AI Files - Updating your build with the latest versions

[Sardaukar]

It's getting bit confusing...[8D]

Might be good to list which AI files work with which scenarios.

[Kull]

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

It's getting bit confusing...[8D]

Might be good to list which AI files work with which scenarios.

Apologies if this seems confusing, as it shouldn't be: Every one of Andy Mac's scenarios comes with it's own specific set of AI files. Accordingly, the player does not have to do anything additional - installing/updating each scenario (or even just the one you plan to play) is all that's necessary.

My comments in post #80 were specific to the request on extracting the AI Files alone from a particular scenario. I don't know why the request was made, but just wanted to add a cautionary note in case the intent was to use AI files from one scenario in another.

[AlessandroW]

Thanks Kull for your work!

Quick question: installing all AI files after the open Beta Update v1.01.26a doesn't change anything, is it right?

[Kull]

ORIGINAL: AlessandroW

Thanks Kull for your work!

Quick question: installing all AI files after the open Beta Update v1.01.26a doesn't change anything, is it right?

That is correct. The Beta is a single exe file, and can be added before or after you do an AI update.

[AlessandroW]

Thanks!

[rustysi]

Do the 1126b update. It fixes a very important aspect of the game for the Allies. Late war unrep. Without it you'll have problems with AE's reloading ships at sea.

[azura987]

I have read the whole post and I'm still a bit confused. If I wish to update the AI of "dababes lite" with latest andy mac's ai files, I have understood to use updated "scen 1" files instead of those of "dababes lite", is that right?
Thing is what files exactly do I replace? (of scen 26 dababes lite) That's the part that is still blurry for me. Sorry still a noob here

[SLeyers]

Curious. Is it possible to copy the latest 2012 AI variants included in the original main campaign scenario (001) into the updated v5 campaign (100) including making the proper filename changes to the AEIxxx-yy files or are the changes made to the 2016-version of #100 scenario incompatible with the 001 AI variants (AEI001-01 through 20)? I really like the updates to the 100/101/102 campaigns but was curious if it would accept the other AI variants other than the single script to offer some variance on the improved version.

[Alfred]

AI scripts written to utilise new, added bases to a scenario are not really compatible with earlier versions of the same scenario.  Same applies where the OOB has been altered.
 
If no new bases added to a scenario nor the OOB altered significantly, new scripts are usually compatible with the previously released scenario.
 
Alfred

[Kull]

ORIGINAL: azura987

I have read the whole post and I'm still a bit confused. If I wish to update the AI of "dababes lite" with latest andy mac's ai files, I have understood to use updated "scen 1" files instead of those of "dababes lite", is that right?
Thing is what files exactly do I replace? (of scen 26 dababes lite) That's the part that is still blurry for me. Sorry still a noob here

Alfred hit the main points, but just to add a bit more:

- The most recent DaBabesLite is dated December 2013.
- The last "official" AI update from Andy (the exes that accompanied patch 07) has files dated June 2012.

At that point, Andy's map and OOB were still fully compatible with the original release, and in fact he states that his database updates include the important fixes added to the later DaBabes releases. Accordingly, I am assuming that all the DaBabes files include his 2012 AI, not the one from 2010.

From that point forward, Andy's AI improvements include map changes - specifically the addition of new dot/base hexes that were inserted specifically to assist the altered AI. For example, the old Senario 1 had an empty land hex on the road between Moulmein and Pegu. But in the new scenarios, it's a dot base called "Sittang Bridge".

I haven't looked at the AI files and can't tell you with certainty why that base exists, but dollars to doughnuts the AI script now references it in some way. And if it does - and that base doesn't exist on the map (because you dragged the new Scenario 1 AI files into DaBabes Lite) - well, the AI will probably stall because it has been given commands that it can't follow.

In short, you should never mix the "2012 and earlier" AI files (to include variants) with the newer ones - and vice versa.

Edit2: Removed some bollocks about the data which is present in the AI files. Each scenario contains 11 different files (all present in the SCEN folder), and yes it is possible to move JUST the AI portion of the database and use it in a different scenario. The issues noted above still apply, of course.

Edit3: Grammar

[azura987]

thanks very much! makes it much more clearer now

[Hister_MatrixForum]

"6) There are problems with some of the Guadalcanal scenario data (as Andy acknowledged in the thread), but fortunately Justus2 fixed it and made the changes available as an additional Scenario 4 download (on 12/20/2014). So go ahead and update your SCEN folder with Andy's exe, but then download the attachment from Justus2 (this one IS a zip file) and then drop the contents into your SCEN folder, saying "yes" for all overwrites."

Hey there. Tried to do this step but I get no owerwrite prompt. I checked why not and it is because Justus2 files are named differently from what I have available in the folder. What sould I do? Thank you.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Hister_MatrixForum

"6) There are problems with some of the Guadalcanal scenario data (as Andy acknowledged in the thread), but fortunately Justus2 fixed it and made the changes available as an additional Scenario 4 download (on 12/20/2014). So go ahead and update your SCEN folder with Andy's exe, but then download the attachment from Justus2 (this one IS a zip file) and then drop the contents into your SCEN folder, saying "yes" for all overwrites."

Hey there. Tried to do this step but I get no owerwrite prompt. I checked why not and it is because Justus2 files are named differently from what I have available in the folder. What sould I do? Thank you.

