AI Campaign => For a Challenging AI opponent

[JLS]

Wow, thanks Oleg

There are a few basic Parameters that would be for a Specific, Race Culture, Demeanor, and some Specific Traits. As this would relate to all AI files. Whether it is the Construction, Anger, or even the Political File.

Some general Examples:
Colonizers of 2 in the explore state are balanced to some degree with Human Expansion with the Aggressive Race only, getting an extra.

The AI Early Combat Ship Construction for AI Attack/Incursion or Defend States must be on Par with a determined Human Players Ship Production (Initial Numbers, not replacement rate), if he or she needs or wants to Defend or attack.
If a stalemate is reached on average , then you have achieved a good balance

As you can see, we can have the AI Player in AI Campaign, jump thru hoops and pull off miracles in most if not all areas of Space Empires, but the most important thing is to keep a balance, and to keep the Human Player on his best game

When it comes to the AI Design, it will not be how it competes with other AI Players but how this new AI�s Personality will interact with the Human Player. Of course, if one AI is too dominant, then it must be toned down, as was the Eee Race, in this Last release.


Oleg, for me to be more specific on the basic Parameters, I would need to know your AIs Race, Culture, Demeanor, and Specific Traits, that you have in mind for your AI?

[ June 21, 2003, 23:05: Message edited by: JLS ]

[JLS]

It is my opinion, a race will be measured not in how many ships it can make, or whether it can do something fantastic.
What will be the measure, is in the way it conforms to the personality you assign it for the overall descriptions: Race, Culture, Demeanor, and Specific Traits, as this AI Player acts out its part in the game.

In other words, it is very easy to develop a Psycho Race, but the draw back is that this AI MUST engage in hostile actions for the most part with every body.
So I would say we do not need any more Psycho Races or Extreme Violent Races.

With your enthusiasm in Atmosphere Converters and Planet Utilization, Oleg. A Neutral to Honorable, even a Xenophobic Engineering Race would be a Challenge for you and this would fit nicely to the existing races.

Either way, it would be appreciated if we play test your race for over all balance prior to its General Release as I did with GLVs and QBs AI Races.



[ June 21, 2003, 18:01: Message edited by: JLS ]

[QBrigid]

Originally posted by JLS:

All Races will have the 3rd and Final Colonizer type about 50 to 65 % of their evolution process.

Please note: The more AI Bonus you give, the faster the AI will evolve
In a No Warp game, most AI have to research at least one Colonizer Type , this may change to (ALL) in No Warp games in the final AIC release

JLS, speaking of no warp games

Most the AI Players seems a little aggressive opening up warps, now in No Warp Games when I give them a Low bonus.

What are your planes for future AI Campaign Versions?

[QBrigid]

Originally posted by JLS:
It is my opinion, a race will be measured not in how many ships it can make, or whether it can do something fantastic.
What will be the measure, is in the way it conforms to the personality you assign it for the overall descriptions: Race, Culture, Demeanor, and Specific Traits, as this AI Player acts out its part in the game.

In other words, it is very easy to develop a Psycho Race, but the draw back is that this AI MUST engage in hostile actions for the most part with every body.
So I would say we do not need any more Psycho Races or Extreme Violent Races.

With your enthusiasm in Atmosphere Converters and Planet Utilization, Oleg. A Neutral to Honorable, even a Xenophobic Engineering Race would be a Challenge for you and this would fit nicely to the existing races.

Either way, it would be appreciated if we play test your race for over all balance prior to its General Release as I did with GLVs and QBs AI Races.

I would have much preferred a Psychic AI Race to design. But I think, we did very well with the Sallega Empire that happen to be Neutral, Politicians and I can relate to that, what do you think, JLS.

[SunDevil]

JLS,

One of these days I promise to make a post within this topic that doesn't involve something I find in your mod. If you look at the facility.txt file and the Engineering Settlement facility you will notice that there is a period after this name, and was just wondering whether this would cause an error?

SunDevil

[SunDevil]

JLS,

Another question. For the Atmospheric Modification Plants, aren't the time tables for those to be set at in years. So 10 = 1 game year, and 40 = 4 game years. If so the comments for these facilities do not match the value set. For instance in Atmospheric Modification Plant I you have the comment that this should take 4 years but the value is to 25 which should mean 2.5 game years or 25 turns, right?

SunDevil

[SunDevil]

JLS,

Another question. In the AI folder, you have the default ai_settings with 1,000,000 in research and intelligence resource generation, but in the aggressive, neutral, and defensive ai folders you have their ai_settings in research and intelligence set to only 100,000. I was just wondering if this was on purpose and if so, why?

SunDevil

[SunDevil]

JLS,

Last question, I couldn't find this mentioned anywhere, but was just wondering what changes were made to the techarea.txt file, since it has a timestamp of 6/19. Thanks.

SunDevil

[JLS]

Originally posted by SunDevil:
JLS,

One of these days I promise to make a post within this topic that doesn't involve something I find in your mod. If you look at the facility.txt file and the Engineering Settlement facility you will notice that there is a period after this name, and was just wondering whether this would cause an error?

SunDevil

Do not worry about anything, SunDevil
As far as I am concerned, you are one of the best AIC beta Testers, and you know your stuff

1:
Not a problem, I had the period there for a marker only during testing; it may be removed on the next Version for that settlement.
If you noticed, I have always used the Period, Comma or this thing * as a test Marker.
Please also refer to the AI Resupply depot.

2:
Yes, you are right, you will receive the actual Atmosphere change, about 30% sooner then you may think, after the facility is completed; in this release. However, shush, do not tell anyone

3:
No particular reason to speak of, I decided to go with the se4 defaults here. If you notice, the Neutrals are also at the same defaults, but I may change Nultoh and Zyanaras settings prior to the Final Release

4:
It may have been either Weapons Platforms or Satellites starting Raise Level tech count , in a Medium tech game. The AI relies on the quantity not the quality of these two defenses, early in the game. Changing (x) to Zero should not break an existing game
When the AI researches a good solid weapon along with the a fair combat sensor, that is when we should allow the AI to go into the High Quality but very time consuming to build; Medium and Large Satellite and Planetary Weapons Platform

[ June 21, 2003, 23:12: Message edited by: JLS ]

[JLS]

Originally posted by QBrigid:
I would have much preferred a Psychic AI Race to design. But I think, we did very well with the Sallega Empire that happen to be Neutral, Politicians and I can relate to that, what do you think, JLS.

You made a real good Race design with the Sallega Empire, QB

I know that is what we want, but it does get annoying sometimes, with all the incoming diplomatic Messages, from that race
--------------------
You always like the No Bonus games any way, QB. Your game will have a steadier growth that way.
How did your High Tech, No Warp game go, by the way? Or was that the game the Fazrah slimed you

Regarding future AIC Versions, in a few weeks, the Final release will be DONE.
There should be a few surprises in that one

[ June 21, 2003, 21:26: Message edited by: JLS ]