AI Campaign => For a Challenging AI opponent

[Fyron]

wqa talking about "dummy" ruins - those with zero tech. Before incorporating FQM such planets had all atributes of "ruins" planet. Now they are no longer listed as "special" planet and have no "ruins". It hapens on all maps and is caused by changes in stellar abilities file. Hope JLS has fixed this already.

The solution is to add a dummy ancient unique ruins tech area, then make sure that all dummy ruins are using the unique area number for that tech area. This will eliminate all issues of dummy ruins planets not having the icon displayed and such.

Reducing the number of dummy ruins planets reduces the fun of FQM maps...

[ May 24, 2004, 06:08: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

[JLS]

Originally posted by crash52:
There was a brief readme text in the download, but there are a lot of new facilities in this one.

I must admit AI Campaign started a few years ago as a hobby - to aid the AI Player in a few Economic and tactical areas. I must say, it has become an avocation since the first public release. At some point the Players and I must put a comprehensive guide together; perhaps after this upcoming AIC Version release is in balance - after the Players beta testing and accommodations.

Although, until then: Please, review the History AIC file after you have read the existing breif how-too AIC readme.file - they both will be found in the se4\AIC Folder

[JLS]

Originally posted by Grand Lord Vito:
The Hull Plating and SJ�s Armor combination is awesome, why not release it?

A compromise GLV, QB and other AIC Players - if you will.

We can retain the entire AIC complement of PvK�s very familiar and {{{very effective}}} Armories. In addition, we can have (ONE) form similar to that of Fyrons * Adamants leaky Armor, that is to say: The Armor form that is not Emisive or have the se4 Armor ability: with its inherent principle effects of the random protection - as defined previously by Fyron.


= = =

This new AIC addition for (leaky) Armor will be inexpensive and with its very nature - random in protection. If you will for a moment, please imagine; two new components:
One with a load value of 1kt - this is the Small Bracer made of Titanium and applied to reinforce any narrow sections of the Ships bulkhead.

The other new component would be the main Bulkhead Brace with a load value of 5kt made also from the Titanium compositions and applied to reinforce the Ships bulkhead; with origins from and to be improved upon thru the Armor Tech areas. The Structure strengths has yet to be determined; however, do not expect them to be high.

JLS

* * * * * * * *
For those of you that may be unfamiliar with Imperator Fyrons Adamant Mod; Please review it, this is a well laid out and is an all encompassing and comprehensive se4 MOD. I expect, you will very much enjoy it's play, and the far reaching new standards - Adamant has achieved.

Please Visit http://adamant.spaceempires.net/ for a more detailed description.

[ May 24, 2004, 17:42: Message edited by: JLS ]

[Fyron]

This new AIC addition for (leaky) Armor will be inexpensive and with its very nature - random in protection. If you will for a moment, please imagine; two new components:
One with a load value of 1kt - this is the Small Bracer made of Titanium and applied to reinforce any narrow sections of the Ships bulkhead.

The other new component would be the main Bulkhead Brace with a load value of 5kt made also from the Titanium compositions and applied to reinforce the Ships bulkhead; with origins from and to be improved upon thru the Armor Tech areas. The Structure strengths has yet to be determined; however, do not expect them to be high.

Actually, they do need to be fairly high. They need to have at least twice as many hit points as the average "internal" components to start having any noticeable effect. Leaky armor works best when they have a lot more hit points than internals. They still leak a lot of damage through, but if they have about as many hit points as internals, they will do very little.

Also, keep in mind that Suicide Junkie, not myself, came up with the first leaky armor system for Babylon 5 Mod.

[JLS]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
Actually, they do need to be fairly high. They need to have at least twice as many hit points as the average "internal" components to start having any noticeable effect. Leaky armor works best when they have a lot more hit points than internals. They still leak a lot of damage through, but if they have about as many hit points as internals, they will do very little.

Understood; however, AIC will have the usual Components with Armor and Emissive abilities (PvK Armories). This newly added Structural support component will have (no abilities) and should offset (somewhat) at a random basis from an attack.

I may not understand.
With a high Structure; would this not absorb this blow fully?

An example: Although I will equal the new Armor Brace component (structure values) to that of AIC critical Components for an assumed randomness, please refer to reference below and what are the Players thoughts?

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Name := Bracer
Description := Smaller Titanium armor brace applied to reinforce narrow sections of the Ships bulkhead.
Pic Num := 276
Tonnage Space Taken := 1
Tonnage Structure := 5
Cost Minerals := 5
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 0
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base
Supply Amount Used := 0
Restrictions := Four Per Vehicle
General Group := Armor
Family := 1110
Roman Numeral := 0
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 2
Tech Area Req 1 := Ship Construction
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Tech Area Req 2 := Human Balance Tech
Tech Level Req 2 := 1
Number of Abilities := 0
Weapon Type := None

Name := Structural Brace
Description := Titanium armor applied to reinforce the Ships internal bulkheads.
Pic Num := 28
Tonnage Space Taken := 5
Tonnage Structure := 10
Cost Minerals := 10
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 0
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base
Supply Amount Used := 0
Restrictions := None
General Group := Armor
Family := 101
Roman Numeral := 0
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 2
Tech Area Req 1 := Ship Construction
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Tech Area Req 2 := Human Balance Tech
Tech Level Req 2 := 1
Number of Abilities := 0
Weapon Type := None

Name := Structural Brace I
Description := Titanium armor applied to reinforce the Ships internal bulk heads.
Pic Num := 28
Tonnage Space Taken := 5
Tonnage Structure := 15
Cost Minerals := 15
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 0
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base
Supply Amount Used := 0
Restrictions := None
General Group := Armor
"~"

[ May 25, 2004, 01:59: Message edited by: JLS ]

[Fyron]

Those components would be effectively useless. Each individual component needs more hit points than average internals to even begin to have an effect. Several times as many hit points are needed to get decent protection.

