Modding Q--AI DesignCreation

[DirectorTsaarx]

Some more info on my testing: obviously, the AI is set up not to bother with ship/base sizes larger than 500kT until after turn 20 (and ship/base sizes larger than 600kT wait until after turn 41). So that's the main reason it didn't just use a larger base for the initial design (and why it designs an appropriate-sized base later). However, I still can't get it to design a space yard base that calls for the "Star - Unstable" ability. It just ignores the entry completely. I even tried different combinations of "Must Have" and "Majority Comp" abilities; the AI either designs a base space yard with no space yard components, or it ignores the entry.

Any advice?

[Suicide Junkie]

Put it in as the first Miscellaneous ability call.

In other words, treat it just like the quantum reactors on ships.

[Krsqk]

I didn't use the majority/secondary comps or must have at least 1 settings (except for transports). I just added a misc. ability setting with spaces per one set at 10000 (which results in one per ship). I also did this when I wanted to use three or four types of weapons on a ship. I called them as useless abilities, but they aren't "useless" in combat!

[edit] S_J: Great minds think alike.

[ 25 April 2002: Message edited by: Krsqk ]

[DirectorTsaarx]

All right, I tried that and it still doesn't work. I went so far as to make the "useless" ability the ONLY miscellaneous ability, no "Must Have" component, and no "Majority Comp"; the AI creates a design with the right name, but REFUSES to put a @!#$^%!#$^& space yard on the design. I even tried a variety of "useless" abilities, just in case. I then tried increasing the VALUE of the abilities, in case it was looking for some kind of threshold value. Still nothing. I guess I'll just have to make my temporal space yard component the same size as the regular one, or else the temporal AI's won't design/build base space yards until after turn 41 (or they'll cripple their economy trying to build HUGE base space yards). This is terribly upsetting, that I can't make the modders' favorite trick work on my own mod. I actually used to believe I was intelligent, too...

I'll see if I can upload the appropriate files so y'all can take a look and tell me what picky little detail I missed.

Edit: just adding link to a zipped Version of the appropriate files (a Components.txt and a Sallega DesignCreation file): TsaarxFailedMod.zip

[ 26 April 2002: Message edited by: DirectorTsaarx ]

[Q]

DirectorTsaarx your problems sound very familiar to me:
I made different cloacking components and used the "nonsense" abilities in order to call the components in the AI design files. After a long try and error time I had to conclude that if a component has any cloacking ability all other abilities are ignored in the design file! Perhaps the same is true for the space yard ability?

[Gandalph]

I don't see anything obvious here. I can tell you from my experience that if you set shields and armor to 0, the AI will add them as fill at the end of the design. I tried adding your design to one of my saved games, but my tech levels are too high, so the AI will not redesign as it does not see any new tech.

[ 27 April 2002: Message edited by: Gandalph ]

[Gandalph]

OK. I got the design created by the AI so the design is not the problem (although my AI used normal ship yard), so perhaps I can test the component itself, however I will have to change tech requirement as my race is not temporal.