Dominions 2. AI. Suggestions, that how to fix it.

Gandalf Parker · #1 November 7th, 2003, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ywl:
4) Cutthroat: the AI doesn't use stealth troops particularly well. It might be hard to implement. [/QB]

Its beginning to look as though the AI is too linear in its programming to make seperate personalities likely. Its probably one line line of instructions with some IF comments allowing for the different nations. Splitting all of that out into sperate AI files would be on the level of being a good reason for Dominions 3. The devs seem to be back to asking for specific fixes. When should an AI build a castle. When should they build a temple. When should they buy hvy troops.

However..... the seperate AIs we are talking about might be created by themes? Does a computer player use themes? I have to fall back on Dom1 experience but if Pangaea is told to build hvy units then they will lose their sneak ability with that army. Building an IF PANGAEA into the AI code might help but there is a line of play for Pangaea which does use those units.

What if a theme removed those hvy units? And maybe added an assassin? If the AI used that theme then would you have a computer player that would use those things halfway effectively?

-Storm- · #2 November 7th, 2003, 11:04 PM

I think some games separated AI personalities, but I dunno what games. Civ3? Frankly I don't remember.

Gandalf Parker · #3 November 7th, 2003, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by -Storm-:
I think some games separated AI personalities, but I dunno what games. Civ3? Frankly I don't remember.

Of course it can be done. And its generally agreed that it would have some benefits. But if the AI was straight coded instead of seperate for each AI then breaking it out would be a major product upgrade. Since solo-play isnt a major part of the game it would be an unlikely project.

That means that lesser fixes should be discussed so that something can be done.

-- The word "impossible" is a term used by technicians which translates as "I COULD do it but it would take more time and effort than its worth."

[ November 07, 2003, 21:55: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

licker · #4 November 8th, 2003, 12:16 AM

One small quibble

Why do you assert that 'solo play isn't a major part of the game'?

The devs have said that they made Dom primarilly to be an MP game, but the number of people playing the game are likely to play more SP than MP, whatever it is that they would prefer to play.

So I would assert that 'solo play *is* a major part of the game' just that the devs may not desire to make upgrades to it as much as they desire to make upgrades to MP. Though outside of balance and bugs, there arn't that many upgrades to MP that are seemingly *that* important

HJ · #5 November 8th, 2003, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by licker:
One small quibble

Why do you assert that 'solo play isn't a major part of the game'?

The devs have said that they made Dom primarilly to be an MP game, but the number of people playing the game are likely to play more SP than MP, whatever it is that they would prefer to play.

So I would assert that 'solo play *is* a major part of the game' just that the devs may not desire to make upgrades to it as much as they desire to make upgrades to MP. Though outside of balance and bugs, there arn't that many upgrades to MP that are seemingly *that* important

Once again I agree, but it would be nice if we could stop this kind of arguments altogether. Either make the game completely MP, or completely SP, or there is no basis to say that one is more important than the other, and that one should receive less attention and suffer on account of the other.

Mortifer · #6 November 8th, 2003, 09:56 AM

Yes SP is a major part of Doms II., that is for sure now.
Still I guess the devs won't be bothered by such coding like multiple AI personalities. I guess that would be countless hours to script and add.
MAYBE in the distant future, they will work on it, but maybe the AI can be upgraded a more simple way. [fix those things on the list.]
Well we shall see.

Gandalf Parker · #7 November 8th, 2003, 01:56 PM

Actually I am 99% a solo player. But the game was built almost entirely around PBEM with some things tossed in for solo play. I dont forsee a major time-consuming rewrite for SP moving to the top of the list over many many MP items. Small tweaks, yes. But once it looked like it would not be simple I stopped considering it likely.

However, there are always major points to be made in that scoring process for personal interest by a dev.

[ November 08, 2003, 13:01: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]