AI Min Max Question

Oversway · #1 November 9th, 2005, 12:35 PM

I did some searches and found some interest information, but I havn't been able to find an answer to these questions:

During game creation, I add an existing race and set it to controlled by the computer. I read that you can change the atmosphere and have it not matter (as far as the AI files go). What other things can you change without ill effect?

1. Cultural Modifiers (can I make every race Berserkers?)
2. Can I min/max the race -- lower less important things like strength, repair, politics, and raise attack, defense, production, maintenance?
3. Can I change non-racial tech abilities? For instance, change the fazrah who have the lame 'lucky' trait and give them advanced storage or something like that?
4. Can I change the type of planet (rock, ice, gas) or is the colonize type in the ai build files?
5. Does the disposition on the last screen do anything for computer controlled players?

Fyron · #2 November 9th, 2005, 01:18 PM

As long as you do not add or remove racial tech traits, none of those changes will require behavioral changes to the AI's text files.

5. Does the disposition on the last screen do anything for computer controlled players?

If you meant demeanor, that has no effect in game whatsoever. It is purely flavor text.

Wolfman77 · #3 November 9th, 2005, 01:25 PM

1. Shouldn't cause any major problems. Watch the repair rate with berzerker though, -2 here can drop low repair rates. Ex: If you have a repair rate of 2 in a sector, -2% from berzerker means a repair rate of 1, as they round down. All rates are added first, so 5x2x98%=9 , 25x2x98%=49 and so on. I don't think the AI takes this calculation into account when it builds repair ships.

2. Most of those shouldn't effect them too much, the stock AI doesn't use many troops, nor make a tremendous number of treaties that they would cripple them. I wouldn't recomend lowering happines to much for them as I don't think they can deal with mass riots very well.

3. I have noticed no problems with doing this. I regularly set up the AI with better abilities to make them more of a chalenge. They will make full use of the extra facility slots from said trait, I also recomend the 125% SY trait and propulsion if they can afford it.

4. The AI doesn't care, they will build whatever is available and use it for that purpose.

Oversway · #4 November 9th, 2005, 03:25 PM

Excellent, thanks Fyron (yes I did mean demeanor, my mistake) and Wolfman for the help! I was planning to raise happiness for just that reason (and because I was lowering tolerance). I'll keep in mind the repair rate.

Atrocities · #5 November 9th, 2005, 05:58 PM

Also don't forget about reading the Game Start Up Guide

This guide is a more comple version of the guide released in 2002. Although it is still a work in progress, it is far more complete than and offers far more useful information for new players. The guide is designed to help those new to the game gain a greater understanding of the function of game set up.