newby question: custom AI for proportions

PerpetualNewbie · #1 April 2nd, 2003, 05:50 PM

I just did a single player proportions game, and loved the mod. But I like to play with 5k race points, and most of the modded races only have 2k. I also figure it might be fun to play around with the AI of races...but I can't find any information on how to go about doing this.

Can anyone point me to a FAQ on how one goes about modifying race AI?

Thanks.

Suicide Junkie · #2 April 2nd, 2003, 05:55 PM

Just create a 5k point game, and let the game choose AIs randomly.

The AI_general.txt is prepared for any game setup, and you'll get AI races that use 5k points.

You can set the players to human control after the game starts and save them to an EMP file if you like.

PerpetualNewbie · #3 April 2nd, 2003, 06:12 PM

Thanks for that tip. I was also wondering if it
were possible to modify the AI of custom races so they would emphasize given technologies (ie a race that researched colonizing gas giants from day one, etc), and never sent fleets smaller than a certain size (say 20 ships)?

Thanks,
PN

Suicide Junkie · #4 April 2nd, 2003, 06:25 PM

You could simply shift the race_AI_research.txt entries around, and stick gas giant colonization at the top.

As for the fleet thing, I don't know. AI's aren't my area of expertise.
You can try browsing the AI files until one of the AI guys reads this thread.

PerpetualNewbie · #5 April 2nd, 2003, 06:30 PM

Okay, I'll try playing around with the research file. Thanks, I had no idea where to start.

PerpetualNewbie · #6 April 2nd, 2003, 07:38 PM

Okay, I'm lost now. I tried modifying the AI files (including adding a couple of Space Yard technologies) to the proportions files. When I started a new game all the races start with the un-modded facilities instead of the cultural centers...anyone have any ideas what I screwed up?

oleg · #7 April 3rd, 2003, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PerpetualNewbie:
Okay, I'm lost now. I tried modifying the AI files (including adding a couple of Space Yard technologies) to the proportions files. When I started a new game all the races start with the un-modded facilities instead of the cultural centers...anyone have any ideas what I screwed up?

Hard to tell without looking on your actual files. Please elaborate whether you edit AI files only or changed files in data folder. If it is stright AI issue, my guess you changed entry to homeworld in construction_facilities. It should be left alone.

oleg · #8 April 3rd, 2003, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PerpetualNewbie:
...and never sent fleets smaller than a certain size (say 20 ships)?

Thanks,
PN

It is impossible to stop AI to send smaller fleets if it simply does not have enough ships !

Try to increase "must have" for attack ships in construction_vehicles file (just be sure it is not too much !) and increase "turns wait till next attack" in AI_settings. It could make bigger AI fleets. Just a small noyice - any changes in settings file wil not affect existing .emp file, you will have to generate a new one using "add random AI players" in game setup.

Suicide Junkie · #9 April 3rd, 2003, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PerpetualNewbie:
Okay, I'm lost now. I tried modifying the AI files (including adding a couple of Space Yard technologies) to the proportions files. When I started a new game all the races start with the un-modded facilities instead of the cultural centers...anyone have any ideas what I screwed up?

Are you still running the proportions mod?

PerpetualNewbie · #10 April 3rd, 2003, 01:59 PM

I couldn't figure out what I did wrong, so I just re-installed Proportions, and did the mods. Works fine this time. Thanks for the tips, I'm slowly getting the feel for the AI.

I'm trying to make one overwhelming AI opponent, mainly by trial and error; I love the modifiability (if that's really a word) of SE IV, tho the learning curve is pretty steep.