The State of World Supremacy
 

I bought this game the day it came out based solely on Aaron's reputation.

I love the fact of how moddable it is, smooth UI, random maps, etc.

There is no point in sending you a screen shot, save game file, etc.

I have tried and tried, but the AI is clueless when it comes to building and defending its territories. It builds 9 useless buildings on the border with me instead of units.

How difficult could it be to code in some logical building priorities for the AI?

Worse case, how hard could it be to program a "tank rush" strategy for the AI?

These two things alone might give me a challenging game. Why don't you just release the code and less us try it?

I don't need to tell you how many great games I could have bought during the Steam and GamersGate holiday sales with the $30 I spent on this game. Let's see...the entire HOI3 and Europa Universalis collection, to start with.

I read somewhere there is a new Space Empires game of some sort in development. If said developer is involved, there is zero chance I buy.

I've been playing computer games since late 1980s and still enjoy Dominions 3. That is quite a compliment considering how dated the game is - but support is legendary.

Ever hear of Empires of Steel at Battlefront? Brit, the developer, probably didn't make much more than you. But I have never seen a more responsive developer ever. The guy was nearly broke and he kept coding.

Off-topic, but you need to line up some decent titles. "Bronze" is not going to do it for you.

Re: The State of World Supremacy
 

I could say a lot of things about this game(?), but I won't.

I thought the demo of bronze was good ,not my cup of tea, but well done.

Re: The State of World Supremacy
 

I just bought the game and like the game for what it was design to do. Mostly just for entertainment.

I see That I am a year late and several dollars short after reading all the Forum post. I agree that the mod data needs some tweeking which I have already started to do myself. Looks like most of the mods already posted are along the same lines of what I would consider to be more realistic.

Re: The State of World Supremacy
 

Yeah, I also won't comment any further on this game, but it's nice to see some new people here.

Re: The State of World Supremacy
 

Looks like everyone that has been playing this game and on this forum for quite a while has mostly given up on any more updates, bug fixes and patches. I have found that most games lack a good AI. I did find out that if I play this game with only 2 players, me and 1 computer player on a Gigantic map which allows for a big land grab, I give the computer a better advantage by me making a decision not to build any factories whch makes me have to re-supply over great distances where the computer can build factories as it advances along. helps to balance the AI somewhat..

Re: The State of World Supremacy
 

Thanks for the advice. I will try this. I just can't get over the AI building routines, for example. They real show what little went into that aspect of the game. It's a blessing that I'm a terrible player in general, but this AI I can beat. We'll see...thanks again.

Re: The State of World Supremacy
 

Yeah, the AI is the main flaw of the game. It was even worse in the first versions, has been improved a bit by the patches (most notably in the last one). In the unpatched release version the AI for example couldn't use nukes and could only make one attack per turn which gave it even more of an disadvantage as in the most recent version of the game, but it still needs improvements.
The first thing I noted after playing my first games in 2010 was that I won each game, I never lost, and even in the patched version you have to give the AI some advantage intentionally to have a real challenge.

It isn't really able to react to player's actions, for example it is totally helpless against massive nuclear attacks. By using nukes you can win each game so I avoided building them in the last games I played.

Re: The State of World Supremacy
 

I just find that it leaves its front lines undefended and builds a lot of unnecessary buildings that don't make sense. I'll have to try it again.

Re: The State of World Supremacy
 

That's right. It should build lots of cheap units (infantry) in factories near the attacked territories, and build fortifications in the right places. It also tends to draw back its troops when attacked, so that you can often take territories without a fight.
Did you notice that you can take ANY land territory just by building extreme amounts of infantry? If the force is big enough they'll overwhelm all stronger units.

Re: The State of World Supremacy
 

Does anyone know for sure that the fortifications actually give your land units any defense advantage. I played a hot seat game with myself to do a controled test and based on all damage points inflicted on the defender units there was no defense increase advantage to the defender? I even tryed a +10 value and still no difference. see below:

Number Of Special Abilities := 1
Special Ability 1 Type := Combat Defense Modifier
Special Ability 1 Description := Increases the defense rating of all Land Units by +10.
Special Ability 1 Amount := 10

Re: The State of World Supremacy
 

Yes, basically we don't know what we're dealing with. What works, what don't.

