Automate a game?

[Alinestra Covelia]

I was just fooling around with SMAC and trying to recreate something pretty fun that I'd heard was possible - leaving a game to run entirely controlled by the computer AI, and the player just spectating (although they made mention of having to keep the ENTER key taped down, so presumably a player can jump in at will to resume play).

Does anybody know what Scenario settings I have to do in order to keep this going? I heard that it was good entertainment for a couple of spare hours, and that's pretty much what I have until the end of June.

I'd be interested in seeing the AI play using all 7 factions against each other.

[Aredhran]

Hi Ali, long time no see ! Welcome back

My guess would be to set governors on all bases, and automate all units, but I don't know if it's possible to have the game run 100% by itself.

Aredhran

[Chowlett]

You have to start a game, then go the scenario editor and turn over control of your faction to the AI. The enter key ensures all the warning boxes are cleared. Apart from that, I don't think there are any special settings required.

[Alinestra Covelia]

Hmm. How exactly do I go about turning over control of my faction to the AI? I have tried Shift F3 but that didn't work the way I'd planned. What needs to be done?

[Misotu]

Good question. I couldn't see how to do it either ...

[Ned]

I've done this several times.

There is a menu item on the scenario editor that alows one to "switch sides." Pick a faction. You then are given two options, take control or let the AI take control. If you select the latter, the game will run on full automatic until a pop up notice is given. Thus the tape on the enter key - I use a weight on a letter opener.

What you see is the faction you gave control to play. If you want to seen your own faction play, take control of the first faction, and then surrender control to your original faction.

For some reason though, this is not fullproof. The computer will sometimes "hang" at a particular point, in an endless loop. But it interesting to stop the game from time to time and see how the various factions are doing.

Ned

[Longtooth]

We used to do this in college with Warlords II and Civ 1, let it run overnight and see where everyone is when you wake up. Or just sit there and mindlessly stare at it.

[Iskandar Reza]

now why would you want to do that?

[Longtooth]

sometimes the mood just strikes you.