3rd party randomizer

[Captain Kwok]

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:

quote:

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Originally posted by Captain Kwok:
...or better yet, make some sort of program to help edit AI files.

Eventually it could end up here but Im not much for doing GUI's. It would still involve the same learning curve for what all of the things in the .txt files refer to so this is still a step in the path.

I started with the neutrals specifically because there seemed to be less involved with them, and they impacted the game less. AI's could come later. Randomly generated scenarios might be Last. Finally some editor though I doubt it since its just not really my style.

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Neutral files are in the exact same format as AI files. In fact, the only actual game difference is that Neutrals are hard-coded not to leave their home star system. You might be thinking they are less complex because they seem to have less files associated with them, but that's only because they share more default ones.

It's not possible to generate random scenarios, at least without hacking a saved game file etc.

[ June 19, 2004, 22:47: Message edited by: Captain Kwok ]

[Gandalf Parker]

So I take it that apparently a randomizer/scrambler/shuffler for AI's doesnt exist?

The txt files seem fully commented. I wish they had alittle more info on what the min/max are but most are probably fairly obvious. I guess I will soon end up with something I can click on to get a whole new batch of races to meet.

[Captain Kwok]

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:
So I take it that apparently a randomizer/scrambler/shuffler for AI's doesnt exist?

The txt files seem fully commented. I wish they had a little more info on what the min/max are but most are probably fairly obvious. I guess I will soon end up with something I can click on to get a whole new batch of races to meet.

To be honest, there's not really a way you can randomize AIs or Neutrals. The data files aren't set up for that kind of stuff at all...

[Gandalf Parker]

????

So this section from the Neutral001_AI_Anger.txt file...

code:

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Per Attack Location          := 2

Per No Treaty Ship           := 2

Per Ally Ship                := 2

Per Enemy Ship               := 0

Minimum Anger                := 20

Regular Decrease             := -2

Mega Evil Empire             := 50

Combat Attacking Won         := 5

Combat Attacking Lost        := 15

Combat Attacking Stalemate   := 0

Combat Defending Won         := 5

  

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If I write something I can click on which rewrites the file giving those numbers random new settings I WONT end up with an AI that acts completely different than it did the Last time I met it? That seems to be what file says it does.

[Captain Kwok]

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:
If I write something I can click on which rewrites the file giving those numbers random new settings I WONT end up with an AI that acts completely different than it did the Last time I met it? That seems to be what file says it does.

You'll just change how quickly/slowly the neutral race will get angry at you for the situations that you listed. In fact, in can result in some silliness if the race ends up being described as aggressive while the anger file values might have it react slowly to the aggression of other races.

[Gandalf Parker]

OK thats what I thought. As for the description, thats in the files also so eventually the "making more logical" phase would try to match description to the other settings.

I can see 2 ways of doing that. One would be to build the description as the other settings are being chosen. Kindof a madlib style. That would be fun. The other would be to have large collections of reasonable alien files which can be randomly selected and swapped in.

[Captain Kwok]

Any updates on your progress or findings?