[SP] Changing AI settings in a running game

[Edi]

Gandalf, I do not think it would be too difficult to get things working if it were done in the manner I suggested. Allow creation of pretenders with too many points and make those usable by AI only. Random selection from precreated AI pretenders for the nations would solve that.

It'd give the AI the point boost and decently designed pretenders to start with while placing it on the map randomly so there would be no beforehand knowledge of its location the way there is if you must manually turn a nation AI. It would require some tweaks to the UI and some more options for the Game Tools, namely Game Tools - Create Pretender - Fork
Fork 1: Human controlled - Era - Nation - <design pretender & save it>
Fork 2: AI controlled - AI level - Era - Nation - <design & save>

Then have in game creation when adding nations a checkbox "Use pretender from premade list" where it randomly draws a pretender from the list appropriate for that AI level and nation if checked and randomly creates one (like now) if left unchecked.

I'm no programmer, but it'd be nice to hear a programmer's point of view on this.

Edi

[mivayan]

Edi said:
Allow creation of pretenders with too many points and make those usable by AI only. Random selection from precreated AI pretenders for the nations would solve that.

It would require some tweaks to the UI and some more options for the Game Tools, (...)

Or just a -useCustomAIgod command line switch which uses normal pretender files which you have to manually put in the savedgames\aiCustomGods directory. Then people can distribute their best compilations.

The AI wont get the 150 bonus design points for max difficulty, but they are insignificant compared to +100% money/resources/gems.

Gandalf: thanks for those numbers.

[Gandalf Parker]

I agree. Seeing those numbers I think its abit overbearing.
But on the other hand, since many feel the AI is a cake-walk I guess its not worth suggesting a change.

On the shared compilations, thats been possible since Dom2 with map commands. But numerous requests didnt seem to get any action. Now maybe with the RandomMap program coming to bloom we might see some.

[QXel]

Well,

If I read between the lines, there is no in-game way to change AI settings after game creation, and even if it exists, it will be useless because it's change only the pool of points available for AI's Pretender design and start-up advantage : gold, resources, troops, ...

Am I correct ?

It seems that I am going to script map or mods in a way or an other ...
Well, so, expect to see me on the map/mod forum soon ;o)

Thanks to you all.

[Graeme Dice]

Not quite. The AI does get a boost in its resource and gold production every turn on higher difficulty levels.

[Gandalf Parker]

But its true that, as far as I know, there is no way to change that mid-game.

And AI settings done by map commands also cannot be changed mid-game.

There is a way (for now unless Johan decides it should be blocked) to make mid-game changes using MODs but it has some disadvantages. Everyone has to have the mod running when the game was started, even if only a blank placeholder version. Then everyone has to receive the changed version later which gives them the advantage of reading it.

[Folket]

If the mod only changes the AI there is no reason to sent it to the clients. Only the server need to have the latest version.