[Tampa_Gamer]

Ok Master B. I am home now and have access to my notes - here you go (there may be some duplication b/c of cut/paste from my notes - I will try and delete most).

OVERALL
(1) Watch for blanks lines and spaces in your text files (if you are using Wordperfect or Word you can display blanks and tabs in the settings menu) - this is the single most cause of errors.
(2) Watch for spelling errors - this is the second most cause of errors.
(3) Do not copy other races out right and just slap a new name on them - it makes it very boring.
(4) Do borrow good ideas to make your race that much stronger and give credit where credit is due.

AI_FLEETS.TXT
(1) The restrictions on the # of fleets is not strictly followed, but most of the AI authors try to keep this to
between 2-6.
(2) Consider increasing % to use in fleets to > 90%.
(3) Consider increasing the “Fleets Don’t Use for Num Turns to > 20.

AI_GENERAL.TXT
(1) When defining abilities of less than 100 in order to increase another above 100, make sure you list them in that order (similar to how you would do it if you were doing it at the start of the game). Otherwise, it may not choose/allow the ability with greater than 100. Also, actually go in and test the combinations to make sure you do not exceed the points for 2000,3000 & 5000 point start games.
(2) Please take the time to flesh out your race. Some people actually read the descriptions during the game when you right click in the races submenu and it adds a lot more depth to the game.
(3) Make sure the design.txt file is spelled properly and included.
(4) Shy away from abilities that will not benefit the AI races as much (increased strength for ground combat) or increased farming capability if it is not needed.

AI_SETTINGS.TXT
(1) Most AI authors have increased the %maintenance line to allow for bigger % of fleets (85-95%).
(2) Increase Max. Research/Intel points to at least 200-300k
(3) Consider modifying line “Get Angry over Allied Colonizable Planets” depending on what type of race you have.
(4) Make sure you put your race in the correct “Personality Group.” This will ensure that even if the player does not specifically select your AI for the game that it joins the pool of races that may randomly added. The computer will only take x% from each personality group for a given game.

AI_STRATEGIES.TXT
(1) Very important to experiment. Most AI authors have their "break formation" lines set to TRUE so that individual ship strategies will be used instead of overall fleet strategy.
(2) Use a high number of "Fighter Launch Group Amount" numbers since low amounts of fighters will stack up in a column and can be easily picked off in column formation by PDCs.
(3) Consider using option for “Type Priority” instead of “Targeting Priority” for certain types of ships and fighters.
(4) These can be further modified when you create your .emp files.


AI_RESEARCH.TXT
(1) Play with your race once from start to finish, recording what your research and how many active projects you had at a time in order not lose any points. Then make sure this file follows that, with modifications based on your experience. With the limitation line now working with the latest patch, this file can really make or break the race that is not properly maximized for efficiency.
(2) Research Mil. Science 1 and then Point Defense Cannons very early.
(3) Try to research armor and then shields as early as possible. Preferably move up to Level 4 shields and at Last level 3 armor to gain maximum efficiency.
(4) Make sure your race researches and builds Stellar Manipulation at an earlier point than the default files. The latest Version of the AI minister for stellar manipulations actually works pretty good.
(5) Consider not researching Large Weapon Platforms since they take up a lot of space and are of limited utility in late game anyway.
(6) Make sure you test your races “Not Connected” research tree - some people actually play this option and they may want your race to do more than sit on its thumbs for 100 turns.

AI_CONSTRUCTION_VEHICLES.TXT
(1) Always make sure you have colonizers and attack ships in every queue as these are essential for the AIs expansion policy. The AI uses attack ships for scouting, so supplies are very important in the early
game.
(2) DON'T over-allocate for vehicles the AI will not use efficiently (troops, sats in late game, wp's, boarding ships, kamikaze ships, pop. transports, recon sats) - use sparingly. DO allocate a gradual build-up of
essential ships (attack/defense) over time. Try to alternate units and ships so that the AI will not get bogged down in its space yards (don't forget units can be built anywhere).
(3) Make sure you test your races “Not Connected” build queue - some people actually play this option and they may want your race to do more than sit on its thumbs for 100 turns.

AI_DESIGNCREATION.TXT
(1) Obviously entire threads have been written on this one!! You must experiment and check your race constantly and at all tech levels to make sure a given design makes sense at each level of tech and stage
of the game.
(2) Use of the "Must Have Ability" line will dictate what type of hull is used (None=Normal,Cargo=Transport, Colony=Colony Hull). This can be used to create unique hulls such as transports for Mine/Sat Layers (see the Darlok) or transports for Colonizers - very useful in late game.
(3) If the race has unique components from any of their traits, make sure they use them! (i.e. "Weapons Always Hit").
(4) Do not use cloaking ability in designs containing minesweeping components b/c this ability cannot be used while cloaked.
(5) Do not use space yards components in designs containing cloaking components b/c the AI has difficulty using these ships effectively unless it is not cloaked (which is not very often).
(6) Add self-destruct components so that humans will not board and use them (minimal risk from AI opponent).
(7) Limit Population Transports to 600 tonnage b/c otherwise they will take an entire population away and leave almost nothing.
(8) Create multiple classes of ships and units (long range, short range, recon, etc.). The AI can only have one valid design in a Category each turn, but it will randomly switch between valid designs over a period of several turns. This creates more variety to keep human opponents off-balance as well as avoids putting all of your eggs in one basket so to speak!
(9) Consider arming your minesweepers (which always travel alone and are not cloaked) so that they are not “easy kills.”
(10) Place sensors in carriers, space yard/defense bases and/or space yards ships to give you more coverage when the unit cap has been reached or satellite layers are not available to deliver recon sats.
(11) Make sure to put cargo bays in sat/mine layers and carriers for extra capacity.
(12) Consider cloaked long range colonizers now that the AI will turn off cloaking in order to colonize a planet (heheh! Look for Darlok).
(13) Make sure your designs use unique components that your race may find in ruins (i.e. Neural Net or Massive Shield Depleter).


