Question re AI Modding

[DavidG]

How does the AI decide when to build a Facility, Unit or a ship? I guess it builds according to one of the 3 "_Construction_" files. But how does it decide which one to use?

[pathfinder]

IIRC the latest one researched OR at the top of the "call" list (eg light cruiser is latest ship size/type researched so those are what are currently built).

[DavidG]

I think I understand how the "_Construction_Facilities.txt" files and the Vehichle and Unit one work. But it's not real clear to me how the AI decides which to build. If it has a shipyard on the planet it can build a ship, a unit or another facility.

What prompted this thread was an AI building 20 satellites at the begining of the game. I want to get it to build colony ships or maybe a scout.

[JLS]

DavidG, the Vehicle Construction file decides what and how many (ITEMS) to build and at what time.

For example, below, in the (Infrastructure AI state)

If you want Colony Ships sooner then raise it on the list from Entry 15 to Entry 8 for an example.

If you have wanted more Colony ships then add to the Entry 15 Must Have At Least := 1.
You also could lower the Planet Per Item; use caution here for this may bankrupt the AI in the latter part of the game, by having very many colony ships and nowhere to land Also may burden some Human Players in the Opening Game; by trying to compete for Planets

If you wanted less SATS then lower the Must Have At Least and or raise the Planet Per Item.

AI State := Infrastructure
Num Queue Entries := 40
Entry 1 Type := Weapon Platform
Entry 1 Planet Per Item := 5
Entry 1 Must Have At Least := 10
Entry 2 Type := Base Space Yard
Entry 2 Planet Per Item := 0
Entry 2 Must Have At Least := 4
Entry 3 Type := Fighter-S
Entry 3 Planet Per Item := 5
Entry 3 Must Have At Least := 1
Entry 4 Type := Troop
Entry 4 Planet Per Item := 1
Entry 4 Must Have At Least := 0
Entry 5 Type := Defense base-SS
Entry 5 Planet Per Item := 0
Entry 5 Must Have At Least := 3
Entry 6 Type := Defense Ship
Entry 6 Planet Per Item := 60
Entry 6 Must Have At Least := 6
Entry 7 Type := Attack Ship
Entry 7 Planet Per Item := 30
Entry 7 Must Have At Least := 20
Entry 8 Type := Kamikaze Attack Ship
Entry 8 Planet Per Item := 60
Entry 8 Must Have At Least := 6
Entry 9 Type := Battle Cruiser
Entry 9 Planet Per Item := 0
Entry 9 Must Have At Least := 4
Entry 10 Type := Battleship
Entry 10 Planet Per Item := 0
Entry 10 Must Have At Least := 2
Entry 11 Type := Flag Ship
Entry 11 Planet Per Item := 0
Entry 11 Must Have At Least := 1
Entry 12 Type := Boarding Ship
Entry 12 Planet Per Item := 60
Entry 12 Must Have At Least := 6
Entry 13 Type := Defense Base-SB
Entry 13 Planet Per Item := 100
Entry 13 Must Have At Least := 1
Entry 14 Type := SATs (from your Example)
Entry 14 Planet Per Item := 10
Entry 14 Must Have At Least := 20
Entry 15 Type := Colonizer
Entry 15 Planet Per Item := 80 {Use caution when lowering}
Entry 15 Must Have At Least := 1 {OK to raise a few. However, tomany may burden a Human Player early in the game and high AI costs late game}
Entry 16 Type := “~”

[ October 01, 2003, 11:22: Message edited by: JLS ]

[JLS]

Originally posted by DavidG:

so what is the "_Construction_Units.txt" file for? (i noticed not all races have this file. is it obsolete? )

The AI player will be most efficient if it has its own tailored AI files and ALL Construction Files to include UNIT file located in its Race Folder.
- - - -

Also do you know how the AI decides wether to build a facility or Vehicle/unit?

