Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

[Q]

quote:

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Originally posted by Atraikius:
I view any games AI as being only as good as the person who wrote it. With the AI in SE4 set up to be easily modified by the players, there should be virtually limitless possibilities for it.

I think the biggest problem with the games AI levels is that so much of the modifiable files are not fully understood by the people making the modifications. When you look at the races included in the game as they were originally, they were all fairly generic, only using a few different abilities or techs from the others. As each new modification for them is made, and each generation of custon Race Styles is seen they seem to get a little better. I see this as an example that the people that are writing up the AI are getting better thus the AI gets better.

What I think is really needed is a full description of how each line that can be edited is used in the program so that settings that currently are typically left alone because thier use isn't really understood could be developed to thier full potential. This should allow tremendous strides to be taken in making new Races since every feature could be tailored specifically for the race instead of just being essentially duplicated from a similar existing race.

From a addition to the structure of the game, what I would really like to see would be an additional (or 2) combat mode line in the strategy file, with qualifications for them. Then when I was modifing a race that primarily used missiles and Anti-Proton beams, I could set the primary attack strategy to Maximum Range, set with qualifiers such as: Enemy Range > 5, and Move 50, then when that ship was involved in a battle, it would look at the enemy ships weapon range, and if the enemys range was greater than 5, it would use the Maximum weapons range strategy, otherwis it would go on to the next strategy, and the Move 50 qualifier would tell the AI that the ship should expend 50% of its movement to move into range and fire, then the remaining movement should be used to increase the range between itself and the enemy ship.

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I agree very much with you. The full description of all AI lines will however be quite a lot of work and MM has certainly not the time to do it. I think this forum is a good place where you can gather this information, even if is not sorted out like a manual.
The second point you mention about the AI reacting to enemy ships with different strategies would really be great. You could do the same for the design construction of it's ships. So e.g. if the AI is at war with a race that uses armor skipping weapons, it would switch to ship designs with less armor and more shields. I don't know how difficult this would be to program, but it sure would be very nice.

[dmm]

Sounds like a bunch of people would pay money for an AI that learned from mistakes and altered tactics accordingly. Don't you think, though, that you might be asking for SEV? What would you pay money for that could be made available now (as opposed to 5 years from now)?

Edit: No, I'm not on MM's marketing staff!!

[This message has been edited by dmm (edited 29 March 2001).]

[Dracus]

I most likely would pay for that, but then I would have to take a class to learn from my mistakes or the AI would eat my lunch. My playing stat already lets the AI get to a point were it gives me a workout.
If it used troops or pressed an advantage (attack a planet even though it's ships will run out of supplies.), I would be in major trouble.

[Atraikius]

I view any games AI as being only as good as the person who wrote it. With the AI in SE4 set up to be easily modified by the players, there should be virtually limitless possibilities for it.

I think the biggest problem with the games AI levels is that so much of the modifiable files are not fully understood by the people making the modifications. When you look at the races included in the game as they were originally, they were all fairly generic, only using a few different abilities or techs from the others. As each new modification for them is made, and each generation of custon Race Styles is seen they seem to get a little better. I see this as an example that the people that are writing up the AI are getting better thus the AI gets better.

What I think is really needed is a full description of how each line that can be edited is used in the program so that settings that currently are typically left alone because thier use isn't really understood could be developed to thier full potential. This should allow tremendous strides to be taken in making new Races since every feature could be tailored specifically for the race instead of just being essentially duplicated from a similar existing race.

From a addition to the structure of the game, what I would really like to see would be an additional (or 2) combat mode line in the strategy file, with qualifications for them. Then when I was modifing a race that primarily used missiles and Anti-Proton beams, I could set the primary attack strategy to Maximum Range, set with qualifiers such as: Enemy Range > 5, and Move 50, then when that ship was involved in a battle, it would look at the enemy ships weapon range, and if the enemys range was greater than 5, it would use the Maximum weapons range strategy, otherwis it would go on to the next strategy, and the Move 50 qualifier would tell the AI that the ship should expend 50% of its movement to move into range and fire, then the remaining movement should be used to increase the range between itself and the enemy ship.

[Nitram Draw]

Yes, an explanataion for each of the moddable files would be great but then again maybe I would play the game even less if I was always fiddling with it