AI_ANGER.TXT
(1) Most of the AI authors are not sure whether all of the lines work in this file or not simply b/c it is so hard to quantify and no one knows the anger levels of a given race other than general attitudes.
(2) Match up to actual character of race. Should the EA get mad if an ally travels through their system? Should the Klingons?
(3) Watch the “Regular Decrease” line as it drastically effects how easy going and tolerant your race is.

AI_POLITICS.TXT
(1) Most of the AI authors are not sure whether all of the lines work in this file too for the same reason as the anger.txt file.
(2) Watch “Highest Treaty Allowed” - Safe bet is to limit this to "Military Alliance" since humans may take advantage of Alliances and other AIs may get stupidly angry if they can suddenly “see” all of your colonizable planets and get angry over them based on their settings.txt file.
(3) Take the time to read and modify these lines - a lot of the default ones seem counter-intuitive and if you are not consistent, can lead to radical behavior in your races.
(4) Modify the "Accept Trade" percentages at the end of file so humans will not screw your AI in trades.
(5) Modify score levels at which your race will accept demands so that it will not give in to weaker players at the drop of hat.

AI_SPEECH.TXT
(1) This simple file, while it does not have any substantive value, adds a lot to each race's character and really helps to immerse the player in the game if the AI author takes the time to do it right (i.e. Klingon, Darlok, Sergetti files).
(2) Feel free to deceive your human opponents in your speech file - just b/c the speech line says "they have not agreed to your request to kill your enemy" does not mean the actual text has to reflect that!

AI_PLANET_TYPES.TXT
(1) I cannot stress how important this file is for the economics of the race. The common approach to this file is to "skim" levels off of each bracket to ensure all of the 125+ planets are used properly, then the 115+ resource planets, etc. (look at TDM-Modpack replacement default AI file by Daynarr or any of the other TDM-Modpack races)
(2) Each race has unique resource needs - but ALL need research planets.
(3) This file is ignored when the AI is low on a particular resource (i.e. minerals). In those situations the AI automatically assigns the planet type based on any existing defiencies - a good thing.
(4) Make sure you test your races “Not Connected” planet selection tree - some people actually play this option and they may want your race to pick planets differently since it is typically limited to only one system for 100+ turns.


AI_CONSTRUCTION_FACILITIES.TXT
(1) Also an important one from an economic sense. Make sure every planet type has a large "catch-all" type of facility at the end of each queue. Earlier experiments which assumed this list looped like the construction queue failed miserably.
(2) If the race has unique facilities from any of their traits, make sure they build them! (i.e. "Reduced Maintenance Cost - System" for Crystalline races).
(3) Make sure large and huge planets also contain Space Yards in their queue to utilize the population bonuses (and redundancy never hurts for the price of one facility slot).
(4) Only a few races really require extensive organic producing facilities, therefore utilize the facility slots
on farming worlds for research or intel facilities.
(5) For Gas Giant races, losing a planet is a big deal b/c you have so few and far between in the early stages of the game. Try to build some redundancy into each of your planet facility queues so losing a huge
Mining Colony or Research Colony won’t be as bad (see the Darlok).
(6) Make sure the planet value and condition change facilities are added into the queues (typically large construction planets) as well as the system defense facilities (System Gravitational Shield to prevent star
destruction, etc.) on at least one planet in each system (typically a military installation).
(7) Make sure Planetary Shields is added in the event your race finds unique ruins.
(8) Make sure ship/fleet training facilities are added in where necessary.
(9) Test storage levels of all resources to make sure similar to human players - remember the AI races will NOT trade extra resources for those they need like humans will.
(10) Make sure you test your races “Not Connected” facility build tree - some people actually play this option and they may want your race to do more than sit on its thumbs for 100 turns - you need research more than you need massive storage capacity at this point.

.EMP FILE
(1) Always make one - there are a number of settings/strategies which can be tweaked - starting with setting complete AI on!
(2) Consider setting “Auto claim system when colonize” to off for passive races.
(3) Carefully monitor empire options such as “clear order when encounter enemy or other races.”
(4) Provide 2000,3000 & 5000 point Versions so that each one utilizes the race's full potential points.

DESIGN.TXT
(1) Make sure you include one and that it matches your race’s character. Try not to use one of the default b/c having several races with ship names like “Minnesota” are boring.
(2) Make sure the general.txt file contains the correct spelling of this file and the “.txt” at the end.

SHIPSET GRAPHIC FILES
(1) Use the “Style Tester” created by Malfador to test whether your ship graphics are properly masked.
(2) Double-check all of the file names against one of the default races.

[This message has been edited by Tampa_Gamer (edited 24 October 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Tampa_Gamer (edited 24 October 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Tampa_Gamer (edited 24 October 2001).]