SEII AI

Solymr · #1 April 27th, 2004, 08:36 PM

Just wondering if anyone else as noticed this or thought of it. Back in my naive days of gaming I played SEII often and noticed how the AI would build battlestations and such at the warp points as a defense. It'd get to the point where taking each warp point could mean a major offensive, not to mention holding the system after. But ever since SEIII and onwards I haven't seen any AI do this. I'm just wondering if anyone has either seen an AI do this sort of thing (not with mines or sats mind you) or knows of a way that such a tactic could be implemented into a races AI.

Fyron · #2 April 27th, 2004, 09:10 PM

SE2 AI did not have to be able to adapt to radically different data files, so more time could be spent optimizing it for the single set of data possible in SE2. Unfortunately, Aaron Hall is not the best of AI programmers...

Solymr · #3 April 27th, 2004, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
SE2 AI did not have to be able to adapt to radically different data files, so more time could be spent optimizing it for the single set of data possible in SE2. Unfortunately, Aaron Hall is not the best of AI programmers...

Yeah, having vastly different races/mods could make it hard to do. Still it'd be rather nice if the AI put more focus on defending warp points with something more then just mines or sats, making the choke points more strategic I guess.

PvK · #4 April 27th, 2004, 11:34 PM

The "Neutral" AI will put fleets on its warp points, but it only has one system to defend.

In stock SE4, it's usually a really bad idea to invest in battle stations at warp points, because they cost so much to maintain, and there are usually ways around them anyway.

Of course, a mod could give them a much better maintenance reduction so they would be practical, at which point it would be great to have an AI option to tell it to build battlestations at warp points.

PvK

Suicide Junkie · #5 April 28th, 2004, 12:40 AM

SJmod is good for that. The hardest part is getting that mobile construction ship to the site... minimum size 1000kt, and they're dang slow at that size.
And with the cubic increase in build time relative to hull size, they take a serious investment.

Repairs are also difficult, especially with the large size of a base, and the repair system physics.
However, with a maintenance cost of 1/4 to 1/6 of a ship, they're quite doable.

Another concern is the fact that the enemy could just set a don't get hurt strategy, and escape from your bases. They'll take some losses, but not too much unless you have ships and fighters to chase them down with.

Renegade 13 · #6 April 28th, 2004, 01:06 AM

Ah, this thread brings back memories....in fact, I think I'll go play a game of SE 2!! Too bad I can't order the full Version anymore

. I should have when I still had the chance.

ZeroAdunn · #7 April 28th, 2004, 03:41 AM

Actually, one nice thing about stations for WP defense is they start right on top of the enemies during a warp point assault, so you can arm them with mounted short range weapons and they will be exceptionally powerfull. (in my current game I have modded ripper beams to be more powerfull and base maint reduction up and I have found putting around 4 to 6 battlestations at a WP can repell just about anything.)

Of course, the problem is getting the AI to better deffend (and assault) warp points. That is one thing I miss from SEIII days, is the way the AI would build up massive warp point assault fleets and then smash through my defenses if left unchecked. These days the AI seems to generally just throw small fleets at my warp points.

Solymr · #8 April 28th, 2004, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Renegade 13:
Ah, this thread brings back memories....in fact, I think I'll go play a game of SE 2!! Too bad I can't order the full Version anymore . I should have when I still had the chance.

Same here, I'll have to buy SEIII again just so I can get SEII. I'll do it one of these days I guess. But yeah, I miss those old days of having to first probe their defenses with a crummy escort, then built a fleet large enough to destroy those defenses and after that still have to hold the system. I can see why such a tactic isn't really useful in SEIV anymore, but I just feel it takes a part of the series that I rather enjoyed out.

narf poit chez BOOM · #9 April 28th, 2004, 07:48 AM

A mod with 75% base maintanence and 2x size, stat!

Don't forget the mounts!

Paul1980au · #10 April 28th, 2004, 08:48 AM

Hoping thta aaron gets help in to create a real good AI for SE5 or maybe puts out SE4 Version 2 with a major refinement to the AI as well - not likley but once SE5 is done i would like just 1 more realise for SE4 - as im sure people with older systems will keep buying it for a few years to come.