Information delay

[Elmo_Zumwalt]

Building off of my previous post, and moving to the "Suggestions" subforum:

I would like to propose the implementation of an "information delay" in the engine for the (hypothetical) sequel. This would create information latency on both enemy units and friendly (player-controlled) units, with the degree of latency (how out-of-date information is) being determined by a unit's position relative to the player (commander) in the hierarchy.

For instance:

A single unit of a mechanized infantry squad would have significant latency relative to the commander (as the commander is several levels up in the hierarchy); thus, the accuracy of their displayed position would degrade significantly over time, as they would not constantly report their position. By contrast, a relatively high-level unit would remain in more constant communication with the overall commander, meaning that its displayed position would be noticeably more accurate.

This would apply for both the friendly and AI sides.

The other component of the "information delay" is the transmission of information on enemy units. This will follow the same trend as the "own-unit" information; sightings/position updates of enemy units would be sent to the unit's superior, and eventually transmitted to the overall commander on each side. However, this would not be instantaneous, meaning that players would have to plan in advance as their information is not always current.

For instance:

The enemy might launch an attack, but the time for this information to be sent up the chain of command could mean that any response would be superfluous by the time the information is received by the commander. Thus, the commander (player/AI) would need to be proactive in their orders (such as potentially assigning a reserve force to stem a possible enemy breakthrough).

Obviously, this would require a significant increase in AI autonomy (as lower-level units would have to make more complex decisions in the absence of instantaneous player/AI commander input), as well as some reworking of the top-level (command) AI to account for non-current information.

The key element is that this information latency applies *both* to friendly and enemy units, reflecting a more realistic view of an actual operational environment.

[nikolas93TS]

While a great idea, the actual implementation might be more suitable for a more operational level game like Flashpoint Campaigns or CommandOps, where individual squads and vehicles are abstracted.