Tampa_Gamer:
Ok, I've fired up a few games using non-default races to test out some of the new gadgets. It does work fine. Its good to see the AI using some of the new toys.
A few other questions/comments...
1) The defense ship concept is good, but it ties up the AI resources in ships that are otherwise useless if not fighting Missile/Fighter races. I tend to have the latter, but others I've watched play dont bother and thus a decent portion of the AI's fleets are essentially useless. I'm not sure what the solution is here as the AI has no 'response' routines, only a stock build queue.
2) The AI needs to research and deploy 'planetary weapons' to compensate for the new defenses and the change in damage to kill one pop. As it is now, it often bombards ineffectively with its stock ships. A human player builds the planet busters and is none the worse (although I like the effect), but the AI loses capability.
3) I'm not sure the Shield Generators produce enough to be worthwhile. They are taking up valuable space on your planets and dont really protect you all that much. I'd probably increase the base level of the shielding and have it increase at a flatter rate...just my suggestion.
4) I'm thinking about experimenting down this path and wanted to check and see if you had already done so and with what results: Adding additional design types to the defaults and then using these types to encourage the AI to build differing ship types. For example: Add 'Bombardment Ship' to the list, then add a 'design type' to the AI designs for the 'Bombardment Ship' and finally, insert it into the AI's build percentages. The same could also be done to encourage the AI to build 'Missile Support' Ships or to have some Torpedo ships and some Beam ships etc. This is similar in scope to your addition of 'defense ships' to the AI's routines.
5) You mentioned the possibility of making it so that it is impossible to land on a planet with Shields up. Personally, I like it the way it is now as it might encourage defensive troops. Also, it fits with some Sci-Fi concepts of dumping troops to knock out the Shield Generators etc.
Ok, I'll post more as I find out more about the workings of the AI. Please continue to do the same. I am VERY interested to see your revamped race personalities.
Thanx for your time and work,
Talenn
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