AI Improvement Mod (1.05 Extended Release)

[Icemania]

Francoy:

I like the concept. I can see that it will help the AI by focusing them initially on their very different preferred worlds rather than all being focused on exactly the same targets.

A couple of questions.

Was it your intent for Advanced Research of each planet type to cost the same for each race? i.e. rather than the proportions? For example consider the Ackdarian on a Cheap Research game, it would cost just 240k to get Ocean Colonisation, but 3840k for Adv Ocean Colonisation (to put it in perspective this is same as Beam Superflow). It's also double the norm for that column in the research line ... so maybe reduce it by half?

Due to the many additional technologies it also adds a lot to the research effort (even with that change) so getting to Advanced Colonisation for the 100M module would require a lot longer. So it's probably best for the AI to focus just on the top 3 colony types?

The Terraforming Facility placement would give races that favour Desert, Ice and Volcanic an advantage. Shouldn't the Terraforming Facility require any of the Advanced Colonisation Technologies?

[Franky007]

A couple of questions.

Was it your intent for Advanced Research of each planet type to cost the same for each race? i.e. rather than the proportions? For example consider the Ackdarian on a Cheap Research game, it would cost just 240k to get Ocean Colonisation, but 3840k for Adv Ocean Colonisation (to put it in perspective this is same as Beam Superflow). It's also double the norm for that column in the research line ... so maybe reduce it by half?
The modifiers (like ResearchColonizationCostFactorContinental) from the race files don't seem to work on the ABILITIES from the research file (I think it's a bug).
This mod was more like a proof of concept, so i am open to changes on the research costs.


Due to the many additional technologies it also adds a lot to the research effort (even with that change) so getting to Advanced Colonisation for the 100M module would require a lot longer. So it's probably best for the AI to focus just on the top 3 colony types?
I agree, but for the top 3 specific to each race.

The Terraforming Facility placement would give races that favour Desert, Ice and Volcanic an advantage. Shouldn't the Terraforming Facility require any of the Advanced Colonisation Technologies? [/quote]
It was a quick merge with the wonders mod. Yes it could be moved with Advanced Colonisation, But i was thinking that because Desert, Ice and Volcanic are harsh environment it make sense to put it there!

[Icemania]

Thanks Francoy, I'll apply those changes for the Alpha, and welcome your feedback when released. It will need some testing as the research orders will have to be customised across all of the races to make it work.

With Terraforming Facilities, keep in mind those worlds are indeed the primary environment for some of these races.

Note I haven't applied any of the other changes (e.g. wonders) and have just focused on Colonisation.

[Elhazad]

Hey im loving this mod a ton! even tho im very new in the game it makes it a lot more fun and challenging, but its also helping me learn too since the designs aren't trash now hehe. Something i noticed tho, i was playing with the Shandar and after i got the tech to make Carriers the ai never actually designed one. Is this intended?

Imo the point for going fighters is that tho, without using carriers the race is very weak since you just go up to improved concussion (spelling?) missiles then fighters (and that takes a ton to research)

[Icemania]

Welcome to the forums Elhazad!

You didn't see Carriers yet because they are not the pathetic baby ships you have with the default AI. They are Size 1100+ beasts that only become available once you have MegaScale Construction (Size 800).

Obviously that means they don't get unlocked for a while. I combine with Missiles as they are strong in the early game and are required for Missile Bombers anyway. I've also modified Fighter Bays to have a capacity of 6 rather than 4 as per the testing in the Weapon Balance thread. This means that Shandar ships should still be fairly dangerous (indeed I just watched the Shandar mop the floor with a Gizurean home system in the early game).

Please continue to a later stage in the game and let me know how it goes.

[Blackstork]

I got my time , lurked, and read all the info on first page and seems its a great stuff you doing in here, i will be defenitely trying and may be participating in your discussion here.
Please tell me there are only tweaks to ai and no changes on ui/Haree extended mod so there will be with race/cosmetic mods , because i am more testing than playing lately, but whoa, this seems to be cool stuff.
Did you found any disbalances on AI vs AI ?
I will run some tests soon with your mod!

[Elhazad]

ORIGINAL: Icemania

Welcome to the forums Elhazad!

You didn't see Carriers yet because they are not the pathetic baby ships you have with the default AI. They are Size 1100+ beasts that only become available once you have MegaScale Construction (Size 800).

Obviously that means they don't get unlocked for a while. I combine with Missiles as they are strong in the early game and are required for Missile Bombers anyway. I've also modified Fighter Bays to have a capacity of 6 rather than 4 as per the testing in the Weapon Balance thread. This means that Shandar ships should still be fairly dangerous (indeed I just watched the Shandar mop the floor with a Gizurean home system in the early game).

Please continue to a later stage in the game and let me know how it goes.

Now THAT explains a lot lol, well ill keep going, i love fighters a ton so ill keep going with them and see how these massive carriers will do!