Did you extract the contents of the zip file after copying it into the folder?

[Hister_MatrixForum]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Hister_MatrixForum

"6) There are problems with some of the Guadalcanal scenario data (as Andy acknowledged in the thread), but fortunately Justus2 fixed it and made the changes available as an additional Scenario 4 download (on 12/20/2014). So go ahead and update your SCEN folder with Andy's exe, but then download the attachment from Justus2 (this one IS a zip file) and then drop the contents into your SCEN folder, saying "yes" for all overwrites."

Hey there. Tried to do this step but I get no owerwrite prompt. I checked why not and it is because Justus2 files are named differently from what I have available in the folder. What sould I do? Thank you.

Did you extract the contents of the zip file after copying it into the folder?

Yes I did. It doesn't overwrite the files because the naming is different. Original is for example "ADetail04.bmp" while Justus2 is named "ADetail044.bmp".

[Kull]

You are correct - there is not an overwrite. Justus actually created a new Guadalcanal scenario, #44, which is the same as #4 except it has all his fixes. My instructions were based on a quick read of that thread, but I'd never actually looked at his download to see what it contained. Having just done that, it appears to be a complete scenario package, complete with "readme" file, so it should work work fine.

I'll need to update the appropriate post to clarify things - thanks for highlighting the issue!

[Hister_MatrixForum]

Thank you for the explanation! In order to avoid having duplicats I will simply rename Justus's files and overwrite the originals.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Hister_MatrixForum

Thank you for the explanation! In order to avoid having duplicats I will simply rename Justus's files and overwrite the originals.

Or move the originals to an update boneyard folder, or just change something in the original filename so that the game ignores it. Try making the file extension ".old".

[JamesHunt]

ORIGINAL: Kull

ORIGINAL: azura987

I have read the whole post and I'm still a bit confused. If I wish to update the AI of "dababes lite" with latest andy mac's ai files, I have understood to use updated "scen 1" files instead of those of "dababes lite", is that right?
Thing is what files exactly do I replace? (of scen 26 dababes lite) That's the part that is still blurry for me. Sorry still a noob here

Alfred hit the main points, but just to add a bit more:

- The most recent DaBabesLite is dated December 2013.
- The last "official" AI update from Andy (the exes that accompanied patch 07) has files dated June 2012.

At that point, Andy's map and OOB were still fully compatible with the original release, and in fact he states that his database updates include the important fixes added to the later DaBabes releases. Accordingly, I am assuming that all the DaBabes files include his 2012 AI, not the one from 2010.

I´ve downloaded BabesLite A scen 26 (improved stock scen 1) from the dedicated webpage and the AI files are dated 31st July 2010 so I assume its the old AI?


I also want to throw in my question here. I am looking for a version of the scenario 1 7th Dec grand campaign which is considered:
- most historical OOBs, no fictional additions
- which offers the most rich and most historical features/balance
- which is AI compatible
- which had some time/exposition to be tested in order to confirm that it is working as intented

From my own research I´ve came to the conclusion that mentioned BabesLite A scen 26 updated manually with the 2012 scen 1 AI which is then played on "hard" difficulty is the best choice for me. Is this a good pick or is there something which suits my plan better?

Thanks for the AI files tutorial by the way.

[Kull]

ORIGINAL: JamesHunt

I´ve downloaded BabesLite A scen 26 (improved stock scen 1) from the dedicated webpage and the AI files are dated 31st July 2010 so I assume its the old AI?

Oooooh, thanks for that! I hadn't dug in in to check, but yes, that means the DaBabes AI is still using the 2010 files. I'll post something further upthread to that effect.

I also want to throw in my question here. I am looking for a version of the scenario 1 7th Dec grand campaign which is considered:
- most historical OOBs, no fictional additions
- which offers the most rich and most historical features/balance
- which is AI compatible
- which had some time/exposition to be tested in order to confirm that it is working as intented

From my own research I´ve came to the conclusion that mentioned BabesLite A scen 26 updated manually with the 2012 scen 1 AI which is then played on "hard" difficulty is the best choice for me. Is this a good pick or is there something which suits my plan better?

I think that is a good set of choices. Going a couple steps further (and assuming you are playing as Allies against the Japanese computer):

1) Delete (or rename) all AI variant files 007 and above. 1 through 6 are the most historical.

2) Especially when playing Scen1, give the Japanese AI time to expand. By all means fight back where attacked, but do it using historical force groupings. Also you have the advantage of historical fore-knowledge. You know where and when the Japanese actually attacked. Don't use that to anticipate and ambush the AI. It might seem fun at first, but the rest of your campaign will suck. As a general rule if you allow the AI to achieve, roughly, it's historical expansion by say July or August 1942, it will be able to give you a more challenging experience in the months and years to come.

Thanks for the AI files tutorial by the way.

You are welcome!

[JamesHunt]

Great, exactly the information I was looking for!

Because BabesLite A is made for the 026 slot I need to rename the 2012 update´s scen 1 AI files. Just want to make sure I don´t screw this up, I need ONLY to rename/overwrite the following files?





Then optionally remove all AI variants 007 and above as you suggested if looking for the most historical Japanese AI warplan. Finally move everything in the BabesLite A folder to the SCEN folder located in the WITPAE install location.