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#4085682 - 03/01/15 03:18 AM Encounters High / Regional Air Activity setting in Workshop  
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Hellshade Offline
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So here's a dumb question: If I set Encounters to High in the Workshop, are my chances of running into enemy aircraft the same regardless of what level I have set Regional Air Activity? Or will I still have the most encounters with Heavy Regional Air Activity, and less with Medium, the least with Light?


Flying Wings Over Flanders Fields: Between Heaven & Hell II
videos at www.youtube.com/hellshade68

#4085688 - 03/01/15 03:37 AM Re: Encounters High / Regional Air Activity setting in Workshop [Re: Hellshade]  
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busdriver Offline
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I have both at High and Heavy. But that's the only way I've played this sim, so I have no cogent commentary to offer.

Think I'm going to check AI Always Engages...flew an airfield attack, loitered in the target, and four different Jasta patrols flew past us. Fighters need to be defending stuff. Sorry for the tangential rant.

#4085704 - 03/01/15 04:52 AM Re: Encounters High / Regional Air Activity setting in Workshop [Re: Hellshade]  
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OldHat Offline
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For the "Encounters", I have messed with values in the simulation.xml file before the see the effects. For the different "Regional Air Activity" settings, I've counted the number of airplanes in the air during different time periods and here's what I found:

Encounters: In the simulation.xml file, you'll find two values which seem to control the AI "awareness" about other planes. These values go up when you activate "historical encouter" rate

offensiveSearchCycle_secs="10"
defensiveSearchCycle_secs="10"

If you adjust these values to say a large number like "30", then you fly a quick mission with head-on pass, you'll notice that the enemy will fly past your flight even within 100 meters and not flinch and just fly straight on course like no one is there.

Regional Air Activity: The difference in plane numbers when "air activity" is set ranges between an increase or decrease of 20-30 planes flying at one time in a mission. So, for example (don't remember the exact numbers):

1915 "air activity"
low = 100 planes
normal = 120 planes
high = 140 planes

This is what information I was able to gather after many days of fiddling and counting at one time. It may be more complex than my findings, but I don't have the tools to do any further testing.

#4085706 - 03/01/15 04:55 AM Re: Encounters High / Regional Air Activity setting in Workshop [Re: Hellshade]  
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Hellshade Offline
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Okay so Regional Air Activity (obviously) raises or lowers the total number of planes in the sky, but Encounters increases the awareness of the planes so they actually have a better chance of seeing you and engaging? Makes sense to me. Thanks Oldhat!


Flying Wings Over Flanders Fields: Between Heaven & Hell II
videos at www.youtube.com/hellshade68

#4085716 - 03/01/15 06:59 AM Re: Encounters High / Regional Air Activity setting in Workshop [Re: Hellshade]  
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Rover_27 Offline
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I usually set low activity + high encounters and it works well as a placebo for higher frame rates in any period of war. Although maybe it's for real. Less planes = more fps, right?


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#4085734 - 03/01/15 09:36 AM Re: Encounters High / Regional Air Activity setting in Workshop [Re: Hellshade]  
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DukeIronHand Offline
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High over the Front
You are correct Rover. Less planes does = more FPS. I just made a switch from high to medium activity and the difference appears quite dramatic though, of course, a lot of things can go into FPS from mission to mission.

With all of the above - which all makes perfect sense - what role is "AI always (or does not) engage" play in the mix?
Even if they detect other formations (Encounter Rate) the AI will use their "judgement" on whether to engage?

#4085740 - 03/01/15 10:24 AM Re: Encounters High / Regional Air Activity setting in Workshop [Re: DukeIronHand]  
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OldHat Offline
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Originally Posted By: DukeIronHand
With all of the above - which all makes perfect sense - what role is "AI always (or does not) engage" play in the mix?
Even if they detect other formations (Encounter Rate) the AI will use their "judgement" on whether to engage?


Simple question, complex answer. Without having the code to look at, only OBD can give us hints in their "AI rules of engagement" topic in the sticky.

But besides the workshop, I remeber seeing a value for this in the simulation.xml file - "on" or "off" setting.

#4085746 - 03/01/15 10:49 AM Re: Encounters High / Regional Air Activity setting in Workshop [Re: Hellshade]  
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High over the Front
Well I like the explanation of "Encounter Rates", i.e., AI awareness, and have switched to HIGH from "Realistic".
Too many times the AI flight leader disregards obvious targets and does not react to attacks until you are at a disadvantage IMHO.

I will now be very curious to see how "realistic and historical" WOFF will feel (which is the feeling I strive for) with my settings changed to:
1) Regional Air Activity set to "Medium" - reportedly the "historical setting."
2) AI Always Engages to "Off".
3) Encounters to "High".

#4085797 - 03/01/15 02:15 PM Re: Encounters High / Regional Air Activity setting in Workshop [Re: OldHat]  
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lederhosen Offline
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Originally Posted By: OldHat
For the "Encounters", I have messed with values in the simulation.xml file before the see the effects. For the different "Regional Air Activity" settings, I've counted the number of airplanes in the air during different time periods and here's what I found:

Encounters: In the simulation.xml file, you'll find two values which seem to control the AI "awareness" about other planes. These values go up when you activate "historical encouter" rate

offensiveSearchCycle_secs="10"
defensiveSearchCycle_secs="10"

If you adjust these values to say a large number like "30", then you fly a quick mission with head-on pass, you'll notice that the enemy will fly past your flight even within 100 meters and not flinch and just fly straight on course like no one is there.

Regional Air Activity: The difference in plane numbers when "air activity" is set ranges between an increase or decrease of 20-30 planes flying at one time in a mission. So, for example (don't remember the exact numbers):

1915 "air activity"
low = 100 planes
normal = 120 planes
high = 140 planes

This is what information I was able to gather after many days of fiddling and counting at one time. It may be more complex than my findings, but I don't have the tools to do any further testing.


I cant find this file..or maybe its not open to the public, but if I could realy lower the regional air activity for 1917/1918 then I too could fly careers in flanders.

Last edited by lederhosen; 03/01/15 02:15 PM.

make mistakes and learn from them

I5 4440 3.1Ghz, Asrock B85m Pro3, Gtx 1060 3GB
#4085803 - 03/01/15 02:29 PM Re: Encounters High / Regional Air Activity setting in Workshop [Re: Hellshade]  
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Polovski Offline
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There's a heck of a lot more going on that in that file, and regional air activity is not there. Many built in settings dictating OOB/Order of Battle, squadron orders and other settings. Maybe simply set the "Regional Air Activity" in the Workshop to "light" when you are in 1917/1918 if that is what you want?
No need to edit files.

Or lower some other settings (lower Terain Detail, Scenery Detail, Aircraft Skin Res to Normal or low., Woods forests density to Low, Terrain Detail to Normal if on High etc).

Or save up for some more uumph for the PC.


Regards,

Polovski,
OBD Software, developers of immersive flight sims;
Wings Over Flanders Fields and Wings Over The Reich
http://www.overflandersfields.com
http://www.wingsoverthereich.com

Moderated by  Polovski 

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