Strange Agoraphobic AI

Litcube · #1 February 26th, 2004, 05:27 AM

They're not Xenophobic.

I don't have an attack ship in the explore queue, Krsk, but that goes for all the races. Yet two still explore with their colony ships.

Even scarier.. I've copied the AI files from the working race into those that are stagnant. Same results..

Baron Munchausen · #2 February 26th, 2004, 05:51 AM

Are you using the latest patch? I noticed some of the AIs in a game I was playing with the beta were very ... "non-agressive" in their expansion for some reason but I was busy watching other parts of the game. It may be that something has changed in the AI code that makes the AI not explore enough in the current game.

Litcube · #3 February 26th, 2004, 06:06 AM

1.91.

I've noticed that Krsk is right. If I allow these races to have a scout ship, they'll scout ahead, and *will* expand.

Thing that gets me, is that these two freak races seem to be eager. They will expand without any scout / attack ship.

There's clearly a setting within the race files that allows this "fearless colony ship scout" behaviour.

What is it?

Krsqk · #4 February 26th, 2004, 06:48 AM

Ancient Race racial trait? If you'd like, you could email me the AI files for one of the aberrant races and one of the normal races (text only, please--I don't really need the pics on my dialup connection

) and I'll take a look.

Litcube · #5 February 26th, 2004, 07:07 AM

Bingo.

You're the man, Krsqk. That was it. The only two that were doing anything were the Ancient Races.

Loser · #6 February 27th, 2004, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Krsqk:
AIs only explore using designs designated as attack ships; no other types will use unexplored warp points.

Whoa, does this mean that if I build an AI and give them only Colony ships they will colonize the freak out of their homes system but not ever step outside?

That's great. I know exactly what to do with that.

What if I don't give them Attack Ships, but instead Boarding and Kamakazi Ships with attack-style designs?

Would this allow them to have an agressive and built up fleet wihtout ever making it out of their home system?

If they are given star charts, assuming they accept, will they follow those charts out of their home system and expand along the given route?

There is so much possibility here. If this works it means I can have a Bottled Demon AI. Don't let them out!

[edit] What about Carriers or Drone Carriers or Sat Layers? Do these explore while the AI is in any mode?

[ February 26, 2004, 13:25: Message edited by: Loser ]

Baron Munchausen · #7 February 26th, 2004, 04:55 PM

Bottled demon is right! Sooner or later they would be contacted by another AI, and when they reach the level of 'partnership' with some other AI they will get all the maps that their partner has and start pouring out of their home system. An interesting variation on the 'neutral' in that they will react more like you would expect a race to react when discovering it is possible to leave their system.

Effectively, you will have a new racial trait -- 'expansionist' -- which you assign or remove by the use of Attack ships in their build lists. A 'normal' AI is effectively expansionist, while AIs without the exploring ships are not.