Scenario Parameter File and Event Engine

[Arimus]

Dave,

I've seen you mention that certain variables that affect the game "could be tweaked".
I'm guessing you are referencing parameters that are in the game code. Any thought of exposing these variables to the scenario designer in the form of scenario parameter file? The purpose being to allow the designer to customize a scenario for specific battle.
For example, lets say in a particular engagement one side historically defended with fanatical determination well above what you would expect.
The designer could change the parameter that affects how quickly a unit retreats or routes to try and simulate that affect.
Just a thought.

While I'm on this, any thought to a simple event engine? The purpose would be to change objectives or maybe SEP's based on events in the game.
For example, objective 2 would not be active until objective 1 was secured.
Or if the enemy captures objective 3, then a particular reinforcement arrives early. Kind of simulating a change in priorities.

[Arjuna]

Good suggestions but keep this in mind. When I say "tweaked" I'm more often than not referring to modifying sections of code. We do have some game constants but more often than not the determination of a modifier will involve multiple inputs, factors and calculations based on the prevailing circumstances and it often involves different branches of code, so it's not just a case of adjusting a single variable.

FYI when I started this design back in 1995 I did use quite a few constants but over the years I have ditched many of these as they invariable fail to address the circumstances correctly. They are a bit like central bank interest rates. You increase these to keep down inflation but affect adversely so many other things within the economy. Our game engine is by its nature a complex beast and for it to "behave" correctly you often need complex algorythms rather than a simple shotgun formula.

Your second suggestion has been on my wish list for some time. Basically what you are asking for are conditional objectives - ie where the activation or deactivation of an objective or even modifying its parameters is conditional upon some other game event. The tricky part of implementing this is how to provide a simple interface for the scenario designer to set these up. I want to avoid using a scripting engine as most users' eyes glass over at being asked to learn a scripting language. So by its nature it must be a simple affair, probably limited to a few options like activate if the specified objective is achieved. In essence this requires triggers and these we want to introduce for sequential tasking. So once we have that feature done we can do this one too.

[Arimus]

I think I understand what you are saying. I used to do C++ programming, but it was years ago...
Maybe ask for feedback from the scenario designers on what they would like to be able to modify. It might be a small list and easily accomplished.

TOAW had an event engine. The interface was workable and avoided scripting. Just a thought.

Slightly off topic...
Did you ever consider using fuzzy logic for the AI on units?
Years ago, I wrote a program using fuzzy logic to determine what actions an infantry unit would take given different cirmcustances. I think I used about 20 input factors and 5 actions. I never "trained" the unit completely but it actually worked!

[Arjuna]

Our AI uses many variables and for many of these they are adjusted by probability values and random numbers. So there is already a fair bit of fuzziness built in. But as to a learning AI, no we did not go down that route.