Desert Fighters Interview by Jim "Twitch" Tittle
	Q. Most campaign based sims these days have various skill levels for AI pilots. Will we see growth in skill of our comrades during the campaign? Yes. As mentioned previously, all pilots have various skill ratings, with both a current and potential level. As the pilot completes missions, he is able to realize more of his potential and thus be more effective in the air. By keeping your wingmen alive, as well as any other pilots on your side, your effectiveness as a fighting unit is increased. As a player, I want a reason to care about preserving pilots on my side and this will certainly accomplish that goal! Q. Do AI pilots use the same flight model as I fly? Are they subject to blackout and red-out and fatigue? Will they ever panic or lose sight across a wing? I cannot speak in absolute terms about what the AI will or won't be able to do yet, as it is still in development. However, one of my requirements is that the AI always flies the "accurate" flight model and that they do not have super-SA (situational awareness). By using a ratings based pilot system, we have a basis for determining an individual pilot's ability to see the enemy. I've always hated it when an AI pilot ALWAYS knows where you are, even if you are on the other side of a cloud. I'm confident we can achieve our goals in this regard. Q. Tell us about the manouver repertoire of AI pilots. Again, I cannot speak in specifics, mainly because it isn't something I am personally taking care of. Mike, our AI programmer, has a background in AI development, has studied Shaw, and has conducted a survey of various flight simmers to get their opinions on the "proper" action to take in a series of potential situations with a variety of pilot abilities. The specific maneuvers that can be performed should include all of the classic maneuvers as well as any that may result from maneuver combinations as the AI "changes its mind" in the middle of a maneuver. Q. How will multi-player missions work? The multiplayer game is very much like the Red Baron 3D multiplayer, except that we have added a few new game types. In addition to the melee, team melee, and "King of the Hill" (same as "Get The Baron") games we have added a game type called "Courier" where a player will get points for flying to specific airfields, landing, and coming to a complete stop. Since only the "Courier" knows he is the courier, there is a lot of subterfuge and misdirection that can be applied to prevent the enemy side from knowing which plane they need to shoot down. Click to continue		Savoia Marchetti 79 Another game type is called "War" and adds several dimensions that have been requested by the online community. The host administrator has the option of using limited aircraft availability for some or all of the planes in the game. Additionally, the game will launch tank columns aimed at enemy held landmarks. The job of the enemy is to protect the defensive anti-tank guns and to destroy the convoy, while the job of the friendly units is to protect the convoy and destroy the anti-tank guns. Finally, we've expanded the possible number of teams up to four and have added more automated functions for creating and maintaining game servers. Q. Tell us about challenge options. Will there be novice levels for those of us cannot kick a 109 out of a spin quickly or nail a B-24 in one gunnery pass as well as? Yes, there are a wide variety of realism options available, each of which is individually configurable. The lowest level of realism will be playable by novice players and the highest level should prove a challenge to the more experienced users. Q. What type of visual graphic terrain variation will occur in the desert? The terrain is really quite uneven. In the east (Egypt) you have a predominantly flat terrain, punctuated by wadis, the coastal escarpment, and the Quattara Depression, which extends to a depth of about 100 meters below sea level. In the west (Tunis and Algeria), the landscape is extremely mountainous with a small coastal plain. Go to Part V
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