Some Questions

[Spyder]

Question 1

Has anyone written a guide to the various <race>_AI_*.TXT files? There are some things in the default files that leave me with many questions.

Question 2

Has anyone written any kind of Race Modification Guide?

Question 3

In the Default_AI_Construction_facilities.txt file it implies that <ability> in the following line:

Facility 1 Ability := <ability>

exactly corresponds to <ability> in this line in the Facility.txt file:

Ability 1 Type := <ability>

However.....

In the default_AI_construction_facilities.txt file there is a line that reads:

Facility 8 Ability := Planet Value Change - System

and another that reads:

Facility 9 Ability := Planet Conditions Change - System

These entries are obviously meant to point at the Value Improvement Plants and the Climate Control Facility. However, the corresponding entries in the Facility.txt files are:

Ability 1 Type := Planet - Change Minerals Value
and
Ability 1 Type := Planet - Change Conditions

Is this a typo in the Default_AI_construction_facilites.txt file, or, is there something here that I'm missing?

Question 4

In the Default_Planet_Types.txt file there is the following entry:

quote:

---

Mineral Value, Organics Value, Radioactives Value:
The approximate percentage value a planet must have to be selected
as this planet type. These are used as a ratio in relation to each other.
If this is zero, then this is not used.

For example, if the values are 110, 100, 100, then the planet must be at least
110% above the norm in minerals to be used.

---

This raises many more questions than it answers for me Would someone make sense of this for me, please? And I'd also appreciate a demonstration of the realtionship to the actual values of the planet in question...if there is one.

More questions on the way as I work my way through these files creating the Arachnid Confederation

[ 28 November 2001: Message edited by: Spyder ]

[DirectorTsaarx]

quote:

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Originally posted by Spyder:

Question 2

Has anyone written any kind of Race Modification Guide?

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Yeah - but with attachments on the forum being buggy at the moment, the originator will have to post a link.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Spyder:

Question 3

In the Default_AI_Construction_facilities.txt file it implies that <ability> in the following line:

Facility 1 Ability := <ability>

exactly corresponds to <ability> in this line in the Facility.txt file:

Ability 1 Type := <ability>

However.....

In the default_AI_construction_facilities.txt file there is a line that reads:

Facility 8 Ability := Planet Value Change - System

and another that reads:

Facility 9 Ability := Planet Conditions Change - System

These entries are obviously meant to point at the Value Improvement Plants and the Climate Control Facility. However, the corresponding entries in the Facility.txt files are:

Ability 1 Type := Planet - Change Minerals Value
and
Ability 1 Type := Planet - Change Conditions

Is this a typo in the Default_AI_construction_facilites.txt file, or, is there something here that I'm missing?

---

Actually, since the construction file is calling for system-wide improvement facilities, it's probably looking for the Nature Shrine (under Religious Tech).

[Tampa_Gamer]

Spyder - d/l this document

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/ubbup...ddersGuide.zip

Hopefully the link is working. This is a great compilation of threads by Dubious from the Last year about a variety of AI file topics. This is typically the first place I look because it is easier than searching the forum.

Later
-TG

[ 28 November 2001: Message edited by: Tampa_Gamer ]

[Atrocities]

Question 2

I wrote a tutorial for modifying or creating new ship sets if that helps. Just click the SS Tutorial in my signature to download it.

[Rollo]

quote:

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Originally posted by Spyder:
Sooo....here's another question for you....

How do I make the AI use Monoliths instead of the other resource generators?

The reason I ask is that to get to the System Mineral Scanner, I must research through the Mineral Miner Facility III....which out-produces the Monolith III. I don't see any way, unless its hardcoded in the game, for the AI to make the decision to choose Monolith III over Mineral Miner Facility III.

I also don't see any way to refit a planet....

---

You are right, if you have Mineral Extraction 3 or higher the AI will build Mineral Miner Facilities. The only way (in the unmodded game) to have the AI build Monoliths is not to research higher levels of resource extraction. If for example you have Rad. Ex. 2 and Stell. Manip. 3 the AI will build Monoliths on your Refining Colonies.

If you want to mod the game you can add a useless ability to the monoliths and then use that in the FacilityConstruction file to have the Monolith built.

I am not sure what you mean by refit planets. If you mean scrapping old facilities to build new ones. No, the AI won't do that.

Rollo

[Spyder]

quote:

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Originally posted by Rollo:
I am not sure what you mean by refit planets. If you mean scrapping old facilities to build new ones. No, the AI won't do that.Rollo

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Yep, that's what I meant. When I play, I go through a complete Planet/system overhaul about twice during a long game. Once when I get Monoliths and again after I get atmosphere modification and have terraformed planets. The first overhaul usually involves: switching all resource gathering with Monoliths & Planting Value Improvement Plants, Climate Control & Atmosphere mods on all planets that need it. The second wave usually involves identifying the most efficient resupply planet and making it my system control planet where all my system-wide facilities reside.

In developing the AI, I can really do without the second wave, but the first is real important to maximizing your resource potential of all the planets under your control.

[Tampa_Gamer]

quote:

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Originally posted by Spyder:

In developing the AI, I can really do without the second wave, but the first is real important to maximizing your resource potential of all the planets under your control.

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Spyder, as it stands currently there is no way to accomplish this "second" look. It must be done quickly the first time. As Mephisto mentioned in this thread

http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...&f=23&t=003981

the best way to accomplish this is to make sure you research your system modifiers quickly and ensure they are in your facility construction queues. As you found out, the AI does not "reserve" space for these down the line.

[DirectorTsaarx]

quote:

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Originally posted by Spyder:


Thanks for your response I'm not very familiar with the Racial Techs, so, I guess I missed that one

Was my assumption on the two fields in the two files corresponding correct?

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You're welcome. And I think you're at least close onthe two fields in the two files corresponding. The only thing I'd add is that the ability listed in the "AI_Construction" file should appear as ANY ONE of the abilities listed for a particular facility. For instance, producing radioactives is ability 3 for Monoliths; if the AI_Construction file calls the radioactive producing ability, it will look at both the Rad Extractor and the Monolith to determine which will provide the most Rads per turn.

Did that help?

[Spyder]

Atrocities, I got your ship set guide the other day...nice job

However, I'm currently working on making my race behave, as much as I can, as I would in a game and I'm having problems understanding the computational processes the game uses in parsing these text files. I'm slowly devining the various correlations between the different text files, but a lot of it seems to be intertwined and I'm trying to sort it all out

I'm currently working on my planet colonization & development to start with.

Sooo....here's another question for you....

How do I make the AI use Monoliths instead of the other resource generators?

The reason I ask is that to get to the System Mineral Scanner, I must research through the Mineral Miner Facility III....which out-produces the Monolith III. I don't see any way, unless its hardcoded in the game, for the AI to make the decision to choose Monolith III over Mineral Miner Facility III.

I also don't see any way to refit a planet....

[Spyder]

quote:

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Originally posted by Tampa_Gamer:
Spyder - d/l this document

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/ubbup...ddersGuide.zip

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Got it and reading it as you read this.