Jump to content

Re: AI modding?


keraunos
 Share

Recommended Posts

Has anyone upgraded AI settings? Now, with better balanced units I have some problems to consider: AI. Yesterday I fought GC's final battle against Rebelion. The problem is fleet composition: Home One, 1 Nebulon-B, few X/Y/A squadrons and..around 70 Correlian Gunships/Corvettes/Torpedo Boats. Far too easy battle, AI could spent resources more wisely (not mentioning that it exceeded pop limit few times.. ::))

 

I'm interested in upgrading AI on Campaign and Battle map - on the second one, with similar forces, I rarely lose a ship as AI cannot concentrate it's fire on single/proper targets.

 

Side question - can AI build MCs on all planets? I encountered one but I owned Fondor and Mon Calamari, all the others were turned off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I have changed the KI power a little:

 

Difficultysettings (compared to former "hard" setting):

+ KI gets more money

+ does a little more damage than

 

Playerbehavior:

+ aggressiveness

 

The results are whatsover not satisfactory even with very high settings.

 

What I have not been able to is:

1. make the game use the modified perceptual equations I wrote (some fine tuning concerning targeting, infrabuilt, galactic tactics etc.)

2. make the AI use the markup file I created for some scenarios (which include some information about priority targets, chokepoints etc.)

 

These files get parsed by the game(I know that from errors I made during development) but obviously the game does not use

the XML files in XML/AI/PERCEPTUALEQUATIONS and XML/AI/HINTSETS (any more) in the final version of the game. ???

 

If anybody has been successful at making the game recognize those I would be more than happy to see the how-to posted ! ;D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know that Legacy of War is doing some work with the AI, particularly when it comes to fleet compositions. Yeah, the Rebels do get a little Corvette-happy, don't they. :D
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What if the files were added to the list in DATAMINERXMLFILES.xml? Would that make the game reference them?

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h65/NightshadowDragon/RyuuKageSIG.jpg

 

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h65/NightshadowDragon/AoSW-JCW_Banner.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Problem of AI is this:

 

- AI doesnt understand the "choke points" and tries to defend all planets equally in space and on ground (seems to be highest priority) and it uses ALL its credits it has for building troops/ships not saving a single penny for larger projects (like starbase upgrade)

 

- no matter how much money you give it in start, it wont save up a single credit (for upgrading starbases

 

- the larger the galaxy is and more planets the AI controls, the more time it takes for it to build "sufficient" troops/fleets to defend agains the player (see defending all planets equally) and so it does rarely attack

 

- of course it also means it wont build death star, unless it has "sufficiant fleets" and the credits (atleast it never did when i played those 30+ games)

 

- if it is low on planets, and the player is clearly more powerful, it wont save money for upgrading starbases (thus giving it option to build powerful ships) but spamcreates ships it can from current spacestation thus 20+ tartans

 

- the AI rarely musters large fleets for attacks

 

- the AI rarely does attack planets with lvl 3+ spacestations and almost never with a defence fleet present

 

The main problem is, the AI tries to defend all planets equally, and uses all its credits for units it currently can build, it builds lvl 2 starbases fast, groundbases fast and then spams units until its out of credits, next day the same, so it has not money for upgrade starbases (thus more units) and spams fighters, corvettes and first frigates only...

 

So be patient and wait till the repair it in patch...if they dont, consider this...

 

- Play only on small GC maps (so you dont have to wait 10 hours till the AI has "sufficient" defence fleets on 43+ planets maps...)

- Change building requirement on all space units to lvl 2 starbases (so AI builds them)

- Do not upgrade starbases higher then lvl 2 (because if you do, the AI rarely will attack there)

- Do not attack them early

- Try not to beat it (build small fleets, low garrisons, no ion cannos/turbolasers etc)

 

If you do this, the singleplayer is at least fun and sometimes even challenging..if you dont its boring like hell and you can kill the hard AI on large GC map in less then one hour (see you only have to find where emperor is...)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Dragonshadow: Thx for the idea. I just tried it but it didn't result in any changes. I even have the impression that the game ignores the

"DATAMINERXMLFILES.xml" because you can remove almost all content or create serious errors without causing the game to stall.

