AI modders: Construction_Facilities.txt

[Rollo]

Hi,
maybe this is a trivial thing and already known to most of you, but here is what I found a short while ago, because the AI was not building facilities as I wanted.
In the _AI_Construction_Facilities.txt the amount of facilities is not the amount to add to already existing ones, but the total amount of facilities (of course, Duh!, I feel so stupid now).
Example: If I want to have a research facility build first, then a resupply depot and another research facility and a space port after that. The file should be

Facility 1 Ability := Point Generation - Research
Facility 1 Amount := 1
Facility 2 Ability := Supply Generation
Facility 2 Amount := 1
Facility 3 Ability := Point Generation - Research
Facility 3 Amount := 2
Facility 4 Ability := Space Port
Facility 4 Amount := 1
...

and NOT

Facility 1 Ability := Point Generation - Research
Facility 1 Amount := 1
Facility 2 Ability := Supply Generation
Facility 2 Amount := 1
Facility 3 Ability := Point Generation - Research
Facility 3 Amount := 1
Facility 4 Ability := Space Port
Facility 4 Amount := 1
...

Again, this might be obvious and public knowledge, but I have looked at the files of other AIs and it seems to me that I was not the only one to make that mistake...
Otherwise things like
...
Facility 3 Ability := Point Generation - Research
Facility 3 Amount := 4
...
Facility 7 Ability := Point Generation - Research
Facility 7 Amount := 2
...
just don't make sense to me.

If you have made the same mistake or are unsure, you might want to look into the files again .

Thank you for your time,
Rollo

[CaptSpoogy]

Thanks for the tip. I think a couple of my AI files have entries like that...

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"Reality is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there."

[Baron Munchausen]

Yes, both Construction_Vehicles and Construction_Facilities work the same way. Now if it would just obey the Homeworld setting when creating your homeworlds at game start!

[Mephisto]

Here are some more hints and tips I found during my AI modding.

1.) If you want to use a specific type of armor, don’t call it by using “Armor Spaces Per One”. The AI will use the highest level armor, not the best. That is very bad if you are using a organic race as it will use stealth armor level I if available above organic armor level 3. As a player, you can cheat the Ai by “gifting” them armor level 4. Instead, use this as your first line:
Num Misc Abilities:= 1
Misc Ability 1 Name:= Armor Regeneration
Misc Ability 1 Spaces Per One:= 250

2.) Include Space Yard Ships in your races. The AI will use them to repair damaged ships. Very essential if the AI is fighting against a engine damaging race. Make sure to have at least 1 space yard in the design. Only with the space yard does the AI recognize the ship as a SYS.

3.) Use the “AI should not move ships through a minefield” line. In the latest patch, minesweepers will sweep minefield regardless of this line, but it will prevent your colonizers and warships to “storm” the minefield”.

4.) Make your AI use many space yards. That’s the only way for them to survive any multiplayer game for some time.