AI Modding 101?

[hicksz]

I just got back from eating. I took a quick look at the AI Cheat Sheet. It looks very helpful with explaining the AI_DesignCreation. I have look through the "Modding and other help tool" Posts but pass on this one becuase it was just called "cheat sheet." When you unzip it, you find the doc called AI_DesignCreation_CheatSheet. Thank you Imperator Fyron. I must give a special thanks to Atraikius for creating it. I'll look harder through these Posts to make sure I didn't miss anything else. I going to bed now so I'll read the whole doc tomorrow but from what I seen so far is gold. This document should be connected to the other mod tutorials and not buried in a post.

Rollo, anymore help you can provide regarding AI Modding would be appricated.

Litcube, thanks for the help regarding the 10000Kt issue. I'm not familiar with Oleg's method of using the "must have" so I don't know
what to tell you. I'm interested though and would like to know more if you can point me to the information. As far as your AI slowing in momentum, I'm not a mod expert and without more information on your setup, maybe either your AI can't research something or they are not adding all of the correct components they need for their unit or ship? Maybe maintenance is eating up all of the AI resources? Maybe a ship is too expensive to build and taking too many extra turns to get out of the space yard. I'm just guessing but when the AI doesn't act right for me, I play a couple of more turns and then goto Game Menu -> Players -> and uncheck the AI in question and play him for a turn to see what's going on.

[Rollo]

alright, here is what I was looking for:

This thread along with the design sheet should help you to get started:
AI Text Files Tips & Hints

and here is something to explain how research works:
AI modding: research.txt

Feel free to post additional specific questions, though. I totally agree that an AI modding 101 would be a great thing.

[ February 22, 2004, 08:10: Message edited by: Rollo ]

[hicksz]

Thanks again Rollo for all of your help. There is a lot of great info here to sort through.

I got to, got to, go to bed but I had one quick questions before I'm gone. I read through your excellent AI Modding Research.txt and I have a quick question about "Not Connected" AI State.

I looked at what Tampa_Gamer (your second link)also said about AI Modding Research.txt:

(6) Make sure you test your races “Not Connected” research tree - some people actually play this option and they may want your race to do more than sit on its thumbs for 100 turns.

This is taken from one of the AI Reseach.txt file:

AI State := Not Connected
Tech Area Name := Rock Planet Colonization
Tech Area Level := 1
Tech Area Min Percent := 100

I notice all of the "Not Connected" AI States use a "Tech Area Min Percent" of 100.

Is "Not Connected" the AI's way of saying it's researched everything that is important and it's going to now just research one tech regardless of what is actually happening in the game?

[Fyron]

"Not Connected" refers to a situation in which the AI is not connected to any other races. Basically, if you start a game with No Warp Points, the AI will be in the Not Connected state. If the AI gets completely cut off from all other empires, it might go into the Not Connected state.

[Rollo]

'Not Connected' is an AI state. When the AI thinks it is 'alone in the universe' (i.e. not connected to others via warp points), it switches to that state.

So while in 'Not Connected' state it researches different than in all the other states. Higher priotity to colonization tech, warp point opening, etc.

[ February 22, 2004, 09:03: Message edited by: Rollo ]

[Rollo]

Originally posted by hicksz:
...This is taken from one of the AI Reseach.txt file:

AI State := Not Connected
Tech Area Name := Rock Planet Colonization
Tech Area Level := 1
Tech Area Min Percent := 100

I notice all of the "Not Connected" AI States use a "Tech Area Min Percent" of 100.

actually that is a pretty bad choice, IMO.
"Tech Area Min Percent" of 100 always results in lost research points, since only one project will be in the queue.

[Rollo]

Just realized that I shouldn't say this a bad choice without providing a better alternative

This is what I use for some of my races:

AI State := Not Connected
Tech Area Name := Rock Planet Colonization
Tech Area Level := 1
Tech Area Min Percent := 1

AI State := Not Connected
Tech Area Name := Gas Giant Colonization
Tech Area Level := 1
Tech Area Min Percent := 1

AI State := Not Connected
Tech Area Name := Ice Planet Colonization
Tech Area Level := 1
Tech Area Min Percent := 1

AI State := Not Connected
Tech Area Name := Astrophysics
Tech Area Level := 1
Tech Area Min Percent := 1

AI State := Not Connected
Tech Area Name := Repair
Tech Area Level := 1
Tech Area Min Percent := 1

AI State := Not Connected
Tech Area Name := Stellar Manipulation
Tech Area Level := 4
Tech Area Min Percent := 34

AI State := Not Connected
Tech Area Name := Applied Research
Tech Area Level := 3
Tech Area Min Percent := 97

AI State := Not Connected
Tech Area Name := Minerals Extraction
Tech Area Level := 3
Tech Area Min Percent := 34

AI State := Not Connected
Tech Area Name := Cargo
Tech Area Level := 3
Tech Area Min Percent := 34

AI State := Not Connected
Tech Area Name := Ship Construction
Tech Area Level := 4
Tech Area Min Percent := 34

AI State := Not Connected
Tech Area Name := add more stuff accoring to your AI game plan using the 'Tech Area Min Percent := 34'
...

This ensures that I get all the colony techs as well as the tech that my AI needs for WP openers.