The files in AI/perceptionalequations are at least parsed and checked for validity but their content is ignored. Checked it through setting the maximum number of light factories per planet to one.

 

I think the game AI currently does not at all result from any XML files in the XML/AI folder. :-[

 

@malric:

i made a small AI mod which increases difficulty by giving the AI a little edge concerning material, firepower and aggressiveness.

Try it if you want:

http://rapidshare.de/files/17074493/AIMod-0.1.rar.html

 

If anybody has another idea to make the AI use the markupfiles or the perceptionalequations please post it or sent me a message!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello guys,

 

I'm trying to figure it out how the AI is behaving for Total Realism mod and thx to malric I can see clearly some things. However did you try the modified GC map. Some planets are just crossroads and until you don't hold them there is no go for the rest of the galaxy.

 

I would like to have your feedback on AI's behaviour on such map.

http://goranmost78.free.fr/orao1.jpg

Empire at War: Total Realism v2.0 mod.... 1200 downloads in 5 days and counting...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

- Play only on small GC maps (so you dont have to wait 10 hours till the AI has "sufficient" defence

 

What if you get the AI more units in the XMLs?

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a105/333Super/BESERKER.jpg
Link to comment
Share on other sites

wonldn't just making it so the ai just defends the border planets be much more effective (and therefore would make it save credits and level up)

http://www.lucasforums.com/images/avatars/tiedefender.jpgMay the force be with you, always. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/susangillan/EDF-Avatar-X-Wing.jpg

                                                   

http://www.userbars.com/galerie/images/files/3/4/ffuser.jpg

http://www.pixelpwnage.com/sigs/grouptag.jpg

.Check for Updates!.

..Imperial Assault II Mod for Empire at War!!..

...Empire at War Nexus, Modding for a Galaxy Far Far Away!!!...

....Use the Spell Check Feature People!!!!....

.....International Battlefront Clan!!!!!.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

wonldn't just making it so the ai just defends the border planets be much more effective (and therefore would make it save credits and level up)

 

But the behaviour is hardcoded in lua scripts i think, no modder without proper knowledge can change it...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What if you get the AI more units in the XMLs?

 

Well thats helps on small maps, if you give more units on large maps, it only means the AI will expand quicker, but after that it will have to build defence for every planet...means it will only help a bit, but definitly makes it more challenging, if you for example give it 10 ISDs

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I have changed the KI power a little:

 

Difficultysettings (compared to former "hard" setting):

+ KI gets more money

+ does a little more damage than

 

Playerbehavior:

+ aggressiveness

 

The results are whatsover not satisfactory even with very high settings.

 

What I have not been able to is:

1. make the game use the modified perceptual equations I wrote (some fine tuning concerning targeting, infrabuilt, galactic tactics etc.)

2. make the AI use the markup file I created for some scenarios (which include some information about priority targets, chokepoints etc.)

 

These files get parsed by the game(I know that from errors I made during development) but obviously the game does not use

the XML files in XML/AI/PERCEPTUALEQUATIONS and XML/AI/HINTSETS (any more) in the final version of the game. ???

 

If anybody has been successful at making the game recognize those I would be more than happy to see the how-to posted ! ;D

 

 

 

If we could only repack those files into meg format, it will work. As I stated before in other post. All files which are in Config.meg (such as AI) have much higher priority over allready extracted files.

http://goranmost78.free.fr/orao1.jpg

Empire at War: Total Realism v2.0 mod.... 1200 downloads in 5 days and counting...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you tried repacking it using 'FinalBig' ? It can extract, read, and create .meg files for EaW ....

 

I see where your going with this and I think it might actually work, however you're have to work out which 'config.meg' (there are atleast 2) is actually used for the AI settings just in case its not the one in /GameData/ that is used for those things

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been trying to get heavy ships and some added units to be built by the AI

 

I saw a big difference when I reduced the AI Combat power on my starbases - the AI rarely if ever went beyond lvl 3.

 

I increased the values and gave the AI more money in difficultySettings and now it builds the stations and plenty of capital ships.

42000

7220

14900

 

Tartans are around 250

 

I assigned combat power with an Excel spreadsheet -

I calculated the amount of damage a ship would do to a Victory SD before it's shields fell  - needless to say I've modded a few things...

