Awful Ally AI

[Boomer]

I grew up playing MW3, fun game and a lot of the reason I got this was the nostalgia.
However I find the AI for allies to be the most bare bones bottom of the bucket in existence.

Half of the time they won't engage a target remotely properly unless ordered to, and even then they never manage to make full use of the mech they're in. Taking all 3 of them to take down 1 Urban mech and even then taking several minutes at times. Enemy AI seems to hyper fixate on the player while your support does little without the constant hand holding. In addition to this, they do not always obey orders. On multiple occasions when given a "Form on me" order they will wander off towards the enemy the first chance they get, breaking formation and trying to use the LRM-15's they have in a fist fight somehow. The worst instances of this usually have them walk directly into the airstrike I just called it, all the while spamming for them to form on me or move to a different location. I have honestly made several solo missions in a Locust-E just to save the C-Bills of fixing 3 other mechs.

I do not think the game is bad however, it's very fun to play having played through Battletech (the turn based strat game) - Just the AI needs massive improvement and it is a bit disappointing that it's so bad when the game has been out so long (December 10, 2019)

If anyone knows of any mod to help improve the AI to at least be as smart as a 4th grader I'm very interested.

[pete]

What! having to order the lance to do stuff - outrageous.

It must also be so bothersome to a actually have to go into combat.

[Я|R²³]

the AI really needs some love: Example: "one shot" enemy forces are ignored, I always need to change through to get rid of the (obviously easy to manage) targets & if you give the order, your AI "friend" will run through buildings, loose track of the enemy and will dice the next action: /random(stay, watch, walk, run vs building, ignore enemy, push back player)

[🍮]

it's pretty terrible having to press keys to have the AI attack enemies. i agree. They should do that automatically unless told otherwise. IDK if they do or not because i've not played long enough to know yet. i've just been hoping they shoot the enemy without my telling them to.

[owen8964]

The AI can be worked with. once you understand how it functions. It is barebones, just the 4 commands, but also you need to tweak mechs for AI pilots since they won't fire if it will overheat them and most mechs run stupid-hot in their standard set-ups.

Range: some doubt about how exactly this is working at present but either Mechs will run up to the range of their shortest range weapon and try to fire it OR they will try to fight from the range of the weapons under the 1 button. Default until receipt of further information is to assume they will run up to the range of their shortest range weapon and try to fire it. Take the mgs off your LRM boat ;)

Maahes wrote a Guide that although outdated on things like LRMs is still worth a read.

edit: Oh yes - I gather there IS an AI mod but I play vanilla. Check the Steam Workshop.

[pete]

Originally posted by iexist:

it's pretty terrible having to press keys to have the AI attack enemies. i agree. They should do that automatically unless told otherwise. IDK if they do or not because i've not played long enough to know yet. i've just been hoping they shoot the enemy without my telling them to.

Oh your precious little fingers.

Here's the thing - Shh don't tell anyone - they do attack the enemy!!! Isn't that radical?

[S0ulcalibur]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2607562264&searchtext=


mod helps, you just have to throw on a ai pack in the upgrade section of your mechs

[sylrys]

the mod presented above help a lot (take the commands mod that go with it) and yes try to customize mech nearly heatfree (80-100%) and with weapons of the same range if possible (not always mandatory but that help the ia) and download better pilot mod too .

with all that you will see your pilots ruin some mechs before you can even get close for a punch^^

[Valen]

Ummm.... You are the commander and your lancemates do not read minds. On top of that - previous mechwarrior games have required you to command your lance mates.

I do not think sentient AI is going to happen any time soon. The problem of abstract thinking has not been fully overcome yet.

Having said that - I will state that the AI pilots do have some issues on pathfinding and can get stuck - and require a order to get them unstuck.

I have read that PGI had to dumb down the AI on enemy mechs at some point - to keep players from getting slaughtered.

It is a matter of opinion whether some of these so called AI mods make things better. Many have had issues in the past. On top of that - where is the point of your lance becoming a hack/cheat just to make the game easier for the player.

[pRaX]

The micro inept vs the AI apologists round #66873

[Valen]

Originally posted by pRaX:

The micro inept vs the AI apologists round #66873

You deserve some sort or reward for this comment - points headed your way.

[Thermal Lance]

There is simply not enough commands that can be given. That’s the problem.

It’s way too limited.

[necro55]

Rather than rehashing the shortcomings, how can i best mitigate it aside from consistent orders in combat, mainly how to optimize the mech loadouts for the AI.
Are there weapons the fundamentally do better or worse with?
Assuming that their skills are all even 10/10/10 or even 5/5/5.
Can you have more than one range used well?
Also i had a heck of a time trying to remove a power fist so the ai wouldnt try and box with a 3ppc mech.
Also as you mentioned above the issue with the not firing if they will overheat, does putting a weapon in chainfire mode mitigate that?
Just looking for some understanding on how to make the ai work a little better.

Also is there a mod that allows saving of configs? without going to something major like yaml or merctech etc.

[pete]

Originally posted by Thermal Lance:

There is simply not enough commands that can be given. That’s the problem.

It’s way too limited.

What more do you need? Make me a latte? Do the Can Can with your mech? Pick up my dry cleaning -

[owen8964]

Originally posted by necro55:

Rather than rehashing the shortcomings, how can i best mitigate it aside from consistent orders in combat, mainly how to optimize the mech loadouts for the AI.
Are there weapons the fundamentally do better or worse with?
Assuming that their skills are all even 10/10/10 or even 5/5/5.
Can you have more than one range used well?
Also i had a heck of a time trying to remove a power fist so the ai wouldnt try and box with a 3ppc mech.
Also as you mentioned above the issue with the not firing if they will overheat, does putting a weapon in chainfire mode mitigate that?
Just looking for some understanding on how to make the ai work a little better.

Also is there a mod that allows saving of configs? without going to something major like yaml or merctech etc.

Chainfire: Unless it has changed - it might have, I haven't looked for ages - the AI just doesn't use Chainfire. It fires the first weapon and ignores the rest.

Weapons for AI - not that I can think of. (Cue howls of disbelief and long lists :) I would though emphasise the heat thing: Doesn't matter what you've got on the beggars if they don't fire them.

Oh: PPCs. They ARE good with PPCs and LLs. Very good at picking off turrets and vtols.

Orders: I mainly use F1F1 and F1F2 (Focus Fire and Get in Formation). Once you get your head round that fact that you can't tell them to attack all targets under a certain weight or whatever, just, Attack This/Get in Formation/Go There and range is decided by weapons mounted you've really got all you need for quite complex manoeuvres.

Thermal Lance: think I've answered your point in my reply to necro. Once you stop thinking about what you can't do and focus on what you can, you'll find you can do quite a lot with the basic orders plus an awareness of range.

[Valen]

Well, ... I can say I personally do not set up my mechs for chain fire in a single player game. I expect my AI lance mates to fire the entire group. I can also say that - I never expected my AI mechs to chain fire in any previous mechwarrior game.

Chain fire was useful (for me) in previous multiplayer mechwarrior games (Like MW4) where being hit by weapons fire would throw off your aim - really worked well with missiles (until they came out with gyros to help stabilization from weapons fire).