Edit: I kept playing it and for some reason most designs have 4-6 missiles tops and a TON of fuel cells, i checked the template and im guessing is due to fighter bays but by the time i can actually build cruisers they cannot fit the fighter bays, i think giving fighter bays to some designs don't work as well until you can build massive sized ships i guess.

[Icemania]

ORIGINAL: Elhazad
Now THAT explains a lot lol, well ill keep going, i love fighters a ton so ill keep going with them and see how these massive carriers will do!

Edit: I kept playing it and for some reason most designs have 4-6 missiles tops and a TON of fuel cells, i checked the template and im guessing is due to fighter bays but by the time i can actually build cruisers they cannot fit the fighter bays, i think giving fighter bays to some designs don't work as well until you can build massive sized ships i guess.

Yeah unfortunately the game does some weird things when shrinking ships to a lower construction size. Ships probably shouldn't be allowed to be built at all when shrunk unless it can fit say 50% of the weapons of the final design.

Hopefully Elliot can help with this, nothing much I can do, as I just HAVE to have larger ships here!

[Icemania]

ORIGINAL: Icemania
Securan Test Game Observations for Elliott to Consider

The AI does not optimise tax rates in this case, it should take advantage of their extra happiness to increase tax rates, but instead Happiness is excessive at +50. Recommend the Securan happiness target is +20, they remain a Happy race, but will improve income.

Elliot this applies to the other happy races as well e.g. the Shandar. Could you please change? Happy and more income ...

[Icemania]

ORIGINAL: Elhazad

ORIGINAL: Icemania

Welcome to the forums Elhazad!

You didn't see Carriers yet because they are not the pathetic baby ships you have with the default AI. They are Size 1100+ beasts that only become available once you have MegaScale Construction (Size 800).

Obviously that means they don't get unlocked for a while. I combine with Missiles as they are strong in the early game and are required for Missile Bombers anyway. I've also modified Fighter Bays to have a capacity of 6 rather than 4 as per the testing in the Weapon Balance thread. This means that Shandar ships should still be fairly dangerous (indeed I just watched the Shandar mop the floor with a Gizurean home system in the early game).

Please continue to a later stage in the game and let me know how it goes.

Now THAT explains a lot lol, well ill keep going, i love fighters a ton so ill keep going with them and see how these massive carriers will do!

Edit: I kept playing it and for some reason most designs have 4-6 missiles tops and a TON of fuel cells, i checked the template and im guessing is due to fighter bays but by the time i can actually build cruisers they cannot fit the fighter bays, i think giving fighter bays to some designs don't work as well until you can build massive sized ships i guess.

Right ... tested some more and thanks to your post I found a quirk in the design templates. Apparently for the AI to build Carriers they must have at least one weapon (not including Fighter Bays). I've added a Missile to the templates and now works. This fix will be in the Alpha Release. This is not covered in the modding manual which states there should be alignment with the warnings with the in-game designer, but there isn't in this respect. Same with Troop Transports, I can design them in-game without weapons, but the templates do not work without a weapon. Turns out that I had a weapon on the Securan Carrier Design but not the Shandar or Mortalen.

I've also reduced the Carrier design is size a bit so that it can be built after Rapid Assembly (Size 650 so Size 975 Carriers) also ensured Rapid Assembly is earlier in the Research orders for the fighter focused races.

Also extra fuel cells are important as I want the AI fleets to spend their time taking action rather than getting refuelled all the time.

[Icemania]

Francoy, Research Orders are updated and I've added changes to the Policy file Colonisation Priorities to align with the priorities for each race.

[Icemania]

ORIGINAL: Blackstork
I got my time , lurked, and read all the info on first page and seems its a great stuff you doing in here, i will be defenitely trying and may be participating in your discussion here.
Please tell me there are only tweaks to ai and no changes on ui/Haree extended mod so there will be with race/cosmetic mods , because i am more testing than playing lately, but whoa, this seems to be cool stuff.
Did you found any disbalances on AI vs AI ?
I will run some tests soon with your mod!

Yes the focus of this mod is whatever I can do to help the AI. I have no interest in cosmetic changes.

Please just keep in mind there is only so much I can do with the current modding capabilities but what is available has exceeded my expectations. That said, it requires a lot of testing and a number of the parameters are not well explained.

[lurchi]

Great work you do here, Icemania. I guess it'd be nice if you could set a minimum size in the templates. Maybe next update.
Anyway, does the AI only scale down, or does it scale up as well?

[Elhazad]

Hey i think theres something wrong with Haakonish and their designs, i belive is due to their racial bonus to ship size. The thing is if they have researched up to 400 ship size their bonus takes that to 450 something, however the designs it makes dont take that into consideration properly.

A few examples, at 459 ship size it is doing escorts and frigates properly, however, destroyers, cruisers and even capital ships are showing as build able but the design has no weps or shields/armor or both. Destroyer currently is at 340 out of 459 possible, and no shields nor armor (its researched already)cruiser is however with full shield and armor but no weapons, capitals at 300 something out of 459 possible no shield, armor or weapons.

