AI Scenarios - concept and evolution
Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 7:26 pm
RHS - which is a mod for pbem use - came up with the idea of scenarios for AI players.
The first idea was to do a Japan Enhansed Scenario (a term used theoretically by Joe Wilkerson years ago)
which - because Japan was stronger - might give AI more to play with - and therefore be more of a challenge.
While this no doubt is a valid idea - the more AI has the tougher it is - it did not address the problems AI has
with WITP in general nor with RHS modifications in particular. So while the scenario first tried - EOS - worked -
it failed as an AI scenario. AI was worse than in any other mod or in stock - because it was bewildered by interior
river systems and other RHS features. Similarly, it could not deal with the idea of Active Russians not at war.
The next step was to modify EOS to get rid of things that AI could not address. In particular, it went back to stock
for rivers - there are simply no interior river systems or ports or units on them - and the Russians are passive - just
like stock. This worked better - but not well enough - and AI still wastes too much effort on silly things - and does not
do things that need to be done much of the time.
The next step was to program the units to "tell" AI what to do with them - assign missions, targets, etc as appropriate.
This kind of works too - and kind of not: it works for SOME missions on SOME units - but if you assign a horizontal bomber unit
to ASW - never mind that is it is real job - AI will not let it keep that mission.
Things worked well enough to regard AI scenarios as training devices - and players wanted a version more like CVO - which is a popular basic scenario. So RHSCAIO was born - it is simply CVO with AI helping modifications as described above.
The original AIO scenario is based on EOS - and that means it is focused on a Central Pacific offensive by Japan. But AI does not understand this - so the extra power of Japan is squandered and just left for the Allies to mop up. Players wanted a scenario that used these assets better - so MAIO was born: modified AIO is focused on the South Pacific - and AI is a bit less confused by that.
The first idea was to do a Japan Enhansed Scenario (a term used theoretically by Joe Wilkerson years ago)
which - because Japan was stronger - might give AI more to play with - and therefore be more of a challenge.
While this no doubt is a valid idea - the more AI has the tougher it is - it did not address the problems AI has
with WITP in general nor with RHS modifications in particular. So while the scenario first tried - EOS - worked -
it failed as an AI scenario. AI was worse than in any other mod or in stock - because it was bewildered by interior
river systems and other RHS features. Similarly, it could not deal with the idea of Active Russians not at war.
The next step was to modify EOS to get rid of things that AI could not address. In particular, it went back to stock
for rivers - there are simply no interior river systems or ports or units on them - and the Russians are passive - just
like stock. This worked better - but not well enough - and AI still wastes too much effort on silly things - and does not
do things that need to be done much of the time.
The next step was to program the units to "tell" AI what to do with them - assign missions, targets, etc as appropriate.
This kind of works too - and kind of not: it works for SOME missions on SOME units - but if you assign a horizontal bomber unit
to ASW - never mind that is it is real job - AI will not let it keep that mission.
Things worked well enough to regard AI scenarios as training devices - and players wanted a version more like CVO - which is a popular basic scenario. So RHSCAIO was born - it is simply CVO with AI helping modifications as described above.
The original AIO scenario is based on EOS - and that means it is focused on a Central Pacific offensive by Japan. But AI does not understand this - so the extra power of Japan is squandered and just left for the Allies to mop up. Players wanted a scenario that used these assets better - so MAIO was born: modified AIO is focused on the South Pacific - and AI is a bit less confused by that.