Shipsets, AIs and Mods

[deccan]

Okay, this is a newbish question but I'm still having problems with it. How do you guys manage multiple shipsets, AIs and mods efficiently?

I find that I install a shipset in the default folders, then any games that call for them, even modded games, will correctly find them. But I won't be able to create an empire under that mod using a shipset in the default folder, as opposed to the mod's folder.

Furthermore, some mods have AIs that are optimized for them, i.e. Proportions, Devnull etc. If I want an AI to use a special shipset within a mod, do I just copy the bitmaps and leave out all the text files, hoping that the mod will correct pick the right modded AI for that race?

When I setup a single-player game, and the mod doesn't include pre-defined emp files, how does the game create AI-controlled empires? How can I make sure that the generated AIs are correctly optimized for that mod?

[Andrés]

Add shipsets in the main races dir, and empty directories, or AI only in mod dirs.

[Captain Kwok]

I always add shipset images to the default race directory and any default EMP files to the default empires directory. Mod specific AIs and EMP files go to in the corresponding mod directories.

Random AIs are generated by the presence of AI files with that race, or the shipset with the default AI files if custom ones aren't present. EMP files are not used to create random empires...

If a mod changes the game enough for the AI, the maker should have included at least default AI files that can function with the mod that random empires will be generated with. If none exist, the game will attempt to use the stock AI files which might result in non-functional AIs.

If you are using a mod and want a particular shipset to be used, copy the race to the corresponding mod race directory and add AI files that are compatible with that mod. You do not need to copy the images, since the game can use the images for that race from your default directory.

[oleg]

If you want to add shipset to very moded mod (hmm. ), like Proportions, the best way is to replace AI files in race folder with AI files borrowed from some mod-specific AI. Certain care should be taken about AI_general file of course ! I have dozens of extra shipsets in my Proportions mod folder, with AI copied from the races supplied with the mod (or my own )