AI CAMPAIGN ; Released

[oleg]

There was an idea circulating long time ago but never implemented - give AI a starting atmosphere converter. It should be available from the start to AI, upgradable to "normal" converters and require immense amount of time to convert atmosphere - for example 200 turns. AI constr_facil. file should have it as a first entry for all colonies. It should fix the problem that AI never scrap facilities and for example once it builds 3 mineral miners on domed medium planet it will never scrap one in favor of atm. converter.

This mod is the first one with dedicated AI tech and should take care of this problem !

[JLS]

Advanced Design Engineering

Allows the human player some Components that the AI player can’t possibly use yet or is at a disadvantage if you gave it to them… Mostly for AI Balance.
Some examples are:
Drop tanks for fighters so they can patrol a sector longer.
SPACE YARD Ships (the AI is at a real disadvantage here)
Ships Repair Bay Compartment (mostly AI logistics)
Cargo and Supply Niche
Cargo and Supply Compartment
Base Maneuver Thrusters (not recommended for early bases and kept to 1 combat move, so it will not move to soon from the planets protection in simu games). To name a few.
~Hardened Life Support.
~Combat Bridge
~Combat Aux Control
~Represents the research invested to towards the ultimate war ship.

[JLS]

Originally posted by oleg:
There was an idea circulating long time ago but never implemented - give AI a starting atmosphere converter. It should be available from the start to AI, upgradable to "normal" converters and require immense amount of time to convert atmosphere - for example 200 turns. AI constr_facil. file should have it as a first entry for all colonies. It should fix the problem that AI never scrap facilities and for example once it builds 3 mineral miners on domed medium planet it will never scrap one in favor of atm. converter.

This mod is the first one with dedicated AI tech and should take care of this problem !

Yes, I had tested that ability and it does work good; as well as some others, mainly on the AIs Primary Culture Center and they worked as fine until a HUMAN players captures the Planet or worse the home world.

However, the AI keeps up really good with Resources in AI Campaign; after a few hundred turns you will see that their doing just dandy

[ February 22, 2003, 16:05: Message edited by: JLS ]

[Suicide Junkie]

There is no need for Colony Modules on Colony ships. (Prevents fast colonizers)
Type Colony ships is now selected from the ship SIZE drop down menu in Create.

I would suggest that the colony module component state in its description and/or abilities that it is not required on a colony ship.

I don't quite see what you mean by "preventing fast colonizers"
If you don't want Cruisers carrying colony modules you could either use a colonyship-only mount, or increase the "size" of the colony ship.

Also, you can't use a colony module on a base, since bases have no movement. You need at least 1 MP to land a colony, and even emergency propulsion pods won't help if you've got no movement points to start with.

Argh.
Maybe I'm just too used to QNP, but these engine limits are really annoying. I got all this free space, and I wanna go faster!

PS:
Your supply storage bays are a little odd (just like unmodded SE4, in fact). They are twice the size of an engine, yet hold only 20% more supplies.
My engineers need a smack upside the head if they can't figure out that they could just cut off the thruster part of an engine, and fit two or three in the space of one supply tank.

PPS:
For the "Small Arms I" troop weapons, the description says "+5 to hit", while the ability says +10.

Design Type "Armored Vehical" should be "Vehicle"

[ February 22, 2003, 16:46: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

[JLS]

[quote]Originally posted by JLS:

ability and it does work good; as well as some others, mainly on the AIs Primary Culture Center and they worked as fine until a HUMAN players captures the Planet or worse the home world.

However, the AI keeps up really good with Resources in AI Campaign; after a few hundred turns you will see that their doing just dandy

Speaking of testing abilities on the AIs culture centers, I tried (Resource Reclamation at 200) several months ago and the AI had never dropped in the Negative net resources even when I scraped all but one Culture Center putting the AI in a 4000 maintenance deficit and he never scraped a single ship although he could not build anything new. Sounded good to me, for a worse case AI scenario; until the next mourning when I realized that if captured by a Human Player it could facilitate an neat enterprise of building ships and then scraping them for near 100% Profit. Thats when I took another look at the AIs specific facilities

[Suicide Junkie]

Also, the Basic lifesupport component claims "not built to withstand battle damage" and has only 1 hitpoint.

That will almost ensure that the lifesupport is the LAST component destroyed. If it had an armor ability, it would be the first to go, though.

The 20% defense penalty forever seems a pretty harsh effect for just going cheap on the lifesupport.

I'd reccommend having something like +50% defense on lifesupport (with -50% on all hulls to cancel it out).
The ship would operate normally until it gets hit, and loses its ability to dodge when the crew all die from lack of the support systems.

[JLS]

[quote]Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:
[QB]

Your supply storage bays are a little odd (just like unmodded SE4, in fact). They are twice the size of an engine, yet hold only 20% more supplies.
My engineers need a smack upside the head if they can't figure out that they could just cut off the thruster part of an engine, and fit two or three in the space of one supply tank.

Yes, I agree with you here
Looks like a good change for the next Version.
~~~
PPS:
For the "Small Arms I" troop weapons, the description says "+5 to hit", while the ability says +10. Design Type "Armored Vehical" should be "Vehicle".

~Thanks I will fix that typo

[Suicide Junkie]

It also seems like a lot of your weapons
(including DUC and defense cannons) have the to-hit notes in the small-font description instead of the bullet-point Ability descriptions.

Merely an interface issue, but I think it would be nice to have it listed as an ability in bright white text.

Small transport ability says "Size and lack of agility result in a 50% to hit modifier"
It dosen't mention whether that is positive, or negative, and dosen't say whether it affects offense or defense or both.

[ February 22, 2003, 17:20: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

[JLS]

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:
Also, the Basic lifesupport component claims "not built to withstand battle damage" and has only 1 hitpoint.

The 20% defense penalty forever seems a pretty harsh effect for just going cheap on the lifesupport.

The Basic life support is cheap and faster to build and fits well with Transports, starliners and other none combat ships and bases. I feel -20% is justified.

However thanks for the Tip how dos this sound for the "Description := Mechanical means to generate a livable atmosphere on a starship. This component is not built for compactness and will not be an asset in a battle; but is less difficult to manufacture".

Wow SJ thanks for the help

[ February 22, 2003, 17:44: Message edited by: JLS ]

[Suicide Junkie]

I do agree that non-combatant ships should have a large negative combat modifier, but I just don't think the lifesupport should make any difference in combat ability (until its destroyed, at least)

Does the civilian grade lifesupport system fail to pump stimulant drugs into the air when the ship goes to battlestations or something?