Discussion about: UnitAI (approaching and ranged unit's max range)

[chansey]

When a ranged unit attack a enemy, current UnitAI behavior is :

(1) Handle attack order

(2) CheckInRange. if enemy not in range, goto (3)

(3) MoveToTargetRange (min/max range)

(4) When move is completed, goto (2)

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My question is:

The MoveToTargetRange (especially max range!) is really useful to the ranged unit's approaching behavior?

I found some faults:

Situation 1:

There are two units (A and B, A is ranged unit whose max range is 20).

Let A attack B and B attack A.

You will find that A often approach B but overstep and then walk back.

It's only a bug and it could be fixed by adding some CheckInRange code in approaching timer.


Situation 2:

There are two units (A and B, A is ranged unit whose max range is 58).

A is on one the side of river, B is on the other side.

Now let A attack B and B flee A along the river bank.

You will find A will lost B. (A won't go across bridge...)

Is this behavior normally?

After some thought, I've come to some conclusion: (maybe wrong)

(1) The max range in approaching is only useful to the unit which has a very long range (eg: catapult) or target is a building.

(2) Archer should be look as melee and not use weapon range as motion's maxrange to approach.
It should use maxrange=0 approach and check its weapon range(maxrange) repeatly to decide attack.

Edited July 22, 2014 by chansey