Leaky armors should have more hit points than normal armors, as they do not have the hit first ability, and do not provide magic wall protection.

[JLS]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
Those components would be effectively useless. Each individual component needs more hit points than average internals to even begin to have an effect. Several times as many hit points are needed to get decent protection.

Leaky armors should have more hit points than normal armors, as they do not have the hit first ability, and do not provide magic wall protection.

Understood - however, this new (1 or 5kt spaced) Brace Component is not the Primary Armor in protection for AIC - Also to say (leaky armor ) is not a true Armor per say, it is a Component with NO ability as it excludes Armored Abilities. Hence, it hangs aloft as any other Component with a chance to be stricken down by an attackers broadsides.

With PvK�s Plate, Ablative and Emissive Plate and some Racial Armory for AIC; will yield all - the first hit requirements, expected from any Armor, and that is: to receive any normal fired weapons hit, first.

However, for Players not endowed with armor skipping racial weapon or a Null Weapon and that does not solely desire to rely on Shields, due to the prospect of a combined attack that may also include the standard Shield Depleting Weapons, then - absolutely yes, (leaky armor) in general, is a viable defense - as is any High Structured Component that is low in cost: not unlike PvKs (high Structure) Shield Generator that was implemented; in part, for a defense against Engine Overloading Weapons with a dual role that also served as leaky armor - introduced in a past PvK Proportions MOD.
- - - - -

Now to question: When all armor ability is vacant from a Ship/Base or Planet - what is the determining factor for the random vulnerability of the remaining Components (internals), this I must ask. For if it is the largest Structure that may become the most logical target - then a Larger Structure would replace ARMORED abilities and become a full replacement or alternative to Armor ability - hence if true, immediately voiding all investments of an Armor Skipping dependent Race and rendering his, her, or the AI - long endured game, useless. Would you not say?

On the other hand, if the random factor is based on equality of structures, and if so - the more 20kt structured (leaky armor) would positively influence the survivability of a 20kt Engine; However, in all probability less provocative in its defense when protecting a 30kt weapon or Component - If true, would you not also agree.

In either above case or even neither - The Armored (PvK PLATE, Ablative and various other Armories) as means to defend a Ship, Unit, Base or Planet (are) readily available and that the main reason to choose a leaky Armor is to defend against an Armor Skipping Race, then - Surly I/we do not want an immediate cancellation of that Armor Skipping Races Abilities; however, a modest tool for the defender should be of no great consequence.

= = =

With a few (1 spaced) Bracer's at 5kt Structure, it may brace a small 5kt Component and certainly would add nicely to fill a Ship with four or less kt of space remaining for those that wish not to use the v5.0 1kt Boarding D Squads.

With the first basic 10kt Brace and all spaced at 5; also available at the beginning of your game, may have a slight influence for the protection of some Sensors, Bridge, Life Support and etc. And that price, it cant be a bad thing.

Level-I Brace from Armor Research one - will have 15kt and still just Basic in its nature.

Level-II Brace from Armor Research two - a few of these at 20 kt may have a fine partnership with the 20kt Engines

Level-III Brace - At 30kt, and with a few of these installed; I believe some Weapon Systems and Shields will be in very good company.

With its respective Armor Research of four a Level-IV Brace - will be 45 KT, and Level V at 50kt and the probable increase is plus 5kt thus, thru the remaining armor levels.

[ May 25, 2004, 18:23: Message edited by: JLS ]

[Fyron]

Run some combat simulations in Adamant Mod with leaky armors to see them in action.

When determining which component is hit when there is no "armor", the algorithm is something along the lines of a proportional chance to be hit based on percentage of total sturcture (hit points) that a component has out of the total remaining structure of the ship. However, components with more hit points are slightly biased to be hit a bit more often than they would be if it were truly random. This does not mean that they will always be hit first, far from it. What it means is that they have a higher chance of being hit first than weaker components, but weaker components still have a good chance of being hit first.

This is why leaky armors need a lot more hit points per component than internals. If they have less, the internals will tend to die long before the leaky armors. If they have the same amount, the leaky armors don't really provide much protection either.

Also, leaky armors should have more hit points than other armors, otherwise they are relegated to extremely trivial components. Sure, they provide meager protection against armor skipping weapons, but if the leaky armors have low hit points, this protection is fairly non-existant.

[JLS]

Are their any AIC players that would like to make a few neutrals for v5.0? we will need a half dozen in a few weeks.

Impulsive to friendly are required, please no Xenophobes, Violent, Psycos or Serine - with or without a Racial Trait would be fine.

[ May 26, 2004, 00:46: Message edited by: JLS ]

[JLS]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
Run some combat simulations in Adamant Mod with leaky armors to see them in action.

Will do, thanks Fyron