Yeah, it's obvious that this lack of detailed information in the manual and the readme-files poses a serious problem for modders. I've requested a modding guide via customer support around half a year ago, but Shrapnel's customer service replied that it's the community's job to devise such a document. It's unlikely Malfador, the developers, will provide more detailed information here in this forum, so this can only be done by experimenting with the game itself, because they won't release the source code as long as they're still selling this game, I guess.
BTW, I think fortifications in the present form are relatively useless, especially against large numbers of enemy units, if you don't have a sizable force yourself.
One suggestion I made last year was to give the fortification bunkers an attack capability, because each fight with a defense bunker involved usually ends with you having to move your units up to the bunker and blasting away at the defenseless building, which is particularly annoying when you don't have strong units left (always lengthens the battles needlessly). Fights should either end when there's only the fortification left or they should be given an attack capability like those AA Missile turrets (that are actually also useful against ground units!). A realistic way would be to give bunkers ground attack capability and AA-turrets only air attack capability.

BTW, it would be extremely nice if you could try contacting Malfador directly via ws@malfador.com. Also check out their website: http://www.malfador.com/ (it also contains this mail adress, you could also use info@malfador.com, I think.
This way they see that there are some new people willing to mod/improve the game who need some help. Maybe Aaron Hall, head of Malfador, can give you some more details on the game's rules himself, and it's better when I don't contact him again because I guess he either won't reply to more mails by me, because I've sent large amounts of bug reports, savegames and descriptions of errors, and they largely didn't see through them because at some point (I guess July or August) I was the only person doing this. It's better when new people try this out.

Re: The State of World Supremacy
 

I did contact ws@malfador.com via email and got a response from Aaron. He did tell me that the only instructions availible for making mods is in the manual, but it only list what the data files are for not any detail of how to change the parameters.

Also he said there is no expected future updates or patches for WS. I think as you have already known we are on our own.

I thought of another idea to give the AI a greater advantage.
I already mentioned that by not building any Factories and having to move my units from the only factory to the front line does provide a challenge of logistics.

The new way which I have not tryed yet but sounds promising is to take 1 or more units and give it the special ability to increase resources for the teritory it is in and I will not build that type of unit giving the AI an advantage in resources.
I thought about doing that with the Rocket Arty which the AI seams to like to produce alot of and use. I personally do not produce many of the Rocket Arty when on the offense, which of course I am against the AI.

Just copy the values from the City and add it to any unit you wish, for example

Number Of Special Abilities := 1
Special Ability 1 Type := Territory Money Modifier
Special Ability 1 Description := Increases money from this territory by 10%.
Special Ability 1 Amount := 10

Of course if the AI builds several of these units in the same region the AI can get a big boost in resources. Not sure if the AI will build this type of unit just for this purpose?

Re: The State of World Supremacy
 

Quite interesting ideas! If it's possible to create new units supply vehicles could be interesting, IE supply trucks that create resources, but can be destroyed. If the AI would build lots of them it might get a big resource boost. Maybe it's also possible to just increase city production (if the AI builds enough cities).
I agree, it's a pity there won't be more updates, because with some more work by the developers the game could become absolutely awesome. I think they've given the Space Empires games more updates than WS so far, and the advantage of Space Empires was that the AI was also moddable, I wonder why Malf haven't implemented moddable AI in WS.

Re: The State of World Supremacy
 

I am going to try making the increase resources for cities to see if the AI will build them and I will decide to not build any cities.

I did add an advantage by each Rocket Aty adding a 100% increase to resource to each region per unit, and did not build any Rocket Art myself. To say the least the AI simply beat me silly because I could not keep up with the AI's production. Even though with my limited ability which is still far better then the AI when it comes to strategy, production and resources overwelmed me and I could not beat the AI. Maybe something setting like each Rocket Art unit having a 20 - 50% will make a better balance. Was neat to see the AI make me sweat and die.