Neutrals: eliminating their research

[Siegebreaker]

How can I eliminate research for the Neutral races?
I want them to build only what they can with the starting techs in a middle tech setting start, and to not research anything at all.

I realize that this will make them only a bonus for the AIs, but that's the idea.

Those Battleships without warping ability that the Neutrals build are turning my imagination off.

What happens if I delete the research.txt file for the Neutrals?
Will they stop researching?
Or will they start using somebody elses research file?
Is it research hardcoded?

Also, is it possible to make a conquered Neutral to respawn somewhere else in the quadrant?

[geoschmo]

Neutrals use the Default_AI_research.txt file located in the Ai folder. To modify a neutrals research priorities without modifying the default research file, which will affect non-Neutral AI as well, you need to add a Neutral00x_AI_Research.txt file to each of the neutral folders located in Pictures/RaceNeutral.

If this file does not exsist, the race uses the default. But if it exsists and is empty, the race should do no research. Unless there is some hardcoded overide I am unaware of.

If this works it will cause the Neutrals to not research, but they will still have research facilities on their homeworld. That's a bit of a waste of space. There may be a way around that, but it would be kind of complicated. It would involve setting up a "Can research" racial trait and giving that trait to all teh non-Neutral AI and the human players in teh game.

EDIT: It just occured to me an easier method of dealing with the problem of neutrals wasting spots on research facs. Give them a raacial trait and a special research fac that only generates 1 point of research (So the AI will select it when filling out the research facility homeworld requirement) and also generates standard resources they can use. THis way you only have to change the neutrals, and not all the other races.

Of course, if you don't mind them having the handicap, you don't have to do either.


Geoschmo

[ March 08, 2004, 15:26: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

[Siegebreaker]

Thanks, Geoschmo.
I will create the empty file for each Neutral.

About the HomeWorld facilities, I'm using Proportions, so they start packed whith those multifunctional Cultural Centers.

I'm adding a tiny-fighter and a tiny-troop with no tech requirements, which together with the infantry units and small weapon platforms should make the Neutral homeworlds a memorable land battle.
Basicly, their Homeworlds will be defendable, but their system will not, because they are going to have only escorts and scouts to fight in space.

The goal I had in mind was to make them look like a mid-21st century Earth.

[Phoenix-D]

There is in fact a hardcoded element to research. Once they hit the end of the file the AI will start to research other items, IIRC.

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Phoenix-D:
There is in fact a hardcoded element to research. Once they hit the end of the file the AI will start to research other items, IIRC.

Ah, well if that's the case my first idea won't work. However, the second idea would almost work. They'd research, but at such a slow rate you'd likely see little or no tech progression.

[Siegebreaker]

How about reducing the research points they get from the facilities?
Is it possible?
Like a research penalty or something.