GENERAL: E-Cafe III

[Maquiladora]

Thanks whoever put the news item up.

[Ekmek]

Originally posted by Maquiladora
I sent a news item yesterday about the latest playtest to the civgroup news, but it hasn't been upped yet. I'm not trying to rush anyone, just wondering who does the check for our news items? As I could possibly help with that, to get some more regualr news items for CtP2 up.

Also is the process different for CtP2 sourcecode civgroup news and regular CtP2 news?

locutus still manages that. afaik I can immediately post stuff to civgroups sourcecode news but the ctp2 section is still Locutus's

[Maquiladora]

OK thanks for putting up the Civgroup news E.

To be honest I think Civgroup news is enough for this kind of smaller news anyway. Although I had considered a major news item about (as far as I can tell) fully working PBEM/Hotseat.

[HuangShang]

Hey yea I can help with that too but I don't have legitimate internet for another week.

[Protra3211]

Hello.Been away for a bit.Had computor problems .The lastest playtest is 12/14/07 -am I right ?
Downloading now and should be ready soon.One thing that I feel needs improvement is diplomacy.The AI in the last playtest was to easy to get a peace treaty with no matter the personality.Just too passive.Even the 1.11 version was more aggressive and kept a cold war stance for awhile.Maybe a tweak up in the Diplomacy text file found in aidata file group might help.
Something along the line of the Apolyton pack version but without Diplomod as the code update for AI to AI diplomacy keeps it fron becoming a warfest.Might make the AI smarter and able to watch out for its own intrests.Less prone to simple bribes.Also there are settings in that file the help warn the AI that your pliing up on its border for attack-milatry safety event-.
Will try this first and report how it worked out.One last thing -in Stratgies file we already raised the attack goal to 72000.Maybe the seige goal should be tweaked up to 7000 - from 6000 which would help improve AI tactics along the lines of the latest mods
Again I would do work and see how the AI holds up.
I know we dont want to copy the mods in every detail.But at some ponits there are things that make sense for a better game.

[Maquiladora]

Yeah the last release was on 14th Dec 2007.

Protra, if you find some good settings you should submit them for the next release. At least put them in the AE_Mod folder so we can all try.

[Protra3211]

Hello Maquiladora.Added updated files in the playtest section.A Goals and Strategies file -miner tweaks -more information is posted.

[Protra3211]

Was looking over the Revision Reports and seems to have many improvements how the AI handles its units.
Looks very intresting indeed.
The playtest updates have helped as the AI tends to feed more units into its cities near the border.AI is holding on to weaker cities longer which makes for a harder game.
Just a side note:Have you ever looked into the code for the Breakagreement diplomacy option?I know it does not work but could that be converted to something else or is the too hard coded for that?

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by Protra3211
The playtest updates have helped as the AI tends to feed more units into its cities near the border.AI is holding on to weaker cities longer which makes for a harder game.

Not only that, it puts more units into all its cities as garrison. This means it build less other stuff, and has no units for attack. So the AI does not do much conquest if at all.

Originally posted by Protra3211
Just a side note:Have you ever looked into the code for the Breakagreement diplomacy option?I know it does not work but could that be converted to something else or is the too hard coded for that?

No, I haven't. The only problem is that it would need some work to dive into it. And now my priority is the AI at tasking and building its units. Unfortunately I have already used too much time for that.

-Martin

[Protra3211]

Your right Martin about the the AI is not setting up attacks for conquest.Maybe we should rethink the Goals and Startgies files. I know you have worked on this game a long time and know what would work best.
So we would follow your lead.That would of course include E as well.
One thing I find intresting about the AI in a game im playing. The strongest AI seems to like to expand by means of war against other AI faction on their border.
But are weak against the human player.
Another thing -once I declare war with the AI,it will give cease fire treaties to AI factions on their border.Seems to know that a 2 front war will weaken them.Has happened more than once. The AI diplomacy has changed.If your not a threat it seems you get get a peace treaty with any civ that has a aggressive personalities.

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by Protra3211
Maybe we should rethink the Goals and Startgies files.

We can tweak as long as we want these files, but it doesn't help if we don't fix the problems from the source code, for instance we have to make sure that the AI moves its units into its transports properly. Tasks its units once they have been created and not one turn later. Change their government on the same turn when a new one is available and not one turn later.

- Martin

[Ekmek]

Martin, Have you looke dinto the Civ4 SDk to get an idea how transporters are used there. I've faced many sea invasions in that one.

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by E
Martin, Have you looke dinto the Civ4 SDk to get an idea how transporters are used there. I've faced many sea invasions in that one.

No, I just look into how the transporters were used in CTP2, and all I can say is that they just implemented the stuff and never checked whether it really worked by watching the AI play, although they had a chat window command: /attach n were n in the number of the player you want to turn into a robot. Actually this command was broken, so noone turned the visible player into a robot and checked what happened.

-Martin

[Protra3211]

Hello E.So you have been playing Civ 4.Been thinking of getting the game as well.Have the demo-not bad but I like the way CtP2 has its playing area setup.Like Ages of Empire plenty pf room to roam and explore.
Been giving Supreme Ruler 2010 a try.A updated version is due out in May,SR 2020.put out by Paradox.Might want to look into it.It has elements of civilization,sim city,and Heats of Iron2.Has been given good reviews but its complex-next version will have less micro- management.

[Ekmek]

I've been playing, and doing graphics, for Civ4BTS. Dale has introduced stack combat and in my own mod (not posted anywhere) I made workers killed after they build certain improvements. It makes it close to PW. The other option is that Firaxis implemented a gold cost for building improvemens so you can do a lot of CTP2-like stuff and deal with a decent AI. I'm liking it. I would like to add a lawyer unit that kicks out corporations but I haven't really gotten into python.