newby question: custom AI for proportions

[PerpetualNewbie]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[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?

[oleg]

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?<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">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]

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

Thanks,
PN<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">It is impossible to stop AI to send smaller fleets if it simply does not have enough ships ! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif 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]

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?<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Are you still running the proportions mod?

[PerpetualNewbie]

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.

[oleg]

Originally posted by narf poit chez BOOM:
another nutcase staying up late! either that, or your in a different time zone.<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hmm, I am posting from work, after my lunch http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[narf poit chez BOOM]

*insert post here*

[PerpetualNewbie]

Some more newby questions (sorry, can't find a FAQ with any AI modding info):

1) When the game autocreates a race, I assume it'll use the ai_ files from that race...and from the proportions folder if it exists there?

2) If I use a computer generated EMP file, will changes to the ai_ files affect the AI, or is this info all written into the EMP file and further ai_ files ignored?

Thanks

[oleg]

Originally posted by PerpetualNewbie:
Some more newby questions (sorry, can't find a FAQ with any AI modding info):

1) When the game autocreates a race, I assume it'll use the ai_ files from that race...and from the proportions folder if it exists there?

2) If I use a computer generated EMP file, will changes to the ai_ files affect the AI, or is this info all written into the EMP file and further ai_ files ignored?

Thanks<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">1) Yes, it will use AI files from race folder. I f some files are not found, SE will pick up generic AI files for this mod (if they exist)

2) Depends. AFAIK, AI files can be divided in two Groups: files that AI read every turn - construction, ship design, research and may be few more. Changes in these files will affect Ai immediately without restarting game. Second group are files that are read only once, when empire is generated. These are general, settings, strategies, anger, politics (?) planet types (??). If you want to adjust these files, you have to generate new AI empire.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

oh, that should be easy:) just go into cultures.txt and make one with a 100 percent bonus to everything. then, give it to an ai player.

[oleg]

Originally posted by narf poit chez BOOM:
oh, that should be easy:) just go into cultures.txt and make one with a 100 percent bonus to everything. then, give it to an ai player.<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">But he wants to mod AI for proportions, not proportions mod http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Good luck, NB !

[narf poit chez BOOM]

another nutcase staying up late! either that, or your in a different time zone.