Regarding the AI ship building in Proportions, what JLS said is generally right, though some races have some different specific variations.
I'd also add that the theory is that it's difficult to know whent he AI will run out of resources, and so by building up small and inexpensive ships as first priority, and working up the size scale, taking other necessary ships on a priority basis, it
should scale its fleet to its budget, and as JLS said, achieve what it can, as soon as possible.
In practice, it may not do so well, due to specific situations. So it takes a lot of work, and ultimately, some AI bonuses, to get the AI to be competetive. The amount of time and energy required exceeded my enthusiasm level.
JLS had a LOT more time, energy, and enthusiasm than I did, for tweaking the AI to do interesting and competetive things. I was more interested in human vs. human play, and didn't want changes to components and facilities to impact the human options. Hence the great AI challenge in AIC mod.
PvK
P.S. Also note that the shipbuilding strategy mentioned only really applies to a mod with economics and ship balance like Proportions or AIC (where resources are important to ration, and small ships are fairly efficient and offer economic and practical advantages over, and synergy with, bigger ships), and not to the unmodded game (where colonies give enormous profits very quickly, and where big warships are almost always best AND more efficient, by a long shot).
[ June 13, 2004, 17:36: Message edited by: PvK ]