AI_DesignCreation File

Tampa_Gamer · #1 December 14th, 2000, 01:50 PM

Thanks for your help everyone - I have not been this addicted for quite some time. Actually, now that I think about it the Last one was another Shrapnel game - AoA:WDK 2k - Looking forward to the 19th!

Baron Munchausen · #2 December 14th, 2000, 07:00 PM

There's one more quirk to the AI design process, Mephisto. Each of those Misc. abilities is looked for in available components and added SEPERATELY without checking if the ship already has the ability. If you created ships with inherent stealth abilities (like the "Super Stealth" races in Stars! have) then the AI would still put a cloaking device in them even if it was no better than the hull's inherent ability. And, if you created "integrated" components with several abilities, say combat sensors and ECM in one unit, it would put TWO of this component in the ship. Yeah, it looks mechanically for each ability and mindlessly adds a component with the ability. A simple loop.

I'm not sure how you would fix that. It looks for the _best_ available ability each time, of course. It would have to do some sort of check of the ship in each go-round, I guess, comparing the ship's current abilities with the component. But sometimes you might want to duplicate abilities, too.... hmm. Sounds like a candidate for a new setting in the ship design list. "Can duplicate abilities" or something like that.

[This message has been edited by Baron Munchausen (edited 14 December 2000).]

Tampa_Gamer · #3 March 14th, 2001, 12:26 AM

Bump for Zeno42

jc173 · #4 March 14th, 2001, 04:56 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Baron Munchausen:
There's one more quirk to the AI design process, Mephisto. Each of those Misc. abilities is looked for in available components and added SEPERATELY without checking if the ship already has the ability. If you created ships with inherent stealth abilities (like the "Super Stealth" races in Stars! have) then the AI would still put a cloaking device in them even if it was no better than the hull's inherent ability. ...A simple loop. I'm not sure how you would fix that. It looks for the _best_ available ability each time, of course. It would have to do some sort of check of the ship in each go-round, I guess, comparing the ship's current abilities with the component.

Yep I can vouch for that having tried to design expensive components that combine ecm and combat sensors. Sure enough the AI stuck two modules in the ship which really jacked up the price and maintenance cost. Should be easy enough to nest a search loop inside the construction loop to check if an ability exists already. I'd also like for them to add in a flag so certain components only end up on warships, not every support ship in the fleet.

God Emperor · #5 March 14th, 2001, 06:24 AM

Mephisto, great explanation!

In another thread that I have bumped up -
"Mod Squad, need AI help for my new shipset!!" - I have given a worked example that partly illustrates what Mephisto has detailed.

Tenryu · #6 March 14th, 2001, 09:28 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Baron Munchausen:
There's one more quirk to the AI design process, Mephisto. Each of those Misc. abilities is looked for in available components and added SEPERATELY without checking if the ship already has the ability.

Interesting, Baron. That explains some problems I've had with some component designs!

Thanks! And thanks to the others here for explaining the AI design process. It answers many questions I've had.

Kadste · #7 March 15th, 2001, 12:31 AM

I am trying to use the design creation file and have AI races use Capital ship missiles. When I use weapons family 2, the result is Small external mount missiles. (Pretty impressive with a deadnought with 85 missile launchers, though).

Can this be prevented? Do I have to create a new weapons family? Can I create a new weapons family?