Space Food Empires!

[Captain Kwok]

I'm so frustrated. I've spent countless hours trying to get the AI to design a colony ship to no avail. I've tried every possible trick, compared entries to a dozen mods and still no luck. All I've been able to determine is that it's something related to the colonize planet - rock ability.

[Captain Kwok]

This is the entry I've been playing with mostly.
Code:

---

Name                                            := Colony (Rock)

Design Type                                     := Colony (Rock)

Vehicle Type                                    := Ship

Default Strategy                                := Don't Get Hurt

Size Minimum Tonnage                            := 500

Size Maximum Tonnage                            := 500

Num Must Have At Least 1 Ability                := 1

Must Have Ability 1                             := Colonize Planet - Rock

Minimum Speed                                   := 0

Desired Speed                                   := 0

Majority Weapon Family Pick 1                   := 0

Majority Weapon Family Pick 2                   := 0

Majority Weapon Family Pick 3                   := 0 

Majority Weapon Family Pick 4                   := 0 

Majority Weapon Family Pick 5                   := 0 

Secondary Weapon Family Pick 1                  := 0

Secondary Weapon Family Pick 2                  := 0

Secondary Weapon Family Pick 3                  := 0

Secondary Weapon Family Pick 4                  := 0

Secondary Weapon Family Pick 5                  := 0

Shields Spaces Per One                          := 0

Armor Spaces Per One                            := 0

Majority Comp Spaces Per One                    := 10000

Majority Comp Ability                           := Colonize Planet - Rock

Secondary Comp Spaces Per One                   := 0

Secondary Comp Ability                          := 0

Num Misc Abilities                              := 3

Misc Ability 1 Name                             := AI Tag 01

Misc Ability 1 Spaces Per One                   := 100

Misc Ability 2 Name                             := Standard Ship Movement

Misc Ability 2 Spaces Per One                   := 100

Misc Ability 3 Name                             := AI Tag 10

Misc Ability 3 Spaces Per One                   := 10000

---

AI Tag 01 refers to a 5kT supply reactor. It should add 5 of these (25kT), plus 5 5kT engines (25kT), and add AI Tag 10 for a cargo hold (20kT). The ship vehiclesize.txt entry requires 1 bridge, life support, crew quarters (30kT). So that's 100kT + 400kT colony module for a 500kT ship. It's a perfectly legal design I can make as a player.

Regardless of the ship size limits I set or even if I drop the colony requirements no luck to even get a basic hull design.

Strangely my attack ship entries are just fine!

[Renegade 13]

I'm absolutely useless with AI files, but could your problem have something to do with having the "Minimum Speed" and "Desired Speed" set both to 0?? Just a shot in the dark, and probably won't help, but you never know.

[Captain Kwok]

Renegade 13 said:
I'm absolutely useless with AI files, but could your problem have something to do with having the "Minimum Speed" and "Desired Speed" set both to 0?? Just a shot in the dark, and probably won't help, but you never know.

I don't think so. I've tried fiddling with the speed settings and it didn't work either. Plus, the attack ship design is done the same way and has no problem. To the best of my knowledge it's related to my colonization components.

Interestingly, the Star Trek Mod uses almost the exact same colony scheme and it does design colony ships.

[Ragnarok-X]

Here are my suggestion, from own experience: Is the colonyship hull really 500 kT big ? If it is, can a rock colony component be packed on it, size-wise ? If so, then im almost 100% sure its a problem with your racial traits and empire setup.

If you are using the system which is used within the STM Mod, then you are most probably having 9 unique colonization tech areas (3 for each native). Be sure you have assigned the right colonymodules to the right tech families and the right racial traits for them in the empire setup. If you didnt, then the AI is not able of designing a colship at all, since the component is not available. My suggestion to test this is, make a new game, run turn one, switch over to the AI empires and design a ship, that way you will see if the AI has access to the RIGHT module at all. I know its confusing, but when using this quite unique system of colonization traits/technologies, things can easily get weird and confusing. Hopefully you understood my at all.

[Captain Kwok]

Been there, done that.

All colony modules are properly configured and displayed, and match their corresponding racial traits. All proper colony techs are displayed for each type of native (rock, ice, gas) at high tech.

The design I'm trying to implement is an exact copy of a legitimate and legal player design. I've done a number of size tests (ship hull, component, etc) that have had absolutely no effect. The AI will design 500kT+ attack ships, so it's also not a factor of size restrictions in the AI_General file.

And I'm using the quick design test you've suggested. A saved game on turn 1 with AI design minister on.

[Captain Kwok]

Huzzah!

I figured it out. It was such a small thing but it cost so many hours and made me lose so much hair. I'm certainly kicking myself in the *** right now!

The problem was this:

Unknowingly I had this setting for the Colony ship hull in vehiclesize.txt:
Code:

---

Requirement Pct Cargo         := 50

---

When it should have been this:
Code:

---

Requirement Pct Colony Mods   := 50

---

So I fixed the typo and lo and behold, it worked!

Yeah, so I'm a little bit behind for today's release.

[Captain Kwok]

Currently playing a game with the mod (as all 10 players of course), doing a quality and bug check. So far the list isn't too big. I figure by turn 25 I should have uncovered anything serious...

[Captain Kwok]

Looking good. Caught some little bugs in the test game but I'm fairly happy with the play so far. Will finally upload when I get home from work tomorrow!

[Ragnarok-X]

Please post a "small" version as well, since im up dial-up.
Thanks.