No AI mod?

[Fyron]

Originally posted by Andr&eacutes Lescano:
I ask this as someone who has never downloaded or tried to look closely at the no-ai mod, so please forgive my ignorance.
Are you aware that once all projects in the ai_research file are completed, ai will add a random trechnology of those remaining until it runs over of techs.
So that having a blank research file wold be much worse than the default one.

Yes, that is why the Research file is not blank.

[Ruatha]

The Read-me:

No-Ai mod
One of the most frustrating things about playing Space Empires IV PBW, or any PBEM for that matter, is in the event you miss a turn, or if your turn file gets scrambled somehow, the ai will take your turn for you. As we all know the ai does a particularly awful job of handling things.

We all have horror stories I am sure. I was in a game once where the AI, broke several trade and research treaties, declared war on my closest neighbor, took control of my fleets in that system and wiped out three of his planets, not to mention filling my construction queues with worthless junk, and obsoleting and replacing all of my carefully thought out ship designs.

All his dirty work was done in one turn. But it took me 7 or 8 turns to undo the damage. Particularly because I was close to the limit on maintenance anyway, and loosing all that treaty income meant several ships being abandoned.

There is a setting in empire options "AI should not make changes during simultaneous games." As we all know, that does little or nothing to help the problem. Jimbob and I have come up with a solution. It involves replacing the files that control what the ministers do during your turn. More on how it does it later.

These files, will eliminate the problem as much as is possible. By using these files, the ai will NOT:
1. Obsolete your designs
2. Design new ships or units
3. Put ANYTHING in your construction queue
4. Become angry at other races, for ANY reason
5. Break existing treaties
6. Offer or accept new treaties
7. Declare war
8. Attack colonies of empires you are not at war with

Using these files the AI still MIGHT:
1. Fill your research queue if empty (I figured this is about the only thing it does decently)
2. Reply to Messages from other empires, but only to refuse any requests. (But I have modified the speech.txt file so that it is clear the refusals are coming from the AI and not the player)
3. Move your ships around somewhat
4. Attack colonies of Empires you are at war with.
5. Attack ships of Empires you are at war with.
6. Send colony ships that do not have previous orders.

It is very important that if that player leaves the game a human replacement is found. Turning them over to the ai will result in a useless do-nothing empire.

Do not use AI or Neutral players with this mod. It is not recommended that you allow the AI to take several turns for you using this mod. Basically it is for short term absences. It will continue doing nothing during a long term absence, and that could be worse than letteing the normal Ai run things for you.

Geoschmo



Ruatha

[Fyron]

You posted this why?

[Ruatha]

To answer any questions regarding the No-AI mod.

You question this, why?

(It seems I'm not the only one wondering about the No-AI mod:

Originally posted by Andr&eacutes Lescano:
I ask this as someone who has never downloaded or tried to look closely at the no-ai mod, so please forgive my ignorance.
Are you aware that once all projects in the ai_research file are completed, ai will add a random trechnology of those remaining until it runs over of techs.
So that having a blank research file wold be much worse than the default one.

)

[ March 17, 2003, 10:31: Message edited by: Ruatha ]