AI Campaign => For a Challenging AI opponent

[JLS]

Originally posted by oleg: I think it would be a good idea to raise a starting storage from 50k to 80k in settings.txt. Very often I got overboard without any chance to build new storage facilities ( yes, i do have several base space yards frantically building ships, but still...)

I just tested your 80k suggestion and it looks very good, Oleg, and this really does not take away from the overall desired economics struggle.

All fighters' racial tech. torpedoes look too blant - same numbers expept for cost. I know, we must keep balance, but why not for example reduce the damage of organic torpedo and proportionally increase firing rate ? Or make temporal torpedo do half (or may be even third) but skip shield as well ?

Agreed.
Maybe we should look at the total balance of all none fighter weapons, of all the races. The races that may have a disadvantage could gain a little on Fighter weapons, what are your thoughts on this method of balance?
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[ June 03, 2003, 20:54: Message edited by: JLS ]

[Grand Deceiver]

JLS,

I am hoping to make a foray into making my own mod and have spent a lot of time comparing notes between the some of the major mods out there.

I noticed something new in yours that I have not see in TDM-MOD or PROPORTIONS. Fighters, and Ship\Base\Sat\WeapPlat\Drone

Ships, : TDM, PROP, AI
Planets, : TDM, PROP, AI
Ships\Planets, : TDM, PROP, AI
Ships\Planets\Ftr\Sat\Drone, : TDM, PROP, AI
Seekers, : TDM, PROP, Not in AI
Ftr\Sat\Seekers\Drone : TDM, PROP, Not in AI

Fighters :AI only
Ship\Base\Sat\WeapPlat\Drone :AI only

Question is: Can you modify the weapons target sets? Add new types of targets?
Ie.. Planets\Drones? Make one that targets Troops only?

Thanks for the help.

[Phoenix-D]

weapon types are not moddable. Nothing listed in the TOP part of any file is moddable, nor is the ability.txt file.

[QBrigid]

Originally posted by QBrigid:
my best planet was just wiped out by a level 3 plauge

Don’t you just hate that, I bet you will have a new found priority in building system Bio Hospitals;~ QB.

It was the nasty Fazrah that hit the planet with a Bio weapon. Just after it broke its agreement with me

[QBrigid]

JLS.
We have two nagging questions

Why is it that your AI in AI Campaign does not scrap its bases?

AND

What specifically causes the AI to switch from exploration to infrastructure?

[JLS]

Originally posted by QBrigid:
JLS.
We have two nagging questions

Why is it that your AI in AI Campaign does not scrap its bases?

AND

What specifically causes the AI to switch from exploration to infrastructure?

Regarding AI BASES:

AI may at some points in the game scrap some Base Ship Yards. Rarely if ever a Defense Base in AI Campaign.


Retrofit Max Percent Difference in Cost := 60 was se4 default 50%...
This is 10 percent more and helps the AI.
Actually, Human Players CAN and DO take short cuts to beat the default 50% by Staggered retrofitting, so I gave the AI a little compensation
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Follow-up posted by Oleg:
AIC AI has construction_vehicles file optimized for non-bonused game so the problem with scrapging does not really come up. It still underutilize the available resources in bonused games though.
This is what I think. Could be wrong of course.

Oleg is correct, AIC AI Construction Files are optimized for None Bonus Games and hopefully with enough versatility for most scituations that the AI will get into.

If the AI interprets that it no longer needs ships from its predefined Construction file in the near future, it may scrap a Base Ship Yards over the Home World. This is usually a good thing because when the AI decides to build/replace with the next Base Ship Yard when it changes thru the AI States in AIC, as the result may/should choose to build one BSY at a Colony that has a free Ship Yard Facility operating on that Planet. There by extending the AI’s Frontier range and overall possibilities.
This will also free up the Colonies with a Planet SY to build Units and Facilities.
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This is important to achieve the above results. The goal for the AI designer is to try to have the AI build/Replace it’s Base Ship Yards before the AI could build ships or Defense Bases, in this way assisting all that AI Planet SY Facilities and the Empire in a whole.
The AI designer can assign this for his/her AI in that AI's Vehicle Construction File

Please refer to any AIC - AI Players, (not Nuetral) Vehicle Construction File.

