AI files

[Hrothgar]

I've found info on how to modify everything in SEIV, except the AI files. Probably because they're so simple any moron ought to be able to do it; however, THIS moron is having trouble.

I really would like to hear anything anyone cares to post about the topic, but, specifically, I've run into one problem that I thought even I could figure out on my own--fat chance! I'm trying to make a race, and I wanted to change the default Fleet formation, both so that the AI would use something more effective than "Arrow" [is there anyhing that isn't?], and so that, when I'm playing the race, I wouldn't always have to change the fleet formation/strategy everytime I made a new fleet.

I found the lines in the AI_Fleet file that establish what the default formation and strategy will be, and changed them, but, my race still defaults to "Arrow" and "Optimal Weapons Range." It does so when I'm playing them, and, when I let the AI run them in order to test how they're doing, I'll still see them in Arrow formation whenever there's combat between them and me.

Anyone have any ideas about what I might be doing wrong, or any suggestions about other things involoved in making AI files?

Thanks.

[Fyron]

Did you set the empire file up to "use AI style from selected race", or use one of the default AI types?

[DavidG]

Originally posted by Hrothgar:
I've found info on how to modify everything in SEIV, except the AI files. Probably because they're so simple any moron ought to be able to do it; however, THIS moron is having trouble.

I suspect the real reason is not that they are simple but that they are comlex. (unless I'm a moron too )

[oleg]

Modding AI is the most difficult task in SE. The best way is to study the files ofthe best TDM races and learn by trials and errors

How to you load your race ? If you generated .emp file before changing fleet.txt file, AI will not use it. Come information is stored with empires. AFAIK it includes settings.txt, strategies.txt, fleets.txt and anger.txt files. Other files are read by AI at the beginning of each turn. If this is the case, scrap .emp file and generate a fresh one. For this purpose start new game with large number of random empires and you playing some other race. In game pulldown check "races" and see if the race in question was chosen. Switch it to your control and save empire. This way it will record modified files.

If this is not the source of the problem, there must be some error in your fleets and/or strategies files.

[Hrothgar]

Thanks a lot, gentlemen. I will check both of your suggestions, but I'm almost certain that I altered the AI files after I had already created the emp file. I'll have to fix that.

Thanks again. I appreciate your help.

[Hrothgar]

I've finally gotten things straightened out [thanks for your help, Imperator Fyron, DavidG, and Oleg], except for one thing--I made a new Research.txt file for my race, but it's not working properly. As far as I've been able to determine, research projects are chosen by the AI in the order I desire, but research points are not divided as I thought they would be. My impression was that, if you indicated 50% as the Tech Area Minimum Percent, that another project could also be added to the research queue AND be researched simultaneously. However, when I check the research queue while the game is in progress with my race under computer control, although two projects will appear on the queue, only the first gets any research points--until it's down to its Last turn, at which point excess research points will flow over to the next research project. Perhaps this is what's supposed to happen, in which case I guess my race is working properly, but, like I said, I thought that assigning 50 as the Minimum percent would allow two projects to each receive half of the current research points. Here's a couple lines from my Research File, in which, if there's an error, I'd really appreciate suggestions:

================================================== =====================================
*BEGIN*
================================================== =====================================

AI State := Exploration, Infrastructure, Prepare for Attack, Attack, Secure Holdings After Attack, Incursion, Prepare for Defense, Defend (Short Term), Defend (Long Term)
Tech Area Name := Applied Research
Tech Area Level := 2
Tech Area Min Percent := 50

AI State := Exploration, Infrastructure, Prepare for Attack, Attack, Secure Holdings After Attack, Incursion, Prepare for Defense, Defend (Short Term), Defend (Long Term)
Tech Area Name := Ship Construction
Tech Area Level := 2
Tech Area Min Percent := 50

If there are no errors, and it's just impossible to get the AI to divide research points among different projects, then I guess I'll have to live with things as they are.

Thanks.