.

Does anyone have an opinion on whether this is a good or bad idea? Perhaps it is not actually realistic like the movies made me believe and real soldiers do just lay down in the middle of the road. Also, please don't insult my examples... I get it. A lot of people hate those games. That's not the point.

-----------------ADDED COMMENTS ON COMMENTS------------------------------
Sorry I shouldn't have made it sound like they NEVER take cover. But their spot on aim is a pain too. Take the sniper showcase for instance: I'm up on top of a hill 500m away at dusk (or dawn I don't know the time. Its dark) and crouched behind cover so only the top of my head is visible. I take the first shot and BOOM everybody knows where I am. Cmon with my contact perscription I have over 20/20 vision and I still can't see that well. Then they manage to be extremely accurate with a red dot scope... And on to another point. I know the COD/BF campaings are linear and the cover is preprogrammed, but still something simple shouldn't be impossible. IF a simple cover system can be implemented, then it would be relatively easy to have them run a series of random animations (peeking out from cover, hastily crouching back in, etc.)

[JMac]

they aren't programmed like it. It's way too difficult to program bots to take cover.

[Shunk]

How so? They do occasionally take cover, but can't there be a line of sight check or something simple like that?

[FENT LACED CEREAL MILK]

Tickle, I was playing Deathmatch with bots like 10 seconds ago and they were using buildings as cover, flanking me, etc. I haven't seen them prone in the middle of the street, and when they're shot t they immediatly get ouf of the line of sight then pop up somewere else and kill you.

[Xiaou]

I agree with you, I think ArmA (as a series) is one of my all-time favorites, but thit is one issue that bugs me a little. They don't take cover properly (not as much as they should, I also spot them prone in open spaces too often), and they are extremely perceptive - which is good and bad.

But the make AI react correctly in a game as big as ArmA is much harder than a more "linear" game like COD or BF, where the "cover" is pre-set and the levels are tiny by comparison. I still enjoy BF sometimes, because it's chaotic and cinimatic - but ArmA takes the cake for being the best strategic shooter.

[Infected Mushroom]

for me - sometimes they do sometimes they dont - but i have noticed that when i engage them first they shall go prone but after locating me they acctually start moving and take cover

[Kodak White ✟]

I do notice this but their terminator aim make them tough to take out so its not exactly a turkey shoot.

[Shunk]

Sorry I shouldn't have made it sound like they NEVER take cover. But their spot on aim is a pain too. Take the sniper showcase for instance: I'm up on top of a hill 500m away at dusk (or dawn I don't know the time. Its dark) and crouched behind cover so only the top of my head is visible. I take the first shot and BOOM everybody knows where I am. Cmon with my contact perscription I have over 20/20 vision and I still can't see that well. Then they manage to be extremely accurate with a red dot scope... And on to another point. I know the COD/BF campaings are linear and the cover is preprogrammed, but still something simple shouldn't be impossible. IF a simple cover system can be implemented, then it would be relatively easy to have them run a series of random animations (peeking out from cover, hastily crouching back in, etc.) Again, I'm not complaining, I love this game, these were just thoughts I had. Should I throw this onto my original post. I'll do that too....

[ApexPredator]

cuz the map is dynamic, ie you can have a completely different island with tens of thousands of pieces of cover. The AI in other games (COD for example) can take cover because there aren't that many covers on the maps (hundreds) which are easy for the developers to designate but maps that arma has are impossible to designate every piece of cover.

[Pèpè Silvia]

There was a lot of AI improvements mentioned in the latest update, but if they're still not acting properly then make a repro mission and start a ticket on the feedback tracker.

[Theo Hardmeier]

The ai do use cover, they just dont use it as smart as a human player.
Also they tend to remain in formation more instead of breaking it to find cover. (Well they did in arma 2 anyway)

[HarambesFistVictim]

They go prone alot in Invade and Annex

[Kest]

I think the normal AI is designed to be react slow. They did want to take cover, but the AI need to analyse the surroundings and the enemy(you). U can consider the AI as a stupid player in realism. Such as a civilian hear a gun shot, got panic, need to take cover somehow. So they just get down, or just panic , you know maybe that's why there is some VST to enhance AI. Anyhow, I guess, lol

[Jonboy]

Their super aim is to compensate for them being stupid. Bots dont take cover when under fire. However they will take cover for no apparant reason. Brilliant.

[Seilky]

The AI just crounch and analyze their surroundings, then if he can't hit you or is taking damage it will run away or to cover, second, 500m is still in a normal assault rifle.
Also, remember that the AI doens't think is just a series of "IF" commands. So it tries to choose one that is more accurate to the situation.

Exemple:
Infantry:
MK20 = FN F2000 [500m, Burst(Semi) and Single fire].
AK-47 [400 meters, semi-auto, 300 meters, full auto].
M4 [500 m for a point target and 600 m for an area target].
Marksman:
M14 [460 m, 800+ m (with optics)].
Mk.14 EBR [500 m, 800+ m (with optics)].
Sniper:
H&K PSG1 [1000m]
L96A1 (AWP) [800m]

So, 500m is still in medium range, try aiming from 1000+ meters.

Also you can use Zeus AI (A3 version). For SP Install required, for MP is server sided.
http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?152393-zeu_ServerSkill-%28Serverside-AI-skill-setting-addo