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~TIP~ It is also important in the AI Planet Types File, that you do not assign the AI a Colony that Builds a Planet Ship Yard Facility to early if it can be helped. There by increasing the chance the AI will build the Colony with the Planet SY assigned in another System other then the Home System, and then the next Colony with a Planet SY assigned again in the Next System from the Last, repeatedly.
This way, attempting to extend the AI’s Frontier range and possibilities.

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Regarding AI States:

Originally posted by QBrigid:
What specifically causes the AI to switch from exploration to infrastructure?

IF the AI is in the Exploration State and IF=(n) THEN the AI may switch to the Infrastructure State.

1: Other Players Seen & Enemy Near
2: Other Players Seen & No Unexplored System Nearby

I hope this is of help, QB.

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[ June 05, 2003, 20:07: Message edited by: JLS ]

[JLS]

Originally posted by oleg:

AIC AI has construction_vehicles file optimized for non-bonused game so the problem with scrapging does not really come up. It still underutilize the available resources in bonused games though.
This is what I think. Could be wrong of course.

With respect for the AI Players, "underutilize the available resources":



If by turn 500 the leading AI Players have 300 Plus War Ships, and by turn 1000 it may now have many more Warships, while still building units and token facilities/upgrades.
What of turn 1500, 2000 and up in non-Finite games, that a Human Player may want to reach. If that is how long it takes for that conclusion

This without the prospect for any further Resource Extraction Facilities or upgrades, fighting the good fight, these leading AI must be capable of operating in red for long stretches of time.

Please remember, the AI resource management in AI Campaign is optimized for a good competitive Finite Game Solo or multiplayer against this AI. The AI must be prepared for a possible conclusion to exceed well over 1000 turns in Finite
As such in a non-Finite game, the majority of AI players in your game may operate totally in the Black, and this is never a bad thing

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Also, please note, a large Resource income surplus by the AI has very little effect for that AI, other then encouraging him to stay with our designed Colony (Planet Types) choice File.

Where it can benefit, is in your Trade with this AI Player in both Research and Resource
Would you not agree?

[ June 05, 2003, 20:26: Message edited by: JLS ]

[JLS]

Originally posted by QBrigid:

It was the nasty Fazrah that hit the planet with a Bio weapon. Just after it broke its agreement with me

I agree, the Fazrah can be Nasty in AIC, they equip there ships with Biological Weapons early, starting with Frigates…

Trust the Fazarah; as you would trust the Xiati or the Bobroba

Asks your self, is this Alliance to my best interests.

Always think it through before accepting any Partnership at all, with any AI in AIC as you would with another Human Player.

The Serine and Friendly Races may not directly bite you, but there is nothing stopping them from giving your charts to other Players…
Does this sound familiar in some of your past Multiplayer experiences?


[ June 05, 2003, 22:12: Message edited by: JLS ]

[cybersol]

Originally posted by JLS:
IF the AI is in the Exploration State and IF=(n) THEN the AI may switch to the Infrastructure State.

1: Other Players Seen & Enemy Near
2: Other Players Seen & No Unexplored System Nearby

Hello, JLS. You seem to have learned a lot about the AI state switching. Could you look over this thread? If you know a lot more about this, I would love to hear it. Maybe you could summarize what you know and post a cheatsheet on AI states. Any assistance would be appreciated!

[JLS]

Thank you, Cybersol

A detailed list on probable AI reactions to scenarios can get quite extensive.

If you have a few AI related scenario questions in mind, please, by all means post, and we will see what you and I can come up with.

In regards to the thread you outlined below, it appears Mephisto and others already answered your Posts.


[ June 06, 2003, 00:26: Message edited by: JLS ]