[Mephisto]

I’ll try to explain it as far as I understand it (Noble already did a good job).

Note: To understand the way the AI builds a ship just view his designs in uncondensed view. You will see what component the AI added and in which order.


BEGIN OF AI 1. DESIGN RUN

The AI will add the necessary bridge, life support and crew quarters. You cannot skip this so there is no sense in adding master computer at this time.

Name := Attack Ship
Design Type := Attack Ship
Vehicle Type := Ship
Default Strategy := Optimal Firing Range
Size Minimum Tonnage := 10
Size Maximum Tonnage := 5000

That's as simple as it looks.

Num Must Have At Least 1 Ability := 1

This line tells the AI how many "Must have Ability"-lines there are.

Must Have Ability 1 := Weapon

The AI will add 1 Weapon (always Majority Weapon) to the design. This also works for ECM and ECCM and so on. BUT! if you don't have the component THEN THE DESIGN WILL NOT BE BUILD! so be careful.

Minimum Speed := 4

Add this many engines. Actually it does not look after speed but only engines. It will add 4 quantum engines where 1 would be sufficient for speed 4.

END OF 1. AI DESIGN RUN


BEGIN OF 2. AI DESIGN RUN
Desired Speed := 6

Add engines until this many are reached. If the design does not allow for this many engines, fill up to the max (i.e. for a Dreadnought).

Majority Weapon Family Pick 1 := 20
Majority Weapon Family Pick 2 := 4
Majority Weapon Family Pick 3 := 25
Majority Weapon Family Pick 4 := 0
Majority Weapon Family Pick 5 := 0
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 1 := 1
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 2 := 0
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 3 := 0
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 4 := 0
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 5 := 0

Specifies what weapons should be used. Look at the "Weapon Family"-Line in the component.txt. The AI will first try to use weapon family 20 then 4 then 25 (in this example).

Shields Spaces Per One := 200

For every 200 t of Hull add one shield generator. In fact, you have to divide the hull with this value. Note that "round" is used. A destroyer with 300 tons (300 t/200 = 1.5) will use 2! shield generators.

Armor Spaces Per One := 200

Same here. The AI will always use the highest level armor available, in later games this is stealth and scatter armor. It will use this armor INSTEAD of organic and crystalline armor so if you have these races don't research armor!

Majority Comp Spaces Per One := 200
Majority Comp Ability := Weapon

Here the AI gets to know that we want to add a "Majority Weapon" (see above) for every 200 t of hull. If you enter "cargo storage" here, you will get a freighter (the AI then uses a transport). If you use "launch/recover fighters" it will use a carrier hull.
Here is the point the MM design files are "crippled": Lets take a cruiser. There are 500t of hull. 500/200 = 2.5. The AI will use 3 main weapons. But the Ai fill use 3 weapons OF THE LARGEST MOUNT AVAILABLE! Oh, oh, many weapons on bigger mounts do weight above 100t. 3 times such a weapon and the hull is filled. That is exactly what the AI is doing. And - since there is no more space available- it will skip all what is coming above this line.

Secondary Comp Spaces Per One := 250
Secondary Comp Ability := Weapon

See above. Same as "Majority".

Num Misc Abilities := 10

The number of "Misc Abilities" to come.

Misc Ability 1 Name := Point-Defense
Misc Ability 1 Spaces Per One := 800
Misc Ability 2 Name := Cloak Level
Misc Ability 2 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 3 Name := Quantum Reactor
Misc Ability 3 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 4 Name := Combat To Hit Dec
Misc Ability 4 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 5 Name := Combat To Hit Add
Misc Ability 5 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 6 Name := Multiplex Tracking
Misc Ability 6 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 7 Name := Shield Regeneration
Misc Ability 7 Spaces Per One := 800
Misc Ability 8 Name := Emergency Resupply
Misc Ability 8 Spaces Per One := 800
Misc Ability 9 Name := Scanner Jammer
Misc Ability 9 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 10 Name := Supply Storage
Misc Ability 10 Spaces Per One := 500

10000 probably means "add 1 every time and ONLY 1". Most of the time the AI does not reach the "Misc Abilities" as there is no more room available.

END OF 2. AI DESIGN RUN

BEGIN OF 3. AI DESIGN RUN
The AI will now fill the design with the "Majority Comp". If none is defined it will fill up with shield generators. There is a little bug in this: The AI will only fill up with standard shield generators, not with phased ones. I have e-mailed MM about this.

Hope this helps.

[This message has been edited by [K126]Mephisto (edited 14 December 2000).]