What Keeps Neutral AI from Exploring?

[Rollo]

To make the AI explore do the following:
1) Make a design for a scout ship (extra supplies and/or solar collectors). Use Design Type := Attack Base for that.
2) Add entries to vehicle construction for the Attack Base. Early entries in Exploration, Infrastructure and Defend (Short Term). Something like:
Entry 2 Type := Attack Base
Entry 2 Planet Per Item := 100 to 200
Entry 2 Must Have At Least := 1 or 2

The AI does not use Attack Bases in fleets. Instead it sends them out alone. So they fullfil the role as scouts quite well.

Hope that helps,
Rollo

[ July 19, 2003, 13:00: Message edited by: Rollo ]

[Q]

Originally posted by Arkcon:
Neutrals are prevented from warping out of the system. Try it and see. Start a game, put your player on computer control (turn the AI on first), and put a neutral under your control. You can't warp, the orders get cleared. If a ship gets sent to another system by an event, or you trade for a ship with the AI -- it can't leave that system.

That seems to be correct. I can't explain then what I did see other than to be a random effect, although this is extremely improbable! Not my day today.

[Andrés]

Q, wasn't that before this fix:

from history.txt
Version 1.44:
7. Fixed - Neutral players would sometimes leave their home systems.

IIRC you would jump WPs most times accidentally from time to time before that.

CNC, like Rollo said, make sure that AIs can design and do build some "attack ship", "attack base" or "carrier" early in the game, since only those design types will explore.

[Taera]

i understand, then, that some designs were forgotten to be put to "cant warp" list, including Sun Destroyers.

edit: actually this makes sense, by defenition the neutrals just choose not to leave their home system - meaning they can if realy needed to. And if a race realy pisses them off they can build their nice sun destroyers and go blow things up.

[ July 20, 2003, 04:50: Message edited by: Taera ]

[Q]

Originally posted by Andres:
Q, wasn't that before this fix:

quote:

---

from history.txt
Version 1.44:
7. Fixed - Neutral players would sometimes leave their home systems.

IIRC you would jump WPs most times accidentally from time to time before that.

CNC, like Rollo said, make sure that AIs can design and do build some "attack ship", "attack base" or "carrier" early in the game, since only those design types will explore.

---

You must be right. It was a long time ago I observed this and I did not remember the change in Version 1.44 (and the fix is not explained in much detail, isn't it?). As it is now it seems really impossible for a neutral empire, even if completely under human control, to warp.

[Loser]

Originally posted by Rollo:
The AI does not use Attack Bases in fleets. Instead it sends them out alone. So they fullfil the role as scouts quite well.

If you put a Colony requirement on these Attack Bases will they use it?

Can this be done to make the AI explore with its Colony Ships?

Is it advisable for the AI to explore with its Colony Ships (cancerous expansion!)?

[Captain Kwok]

I think the idea of a neutral race using a star destroyer is to further isolate themselves from the rest of the galaxy by eliminating the systems around them and making them worthless and unoccupied.

Perhaps they should also use Warp Closers to cut off warp points into their system too?