se4 v1.84

For its protecton, the AI Homeworld will build UNITS first as per the Unit Construction file at the opening few turns of the new game. So a few WPs and or many Proportions type Infantry is a good start in the AI Unit Construction Files

Then the AI's Homeworld switches to its Planet Ship Yard to build a few Ships until a BSY is built for its assistence; then it will go back and forth between Unit and Vehicle Construction (mostly Vehicle as the priority) until a Facility is lost by Combat or a possible Finite scrap and replace that facility as per the HW AI State in the Facility Construction File requirment.
~TIP~ NOTE: Units assigned to be built from the Vehicle Construction File are mostly built on your AI players Home World

New Colony for the New System: AI always build the Resupply Facility FIRST if instructed to do so for that colony in that AI state as per the Facility Construction File then may switch to a unit.
~TIP~ also note it may be recommended to place the Resupply Depot(Supply Generation) before the Spaceport in your Facility Construction file so the AI Player can refuel its ships to increase its defensive, exploration or offensive options sooner Please refer to below example.

New Colony in an already colonized System, one, more or all Resource facilities depending on its need for that resource then it will switch to a few units then go back and forth from there as needed. Other then a need for resources it will build the first Facility then switch to a Unit, as a unit is needed.

Colonies with Ship Yards; basily as above.
~TIP~ It may be best not to include to many resourse facilities for this Colony type, so it may remain focused on building ships and reserve the planet slots for System Support Facilities

Example and to recommend
SE4 _AI_Construction_Facilities

AI State := Exploration, Infrastructure, Prepare for Attack, Attack, Secure Holdings After Attack, Incursion, Prepare for Defense, Defend (Short Term), Defend (Long Term), Not Connected
Construction Queue Type := Construction Yard
Num Queue Entries := #
Facility 1 Ability := Supply Generation
Facility 1 Amount := 1
Facility 2 Ability := Space Yard
Facility 2 Amount := 1
Facility 3 Ability := Spaceport (Prioritize after shipyard what Support facilities you want for your AI)
Facility 3 Amount := 1
Facility 4 Ability := Point Generation - Research (do you really need this here for example and to consider (System Point Generation Modifier - Research) may be a better choice)
Facility 4 Amount := 1
Facility 5 Ability := Ship Training
Facility 5 Amount := 1
Facility 6 Ability := Fleet Training
Facility 6 Amount := 1
Facility 7 Ability := "~"

[ October 01, 2003, 15:11: Message edited by: JLS ]

[DavidG]

Thanks.

so what is the "_Construction_Units.txt" file for? (i noticed not all races have this file. is it obsolete? )

Also do you know how the AI decides wether to build a facility or Vehicle/unit?

[Q]

JLS I have seen different AI building priorities:

First priority are facilities if there is space left on the colony. The facilities are chosen according to the colony type and the AI facility construction file.
Second priority is the AI vehicle construction file. Of course you can have units in this file too.
Last priority is the AI unit construction file.

For homeworlds the AI goes directly to the vehicle construction file because homeworlds are full with facilities at the beginning of the game. However for new colonies facilities are built first, which makes them very vulnerable. A human player would usually build first one or two weapon platforms if the colony is at risk for enemy attacks. As far as I have seen it, the AI does not do that.

[DavidG]

Here's another question. during the process of a game does the game refer to the .txt files for info or are they read and 'loaded' into the game at start. In other words can I change the AI's behaviour half way through the game? (I want to create a scenario and will play all the empires in a game myself at the start but I want to make sure I can still modify thier behaviour later)

[Suicide Junkie]

I'm quite sure all the files are reloaded when you save, quit and reload.

I believe many of the AI files get reloaded each turn as well.

Editing the files can't change anything that's already set in stone, such as the racial traits chosen, of course. Turn-to-turn strategies and designs and economic plans are easily changed though.

[ October 03, 2003, 02:06: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

[Mephisto]

The files are read again at the start of every turn, just like SJ said.