I decided to check how they did more closely after i, in a another game, steamrolled them so easy, since its making those designs i believe the AI thinks its a good idea to pump out these capitals and cruisers (weaponless) too early and just get rolled.

In another game however i protected them a lot too see how they evolved and after they got 800 ship size researched and area graviton pulse they where the ones rolling over a ton of other races (was fun as hell to watch)

Anyways time to test another race. [:D]

Btw... Do Kaltors have special resistance against gravitic weapons or something? 2 of them in the starting system killed about 50 escorts and 25 frigates until i just decided to not build more military ships for a while. They pretty much did 0 dmg to them.

[Icemania]

Elhazad, yes I've mentioned this a few times and have requested developer support, and it's not specific to any race [EDIT: although you are right for races with Military Ship Size bonuses it is even more significant]

The problem is greatest when the game allows designs to be massively shrunk e.g. allowing a Cruiser designed for Size 800 to be built at Size 500. Once you have sufficient construction ship size though, after retrofit, they will match my design intentions.

Hopefully this will get a fix. I quite liked the suggestion from lurchi.

ORIGINAL: lurchi
I guess it'd be nice if you could set a minimum size in the templates. Maybe next update.

Another option might be to only allow build if more than half of the weapons remains on the final shrunk design (since weapons seem to be reduced as a priority when shrunk).

I'll do a test game with the Haakonish now and check out those Giant Kaltors! Good observations, thanks, sounds like I have no choice but to add some blasters to the design templates for Gravitic weapon focused races.

[Icemania]

Francoy:

I've been putting some more thought into the Research Costs for the new Colonisation Technology Tree using your Mod. For reference the figures below are for Cheap Research.

Stage 1

Status Quo: Colonisation (480k), Marshy Swamp (240k), Continental (240k). The big drawback with this is that it leads to the exact same colonisation strategy for all races.

New: Colonisation (480k), Priority 1 (60k), Priority 2 (120k), Priority 3 (240k). An appropriate colonisation strategy is now applied for each race. Across a range of Empires they will expand more broadly as all planet types are available.

Stage 2

Status Quo: Ocean (960k), Desert (960k) ... also provides pop growth bonus for Marshy Swamp and Continental. For races that start with a Marshy Swamp and Continental this provides an advantage, while others are at a disadvantage. And again there is the exact same colonisation strategy for all races.

New: Adv Priority 1 960k (Priority 1 pop growth doubled), Adv Priority 2 960k (Priority 2 pop growth doubled), Adv Priority 3 960k (Priority 3 pop growth doubled). Each race now gets the same population growth advantages.

Stage 3

Status Quo: Volcanic 3840k (Desert pop growth doubled), Ice 3840k (Ocean pop growth doubled). For races that start with a Volcanic Ice this provides an advantage, others are at a disadvantage. And again there is the exact same colonisation strategy for all races.

New: Priority 4 (480k), Priority 5 (720k), Priority 6 (960k), Adv Priority 4 960k (Priority 4 pop growth doubled), Adv Priority 5 960k (Priority 5 pop growth doubled), Adv Priority 6 960k (Priority 6 pop growth doubled). Each race now gets the same population growth advantages.

Stage 4

Status Quo: Adv Col 7680k (Ice pop growth doubled, Volcanic pop growth doubled). For races that start with a Volcanic or Ice homeworld they do not get a population growth bonus until late in the game.

New: Adv Col 3840k. I've reduced the cost as this technology no longer provides any population growth benefits, just the 100M Massive Colonisation Module.

Overall

While there are more technologies the overall cost of all Colonisation Research is reduced by about 30%. A Colonisation Research Focus becomes more attractive as compared to focusing on Commerce, Research, Entertainment or Happiness.

[Franky007]

Great !
It make sense to reduce the cost of adv col as it provide only access to the last col module.

Did you kept the prerequisite of Cargo tech for the colonisation tech ?
It could help increase the cost of research of colonisation, to keep parity with the vanilla game.

[Tcby]

Great to see colonisation discussion. I'll be going over the AI mod in my study breaks over the next week. Hopefully I'll be able provide useful feedback at some point. The progress so far, as well as the input from others, is very exciting.

[Icemania]

ORIGINAL: Francoy

Great !
It make sense to reduce the cost of adv col as it provide only access to the last col module.

Did you kept the prerequisite of Cargo tech for the colonisation tech ?
It could help increase the cost of research of colonisation, to keep parity with the vanilla game.

Yes I kept the prerequisites but will still be a bit less than parity with vanilla (which I like to help make a colonisation focused game more attractive).

[Icemania]

ORIGINAL: Tcby
Great to see colonisation discussion. I'll be going over the AI mod in my study breaks over the next week. Hopefully I'll be able provide useful feedback at some point. The progress so far, as well as the input from others, is very exciting.

I remember our Friendly Challenge discussions ... hopefully this will help that balance a bit.