My AI Design Q&A

[JLS]

Originally posted by JLS:
(1) Why would you want the AI to invest the Resources for a cloaking BSY, as opposed to a shield and PD?

~~~

Originally posted by Master Belisarius:
Good question. My oppinon is that the Armor Cloak is good because give the bonus and a little protection while cloaked. Anwyay, a lone space shipyard usually is dead meat...

Great tip, MB. I am going to use Armor Cloak more for my AI Designs


[ June 12, 2003, 22:26: Message edited by: JLS ]

[Master Belisarius]

Originally posted by cybersol:
More questions:
6) As a human player I can design a ship with a small transport hull that has 5 mine layer components. Since their secondary ability is cargo storage and 150/300 >= 50% then this is a valid design. Is there a way to have the AI design this ship, or is a transport hull forced to have eight cargo storage components for the AI no matter what?

The AI select the hull, in basis of the ship design. For example, you will see that my AIs never use the "Transport" hull.

Originally posted by cybersol:

7) Does anyone know how to fix the fact that the AI retrofits ships and then leaves when they are only half done repairing?

Nope. Think the only way is to include repair ships in the fleets...

[cybersol]

Originally posted by Master Belisarius:
I think the AI always check the 1-11 every turn. My guess is that the AI always start from the number 1 in the queue and check if need to build the item or not. One after other.
For this, if the queue is very large, the AI have problems to reach the Lastest items in the queue... because always is building trying to replace the loses in the first places of the queue.

Well, I finished testing this and you (as usual) are correct. It seems to start at the top of the queue for that ai state every turn looking for something to build. If the requirements are satisfied then it moves down to the next item. So redundant lines really will not help. Now I have to revisit all my queues.

Originally posted by Master Belisarius:
The AI select the hull, in basis of the ship design. For example, you will see that my AIs never use the "Transport" hull.

Yeah, selecting the small transport hull is easy (via majority component). But getting it to use 5 mine layers as the required components instead of 8 cargo storage seems impossible. Bummer.

[cybersol]

Thanks, guys for answering my questions.

Summary of what I have learned from the questions so far:
1) If you use a cloak on ship space yards, don't expect any production. But this might be a good thing.
2,3,4,6,7) These are all slight imperfections in how the AI works, you can't do anything about them except live with them.
5) I was just plain wrong. The construction_vehicles file reads from top to bottom inside the current state everytime it wants to construct something.

New Question:
8) Most ships seems to understand when they are running out of supply EXCEPT colony ships. Those are really important ships not to stop off and resupply before travelling across the entire quadrant. Is there any trick (before solar collectors make it unecessary) to get them to stop and resupply at a forward system and then go off and colonize. (I'll probably have to live with this one too, unfortunately).

[Grand Lord Vito]

imperfections in how the AI works, you can't do anything about them except live with them.

I am a newbie like you but I do not want to play with imperfections

Cybersol, what was actually covered in this thread so far, on 1-5 even 6 and 7 was just berly touched on and I don/t see many se4 AI resolutions in most or the tricks you talked about. How can you say that it is understood, when none of your topics has been really discussed. Accept a few points from Master Belisarius and JLS.
I do not see how you think a SYS can work for the AI or most of 1-7. You seem to always miss quote the participating parties here in your thread. You do not answer some questions to be sure we understand how, why or what to do in any certain topic of 1 thru 7, just say this is not a real bad imperfection or is it actualy really still broken.

EDIT:

"How do you think it works?"

A: Does boarding work for the AI
B: JLS why is Recon Sats for the AI still a concern
C: Should the AI build recyclers
D: I think I understand why mine sweepers don’t work for the AI
E: Should I build Planet Ship and Fleet Facilities. JLS and MB says yes, you say it does not work
1: Space Yard Ships it appears MB does not think overall they are good for the AI
2: If I use the same ship name (and type) but different weapons. Is this a simple design and what you research for the AI, but solution is not clear
3: Is there anyway to stop the AI from trying to retrofit. No one has said what happens to this ship, the way it sounds you would have dozens of over the HW.
4: I don’t suppose anyone knows a trick (without modding). You don’t want to Mod the AI here but it is ok with Minefields. You say but TRUE, JLS just got me confused even more and the experts have not remarked on why it is set to False for the AI in the defaults in se4.
5: ok here, good advise from MB but will the AI use the lines after 11?
6: Why is it that AIC and Proportions the AI have Small Transport Mine and Sat Layers
7: What does the AI do with its damaged ship do in se4
8:

[ June 13, 2003, 20:15: Message edited by: Grand Lord Vito ]

[cybersol]

Originally posted by Grand Lord Vito:
I am a newbie like you but I do not want to play with imperfections.

Well, most will not be apparent from the players point of view. But they can be very frustrating for the aspiring AI modder.

Originally posted by Grand Lord Vito:
Cybersol, what was actually covered in this thread so far, on 1-5 even 6 and 7 was just berly touched on and I don/t see many se4 AI resolutions in most or the tricks you talked about. How can you say that it is understood, when none of your topics has been really discussed. Accept a few points from Master Belisarius and JLS.

I agree 100% that we have not seen many resolutions to 2-4 and 6-7. I was hoping that summarizing might lead someone to correct me if I was wrong about them being imperfections we have to live with. Or they would interject with a novel trick that would solve one of the questions.

[quote]Originally posted by Grand Lord Vito:

I do not see how you think a SYS can work for the AI or most of 1-7.

Well, MB was the one that uses cloaks on his space yard ships. He also said he prefers that they not produce anything because they tend to do wierd things. Together, this clears up why he uses cloaks while others (mephisto for example) do not.

[quote]Originally posted by Grand Lord Vito:

You seem to always miss quote the precipitating parties here in your thread.

All I can say is the quotes were accurate at the time I begin posting my reply. Edits after that sometimes changed the content of the original message. Also, through the detail of always putting the author at the head of each quote, you can tell I take quotation very seriously. All in all, this is a strong comment to make and it seems a little too personal.

EDIT: For example you just removed thing I quouted about teachers and students.

[quote]Originally posted by Grand Lord Vito:

You do not answer some questions to be sure we understand how, why or what to do in any certain objective of 1 thru 7, just say this is not a real bad imperfection or actualy really is still broken in se4.

What do you want to know? Feel free to ask questions, I think I have gained understanding about what to do with 1) and 5) if you want me to explain more of what I learned. As I said before I still waiting and hoping for solutions to the others.

[quote]Originally posted by Grand Lord Vito:

You say you (need help) but it seems you are trying very hard to Treach your views, instead of the student listening to the advise of the experts

First of all, I revere and respect the experts, because only through trying this can I full understand how much effort they put into making this game better for all of us.

Yet JLS asked my opinion on whether minesweeping was feasible by the AI, so I gave it. Was I supposed to just not respond? I did feel I a little knowledge here because I had just spent some time looking into minesweeping. I was focused on this issue because an effective AI must deal with mines if it is to continue to expand or even just attack.

[ June 13, 2003, 19:23: Message edited by: cybersol ]

[Grand Lord Vito]

Cybersol, I realized it sounded personal sorry, I am just frustrated I guess.
But from what I have read no one but MB has come up to the plate.
I added some points below if anyone can still clarify them.
I have made 2 AI design and if they are not right then I will need to change them.