AI modders: Construction_Facilities.txt

[Rollo]

Hi,
maybe this is a trivial thing and already known to most of you, but here is what I found a short while ago, because the AI was not building facilities as I wanted.
In the _AI_Construction_Facilities.txt the amount of facilities is not the amount to add to already existing ones, but the total amount of facilities (of course, Duh!, I feel so stupid now).
Example: If I want to have a research facility build first, then a resupply depot and another research facility and a space port after that. The file should be

Facility 1 Ability := Point Generation - Research
Facility 1 Amount := 1
Facility 2 Ability := Supply Generation
Facility 2 Amount := 1
Facility 3 Ability := Point Generation - Research
Facility 3 Amount := 2
Facility 4 Ability := Space Port
Facility 4 Amount := 1
...

and NOT

Facility 1 Ability := Point Generation - Research
Facility 1 Amount := 1
Facility 2 Ability := Supply Generation
Facility 2 Amount := 1
Facility 3 Ability := Point Generation - Research
Facility 3 Amount := 1
Facility 4 Ability := Space Port
Facility 4 Amount := 1
...

Again, this might be obvious and public knowledge, but I have looked at the files of other AIs and it seems to me that I was not the only one to make that mistake...
Otherwise things like
...
Facility 3 Ability := Point Generation - Research
Facility 3 Amount := 4
...
Facility 7 Ability := Point Generation - Research
Facility 7 Amount := 2
...
just don't make sense to me.

If you have made the same mistake or are unsure, you might want to look into the files again .

Thank you for your time,
Rollo

[CaptSpoogy]

Thanks for the tip. I think a couple of my AI files have entries like that...

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"Reality is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there."

[Baron Munchausen]

Yes, both Construction_Vehicles and Construction_Facilities work the same way. Now if it would just obey the Homeworld setting when creating your homeworlds at game start!

[Mephisto]

Here are some more hints and tips I found during my AI modding.

1.) If you want to use a specific type of armor, don�t call it by using �Armor Spaces Per One�. The AI will use the highest level armor, not the best. That is very bad if you are using a organic race as it will use stealth armor level I if available above organic armor level 3. As a player, you can cheat the Ai by �gifting� them armor level 4. Instead, use this as your first line:
Num Misc Abilities:= 1
Misc Ability 1 Name:= Armor Regeneration
Misc Ability 1 Spaces Per One:= 250

2.) Include Space Yard Ships in your races. The AI will use them to repair damaged ships. Very essential if the AI is fighting against a engine damaging race. Make sure to have at least 1 space yard in the design. Only with the space yard does the AI recognize the ship as a SYS.

3.) Use the �AI should not move ships through a minefield� line. In the latest patch, minesweepers will sweep minefield regardless of this line, but it will prevent your colonizers and warships to �storm� the minefield�.

4.) Make your AI use many space yards. That�s the only way for them to survive any multiplayer game for some time.