Military AI Works

Edwards AFB for FSX(SP1 or SP2) Take a look and let me know what you think. over thirty AI aircraft and flight plans so far. Go to http://shess0757.googlepages.com/test for more details. Thanks, Steve

Steve,

I checked out your web side. The AI aircraft you are referring to - are those indeed all true multi-LOD AI aircraft? Or have you used flyable aircraft instead?

Most of the aircraft are converted to AI using FSX GA-Traffic. Some that I do not have permission to convert will have to be used as flyable models, but those planes are very close to what an AI plane would be anyways. As you say each plane will be an separate install with it's own flightplan so you can choose what aircraft you have

Steve,

The crucial thing with AI is the performance penalty you will see when using flyable aircraft. What the GA-Traffic converter tool does is reducing the texture size and some more tweaks.

What it can't do is to make an aircraft multi-LOD. LODs are different layers of complexity of the same aircraft when seen from different distances. If you are some hundred feet away you will not notice if the aircraft is of very rudimentary form. But the sim will notice because it has to calculate only some dozens of polygons.

Keep in mind that the simulation is calculating an aircraft even if you are too far away to even see it. You can get away with a couple of non-AI aircraft if you use them sparsely, but I guess the number you are planning to use will not work.

I understand what you are saying. I do not have the skills to create aircraft for scratch. While I am trying to offer as many different aircraft as possible to choose from, it was never my intention for anyone to use them all. I am finishing up KEDW and will start more serious work on the AI planes after that. I will be looking for real AI models to use where ever possible. there are some that while might be less that ideal, the user will have to decide on performance or quality. I know even thirty different great AI multi-LOD aircraft would be a frame rate killer. I am keeping the number of each type of plane per flight plan low to help offset the impact. Hope you understand.

Steve,

Your work is much appreciated. I lack the skills to create aircraft myself. I just wanted to point out what makes an AI aircraft "ai-ish" and why converter tools are very limited in this regard.
I very much hope that some of the skilled guys have a look at the pictures on your site and feel motivated to create some of those aircraft as real AI ones.