Modding Q--AI DesignCreation

Krsqk · #1 April 25th, 2002, 03:18 PM

So, I can enter the design *name* in Construction_Vehicles.txt now, if I want? I thought I tried that, and it told me "Massive Death Ship" wasn't an accepted design type. I'll have to test that again.

[edit] Oh, look! I'm a "Seargeant" now...whatever that is.

[ 25 April 2002: Message edited by: Krsqk ]

Krsqk · #2 April 25th, 2002, 03:39 PM

Okay, I just tested this, and it did work. I must have had a typo before. Great, now I can specify the exact content of my forces!

DirectorTsaarx · #3 April 25th, 2002, 10:11 PM

I have an interesting question related to this; my problem isn't getting the AI to build particular items, it's trying to get the AI to DESIGN an item. Details follow:

I had a bright idea to add a Temporal Space Yard for ships (since the Temporal races had special Yard facilities, why not ship-based ones?). Anyway, I thought I should make the new ship-based TSY's bigger than standard SY's. Well, the temporal AI's choked on that, creating space yard bases and space yard ships with no space yards (still trying to figure out why it didn't automatically choose larger ship/base sizes, but I'll leave that for further testing). So, first, I limited the new TSY to bases, then I created two designs for base space yards: one was space station sized, and I added the "Star - Unstable" ability to the standard space yard & tried to use it to force the AI to use standard space yards in the smaller base space yards. The AI never created a design for the smaller yard, even when I finally remembered to use different names for the design. At turn 41, the AI created a design for a starbase-sized base space yard, using the new TSY (and LOTS of shields, armor and PDC - kinda scary, really). Now, calling out names in the Construction file won't help because the design doesn't even exist... or will that force the AI to design the ship? Hmmmm... I'll have to test that...

DirectorTsaarx · #4 April 25th, 2002, 11:23 PM

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 · #5 April 25th, 2002, 11:59 PM

Put it in as the first Miscellaneous ability call.

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

Krsqk · #6 April 26th, 2002, 12:00 AM

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 · #7 April 26th, 2002, 05:04 PM

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 ]