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Group leader loses formation leadership when boarding an unarmed vehicle in cargo position
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Description

Observed:
If the player, as group leader boards an unarmed vehicle in a cargo position, they lose the leadership of their group formation (AI units in their group expect the group leader to follow them, not the other way around). This issue does not seem to affect armed vehicles.

If the player's vehicle is commanded by a member of his group, that unit inherits the formation leader role. However, in other circumstances, some other unit takes the formation leader role. Here are some possible game circumstances where this is a problem:

  1. Leader boards vehicle in cargo position, then moves to driver seat and drives away. His subordinate units will order him to return.
  2. Leader boards a vehicle driven by another group. That vehicle moves away and his subordinates will order him to return.
  3. Leader orders a subordinate to drive an unarmed vehicle. The player then boards the vehicle. If he orders his driver to move to another location, and then they both dismount. From then on, if player asks his AI to return to formation, his avatar will say "Join Group" and AI will return to whichever unit may have the group formation leadership (it will be neither the player or his driver).

Expected:
Unless ordered to do otherwise, the formation should follow the group leader. If their leader boards a vehicle and moves away, they should follow rather than order him to return.

Details

Legacy ID
3552539868
Severity
None
Resolution
Open
Reproducibility
Always
Category
AI Issues
Steps To Reproduce

Here are some different ways to reproduce. All use attached "18156_formation_leadership.Stratis" repro mission. During this mission a hint will inform you if you are group formation leader or not.

METHOD 1

  1. Preview mission.
  2. Notice nearby AI board a quadbike. He will drive close to the player, and pause for 10 seconds. Board the quadbike in cargo position. Notice hint says player is not group formation leader.
  3. He will then take you down the runway, away from your subordinate units.
  4. Observe your subordinates ordering you to return to formation.
  5. Wait for the quadbike to stop, then get off. Notice hint says player is group formation leader again.

METHOD 2A (may affect people used to right hand drive vehicles more than others)

  1. Preview mission.
  2. Notice nearby sports hatchback. Get into it as cargo (player loses formation leadership).
  3. Move into drivers seat and drive away. Notice your AI ordering you to return.

METHOD 2B
Follow steps in 2A, but use the Hunter instead of the hatchback. Notice no bug!

METHOD 3

  1. Preview mission.
  2. Notice nearby sports hatchback. Order unit 2 to get in as driver. Once he is in, board as cargo (player loses formation leadership).
  3. Order unit 2 to drive you to the other end of the runway.
  4. Before you arrive at the destination, order unit 2 to stop.
  5. Order unit 2 to get out (player is now apparently formation leader again).
  6. Get out. Try to order your units to regroup, but your unit will say "all join group - 2".
Additional Information

Reported in dev build 1.15.116330

Event Timeline

ceeeb edited Steps To Reproduce. (Show Details)Mar 28 2014, 12:56 PM
ceeeb edited Additional Information. (Show Details)
ceeeb set Category to AI Issues.
ceeeb set Reproducibility to Always.
ceeeb set Severity to None.
ceeeb set Resolution to Open.
ceeeb set Legacy ID to 3552539868.May 7 2016, 6:17 PM
ceeeb added a comment.Jun 5 2014, 3:42 PM

I can no longer reproduce using Method 2, maybe partially fixed.

ceeeb added a comment.Dec 5 2015, 3:48 AM

Tested again in 1.54.

Unable to reproduce issue using method 2A or 2B.

Method 1 and 3 still result in the player losing formation leadership, but the AI no longer order player to return to formation, although they retain the group leadership. Treat the symptom, not the cause?

A simple solution would be to make the player (assuming he is group leader) declare he is done/ready every time he exits a vehicle.

Issue has existed since OFP.

Tested again in dev build 1.63.137787. Note importing repro mission into Eden editor is affected by issue T119678. Player must be made to be leader of his group after import.

Methods 1 and 3 still cause player to lose formation leadership, no change since 1.54.

petek added a subscriber: petek.Aug 1 2016, 6:40 PM

Assuming this is also why on certain vehicle WASD command no longer works. You cannot command your driver to move your vehicle using WASD keys - only by assigning waypoints. Not exhaustive list but under dev branch exe rev. 137800 happens with Prowler, quilin, 4wd jeep Hunter, ifrit. Only seems to work for vehicles that have a "commander" position - tanks, Marshall etc.... Can this be fixed Devs?

Repro 1 and 3 still create some issues in 1.70.141764

Player commander loses formation leadership while in passenger seat of unarmed vehicles, whether driven by group member or a member of another group. When player or driver disembark, player regains formation leadership.

Yes petek, both vehicle command (allows player to order left, right etc) and formation leadership are related. Presumably the cause of both issues is that drivers seat in unarmed vehicles is also the commander's position. For whatever reason, in unarmed vehicles, the commander still trumps the player's group leadership, even if the driver is part of another group. In armed vehicles this was changed back the days of Arma (1).