AI Tweaks and Personalities and Other Thoughts

Grifman · #1 November 25th, 2000, 08:35 PM

Thanks for the feedback - nice to know I'm not the only one!

However, I do think you can do what you want under the "Players" option in the game setup. Under there, you can create a new race, and one of the options there under "Description" is "Demeanor". Under that you have options such as psychotic, serene, aggressive, violent, honorable, etc. I am assuming that these somehow modify created races' behavior?

Well, I guess for my next game, I'm going to have to move beyond the stock races shipped with the game and create my own - perhaps a reprise of some of my favorite MOO races, with the specialties - too bad I can't recreate a Silicoid race that can colonize everything - that doesn't appear to be an option

The only thing that makes this difficult is play balancing. If I create a Meklar like production oriented race, how do I know if a 10%, 30% or 50% bonus is enough or too little.

Hmm, maybe I'll create 6 psychotic races for my next game and see what happens! If I do, I'll let you know and post it here!

Grifman

ashbery · #2 November 26th, 2000, 04:32 AM

Grifman your Posts 100% correct,in the game you have loads of so called race traits but like you say it doesnt make any difference,a evil xenophobic race seems just as keen to offer alliances as a peacefull merchant,just as peacefull merchants wage the same kind of genocidel warefare as the evil xenophode.

The roleplaying side really suffers because of this,i hope that the developers sort this out,ive added a few of my own races and theres no difference,maybe you should email that bottom post to malfador see what they say because this is a major flaw in my view.

Tampa_Gamer · #3 November 26th, 2000, 03:48 PM

Just backing you up - I agree 100% with the initial post below. As a 4x fan back to the days of Ascendancy and MOO, I would like the design team to tweak the AI. I have started some mods myself, but you can only do so much with the AI files.

ksean · #4 November 26th, 2000, 07:15 PM

"- too bad I can't recreate a Silicoid race that can colonize everything - "

Actually you can ..
Create a racial trait that gives the Tech Area Ability. (use some value above that for Organic tech, I start at 255 and work down.)
Add a new Applied Tech "Universal Colonization," that requires that racial trait, then make a new component "Universal Colonizer" that requires Universal Colonization, has all three colonization abilities from the other colonization modules and give it a family number of 5004 (one more than the highest colony module).

Voila' a race that can colonize any planet from the start.

Jubala · #5 November 26th, 2000, 09:52 PM

ksean, sounds like something all neutrals should have imo.

mafia · #6 November 27th, 2000, 05:22 AM

Yes AI can be bolstered a bit but I think AI will never be up to human standars and improving the multiplayer aspect of this game is the *only* way to face a worthy foe. PBEM is a thing of the past. Malfador needs to focus on vastly improving the multiplayer. Until then we'll all be griping about the AI's stupidity.

-m

Talenn · #7 November 27th, 2000, 05:38 AM

Hope and Help for the AI:

Well, I am happy to report that after much tweaking and futzing, I finally have my AI giving me a good run for the money in quite a few games. Its still not up to human standards, but it can sure keep up in production right now. I have been giving it the 'Computer Player Bonus:Low', but I'm beginning to think that it may no longer be needing it.

A few of my friends who had played the game at first (out of the box) were stunned when the AI pummeled them into submission.

I cant vouch for distinct AI personalities (yet), but overall, it is performing far better. I am going to start working on the personalities soon.

Does anyone know if the default AI files are replaced by any with the 'correct' name? Or is it just the ones in the current 'Race' directory? I will experiment with the 'Speech' file first as that will be most obvious one to see. I think the AI programming aspect has GREAT potential if everything works the way it appears to me at this point. I'm not sure how much 'personality' can be injected, but if speech and treay/anger levels can be adjusted in addition to the (already present) ship and research lists, we should be able to eventually get VERY distinctive feeling AIs.

Anyone else have any thoughts or success yet?

Thanx,
Talenn