 

Venators and other 'added' units are still ignored by my skirmish AI... :(

 

Phez

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did repack them into the Megs but that didn't help at all. I tried the following ones:

 

/gamedata/config.meg        <- This one appears to be obsolete

/gamedata/data/config.meg 

/gamedata/data/patch.meg  <- Also tried this in hope that it would supercede other settings

 

So the system obviously doesn't care if you place the files in a separate folder or into the meg.

Like i stated before it all seems to be hardcoded.

 

Someone needs to write a Lua script decompiler for the version of Lua the game uses  ;D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@ Phez: Does the decrease of AI combatpower of capital ships just make the AI build more or does it also affect the combat effectivness of the ships ? (decrease of AI combatpower = decrease of health, firepower etc. ?)

 

If not than this could be a solution to the problem of the bad fleet composition the AI mostly uses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My guess is that this will not affect the health of the ship itself. Why ?

It is simple. Those values are telling to AI the global value of the ship i.e. money+combatpower. One way to check this would be exchange value of tartan with those of Victory and to see how it turns out. Moreover I will go to requireing level 2 station for all capitals and frigates.

http://goranmost78.free.fr/orao1.jpg

Empire at War: Total Realism v2.0 mod.... 1200 downloads in 5 days and counting...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@ Phez: Does the decrease of AI combatpower of capital ships just make the AI build more or does it also affect the combat effectivness of the ships ? (decrease of AI combatpower = decrease of health, firepower etc. ?)

 

If not than this could be a solution to the problem of the bad fleet composition the AI mostly uses.

 

Changing AI_Combat_Power doesn't affect the unit's performance, but I still haven't gotten the AI to build a Venator during a skirmish.

It builds plenty of interdictors and ISDs so it has the cash ... ?

 

- And it builds IPVs ! - I believe there is a list of ships it will stick to somewhere in the LUA (or someother place I can't search) and it doesn't consider a ship that isn't on the list.

 

I renamed my Empire buildable Venator back to Jedi_Cruiser - let's see if the AI notices...

 

Phez

Edited by Phez
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The extracted files always take precedence over the .meg files.  If they didn't we wouldn't be able to mod the game at all without replacing the files within the .meg itself.

 

I don't think the AI xmls are (for the most part) actually used, though.  I suspect they've been superceded by .lua scripts, which as yet we can't touch.  Once we can I'm sure we'll be able to alter the behavior of the AI.

 

There are a number of files within the megs that're garbage and weren't cleaned out.  It's clear that they were used at one time, but are no longer of any value. 

 

Max

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well... Skirmish mode AI is a very different monster then normal AI.  It seems to ignore new units in skirmish mode, while in GC it'll build the new units.

 

Also, the GC AI doesn't seem to actually take into account and   It is only limited by tech level, credits, and starbase level.  Basically the AI has instant build, and total unit availability.

Forum and RPG Membership:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v436/StellarMagic01/RaporaWarsTC.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v436/StellarMagic01/RaporaWarsRPG2.jpg

 

Signature:

Sufficiently advanced technology would be indistinguishable from Magic. -Arthur C. Clarke

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chaos:

So reducing the AI combatpower increases the likelyness of the ship being build by the AI ?

 

Increasing - That 14000 point star destroyer is very popular - the skirmish AI usually has two at all times.

 

Orao:

Which file was that in, and what Lua editor did you use that allowed you to see the code?

 

Stellar_Magic:

  Interesting, I'll have to remember that GC ignores required planets - that was supposed to keep the Star Destroyers in check,.... 

  Does that mean it can build tanks on worlds with no factory?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Phez, are you aware of the fact that AI gets some spawned units like ISD ? it doesnt means it did build them, unless it has lvl 4+ spacestation above Kuat, Fondor, Sullust, Mon Calamari...if you did seen ISDs and the AI doesnt have the spacestations...im afraid that those ISDs are script spawned...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

Copyright (c) 1999-2022 by SWRebellion Community - All logos and trademarks in this site are property of their respective owner. The comments are property of their posters. Star Wars(TM) is a registered trademark of LucasFilm, Ltd. We are not affiliated with LucasFilm or Walt Disney. This is a fan site and online gaming community (non-profit). Powered by Invision Community

×
×
  • Create New...