Today, we are updating the Beta branch with two major changes: (1) a complete overhaul of how air operations from airbases and carriers currently function, and (2) native support for loading of 3rd party models for modders! These changes are in addition to another round of bugfixes and other improvements described below.
Major Overhaul of Flight Deck Operations
This update of the Beta branch includes a major update for how Flight Decks work in-game. This comes after many community requests for more realistic air ops. Note: because this change is highly impacting to how carriers/airbases work in the game, we have included a difficulty setting in the game's Options to disable or tune it! All new behavior is described here:
All aircraft (including helicopters) now have individual loadout preparation times, and cooldown/servicing times after recovery
Flight Decks now have limited Ground Crews to prep aircraft, and limited Deck Park space for prepped aircraft to wait for launch
Ground Crews are crews available to fuel and arm aircraft - once all Ground Crews are assigned, further prep orders must wait until Ground Crews are available
Deck Park spaces limit the total amount of aircraft that can be waiting to launch at any given time - if Deck Park is full, you must launch off aircraft to free up Deck Park space
Note: prep/cooldown times are shown as timers on the Flight Deck UI. Ground Crews and Deck Park are shown by gauges that will fill up as space is used.
Added a new Rally Point mechanic to allow players to define a rally point and altitude for aircraft launched from the airbase/carrier
To set Rally Point, right click on the airbase or carrier, then go to Flight Deck > Rally Points.
Rally Points can be set for aircraft, VTOL aircraft, and helicopters independently
To set the Rally Point location, click on the rally point unit type and then right click on the map to place it.
Note: rally point visibility is still WIP and will be added soon.
Airbases/Carriers now have limited ordnance stores ("ammunition"), especially of advanced weaponry, such as Phoenix and Harpoon missiles
The Mission Editor has been updated to allow mission-makers to configure prepped aircraft and allocate airbase/carrier ammunition stores
Added a new Flight Deck Timings setting in Options with 3 modes: Realistic, Casual, Arcade. Arcade mode disables prep/cooldown times.
Native Support for Loading of 3rd Party Models
Loading of 3rd party models (OBJ format) is now supported natively in-game! This greatly simplifies use of mods with custom models, as chain loader tools are no longer required.
Note: Workshop modders who have posted mods with 3rd party models included should test their mods against the Beta branch if possible to confirm their models will load properly.
Mission Editor Improvements
Continuous improvement of the Mission Editor is a high priority for our team. With each update, we are bringing new refinements to it as we work through a backlog of requested features from the community. Most of the changes in this update are to support the Flight Deck overhaul, but several requested features have been added as well:
Controls for all new Flight Deck mechanics from within the Mission Editor
Ability to pre-plan aircraft preparation, making aircraft available immediately in the mission for player and/or AI
Ability to customize Flight Deck ammunition stores
New trigger actions for weather changes and reactivation of triggers
New waypoints for sonobuoy deployment, including "drop in line" and buoy depth
Checkboxes to disable airbase AI, and new trigger action to enable or disable it (allowing mission-makers to delay AI launching aircraft)
Removed unused Stores and Damage dropdowns; these will be added back once functional in the future
AI Enhancements
This update includes some smaller changes to AI logic. Please see the next section for a broader update on the status of Sea Power's AI.
Refined AI aircraft engagement logic; AI aircraft will now try to engage targets based on priority vs. chasing off after the first identified target
Crew proficiency will now impact speed of AI decision-making (experimental!)
Update on AI Progress
Improving Sea Power's AI has been a key focus for the team in the second half of this year. Work is proceeding along two main tracks:
1. AI Framework: a new moddable/scriptable AI framework is in development, allowing mission and campaign creators to script custom AI behavior. This system will let modders design and share their own AI logic for ships, aircraft, and task groups.
2. Core AI Enhancements: Parallel to the framework, the base game's AI continues to evolve. Recent improvements, all of which are now available in the latest Beta branch, include:
The AI commander is now able to classify player ship and aircraft formations based on certain formation characteristics, such as a group of radar contacts on a similar heading and speed
AI airbases (including aircraft carriers) will launch AEW&C for air surveillance
AI airbases will send up CAP flights of fighters and maintain/refresh them
AI airbases will launch interceptors if an inbound strike is detected
AI airbases will launch attack aircraft with jammer support to attack any player sea or land units detected - airstrike composition will vary based on detected unit characteristics
Changes to the base game AI that are in currently in progress or planned include:
AI reconnaissance using available assets to search for the player
Expanding AI airstrike capability beyond bomb attacks only
Implementing a Morale based system for AI behavior and reactions
Improved anti-submarine warfare tactics when hunting player submarines
Improving AI use of munitions with proper engagement envelopes for torpedoes and missiles
... and much more!
