An Interesting Problem (Modding Help Needed)

[Atrocities]

Thanks JLS, I will give it a whirl.

[Atrocities]

I would love to know enough about modding to be able to go through all the STM's Race AI's and set them up so they rocked.

But I know nothing next to zero when it comes to this, and the learning curve has been steep.

Not to mention that modding these files is a very detailed and time consuming process.

[Atrocities]

Question 2

Ok, what do I need to do in order to get the AI to properly design a new design that I have added in the VehicleSize file?

For excample, I added the War Station to the vehicleSize file and when I come to it in a game the AI has designed one, but it only has shields.

How can I get the AI to add weapons and other components to this base automatically?

[JLS]

Your (STM/AST MOD) is the best we may ever see in se4 and your AI is truly coming along very well.
Your Standards are truly unrivaled
and any individual that Played will know this statement is not bull or just being polite;

The STM is the finest MOD in all aspects.

[ February 02, 2004, 13:27: Message edited by: JLS ]

[JLS]

Revised and reposted above

[ February 02, 2004, 19:06: Message edited by: JLS ]

[Atrocities]

Thanks JLS, that was very kind. I wish I had the skill you have at AI mastering, but what I have learned, I have copied from others or have been taught by people like you.

I am play testing the 1.5.0 Version now, and aside from the two mention issues below, the mod seems to be running smoothly. I hope when this Version is released, that all that will remain will be a minor bug fix or small balance tweaking.

I would like to get going on STM 2.0 and finish the Conquest Mod someday before SE V comes out.

[JLS]

Originally posted by Atrocities:
Question 2

Ok, what do I need to do in order to get the AI to properly design a new design that I have added in the VehicleSize file?

For excample, I added the War Station to the vehicleSize file and when I come to it in a game the AI has designed one, but it only has shields.

How can I get the AI to add weapons and other components to this base automatically?

As long as you can load the item (No accidental line spaces after shields in your Comp File), the AI can be prompted to load any legal Component at some point in the game.

- - - - -- -

Depending how you have your Components file set up (Arranged order); may and will depend on the armor or shield etc. that the AI will default load from most data lines:
AI Design File:
Shields Spaces Per One:= ####
Armor Spaces Per One:= ####
NOTE To have this load you WILL NEED Armor Ability on your Item Number of Abilities data area; within your Components file.

Number of Abilities := 2
Ability 1 Type := Armor
Ability 1 Descr :=
Ability 1 Val 1 := 0
Ability 1 Val 2 := 0
Ability 2 Type := " ~~~"
"Leaky Armors" If without above; will get tricky for the AI to load and you may want to wait for the next se4 Upgrade v186g +.

- - - - - - - -

Emissive Armor
Value1 = Amount of damage reduced per hit.
Value2 =

To have other Armors or any non-default item that do not have any other usable non-conflicting Ability or that will not load by the AI as above or as a maj Weapon, sec Weapon or disguised as such or (other) means, etc. you may need a TAG name eg:

(Examples for a modded item)
Planet - Shield Generation
Value1 = Amount of shields generated.
Value2 =
(PvK: Used as AI tag for regular armor.)

Resource Generation - Radioactives
Value1 = Amount of radioactives generated per turn.
Value2 =
(JLS: Used as AI tag Planetary Weapons used for AI Balance for fighters and BC ships and up.)

= = =

The new Patch may have other options to handle how the AI loads

Version 1.86:
1. Added - "AI Tag ##" abilities for use in getting AIs to use specific components.

= = = = =
With Pre v185g as it is now. The Abilities file has the initial references for the AI and then this reference (if not used as a component ability already) can be added to the Abilities of your desired load item in the Components files.

To have the AI load a legal non-defaulted item, just place your (newly Reserved taged name) Ability in its Design file.


HOW TO - Example and Reference

Example: Default Armor was YOUR DESIRED AI COMMON ARMOR as per your released Component data file; pre aranged setup.
In this example a "Common Armor" was this default.
Armor Spaces Per One := 10000

Emissive Armor
Misc Ability 4 Name := Emissive Armor
Misc Ability 4 Spaces Per One := 2000


And we also want this AI to load “Armor of Doom“:

-

Example step one.
Abilities DATA File:

Warp Point - Turbulence
Value1 = Amount of damage done to objects moving through this warp point. (Normal Damage)
Value2 =
(STM: Used as AI tag for DOOM armor.) (add)

Star - Unstable
Value1 = Chance that sun will explode each year.
Value2 =

Sector - Sight Obscuration
Value1 = “~~~~”

- -

Example step Two.
Components DATA File

Name := Armor of Doom
Description := Neat doom stuff..
Pic Num := 194
Tonnage Space Taken := 10
Tonnage Structure := 100
Cost Minerals := 60
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 30
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base
Supply Amount Used := 0
Restrictions := None
General Group := Armor
Family := 1911
Roman Numeral := 0
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 1
Tech Area Req 1 := Armor
Tech Level Req 1 := ##
Number of Abilities := 2
Ability 1 Type := Warp Point - Turbulence (add)
Ability 1 Descr :=
Ability 1 Val 1 := 0
Ability 1 Val 2 := 0
Ability 2 Type := Armor (depends on your mod)
Ability 2 Descr :=
Ability 2 Val 1 := 0
Ability 2 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := None

