How To Best Take Advantage Of

[Atrocities]

I just used the new ability AI Tag with great success. I added an ability AI Tag to a component and then placed the requirement for the used AI in a design creation file.

The AI designed a ship using the component.

SUCCESS.

The mod has many more new features and I was wondering how best to utilize them. Basically I don't yet understand how best to use them and was hoping that someone else does and would be willing to offer some advise.

[Atrocities]

Bump again.

[PvK]

Well generally they are for getting the AIs to design units and planets in ways other than the way they otherwise would. Want a ship with more that two types of weapons on it? Want to have a mod where the AI doesn't over-use certain very expensive components or facilities? Want the AI to build a specific ship design? Well, these give you more ways to specify to an AI what to do.

It's too bad they are limited numbers and not unlimited names, but generally it makes sense to assign meanings to them and use them accordingly. For instance, you could have ability 1 mean "cheapest engine" and ability 2 mean "most cost effective weapon" and ability 3 mean "shields to use".

Without modding abilities, Ion Engine I, II, III could all get ability 1 - it would be true throughout the research path. The Phased Polaron weapons could have ability 2 on levels I and II of that weapon, and then maybe again on level V, or VI, depending on your opinion. The shield techs could all have ability 3 except for the levels of phased shield that you consider too weak to use. Then in the AI designs that use these, instead of asking for shields, you'd ask for ability 3. Warships might ask for engines, while transports and colony ships, to be cost-effective, ask for ability 1 instead, etc.

PvK

[Atrocities]

Very good point. I could quickly use up the new AI ability tags in the Abilities file.

[TNZ]

Try this: it is an illustration of how the new vechicle list type override and the weapon list target override entries could be used.

Name := Federation Quantum Torpedo I
Description := Long range anti-matter quantum core torpedo.
Pic Num := 1262
Tonnage Space Taken := 40
Tonnage Structure := 40
Cost Minerals := 200
Cost Organics := 100
Cost Radioactives := 100
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base\Sat\WeapPlat\Drone
Vechicle List Type Override := Ship, Base, Satellite, WeapPlatform
Vehicle List Type Description := Ship\Base\Satellite\WeapPlatform
Supply Amount Used := 10
Restrictions := None
General Group := Federation Weapons
Family := 3300
Roman Numeral := 1
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 1
Tech Area Req 1 := Federation Torpedo Weapons
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Number of Abilities := 1
Ability 1 Type := AI Tag 01
Ability 1 Descr :=
Ability 1 Val 1 := 0
Ability 1 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := Direct Fire
Weapon Target := Ships\Planets
Weapon List Target Override := Ships, Planets, Satellites, Drones
Weapon List Target Description := ships\Planets\Satellites\Drones
Weapon Damage At Rng := 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Weapon Damage Type := Normal
Weapon Reload Rate := 2
Weapon Display Type := Torp
Weapon Display := 19
Weapon Modifier := 0
Weapon Sound := qtorp.wav
Weapon Family := 4

[Deathstalker]

My own ideas for AI tags are going to be for External mounted Missiles, put a few on certain ships as well as the Godhammer bombardment missiles that are soo expensive if the AI throws tonnes on a baseship.

Other ideas is for the research/intell components we can use now so you could add an intell comp to a scout ship or a research comp to a baseyard etc.

Best part is you could use the AI tag in the 'Must Have' line of the design creations txt so you could pick and choose exactly how many comps go into a ship or at what tech level that ship is built (ie use DUC V on a ship until Lightning Ray IV is researched instead of going back down to the lesser weapon when Org tech is first discovered).

[Atrocities]

Originally posted by Deathstalker:
My own ideas for AI tags are going to be for External mounted Missiles, put a few on certain ships as well as the Godhammer bombardment missiles that are soo expensive if the AI throws tonnes on a baseship.

Other ideas is for the research/intell components we can use now so you could add an intell comp to a scout ship or a research comp to a baseyard etc.

Best part is you could use the AI tag in the 'Must Have' line of the design creations txt so you could pick and choose exactly how many comps go into a ship or at what tech level that ship is built (ie use DUC V on a ship until Lightning Ray IV is researched instead of going back down to the lesser weapon when Org tech is first discovered).

Deathstalker you ever play shifter? The Godhammer was an awsome weapon.

[PvK]

Originally posted by Deathstalker:
...
Other ideas is for the research/intell components we can use now so you could add an intell comp to a scout ship or a research comp to a baseyard etc.
...

Can't you do this without using generic tags, by asking for the ability itself?

PvK

[Deathstalker]

LOL, now that you mention it , you can without the AI tag.....getting tooo carried away with these new modding toys I guess

Anyone emailed Aaron about the fact that the 'generates points' abilities don't show up in any place as to how much points you are actually generating (like remote mining). Would be nice if a line was added beneath this one to show how many points you are generating per turn.

[ February 28, 2004, 14:28: Message edited by: Deathstalker ]

[Fyron]

Originally posted by Deathstalker:
Anyone emailed Aaron about the fact that the 'generates points' abilities don't show up in any place as to how much points you are actually generating (like remote mining). Would be nice if a line was added beneath this one to show how many points you are generating per turn.

Yes. Check this thread. Of course, it would not hurt if you emailed your findings in as well.