AI lags the game when it doesn't have a proper attack route

[Alok]

When the AI is set to attack, but it doesn't have a viable attack route, (i.e. the attack route is blocked by trees, water, terrain, etc.) it bugs out the game and it lags. Sometimes, if there are enough units that try to attack but can't, the game would freeze and stop working completely. This problem can persist even if there are available Zeppelins/Ships for attacking, since the AI won't always use them properly (for example, it will load three units on a Zeppelin, although it has more spots available, and the other units will go by foot, etc.).

Here's the thread explaining the issue in more detail: www.hiveworkshop.com/threads/the-ai-lag.273028/ (or more specifically: www.hiveworkshop.com/threads/the-ai-lag.273028/#post-2761588)

And here's my map that has this problem: www.hiveworkshop.com/threads/deforestation-gnoll-invasion-v2-4.270058/
The older versions of the map in which the problem was much more prominent can be found here: www.epicwar.com/maps/search/?go=1&n=deforestation&a=&c=0&p=0&pf=0&roc=0&tft=0&page=2&sort=score&order=desc (or more specifically this version: www.epicwar.com/maps/257642/)

*This bug isn't related to the new patch specifically, it's a persisting issue from before.

 

[DracoL1ch]

can this be fixed via gound-attack orders instead?

 

[Alok]

I don't know what you mean exactly, but issuing attack ground order via triggers when there isn't a proper ground path won't work, nor will it make the units use a Zeppelin (I tested this), and I think it would be too complicated to incorporate some kind of a workaround system for the whole dynamic AI for the thing that should work in the game by itself. I posted this in this part of the forum because this needs a fix via a patch.

 

[Dr Super Good]

When the AI is set to attack, but it doesn't have a viable attack route, (i.e. the attack route is blocked by trees, water, terrain, etc.) it bugs out the game and it lags.

Know issue. Likely caused by an exhaustive target search that either times out or runs out of targets to check.

This problem can persist even if there are available Zeppelins/Ships for attacking, since the AI won't always use them properly (for example, it will load three units on a Zeppelin, although it has more spots available, and the other units will go by foot, etc.).

WC3 AI has no sensible idea about transport. This issue was fixed in StarCraft II and even then it can still cause performance problems.

I do not know of a direct fix next to placing everything on the same pathing island. One might be able to work around it by not ordering the AI to send attack waves so it does not try to find attack targets. One could then write some sort of complex trigger system to handle proper strategic target acquisition.

 

[Rui]

Yeah, having played melee intensively in the past, this was noticeable in maps that do not have a land route to other enemies.