Flight Path Bug?

[Felix Nephthys]

I set up a test with Egypt vs. Egypt in Oct. 1973. A clear map with Egyptian SAM's at the SW corner against MIG-21's set to fly from NE to SW. The problem is that the aircraft do not fly the assigned flight paths. Some fly in from NW and exit to E. I don't know why. My save is attached with the aircraft already assigned.

[DRG]

First off---- what version of the game did you build that with ? The map specifically. Was that something you had in your files for years? That is the only way I know of to produce this repeating tile pattern is to have built that map with a very early version of the game

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15756&stc=1&d=1558876574

THIS is what clear terrain looks like with the latest version

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15757&stc=1&d=1558876765

.....and ALL of the aircraft came in diagonally from the top left to the bottom right the three times I ran it.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15758&stc=1&d=1558877948

[DRG]

Here it is doing what you said you wanted it to do....set to fly from NE to SW

[Felix Nephthys]

First off---- what version of the game did you build that with ? The map specifically. Was that something you had in your files for years? That is the only way I know of to produce this repeating tile pattern is to have built that map with a very early version of the game

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15756&stc=1&d=1558876574

THIS is what clear terrain looks like with the latest version

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15757&stc=1&d=1558876765

.....and ALL of the aircraft came in diagonally from the top left to the bottom right the three times I ran it.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15758&stc=1&d=1558877948

I didn't make that map, it's #141 from the list of maps you can choose from when you generate a battle. When I ran the saved game you posted the MIG's make attack runs from NW to SE at the beginning of turn 2 for the 2nd Egyptian side. That's every time.

[Felix Nephthys]

Strangely enough, when I run my saved game the planes are now flying as desired, but when I run the save you posted the planes fly in from NW to SE.

[DRG]

......and when I run yours and mine again they do exactly what I said they did in my first post......your save is NW - SE and mine is NE - SW

I will take a look at map 141

[DRG]

We seem to have a mystery. Code changes were made that seemed to show this behaviour was eliminated

Anyone looking for something to do can run both saves and report what direction they see the aircraft enter and leave

[Felix Nephthys]

Just an update. I'm still having trouble with aircraft flying in to attack targets and then leaving the map in ways they shouldn't such as flying in from the east and then exiting to the SE. This type of behavior seems to happen more often than not but doesn't seem to be consistent enough for me to be able to post a savegame in order to be tested. I can say that it seems to happen more when the computer player is executing air strikes than when I plan and execute them manually (at least it seems to for me). On a side note, when dropping bombs on a target, the explosions leave smoke not only in the hex where the bombs drop but also simultaneously in the hex in front (directly under the hex the aircraft is in at the time). These behaviors happen not only in WinSPMBT but also in WinSPWW2.

[Dion]

The way I see it, you give the aircraft orders and the pilots do their best they can, but based on your orders. After all, their the one's flying the plane not you, so when they change their designated flight path, they feel it's the best thing to do at the time under the circumstances. Some pilots have nerves of steel, some don't. I think it's very realistic.

As far not seeing any explosions under the plane when dropping bombs, it's probably because the plane has visual priority over explosions until the plane leaves the hex.

[Felix Nephthys]

The way I see it, you give the aircraft orders and the pilots do their best they can, but based on your orders. After all, their the one's flying the plane not you, so when they change their designated flight path, they feel it's the best thing to do at the time under the circumstances. Some pilots have nerves of steel, some don't. I think it's very realistic.

As far not seeing any explosions under the plane when dropping bombs, it's probably because the plane has visual priority over explosions until the plane leaves the hex.

Well, it's more that aircraft are doing things they shouldn't be able to in the first place, such as making 135/180 degree turns when they shouldn't be. As for the explosions, the issue isn't that I'm not seeing the explosions, it's that they are happening simultaneously in two hexes at once.

[DRG]

It's on the list to look into again at some point

[Imp]

I can verify there may be a problem playing a MBT scenario and AI planes came in and did a 180' turn before exiting.

[jivemi]

Same here, ditto WW2. Not much if any effect on gameplay though it can be disconcerting for verisimilitude freaks.

[Mobhack]

I have been playing an L/C as Egypt in the 73 war, and have not seen any weird exits myself.

You could always justify any 180 path you see as a "split-S" :D!

However it may be there is still some bit of code we did not find when I "fixed" the AI flight path choices, so as Don says, it will be investigated.