Space Combat - Observations and Questions (Aaron/Richard take note)
Thought I would try and tweak the combat AI a bit, so I modified some of the races to use missiles (AI_DesignCreation.txt) and changed the AI and default strategy files to Maximum Weapons Range rather than Optimal Firing Range. I then started up a game on a small map with only the modified races in it (removed the other races from the Races Directory).
After a while I noticed that some races were doing slightly better in space combat than others, so I switched the computer players to human players and had a look. Some of the computer players only had missiles on their ships and all the fleets that existed had Maximum Weapons Range selected as their strategy. I then initiated tactical combat using each of the races.
The result was very interesting. The ships equipped only with missiles began "missile dancing" against the other ships and killed them after several rounds of combat. The ships with mixed weapons kept trying to close to maximum weapons range for their short range weapons (anti-proton beams, DUC's etc) and kept running head first into the missiles launched from the other ships.
This suggests to me that the combat routine will need to be altered to include a calculation of enemy missile strength vs friendly point defence strength, which could be used to switch the Strategy mode to "Dont Get Hurt" if the ratio was too unfavourable. Alternatively, some new strategy may have to be developed (Minimise Damage?).
At this stage I cannot see modifying the txt files will help much, although I am looking to test AI ships packed with higher point defence levels.
Therefore, I am looking at creating a new ship class for the AI (Aegis class?) which would be filled exclusively with missiles and point defence. The current Attack class ship would have its point defence heavily beefed up too.
I have two questions though;
1) Does anyone know whether there are any problems with adding a new ship class to the AI_DesignCreation.txt files?,
2) What does the text "spaces per one" mean in the AI_DesignCreation.txt files? The Default_AI_DesignCreation.txt has point defence as 250 and I'm not sure what it means.
I would appreciate any comments people may have before I start modding.
Regards,
God Emperor
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