- - -

Example step Three.
RACE_AI_DesignCreation File

Name := War Station
Design Type := Defense Base
Vehicle Type := Base
Default Strategy := Optimal Firing Range
Size Minimum Tonnage := ###
Size Maximum Tonnage := ####
Num Must Have At Least 1 Ability := 1
Must Have Ability 1 := Weapon
Minimum Speed := 0
Desired Speed := 0
Majority Weapon Family Pick 1 := 8
Majority Weapon Family Pick 2 := 2
Majority Weapon Family Pick 3 := 0
Majority Weapon Family Pick 4 := 0
Majority Weapon Family Pick 5 := 0
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 1 := 34
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 2 := 25
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 3 := 0
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 4 := 0
Secondary Weapon Family Pick 5 := 0
Shields Spaces Per One := 400
Armor Spaces Per One := ####
Majority Comp Spaces Per One := 300
Majority Comp Ability := Weapon
Secondary Comp Spaces Per One := 10000
Secondary Comp Ability := Weapon
Num Misc Abilities := 12
Misc Ability 1 Name := Point-Defense
Misc Ability 1 Spaces Per One := 600
Misc Ability 2 Name := Warp Point - Turbulence (add) for DOOM ARMOR)
Misc Ability 2 Spaces Per One := 1000 or your ####
SPO # := 10000 is usualy only one item will load, and the lower this (SPO) number the more of that item will be loaded
Misc Ability 3 Name := Shield Regeneration
Misc Ability 3 Spaces Per One := 10000
Misc Ability 4 Name := Emissive Armor
Misc Ability 4 Spaces Per One := 2000 or your ####
Misc Ability 5 Name := “ ~ ~ ~ “

- - - -

Example Step four:


Test to see it has your desired Item Count, if not just reset the SPO #.

- - - - -

Example Step Five:

Add/follow up for the new Design to be called in the RACE_AI_Construction_Vehicles File and test for its Construction.

You should be good to go.

= = = = = = = = = = = =

Also to note:

A design is created when a new Component or Vehicle Size has been researched
after the date the design was created. All Vehicle Sizes as fair game, and any
components which are part of the design type.
Vehicle Type is correct for this Design Type.
Have the necessary tech for this Vehicle Size.
Vehicle Size discovery date is equal to or better than that of the Last
design for this Design Type.
Vehicle Size falls within the required Minimum and Maximum range of Tonnage.
Can support the minimum and maximum required speeds.
(enough spaces for engines to provide the minimum speed)
(allows no movement for a Maximum Speed of zero)
Does not have any Min Percent requirements for a comp type different
than the Majority Comp Type.
Does not have any Max Percent requirements for the Majority Comp Type.

= = = = = = = = = = = =


The next se4 Upgrade may make all this and more; very efficient for the se4 AI.

[ February 02, 2004, 22:59: Message edited by: JLS ]

[Atrocities]

I have been plugging away on the STM mod all night, and for the most part all seems to be going well.

I have however ran into an interesting problem

I assume my problem stems from each races Settings file.

When I set the game to start with max tech, non of the race designs ships larger than 500 kt until after turn 20. I noticed this in the settings text for each race and was wondering if there was a work around for this?

[JLS]

Originally posted by Atrocities:
I have been plugging away on the STM mod all night, and for the most part all seems to be going well.

I have however ran into an interesting problem

I assume my problem stems from each races Settings file.

When I set the game to start with max tech, non of the race designs ships larger than 500 kt until after turn 20. I noticed this in the settings text for each race and was wondering if there was a work around for this?

This is/was with a simu or LAN game, it sure raises havok with AI Colonizing when over 499+ kt.
I was under the impression this was already fixed with v184g.

In addition your AI settings file may help this:


You may have this.



Ship Size Tonnage From Start 1 Amount= 510
Max Ship Size Tonnage From Start 1 Num Turns 20
Max Ship Size Tonnage From Start 2 Amount := 610
Max Ship Size Tonnage From Start 2 Num Turns := 40
Max Ship Size Tonnage From Start 3 Amount := 0
Max Ship Size Tonnage From Start 3 Num Turns := 0

If you had above, then please try below pre v178g work around.

Max Ship Size Tonnage From Start 1 Amount := 510
Max Ship Size Tonnage From Start 1 Num Turns:= 1
Max Ship Size Tonnage From Start 2 Amoun := 0
Max Ship Size Tonnage From Start 2 Num Turns = 1000
Max Ship Size Tonnage From Start 3 Amount:= 0
Max Ship Size Tonnage From Start 3 Num Turns:= 0

[ February 02, 2004, 13:09: Message edited by: JLS ]

[JLS]

After rereading my initial post, I SEE WHAT YOU MEAN, perhaps I covered to many bases

However, I hope the how-to section will help with the prompting of that AI to load an non-defaulted item;
with the example of getting the AI to load the fictitious “Armor of doom” and the use of the three (add) indacaters

[ February 03, 2004, 14:08: Message edited by: JLS ]