Computer Attackers and Patroling

[Maddawg101]

I'm making a survival map but am experiencing many problems with the computer movement. Right now after spawning the unit group attack-moves to a random point in the map and in addition to stop them from returning to the spawn region I have:

Events
Time - Every 25.00 seconds of game time
Conditions
Actions
Unit Group - Pick every unit in (Units in (Playable map area)) and do (Actions)
Loop - Actions
If (All Conditions are True) then do (Then Actions) else do (Else Actions)
If - Conditions
(Owner of (Picked unit)) Equal to Player 12 (Brown)
Then - Actions
Unit - Order (Matching unit) to Attack (Random unit from (Units in (Playable map area) owned by Player 1 (Red)))
Else - Actions
Do nothing

(Will later be changed to all human players not just red)
The problem is it gets sloppy if the units are being attacked and have a conflict of where to go. They sometimes run around in circles or dance around before attacking defenses. How do I fix this?

Also I have a separate unit group that I want to patrol around the perimeter of the map but cannot get it to work smoothly with regions. Any solutions?

Thanks

 

[Redeemer59]

Well, if you're ordering them to attack a random unit every 25 seconds, I think they'd get re-assigned several times. I'd have them attack move to the position of a random unit as opposed to the actual unit itself.

If this doesn't address the problem, I'm sorry, but it's what sprang to mind when I saw your trigger.

 

[Maddawg101]

That's a great idea thanks I'll try it out

Still wondering about the patroling outside though

 

[Modo]

Patrolling (assuming they just go around the perimeter, attacking everything they find):
Four regions, top-left, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right.

1) Create units in top left (or move them there)
2) Need 4 triggers:

• Event - A unit enters (top-left)
• Conditions - Entering unit equal to (Patroller)
• Events - Order entering unit to (attack-move) to (top-right)

• Event - A unit enters (top-right)
• Conditions - Entering unit equal to (Patroller)
• Events - Order entering unit to (attack-move) to (bottom-right)

• Event - A unit enters (bottom-right)
• Conditions - Entering unit equal to (Patroller)
• Events - Order entering unit to (attack-move) to (bottom-left)

• Event - A unit enters (bottom-left)
• Conditions - Entering unit equal to (Patroller)
• Events - Order entering unit to (attack-move) to (top-left)

 

[Maddawg101]

Modo that is what I had initially but once they reached a region they would either return to their spawn or stay there. I changed it to and if/then with entering regions but that hasn't worked either

As for the trigger Redeemer suggested I'm still having some problems because even after a long time and many spawns some defending units are still left untouched

 

[Modo]

Does Player 12 own the Patrollers? If it does, they will be moved by your previous trigger. Make sure that the picked unit for your first trigger has "Picked unit not equal to Patroller".

 

[Maddawg101]

Ok that makes sense I'll try that now

Update on the general movement:
It seems that when the acquisition range is very high for the units they ALL attack one specific group of defenses but
when the acquisition range is normal they go to random places attacking random defenses but then they return to their spawn points after killing whatever it is

My goal is that the computer will attack-move randomly and then continue to move randomly if they do not find enemies

 

[Maddawg101]

Heres what seems to be working somewhat now. Its after each unit group spawn

Unit Group - Order (Last created unit group) to Attack-Move To (Position of (Random unit from (Units in (Playable map area) matching ((Owner of (Matching unit)) Not equal to Player 12 (Brown)))))

However when there are too many units it causes lag and they dont follow orders so well what can I do for that?

 

[Modo]

Have less units. It is the only way I know how.

 

[Maddawg101]

Alright that seems to be fine now with the changes I made the only thing left is the patrolling outside

 

[wd40bomber7]

Ok, if I get what you want, you want the computer units to wander around and attack w/e they find?

If thats what you want, add (to every unit you want this to work for) the ability 'wander' to them. *poof* your done.

 

[Maddawg101]

I wanted them to attack in groups, and now I've finally got it, but incorporating all the ideas everyone has given me I've finally gotten it all to work

If anyone else has a similar problem this is what worked for me:

Redeemer - Have attackers attack-move to the position of unit instead of unit itself, fixes so that the attackers don't dance around
Modo - Patrolling triggers were being overruled by my other triggers and my regions were too small. Too many units were lagging and messing up the triggers so I made ways to kill extra units or reduce them overall
wd40 - Attackers will get them the wander ability if they do not find a unit

Thanks so much everyone who helped! +Rep!