Retreat Behavior

[JakeDrake]

IF (<outgunned> AND enemy.speed > self.speed) THEN (<escape combat>, <Land>)

 

In other words, if a small UFO goes up against some plas cannons, it should obviously retreat (since its just on a little harvest run anyway). If it escapes direct combat with the X-Com craft and the UFO isn't fast enough to put some distance in between a firestorm, its best bet is to land where the interceptor cannot attack and it has better chances of survival (ground missions are much harder). After landing it might look something like this:

 

IF <NOT(enemy_near)> THEN <resume operations>

 

You get the jist. After initial combat the UFO knows if it can't win combat or is faster than the xcom craft, if these two factors are true then the best option for surivival is landing and waiting out the storm or trying to take out a few xcom operatives on the ground.

Edited December 6, 2004 by JakeDrake

[sir_schwick]

I also think that if the UFO thinks it can beat the Interceptor it should engage it in combat. I would like to think the aliens actually try to defend the skies rather than responding to aggressive fire.

[JakeDrake]

Yep, it would not be incredibly difficult at all to implement rules of engagement into the enemy UFO AI. All that would be required would be to assign a point system where each ship and weapon type have a preset value assigned to them. Add these up for the <XCom> craft and you've got a quantitative method for the AI to choose whether to retreat or attack.

 

There is one necessary modification to this however; the ufo must not be able to determine the strength of the xcom craft before engaging (or at least coming into proximity) of the craft. I suppose that the aliens have hyperwave decoders and would have no problem reading the mind of the pilot in order to determine the particular threat of the craft but from a gameplay standpoint this would not be a good idea. If the UFO already knows the strength of the Xcom craft then a small UFO will surely retreat before an <Interceptor> has any chance to catch it. Those plas cans will go to waste unless you upgrade the craft.

 

The solution to this is to allow the UFO to access the capabilities of the Human craft only after engaging in combat with it. This gives the player a chance to defend his territory and provides a fairer experience. Though we can assume that a more realistic alien AI would remember the strengths of a craft in a certain area I must suggest that each UFO operate on a seperate memory and come into play without the knowledge of whether it will surely be smashed into little bits if it engages it.

Edited December 6, 2004 by JakeDrake

[GARAK]

I think the hyperwave decoder intercepts transmissions from the ufo, not brain waves. The game never says xcom is using hyperwave transmissions to communicate with its own people. I think that xcom or xcorp would use encrypted radio waves to talk to its people. You can build the avenger and fly it around fine before even inventing the hyperwave decoder.

My point is, is that the hyperwave decoder does not read minds. I agree however that the aliens could probably read the pilot's minds the old fashion way, BUT that would almost necessitate the invention of craft mind shields, if not personel portable mind shields.