Forums » Bugs
Stranded NPC Traders Need Better Collision Avoidance AI
Yesterday, I was just about to dock with the station in sector Ukari L-2 when I noticed a stray UIT NPC Atlas trader bot, *Vasol Halel, stuck in the recessed middle of the outside part of that station's rotating wheel.
It was pointed straight at the wheel, and kept trying to move toward the station beyond the wheel, but remained stuck in the recessed middle of the rotating wheel, and was gradually taking damage from the friction.
At first, I tried nudging it away, but it kept returning to the middle part of the wheel.
After repairing it with Repair Module ammunition, I then tried using three Concussion Mines to blow it away from the wheel without damaging it, but only succeeded in getting chased by UIT Strike Forces and Aerna Seekers until I fled the sector.
Upon returning, I then noticed that three UIT Strike Force Vulture ships were now also stuck in the middle of the wheel.
I continued to try nudging *Vasol Halel away from the wheel for about 10 minutes, without success.
Then I asked for help in channel 1. Obsidian was generous enough to answer, but before he arrived, I got killed by one of the stuck Strike Force Vulture ships when I tried to repair it with a Repair Module ammunition shot, and got bumped all the way back to Deneb. (Strangely, repairing a Station Bot Vulture ship does not make it go hostile, but repairing a very similar Strike Force Vulture ship does.)
Obsidian reportedly tried to help the bot, but gave up unsuccessfully after a few minutes. He said that the sector should eventually reset itself.
However, when I finally returned to the sector, *Vasol Halel was still stuck in the wheel, although the Strike Force ships were no longer there. Apparently, resetting the sector did not remove the stuck NPC Atlas trader ship.
I then started going to Corvus Hold, then thought that I might have forgotten to reload my ammunition in my other ship, and returned to Ukari L-2, and found the bot still stuck there, this time somewhat damaged.
I repaired *Vasol Halel again, and logged off.
A similar problem had already been reported in my other thread, "NPC Trader Collision Avoidance Bug" ( see http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/2/10059#115240 ).
Would it be possible to fix this bug? A minor tweak in the AI of the NPC Atlas trader ships should allow them to strafe horizontally or vertically if their position does not change for a significant period of time. They should be able to avoid getting stuck on wide, horizontal surfaces in the middle of trading runs.
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier
It was pointed straight at the wheel, and kept trying to move toward the station beyond the wheel, but remained stuck in the recessed middle of the rotating wheel, and was gradually taking damage from the friction.
At first, I tried nudging it away, but it kept returning to the middle part of the wheel.
After repairing it with Repair Module ammunition, I then tried using three Concussion Mines to blow it away from the wheel without damaging it, but only succeeded in getting chased by UIT Strike Forces and Aerna Seekers until I fled the sector.
Upon returning, I then noticed that three UIT Strike Force Vulture ships were now also stuck in the middle of the wheel.
I continued to try nudging *Vasol Halel away from the wheel for about 10 minutes, without success.
Then I asked for help in channel 1. Obsidian was generous enough to answer, but before he arrived, I got killed by one of the stuck Strike Force Vulture ships when I tried to repair it with a Repair Module ammunition shot, and got bumped all the way back to Deneb. (Strangely, repairing a Station Bot Vulture ship does not make it go hostile, but repairing a very similar Strike Force Vulture ship does.)
Obsidian reportedly tried to help the bot, but gave up unsuccessfully after a few minutes. He said that the sector should eventually reset itself.
However, when I finally returned to the sector, *Vasol Halel was still stuck in the wheel, although the Strike Force ships were no longer there. Apparently, resetting the sector did not remove the stuck NPC Atlas trader ship.
I then started going to Corvus Hold, then thought that I might have forgotten to reload my ammunition in my other ship, and returned to Ukari L-2, and found the bot still stuck there, this time somewhat damaged.
I repaired *Vasol Halel again, and logged off.
A similar problem had already been reported in my other thread, "NPC Trader Collision Avoidance Bug" ( see http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/2/10059#115240 ).
Would it be possible to fix this bug? A minor tweak in the AI of the NPC Atlas trader ships should allow them to strafe horizontally or vertically if their position does not change for a significant period of time. They should be able to avoid getting stuck on wide, horizontal surfaces in the middle of trading runs.
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier
Yeah, actually it's already fixed but I haven't deployed the fix yet. I'll do it tomorrow.
Re: Solra Bizna
> You sure it's a bot?
> http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/stats/55558/
> -:sigma.SB
Wow, a player of the same name! Nevertheless, it had to be, because the name had an asterisk before it in sector view.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know, only robots have asterisks before their names in sector view.
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier
> You sure it's a bot?
> http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/stats/55558/
> -:sigma.SB
Wow, a player of the same name! Nevertheless, it had to be, because the name had an asterisk before it in sector view.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know, only robots have asterisks before their names in sector view.
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier
Just now, I also noticed four NPC Atlas trader ships circling back and forth just inside the frame of the station at Dau L-10.
After a few minutes, one of them took a little damage and left and docked, and the others all eventually followed, but, IMHO, they shouldn't have been repeatedly going back and forth just inside the station frame.
It seems that the NPC Atlas trader ships still need improved docking AI.
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier
After a few minutes, one of them took a little damage and left and docked, and the others all eventually followed, but, IMHO, they shouldn't have been repeatedly going back and forth just inside the station frame.
It seems that the NPC Atlas trader ships still need improved docking AI.
-- DekuDekuplex Ornitier