Happy Camper uploaded file ArtyTooClose.tar.gz (182.5 KiB)

Savegame with a group of kamikaze artillery units

Happy Camper uploaded file wz2100-20120319_211637-Sk-RollingHills-T1.jpg (696.2 KiB)

Sceenshot of a group of kamikaze artillery

bthechosen@... commented

This problem exists from beta 6 .

Shadow Wolf TJC commented

I wonder, does setting the artillery to "hold position" work?

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Sentenza commented

I just wrote a post, then found out about the bug tracker, then found this bug, sorry about that, here's the post:

Actually, it mostly happens when you have artillery assigned to a sensor, and then use the sensor to give queued up kill orders (shift+clicking on multiple buildings/mobs).
As they kill their targets they move towards the next (or the old that died? not sure) target, getting closer and closer, eventually being right next to what they're attacking, getting killed by base defenses.

The sensor stays where it is, just getting in range of the targets you select.

Am I the only one having this issue?

P.S. I'm playing the campaign, in 3.1.0

I've tried hold position, and indeed they no longer get closer, but they also won't move into range anymore :)

Edit: It seems hold position unlinks them from the sensor, setting the sensor to hold position doesn't help.
The problem is worse with hover tech, because halftracks/tracks don't get that much closer in the split second they move towards what they just killed, while hovers move rather rapidly.
This made me realize, it's not so much on every shot (even though that sometimes happens, but that really isn't that much), it's mainly after they kill a target.

I think it might have something to do with this change:
http://developer.wz2100.net/ticket/2243
Well, actually, the change mentioned in that bugreport.

Originway commented

see this report http://developer.wz2100.net/ticket/3748

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Sentenza commented

Replying to Warzone2100/old-trac-import#3343 (comment:4):

see this report http://developer.wz2100.net/ticket/3748

I read through it, what are you getting at? I didn't see mention of this issue.

If you meant because I said it's because of #2243, I'm most likely wrong, the reason I thought so is because if 2-3 shots kill a target (out of a ~25 group of artillery), everyone will move a further distance than if many shots kill a target.

However, I assume this is just a coincidence.

Originway commented

I think that report is the reason why you are seeing this since it is all about targeting and how it was changed

raycast commented

IIRC sensor attachments overrule the modified targeting logic. I.e. when a mobile sensor unit is used, the artillery will shoot the enemy even when the new targeting would say the unit is already doomed.

Try yourself. Setup a load of slow artillery and aim it at a single droid. With a manual sensor all should fire, whereas when the droid just comes into regular sensor range (i.e. visibility) they should fire much less.

Don't try to blame everything on the new targeting.

raycast commented

I remember reading somewhere that the distinction between "optimum range" and "maximum range" was removed sometime? Maybe this is a consequence of that:
the artillery units try to move in closer to get a better shot, instead of staying at maximum shooting range.

I believe they were never programmed to "trail" the sensor, but that was a simple consequence of them staying in sensor range to their leader and of moving in close enough of enemy targets to shoot.

Either way: targeting does not affect pathfinding. Targeting logic priorizes targets that are in range, but does not move units.

Sentenza uploaded file campaign.7z (66.9 KiB)

two savegames, just load and let them run

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Sentenza commented

I've added two savegames, one that shows it happening with units (orthis), and one that shows it happening with base defenses (Maybethis).

Also try targetting the walls manually by queueing up commands.

Also, watch orthis closely, they take a while to kill each tank, and only move closer at exactly the moment it dies.

Sorry for blaming your new targeting, it's a wonderful thing.

Edit: However, it is being used when assigned to the sensor, I've noticed the artillery shooting a second target when the first is still alive, also the move happens when the killing shell is in the air (not saying it's the new targeting's fault, I just mention what I notice, I want to help get this fixed, but don't have the coding skills to do it myself)

raycast commented

I believe I have seen this without sensor attachment, too. Suicidal units... :-(

First I thought it only happens when a unit decides to retreat and pathfinding sends them straight through the enemys base.

But the latest situation I remember I had a group of 5 seraph tanks set to attack a cannon fortress. And there was a repair sation nearby the other direction. Suddenly one of them started to drive right up to the fortress. As if some division by 0 or so decided that it was too far away, or something was blocking its path.

Speaking of walls - yes, thats actually where it happens quite often. When finishing up an enemy base, there is always this oddball tank that drives all the way to the wall. Again: no sensor unit involved.

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Sentenza commented

Did you try the savegames?

And yes, I've seen it without sensors, but then it's a rare occurrence, and if they move they move only for a very short time.

The walls exacerbate the problem only because mortars rape walls very quickly, and there are many walls (since it happens upon the target dying, so walls = many targets die per minute).

I'll make a video and post it here soon.

Edit: 3 Videos:
http://puu.sh/2nczO
(Direct link to .7z file containing 3 .avis, lemme know if you don't trust puu.sh, and where you'd like it uploaded instead)

clueless commented

Replying to Warzone2100/old-trac-import#3343 (comment:11):

I'll make a video and post it here soon.

Edit: 3 Videos:
http://puu.sh/2nczO
(Direct link to .7z file containing 3 .avis, lemme know if you don't trust puu.sh, and where you'd like it uploaded instead)

That puush could not be found how about you upload them here?

Sentenza commented

I've re-puush'd it, it is unfortunately too large for the attachment:
http://puu.sh/64P5Z.7z

Important to note is that all clicks I make are accompanied with a sound, I just watched it again, and thought I had clicked a few times, but no, no sound = no click :)

Sentenza uploaded file 2.avi (4099.6 KiB)

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Sentenza commented

I've made a new video, uploaded it, and what I noticed now is it only happens when a killing shell is in the air.
Check 2.avi, slow it down 50% (open with vlc, then hit - on your numpad twice), you'll see the killing shell gets fired at energylevel 9603, and everything starts moving forward until it lands at energylevel 9611 and the wallpiece explodes.
Same thing at 9666 to 9674, the instant the killing shell gets fired every unit starts moving to the target, and as it explodes they stop and only then do they target the next unit.

So technically this is two bugs:

1. Units moving towards doomed target
2. Units not shooting at new target when current target is doomed but not yet dead

I'll do some more tests, see if this is only with sensors, only when queued, only artillery, and see what I come up with.

Edit: After some testing, it seems like if artillery is shooting without a sensor there is a twitch on each kill, but they don't move forward much (if at all). Same for tanks (with the rare occasional suicidal tank moving right up to the target, but that seems to me another issue, and doesn't happen very often).
So, the issue happens only (at least with this severity) when linking artilleries to sensors (I couldn't link tanks to sensors to test, but the same thing happens when tanks are linked to commanders, but there it's less harmful since... tanks are tanky :)

Althalus commented

In Warzone2100/warzone2100@ab26ab2:

#CommitTicketReference repository="" revision="ab26ab2af27c7baabdd6f6c098760fe09e3fe78a"
Fix bug #3343: prevent support artillery from needlessly rushing forward

Per changed status from new to closed

Per changed resolution from `` to fixed