Individuals ignored

[kbluck]

It seems to me that when planning AI triggers and orders, individuals are ignored even though they can be selected. For example, my earlier question about moving individual units. I can't find a way to give individual units toggle orders. Or, more accurately, I can set the order, but it won't actually do anything when triggered.

Similarly, using individual units as triggers won't work; looking for an individual to appear in an event box or do something for a callback won't ever trip the trigger. For example, my little ALO scheme to call in the airstrike. I had to create a platoon and make the ALO the only member before the callback snapshot would work.

So, it seems to be generally true that while individuals can be selected in the AI dialogs, they won't actually do whatever they're supposed to do.

--- Kevin

[CPangracs]

It seems to me that when planning AI triggers and orders, individuals are ignored even though they can be selected. For example, my earlier question about moving individual units. I can't find a way to give individual units toggle orders. Or, more accurately, I can set the order, but it won't actually do anything when triggered.

Similarly, using individual units as triggers won't work; looking for an individual to appear in an event box or do something for a callback won't ever trip the trigger. For example, my little ALO scheme to call in the airstrike. I had to create a platoon and make the ALO the only member before the callback snapshot would work.

So, it seems to be generally true that while individuals can be selected in the AI dialogs, they won't actually do whatever they're supposed to do.

--- Kevin
Yep, absolutely true! I discovered this last week while creating scenarios. The thing is, when you get right to it, there is no such thing as an individual entity in a military unit. Vehicles and weapon systems are ALWAYS part of a squad or higher entity. Even aircraft are in "sorties".

This really doesn't present a problem, as you just do what you did,...create a platoon with a unique name and assign the platoon the mission.

[kbluck]

It isn't a problem when you're working with one or two individuals. It is a problem when, as I was hoping to do, you want to kick off whole companies on preplanned individual paths. I've found it almost impossible to otherwise get formations to fall into prepared alternate positions properly. I've never gotten SBF/Defense to work the way I want it to.

At any rate, the fact that the individual units still appear in the "heirarchy name" selection list suggests that they are supposed to work. Otherwise, why make them available for selection at all? If that was never the intent, that list could sure be made a lot easier to use by filtering out the individuals.

--- Kevin

[CPangracs]

It isn't a problem when you're working with one or two individuals. It is a problem when, as I was hoping to do, you want to kick off whole companies on preplanned individual paths. I've found it almost impossible to otherwise get formations to fall into prepared alternate positions properly. I've never gotten SBF/Defense to work the way I want it to.

At any rate, the fact that the individual units still appear in the "heirarchy name" selection list suggests that they are supposed to work. Otherwise, why make them available for selection at all? If that was never the intent, that list could sure be made a lot easier to use by filtering out the individuals.

--- Kevin
Good point,...I'll have to check this out when I finally get time to get back to work on my scenarios!:nuts:

[Pat Proctor]

KB,

Sorry about the problems. This is a placeholder for future capability. I chose not to expend precious man-hours implementing it because a) there is a workaround (see below) and b) for triggers based on SEEING oppenent or allied units, there is a high probability that the ONE unit that needs to be seen will either die or not be seen, breaking the script (i.e. I hoped to discourage using this capability as much as possible).

It sounds like you found the "platoon of one" suggestion I was going to recommended. When you are using single unit triggers selectively (recommended) this is the way to implement it.