Tampa_Gamer Piundon Mod Version 1.70
April 10, 2004
Space Empires IV Gold (version 1.91)

INTRODUCTION

This AI race is the compilation of hundreds of hours of tweaking and testing. While it may not utilize the "best" combination of advanced traits (i.e. crystal + religion, etc.), I have tried to stay true to the original parameters of the default race created by Malfador.  The purpose of this mod is to modify existing files to help this AI race use new technologies that were added after the release of SE4 and to create specialized design, strategy and construction files (instead of using the default files that all races share) to capitalize on the special racial traits of this race.

OPTIMIZED GAME SETTINGS

Due to limitations in the ship/unit design files this race is not reccomended as an opponent in tech level 3 starts.  This race is maximized for low tech start, mines on, mid-life galaxy, connected and 1 or 3 planet start. 

INSTRUCTIONS/CONTENT

These files are designed for use in the TDM-ModPack and should contain the following:

(1) Piundon AI race files (7 originals revised, 6 new) should be placed in the "Pictures\Races\Piundon" folder. See below for what files are enclosed.

(2) Piundon ".emp" files to use if you want to specifically add the Piundon to your game (recommended since this is the only way AI races can use customized strategies). These files should be placed in the "\Empires" folder. The xxxx represents how many racial points each .emp file uses.

(3) Piundon design name filed called "Piundon.txt" which should be placed in the "\Dsgnname" folder. I thought this would be a bit more unique than "earth-based" names.

(4) Specialized Piundon speech file based on the xenophobe speech file created by John Zamarra (a/k/a Nyx) to match their personality (violent berzerkers)
 

HISTORY

Ver 1.70 - RELEASE #08 (original graphics shipset by MM not enclosed)
	 - Modified decrease anger upon accept trade based on testing
	 - Changed fleet strategy to short weapons range to increase lethality of ships
	 - Changed movement strategy for short weapons range
	 - Increased threshold for accepting trades from friends and enemies
	 - Added intel facility "plugs" to end of certain queues to boost use of intel facilities in late game when everything is researched
	 - Major tweaks to ship designs to incorporate deletion of ion disperser now that it does not pierce shields
	 - Adjusted racial characteristics to stay competitive with other TDM races, but did not go "whole hog" and I tried to stay within the overall racial profile
	 - Eliminated engine overload research now that it is not being using on designs
	 - Created new .emp files to incorporate strategy and racial characteristic changes
         - Modified movement strategy for max & optimal firing range to avoid problem with running away from fight
         - Moved stellar harness up the research queue before propulsion to force ships to re-design
         - Re-ordered starting research to force re-design of units with PD weapons
         - Modified anger and politics file to incorporate a "kissing butt" scheme if war going badly
         - Added computer combat (virus weapon) to research queue and ship designs
         - Adjusted build queue for Attack Sweeper once again to try and force construction

Ver 1.60 - RELEASE #07 (original graphics shipset by MM not enclosed)
	 - Modified designs (once again) based on AI inspection reports 2-1-03 through 2-1-04
         - Removed all calls to build Drones and Drone Carriers (just not worth the resources)
         - Removed all Drone research (why research if not going to build)
	 - Reduced ratio of LR attack ships to SR attack ships from 2:1 to 3:1
         - Added all 3 types of colony ships specifically to Explore & Infrastructure state due to bug in AI end-game call systems (thanks Mephisto)
         - Reduced ftr groups from 15 to 8 and eliminated type priority firing in strategy file
         - Created new .emp files to match changes in strategy file and eliminate special ships
         - Lowered % ships to use in defense & restored original default formation (Spider)
         - Reduced max. maintenance threshold & increased # systems to defend
         - Added a queue for colony type "Resupply Base" in case they capture one (thanks Mephisto!)
         - Eliminated Ship Capture, Mil Sci 2 & Shield damage weapons research (no longer using boarding ships since not worth the resources spent)

Ver 1.50 - RELEASE #06 (original graphics shipset by MM not enclosed)
	 - Created "Piundon_Construction_Units.txt" to take advantage of new unit control
	 - Stripped most unit purchases from "Piudon_Construction_Vehicles.txt" now that we have the _Units.txt file (left in WPs in explore mod and "capper" at end of each queue
	 - Added "Attack Sweeper" and "Scout Ships" designs and to build queue (left in even though purchases based on unique names (as opposed to types) is not working yet
	 - Added Troop Transport design and applicable research now that we can control the AI production of troops
	 - Increased variety of vehicle purchases in "Defend (Short Term)" state since AI is in this state most of the time
	 - Separated queues for each AI state in both Construction files
	 - Modified designs based on AI inspection reports 4-5-02 through 4-7-02
	 - Increased max. turns before next attack & fleet % based on research by Mephisto and my experimentation
	 - Streamlined design file for single ship call approaches
	 - Increased recon sat production based on AI inspection reports
	 - Put mid-way points into attack ship vehicle purchases due to choke symptoms
	 - Adjusted research file to "33" to avoid unused points after certain projects
	 - Modified Drone attack strategy and design based on research by Mephisto and my experimentation

