Mod Idea: Teaching the AI proper use of the Master Computer

geoschmo · #1 October 17th, 2002, 08:59 PM

They won't use them.

You can have the design files call specifically for the Master Computer, but what you end up with is a ship with a Master Computer and a bridge/LS/CQ. This is apparently the best you can do by simply manipulating the AI design files.

I got to playing around, and it is possible through a mod to have the AI use the MC, and not use also place a bridge/LS and CQ on the vehicle.

The Master Computer has a special ability, "Master Computer" which means a ship doesn't need Bridge/LS/CQ. But if you add the Bridge, LS, and CQ abilities to the Master Computer in addition to the Master Computer ability, the AI will use them in ship designs. However, this brings about a new problem.

Now when the AI is designing it's ships, when it gets to the bridge requirement, it will pick a master computer, when it gets to the LS requirement, it will pick another MC, and so on. You end up with 5 MC's on a Cruiser. Expensive.

I tried changing the MC to a "one per vehicle " restriciton and it helps, but doesn't fix it. What ends up happening is you get 3 MC's on a Cruiser instead of 5. Apparently it doesn't cheak comp restrictions for each new type of component, but does check restrictions before adding additional instances of each comp. Weird.

Anyway, all this is just to get the AI to use the MC, so I got to thinking about ways to get around this Last problem. So I think I have a possible solution.

Change the previous idea and only give the MC the Bridge ability in addition to the Master Computer ability. Then you mod in a new LS and CQ comps that take up no space, have no structure, cost nothing, but have the LS and CQ abilities. This way the AI will use them in place of standard CQ and LS when it starts using the MC for the bridge. Call them jeffries tubes, or MC control sub processors or whatever. Give them a tech req of Computers 3 and the AI won't start using them until it resaerches the MC.

But Geo, you say, won't the human players be able to abuse this and use the jefries tubes and sub processors along with a standard bridge and get cheaper ships with more space?

I have a solution to that as well. You make the Sub Proc and Jeffries tubes comps ONE Per Vehicle comps, and give them familty Numebr 2, same as a bridge. Now the Humans cannot add these comps to their designs if there is already a bridge present. They could add them to a design with MC, but there is no benefit to them to do so since the comp takes up has no structure it won't even soak up any battle damage. It will just clutter up their design.

So doing the above in a mod, the AI will use standard comps until MC is available and then switch to using MC's, with the jeffries and sub proc comps thrown in.

Comments?

Geoschmo

[ October 17, 2002, 20:18: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

Captain Kwok · #2 October 17th, 2002, 09:11 PM

When you use the condition "One per vehicle" - it restricts by looking at the family number.

geoschmo · #3 October 17th, 2002, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Captain Kwok:
When you use the condition "One per vehicle" - it restricts by looking at the family number.

Is that a question? The answer is yes, it restricts by family number, as shown in my example.

Suicide Junkie · #4 October 17th, 2002, 10:24 PM

Quote:

They could add them to a design with MC, but there is no benefit to them to do so since the comp takes up has no structure it won't even soak up any battle damage.

Actually, it will keep them moving at half speed instead of 1/16th speed.

Since it has zero hitpoints it will also be hit Last.

geoschmo · #5 October 17th, 2002, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:

quote:
They could add them to a design with MC, but there is no benefit to them to do so since the comp takes up has no structure it won't even soak up any battle damage.

Actually, it will keep them moving at half speed instead of 1/16th speed.

Since it has zero hitpoints it will also be hit Last.

You mean in the event the MC is destroyed? Good point. There is a way to prevent the humans from using the Jeffries tubes and sub processors, but there is no way to keep the AI from using them without them wasting space on Life Support and Crew quarters. So we give the Sub Proc and Jeffries tubes a small structure, say 10Kt. That will keep them from Lasting till the end of combat. And the One Per vehicle restriction will keep the human player from putting hundreds of them on the ship to use as no space internal armor.

Geoschmo

Q · #6 October 18th, 2002, 10:59 AM

Good idea Geo.

I tried a similar approach. I made three master computer components: central core (=bridge), expansion modula A (=life support) and expansion module B (=crew quaters). The expansion modules are only 5kT each and cost less than the ordinary life support and crew quater components.
I don't use then the master computer ability anymore (because of the crew conVersion problem I want to solve in my mod), but of course you can give the central core component this second ability. The AI will use these components correctely as soon as they have been researched.