Babylon 5 Mod - Page 492

Raapys · #**4911** December 14th, 2005, 07:04 PM

I looked through some of the AI files, and I'd have to agree that there doesn't seem to be any way to make the AI more active, that I can see. I'm not sure to what extent the 'Anger' factor matters though. If a very angry AI actually makes more attacks/fleet movements than a not so angry AI, if they both are already at war.

I did find two settings that I'm not sure I really understand:
Percentage of Allied Planets to consider as Attack Locations for Anger := 20
Percentage of Enemy Planets to consider as Attack Locations for Anger := 10

It's in the AI_Settings file.

Other than that, at the top of the files it says:
B5 NarnRegime based on Mephistos Narn Regime Version 2.50 (TDM)

I presume the TDM means that the AI files are mostly from the TDM modpack, in which case the AI should be optimal, assuming the design files and such are well done.

grumbler · #**4912** December 14th, 2005, 07:10 PM

I recall some discussion of the fact that Proportions-type mods all had Ai aggressiveness issues. Anyone else recall discussions on that topic?

Raapys · #**4913** December 14th, 2005, 07:32 PM

One theory I have is that the Supply system in the B5 Mod might create unforeseen problems. I mean, if the core AI engine makes decisions based on ship supplies, and how the supply system works unmodded(meaning ships not continually getting resupplied by a reactor), that could pose a problem.

A possible solution, for testing purposes, and seeing if this is the actual reason, could be to decrease the supplies needed for engines & weapons to close to nothing, and observe if the AI would fly around & attack more.

Fyron · #**4914** December 14th, 2005, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Imperator Fyron said:
Sorry about not getting to this sooner. School has become rather hectic. Have you made any progress since a month ago?

grumbler · #**4915** December 15th, 2005, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Raapys said:
A possible solution, for testing purposes, and seeing if this is the actual reason, could be to decrease the supplies needed for engines & weapons to close to nothing, and observe if the AI would fly around & attack more.

A great idea, and easily done given the engine mount system. Ya wanna give it a whirl, or wait until I can get to it in a week or so?

grumbler · #**4916** December 15th, 2005, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Imperator Fyron said:
Sorry about not getting to this sooner. School has become rather hectic. Have you made any progress since a month ago?

No one was requesting changes, so I didn't make any pending some feedback. In the last coupla days some suggestions were made, but it is going to take some time to chanse them down, and if i were you I would just go ahead and create the mod download as any changes hereafter will likely be AI tweaks.

Raapys · #**4917** December 15th, 2005, 10:27 PM

Okay, I decreased supplies needed for all the engines in the mod from 1000 to 5, then started up the same game with Centauri. Pressed 'next turn', and behold, 30 of the 50 ships were already on the move. Gonna play this game a little more to see how it affects the game, then try a new one.

There's an error in the Centauri_AI_DesignCreation file:
"um Misc Abilities" instead of "Num Misc Abilities", on both the Gas & Ice colony ship designs.

Also, although you probably know this, the Shadow tech tree is not working at all.

grumbler · #**4918** December 21st, 2005, 07:24 PM

Great work, Raapys. Keep us posted.

This would also explain why, in my test game, the Vorlons were aggressive as hell - they had plenty o'supplies. Should be an easy fix if your testing proves that supplies are the issue.

And yes, the Shadows and Vorlons do nor research. They are not player races, and have what they have from the start. late game you can take them on, early on you buy them off.

Raapys · #**4919** December 21st, 2005, 11:18 PM

Playing with Minbari this time, and everything is actually working great. Plenty of races in the game, all the main ones + some neutral, and ships are flying everywhere, patrolling, AI's dropping satelites at warp points, etc.
Just now the Narn's have over 10 different fleets with everything from 5 to 15 ships in them, and they're currently at war with the Earth Alliance, who's crusing around with 40~odd ships in their fleet.

Unfortunately, the AI got a little super-active with the warp point manipulation, so the Earth Alliance is completely cut off from everyone else atm.

I've not actually been attacked yet, though, but that's because everyone actually desired peace with me. Kinda minbarish, I guess.

What I meant with the Shadow tech tree, however, was that I get a message when starting a game with them in it, about something wrong with the reasearch file. Now, I'm pretty sure this has to do with me partly using the prior verison too, where the shadows could research, but I'm unsure how to fix it, since I've never really modded before, beyond changing the engine supply usage. Tried re-copying the newest data files over again, but that didn't actually change anything. Should I just clear out the entire Shadow ai research file thingy?

grumbler · #**4920** December 23rd, 2005, 01:46 AM

Raapys,

Great stuff, and I will be so happy if the problem turns out to be this simple. I am modifying engine mounds (easier than modding the engines themselves) to accomodate.

Are you saying the AI is closing warp points? I have never seen the AI to any stellar mods and thought it was accepted that the AI never would. That is super if I am wrong.

The different fleet sizes seem an unexpected side twist, but actually a welcome one. I was thinking about playing around with the fleet size and number variables to differentiate between races, but don't think I actualy did anything in this version. Maybe I don't need to.

Well done. Keep us posted. This is the kind of feedback I have been seeking. I will look into the Shadow tech tree/research issue.