Ver 1.25 - RELEASE #05 (original graphics shipset by MM not enclosed)
	 - Reset/verified certain Empire options (moving through minefields, etc.) now that they are working
	 - Increased # recon sats in different queues
	 - Removed rad/org extract tech level 2-3 due to monolith strategy
	 - Revised strategies based on testing, including overall fleet
	 - Added Kamikaze ship design (fleet support) and construction queue now that they are seeking fleets
	 - Added Boarding ship design and construction queue now that they are seeking fleets
	 - Added Ship Capture, Drone and Shield Damaging Weapons to research queue
	 - Added Drone designs and construction queues (still testing)
	 - Removed Cargo Transport and design since could not detect use by AI
	 - Additional boost to # research facilities located on rad/organic colonies
	 - Moved up CA, BB, DN in tech tree, moved down Stellar Harness
	 - Increased # colonizers in all states to min. of 3
	 - Adjusted Stellar Manipulation designs to take into consideration 250/400k component sizes
	 - Changed SRLT/HV designs back to Optimal Firing Range b/c not hitting a damn thing
	 - Moved up "Create Planet" ship in construction queue
	 - Added new lines to Settings.txt
	 - Added Drone designs and strategies based on default AI files (tweak pending usefulness)
	 - Eliminated Shield Regeneration components in all but attack/defense base designs
	 - Reversed treaty levels back to default based on testing
	 - Overflow queue for farming colonies converted to research facilities
	 - Increased # attack ships in attack/defense modes
	 - More tweaks to all designs based on testing
	 - Added Cargo Transport back in based on Population Transport Design
	 - Added recon sats back in now that the construction bug is fixed
	 - Fixed grammatical problems in speech file
	 - Converted both "Fighter Attack" movement strategies to "Point Blank"
	 - Changed strategies fire to reflect revised firing priorities
	 - Changed fleet strategy back to optimal firing range b/c not hitting anything
	 - Added Drone Carrier to design file and construction queue
	 - Added new settings for fleet and overall AI, tweaked Drone cargo settings

Ver 1.20 - RELEASE #04 (original graphics shipset by MM not enclosed)
	 - Removed recon sats from build queue pending bug removal (placed sensors on other platforms)
	 - Totally reworked research tree based on tech min lines working now
	 - Totally reworked designs all the way through late game attack bases
	 - Limited pop. transports to 600kt b/c taking away whole planets of population
	 - Removed defense ships from design and build queues
	 - Tweaked strategies file for larger units launched and to use "Type Priority" first
	 - Confirmed cloaked colonizers used properly by AI, new dual-class colonizers added
	 - Tweaked build queues for late games where player has 100+ planets
	 - Reduced # of auxiliary ships AI not using fairly well (Sat Layer, Pop Cargo, etc.)
	 - Changed carrier strategies and load-out
	 - Limited size of mines to 10k to avoid wasted efficiency
	 - Converted most auxiliary ships to max. range with engine overloading weaponry
	 - Turned off certain boxes in empire options when creating .emp file (no move through minefield, autoclaim)
	 - Turned on "damage until weapons gone" in .emp file strategy settings
	 - Removed cloaking from spaceyard ships b/c ministers having trouble using while cloaked
	 - Converted latter part of farm planets to research havens
	 - Re-tooled planet selection to boost research planets
	 - Eliminated "Ancient Race" as selection since this was causing havoc for the colonization minister
	 - Changed strategies for weapon platforms and sats based on changes MM made in recent patch
	 - Eliminated emissive armor (again) from designs since reports show that it is still not working
	 - Boosted desire of race to accept treaties early on when struggling
	 - Eliminated certain techs from research queue that were not efficient for AI (extraction 4-9)
	 - Forced AI to have a recon ship in the first turn with all supplies via the .emp file


Ver 1.15 - RELEASE #03 (original graphcis shipset by MM not enclosed)
	 - Moved stellar manipulation up the research tree
	 - Tweaked fleets file to attempt to get higher % of ships in fleets
	 - Created a mandatory research planet in every system in the Planet_Types file
	 - Due to fighter design problems, reduced number of valid designs to one
	 - Increased number of research & intel facilities in the Construct_Facilities file
	 - Removed duplicate facilities in the Construct_Facilities file when a facility has more than one ability
 	 - Totally reworked Epoch 1 research to attempt to provide stronger early game ships
	 - Removed blanks from the end the design name file
	 - Redesigned early game mine/sat layers to provide more laying ability
	 - Increased # of PD weapons on small attack/defense ships
	 - Increased "turns to attack" from 1 to 3

