SMAC 444 (AI experiment)

[Petek]

I'm going to retract what I previously said about terraforming in kyrub's patch. It is better. See the two attached ZIP files, Test scient patch, 2400.zip and Test kyrub patch, 2400.zip. I started a game with kyrub's patch, turned it over to the AI in the scenario editor and let the AI play until MY 2400. The result is seen in the Test kyrub file. I then saved the map and started a new game with scient's patch, again turning it over to the AI and letting it play until MY 2400. The result is in the Test scient patch file.

There does seem to be more forest in the game played with kyrub's patch. However, the big difference is in the amount of terraforming. Almost all tiles on inhabited landmasses have been improved in the kyrub patch game, while the same is not true in the other game. Very nice!

Test scient patch, 2400.zip
Test kyrub patch, 2400.zip

[kyrub]

Whoa! I did not know you could turn the game to the AI. Very handy. Does it mean you wipe out your own faction in the editor? And then keep pressing end turn?

As for your testgames, Petek, thanks for the feedback. The amount of terraforming is mostly due to improved chance for building formers, I guess. As for the quality of terraforming, it is not as easy to estimate. But one stat shines out: the major Hive continent has developped significantly bigger cities. With bigger cities, other improvements come hand in hand, like boreholes.

The major drawback is the lack of worked ocean tiles near land bases. AI is quite stupid when it comes to building sea formers. This will be repaired. But there's a mystery: some AI factions do not create a Sea former design!! I have seen it several times now (mostly with Peacekeepers). That's quite bad, really.

[Petek]

Here's how to turn a game over to the AI: Start a new game, activate the scenario editor (Ctrl-K), and go MENU --> SCENARIO --> Switch Sides/Set View. Select the faction you wish to observe (you can switch to a different faction later, if you wish), press OK, select No, watch Computer Player and press OK again. If you place a weighted object on the ENTER key, you can bypass all the dialog boxes for continuous play.

The faction you began the game with is still there. It's now being controlled by the AI, as are all other factions.

I've developed more detailed techniques for doing this, but you probably can figure out on your own how to optimize this technique. Let me know if you'd like more details.

(Hope this isn't a duplicate post. I thought I submitted my reply, but I don't see it.)

[kyrub]

Thanks. I did not know. I have actually enjoyed the possibility of not-looking at the whole game and running through quickly - which, as it seems, is possible when you erase your own faction and press Y in the editor again. Then Enter and in a minute you are at 2400.


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Could you possibly explain me, how SHOULD Children's Creche behave on the attack-from-the-base? I have read Maniac's explanation of current behaviour and I see the bug in the code, I just don't know what should I put there instead.

[kittenOFchaos]

Could you possibly explain me, how SHOULD Children's Creche behave on the attack-from-the-base? I have read Maniac's explanation of current behaviour and I see the bug in the code, I just don't know what should I put there instead.

Think a Nobel Prize should be awarded to whoever can untangle the morale system. No wonder Maniac described his thread as a treatise on morale.

http://apolyton.net/showthread.php/145615-Treatise-on-Morale?s=

Wouldn't it be best just to simplify (and nerf) the morale bonus given by Creche's - basically that it just gives +1 morale and nothing else?

[kyrub]

Well, adding + 1 Morale would be really simple. But I guess I figured up finally what was meant from the old datalinks:

All negative $LINK effects are cancelled for units in
base square; instead such units receive a +1 MORALE modifier.

So, it's basically
if MORALE_setting >=0 add 12,5% (equivalent of + 1 morale) to combat
if MORALE_setting < 0 put exactly the bonus = 12,5% to combat (ignore negative and add 12,5%).
-- Nice, very easy to correct.

[kittenOFchaos]

Well, adding + 1 Morale would be really simple. But I guess I figured up finally what was meant from the old datalinks:

So, it's basically
if MORALE_setting >=0 add 12,5% (equivalent of + 1 morale) to combat
if MORALE_setting < 0 put exactly the bonus = 12,5% to combat (ignore negative and add 12,5%).
-- Nice, very easy to correct.

[kyrub]

I think I have found the Talent-facility bug as well. Will be harder to correct, that's sure.

I forgot another lame bug: the Stockpile energy one. Here I have very little idea what exactly it does wrong. If anybody could help...?

[Petek]

I think I have found the Talent-facility bug as well. Will be harder to correct, that's sure.

I forgot another lame bug: the Stockpile energy one. Here I have very little idea what exactly it does wrong. If anybody could help...?

The stockpile energy bug occurs in two flavors:

1. On the turn a base completes a facility, it also generates an amount of ECs equal to what would have been produced if it had stockpiled energy that turn. This affects both human players and the AI. This bug tends to benefit builders, who typically build more facilities than momentum players. It happens automatically.
2. When constructing a unit (any type), if you place Stockpile energy as the next item in the build queue, the base will generate ECs on the same turn that the unit finishes. The amount of ECs is the same as in #1. The AI never does this, so it benefits only those human players who choose to take advantage.

[kyrub]

Ah, thanks, Petek. Two more question here:

1) How is stockpile energy computed?
2) What happens with the excess production normally, is it automatically assigned to the next item in queue?

[Petek]

1. For each two minerals produced by a base, stockpile energy gives one EC.
2. Right off the top of my head, I don't know what happens to excess production when an item is in the queue.

[Elthore]

can alien crossfire be updated as well???

[kyrub]

can alien crossfire be updated as well???

I will surely try to port the bug corrections to SMACX, later. If they work.
Other than that, I am not very fond of putting my work and my time into the expansion, because I never liked it. Terraforming could be transcribed rather simply, though.

EDIT: Thx to Petek.

[kyrub]

AI rushing production bug

While trying to improve AI energy reserves, I found a bad AI bug.

Human player has 2 formulas for rushing production: (Mm...minerals missing)

for units:
Cp = 2 * Mm + (Mm * Mm / 20)

and for facilities:
Cp = 2 * Mm

AI uses only the first formula in both cases! This gives you nasty results, especially when trying to hurry Secret projects or bigger facilities. They waste lots of energy.

[Hagen0]

Some comments:

Secret projects have yet another rush cost formula. (I'm sure you know this. Just making sure.)

If an item is in the queue the stockpile energy bug will not occur at all.

Excess production is transferred to the next item in the queue up to a maximum of 10 minerals. Anything above this is discarded. Please note, however, that the stockpile energy bug has no relation at all to excess production. If you finish a building you gain additional energy as if you had chosen to stockpile energy the previous turn. Essentially, you get the production of this turn twice.