Excerpt from the Universe Modding Guide

[tjhkkr]

I just had a moment to look at the modding guide.
Looks pretty cool on the component aspect of all of this.

Theoretically, if you had some idea of what planets produced what, you could blockade them and bring production to a stand still.

This is looking very cool!

[Erik Rutins]

Here are the excerpts released today, first the table of contents and intro:

[Erik Rutins]

And the section that includes resource (as well as components):

[ASHBERY76]

It's fascinating what could be done with natural resources.We really want them to be more important but without breaking the A.I.

[feygan]

A cargo hold full of keg of Romulan ale to whomever makes a gui tool that will end this txt file agony.

[Osito]

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

It's fascinating what could be done with natural resources.We really want them to be more important but without breaking the A.I.

It would be nice if you could set the manufactured resources to start appearing following completing research of a particular tech.

[ASHBERY76]

Technically you could add very rare strategic resources for some powerful weapon systems but the A.I would most likely have shipyards full of unfinished orders would it not?

The player would just make multiple designs for that issue.

[Dotdotdot]

I'm liking what I see so far. Will more systems and functions be opened up to modders even after release?

[Spidey]

One major question I have is, can the AI actually handle any significant changes to the game or will fundamental assumptions have to remain the same? Meaning, if I make upper echelon strategic resources more scarce, will the AI increase mining to compensate? If I change the effect of techs will the AI then change its research strategy to compensate?

[Erik Rutins]

It should work - we spent a fair amount of time making sure the AI could handle modded galaxies, including modding of the economy and the research trees. I'm sure someone will come up with something that needs some extra AI work after release, but in general you should go for it and expect it to work.

[rogerbacon51]

I'm curious as to the reason of the hard-coded limits mentioned above. Was it a memory issue or something else?

[Icemania]

Erik, I've asked this question in a couple of places now, are there new AI related capabilities?

My top 3 are:

1. Has AI Research Build Orders been improved and/or can it be modded?

2. Has AI Ship Design been improved and/or can it be modded?

3. Has Explorer AI been improved and/or can it be modded?

Some Quick Fixes to Improve Game Balance

[Erik Rutins]

Hi Icemania,

Universe development did include a lot of AI improvements, as a result of making sure that the AI could handle the things that modders could now do in terms of changing the game.

They are largely covered by these feature points:

- Allies will make cooperative fleet attacks against common enemies
- A multitude of AI improvements across many areas: resource transport, research pathing, fleets, etc

The AI is definitely smarter about research in Universe.

There were a few improvements to Ship Design AI but no major overhaul. Ship Design is based on the system that we put in place for Shadows, which allows tailoring of design strategies for each faction.

Explorer AI has been improved in each release. We solved most of the past issues in Shadows and it received a few more tweaks during Universe development. It does not have a new interface per the thread you linked from a week ago, but I'm pretty sure most players are not building and managing 50+ exploration ships from the start. However, if there's demand for more improvements to exploration we can do that.

Regards,

- Erik

[Icemania]

Thanks Erik, very glad to hear about those AI improvements (although it would be great to be able to mod AI research).

With Exploration, while I consider "move to" micro strategically essential, I appreciate your point and will leave others to comment or not. That said, one of the changes proposed that may be more achievable is:

"Change the AI to change exploration targets when the resource is discovered (i.e. with Proximity Arrays). At the moment the AI will waste a huge amount of time going to the centre of the target and only then change targets. When a planet has ruins that need investigating this maybe needed but otherwise it should change missions as soon as the resources are revealed".

i.e. the AI actually utilises the benefits of Proximity Arrays.

[hewwo]

AI improvements! Jeeh!

Actually, one request I have is to make the use of the resupply ships more logical/intuitive. I really like the idea but every time I use them I end up being frustrated and abandon them. It would make the game complete for me if you guys could have another pass at them and make them useful!

edit: I have no problems with the explorers as they are now

[Icemania]

ORIGINAL: hewwo
edit: I have no problems with the explorers as they are now

I have no problems with resupply ships as they are now

[:'(]

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: Icemania

ORIGINAL: hewwo
edit: I have no problems with the explorers as they are now

I have no problems with resupply ships as they are now

[:'(]

I rarely use resupply ships. Personally I'd rather see something more akin to a modern AO/AOR where it travels with the fleet, but doesn't have gas extractors of its own.

[Icemania]

Same, I don't use resupply ships either, hence no problem!

The current AI is so slow with exploration at the moment that it's just laughable. While for human players that micro Explorers (due to the benefits) it's a micro management nightmare.

[ASHBERY76]

They are really mobile supply bases.I find them very usefull because of their defensive power.

[Franky007]

My only wish:
A toggle for the AI to ignore damaged Armor as Damaged components...