Ver 1.10 - RELEASE #02 (original graphics shipset by MM not enclosed)
     - Removed minesweeper as component to larger attack ships (sweeper components do not work while cloaked)
     - Tweaked planet selection to decrease farming and increase research colonies
     - Modified default formation "Dark Wing"
     - Further tweaking to research tree and ship designs based on beta testing & SG forum comments

Ver 1.05 - RELEASE #01 (original graphics shipset by MM not enclosed)
     - Added minesweeper as component to larger attack ships
     - Added "Stop Planet Destroyer" Facility to several queues
     - Corrected spelling error in Facilities.txt
     - Further tweaking to research and ship designs
     - Added speech file
     - Added strategies file
     - Removed cloaking from sweepers and Colonizers due to bugs

Ver 1.01 - BETA RELEASE (original graphics shipset by MM not enclosed)

   - "Piundon_AI_Anger.txt" (modified original)
     - Made small changes to match personality better

   - "Piundon_AI_Settings.txt" (modified original)
     - Increased % of revenue maintenance for ships
     - Increased number of systems to defend
     - Removed limitations on ship tonnage
     - Increased max research/intel points
     - Tweaked % colonies to consider attack locations 

   - "Piundon_AI_DesignCreation.txt" (modified original)
     - Added multiple designs for attack ships (based on hull size)
     - Added defense ships
     - Changed mix of components for better efficiency
     - Added crystal torpedoes (this was added to SE4 but not Piundon)
     - Added several component types to utilize ruins discovered
     - Made "Cloak Level" a requirement where possible
     - Modified different types of armors used for better efficiency
     - Added neural net ability if discovered

   - "Piundon_AI_Politics.txt" (modified original)
     - Limited max treaty to "Military Alliance"
     - Made small changes to match personality better

   - "Piundon_AI_Research.txt" (modified original)
     - Totally reworked from scratch based on actual playtesting
     - Designed to maximize queue efficiency by mixing lg/sm projects
     - Advances more balanced based on "epochs" of research approach
     - They now complete the tech tree

   - "Piundon_AI_Fleets.txt" (modified original)
     - Increased % of ships to used in fleets
     - Changed default formation

   - "Piundon_AI_General.txt" (no substantive changes made)
     - Added .txt to end of design file name so it will be used

   - "Piundon_AI_Speech.txt" (new file added)
     - [Work in progress]

   - "Piundon_AI_Construction_Facilities.txt" (new file added)
     - Added special race facilities and system/sector modifiers
     - Added special techs discovered via ruins (i.e. shields)
     - Hedged mineral production on other types of planets
     - Increased building of storage facilities

   - "Piundon_AI_Construction_Vehicles.txt" (new file added)
     - Increased production of vehicles/units
     - Removed production of Kamikaze, Boarding and Troops/ships

   - "Piundon_AI_Planet_Types.txt" (new filed added)
     - Decisions are first based on resource %
     - Next limited by size & # per system (1 military/ 1 construct)
     - Remaining planets are divided between research/intel

   - "Piundon_AI_Strategies.txt" (new filed added)

KNOWN LIMITATIONS

(1) Tech level 3 start (all techs known) still creates some problems for AI races. First, there is currently no limit to how much an AI race will spend on facilities. This results in the race immediately upgrading all of its buildings at once, and therefore no resources available for the first 20 or so turns. Secondly, all techs are known, not just those included in the race's Research file. Therefore, the ship designs may not be maximized since their is a limit of how many types of weapons can be considered by the AI when designing its ships.

(2) The AI still likes to redesign its ships/units every turn even if there is no new tech available. While I have included 750+ names in the design file and the program allows it to loop several times, there is not guarantee that the race will not run out of designs eventually.

(3) Sometimes an AI race will get trapped behind a blackhole and does not know how to plan accordingly. If you want an AI Friendly quadrant, check out the download section on the Shrapnel Games website.


CREDITS

(1) Thanks to Shrapnel Games and MM for their continued gamer support.

(2) Thanks to Mephisto, Daynarr and Master B. for your "Mod Ramblings" and the inspiration to mod an original race.

(3) Thanks to Daynarr, God Emperor, Raynor and Soenke Nommensen for their assistance in beta testing.


NOTES

(1) As this will be a continual work-in-process, please forward all tweaks, suggestions and bugs found to me at ctraber@ngn-tampa.com.

(2) You can find the most recent version of this Mod as part of the "TDM-Modpack" located at http://home.t-online.de/home/320045362204-0001/ or on the Shrapnel Games website.

(3) This Mod may be freely distributed as long as no files are modified, added or deleted.

Have Fun!
-Tampa_Gamer