Full changelist:
Bug Fixes
Mission Editor: Some cloud coverage states were not correctly loaded from mission file
Mission Editor: The FlightDeck_AutocalculateAmmo flag didn't load inside Mission Editor
Loadout availability was not updated if there were no planes of this type ready to fly on the FlightDeck
Scenario: Operation Morvarid map labeling updated
Chinese flag override
Null refs
Submarines went to surface on attack waypoint execute
CAP planes attack own missiles
Resolve potential for undefined Enums to be returned in IniHandler
Newport class LST Barnstable County flown flag of Netherlands by default
Planes currently on RTB become uncontrollable after loading save
Submarine stuck in AI state after being transferred to player by trigger
Wrong torpedo on Shershen class
Civilian routes not functioning with new FlightDeck AI
Wuhan tubes 5 and 6 animation
Nuclearstonk's fixes for Shanghai 2B and Type 010 sensors
Other scenarios folder naming conventions fix
Save/Load: Towed system trail renderer segments positions were saved in Unity coordinates that caused incorrect cable positioning in the 3d world on load from a savegame; changed to Geopositions
Faulty terrain at 18.1/118.3 lat/long
Fixed black pixel under sun caused by overflow in the cloud shader
Typo in EA-6B Prowler speeds in ini that made it instantly spend all fuel on Max speed setting
Kilo had a 6-barrel boomstick
Bayandor CIWS crew not disappearing when ship is sinking
No pilot spawn for F-15 and F-15C
Cirrus cloud fog was disabled
Mk25 default reload time
B-52 phases through ground and Turboprops accelerate wayyyyy too fast
Wingman could block formation RTB if sent to act independently
Different paths in file checker and actual ini
Scenario: PLAN 03 Op Silent Spear enemy SAG waypoints
050 BMG description
SA-N-3 ghost AO imprint texture fix
Typos in Tutorial 05
RandomTurns provide one more waypoint
VID order breaks waypoint execution for units
At certain cases weapons could not lock at target
Missile objects were not removed after dropping submunitions
Typo in loading aircraft in ready state in Mission Editor
Temp FIX that we will definitely not regret in about two years: Allow up to 4096 unit types
Improvements/Additions
Updated translations
WIP on AI: Aircraft behaviour improvement. Aircraft will try to engage closest target by priority.
E-15 torpedo sensor/noise tweaks
Terrain shaders
Helicopter now automatically cancels unreachable waypoint if it has more waypoints
Submarine emergency surface rework
Limit retarget ability for aircraft AI
Tweak Flight Deck UI for new prep/cooldown, ground crews, and deck park mechanics
Scenario: updated campaign missions 04A/04B, 05A/05B with new airbase ammunition and aircraft ready states to retain original balance
Edited Tutorial missions to reflect new Carrier Ready Times; corrected stated carrier launch speed from 30 knots to 20 knots (including localizations)
IRIAF F-5E refactored to USAF F-5E
Increased damage with depth
Subs can deflood to MIN state
Soviet subs crush depths
Mission Editor: Removed "None" values from enums, replaced with local string arrays to display correct lists in the Change Weather trigger action
Mission Editor: Removed Stores and Damage dropdowns until these are implemented later on
Mission Editor: new trigger actions for weather changes
Mission Editor: Checkbox for Unit to disable Flight Deck AI in missions
Mission Editor: Trigger action to activate/deactivate Flight Deck AI
Mission Editor: Reactivate Trigger action; Proper disposal of deleted Triggers from lists
Mission Editor: Sonobuoy drop waypoints and drop in line capability
Mission Editor: Ammunition Stores on the Flight Deck window as new tab
Mission Editor: Random unit spawn UI
New Condition type "NoIncomingWeapons" (experimental)
New loading screens (thanks Cosmo!)
Ability to add Supply System ammo to aircraft which will unload to Flight Deck ammunition stores once landed (experimental)
Allow variant index to be saved in profile images
UNITY_DOTS_DEBUG flag to project to enable safety checks for burst compiled code and allow for better tracability of potential crashes
P-3C squadron callsigns
Runtime OBJ Mesh Loading - native support for OBJ file loading for modders
Added JASDF pylons for F-1/T-2
Added F-4EJ reference for AN/APQ-120 radar entry
Add prep and cooldown time to Flight Deck, with options for Arcade, Casual and Realistic modes
Prep and cooldown values to all aircraft and helicopters
Added Loadout times to all aircraft and helicopters
EXPERIMENTAL: AI decisionmaking delay based on crew proficiency level
Ability to preset FlightDeck preparation task for aircraft
Player ships will have 1 ASW helicopter ready to launch on mission start
Default status text for submarines
Ability to set Rally Point for aircraft, VTOL, and helicopters with waypoint and altitude from FlightDecks
UK sensors from nuclearstonk for future RN expansion
Jammers are now detectable by ESM, identifying the jammer
WIP on airstrike: ability to have different plane types in one airstrike
Ability to limit AI aircraft to certain usages only
Mission: Arctic Intercept 1985 (NATO)
Implement Deck Park spots in Flight Deck
Flight Deck magazines basic setup; aircraft now cannot be launched if there is not enough ammunition