PROJECT: Playtest (Thread No. 6)

[Martin Gühmann]

It is time again for a new playtest version. The crashes concerning the AI goal handling should be gone now. You can download it from here.

Edit: Removed links. For an up to date version of the Apolyton edition click here.

And E, could you move it again to Apolyton.

Here are the changes made since the last version.

2007-12-14 (Revision 836)
Fixed:   AI now bombards all nearby units if it has the opportunity.
Fixed:   AI does not try to fortify units that are scheduled to be disbanded.
Fixed:   AI does not try to initialize diplomatic state with dead players.
Fixed:   AI now stops pirating trade routes properly.
Fixed:   Removed some more events calls with invalid arguments.
Changed: The chat window command /importmap reports if you try to import a map
         from a not existing file and reports if the map size of the imported
         map does not match the map size of the loaded map.
Fixed:   The turns until a city grows are now correctly displayed on the map
         when you modify the farmer assignement.
Fixed:   The turns until a city grows are now correctly displayed on the map
         when you modify the empire slider settings.
Fixed:   The key mapping screen now displays the correct key.
Changed: Increased the number of player in a PBEM or HotSeat game to 32.
Changed: Moved the experimental relgion stuff to its own AE scenario.
Fixed:   The city sprawl code should now work.
Added:    New database flags for modders:
- ConstDB:
   TurnsAcceptedForOnePop Const makes the AI to add more farmers to a city if
                          the city needs more than the specified number of turn.
                          This flag provides the default value for those in
                          the StrategiesDB.

[Ekmek]

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann
And E, could you move it again to Apolyton.

done.

Edit: Link removed, for the latest version of the Apolyton Edition see the first post in this thread.

...and honestly I've little interest in ctp2. I can talk to locutus if you want the forum power

[Maquiladora]

Thanks for the new release Martin.

Just been trying it again on the scenario. I got a crash.txt which is related to transports:

Version 2007-12-15
  0x007cf7bb  [??OPlan@@QBE_NABV0@@Z + 0xb]
  0x007d35ec  [?merge@?$list@VPlan@@V?$allocator@VPlan@@@std@@@std@@QAEXAAV12@U?$greater@VPlan@@@2@@Z + 0x3c]
  0x007d26fb  [?Add_Transport_Matches_For_Goal@Scheduler@@IAE_NABQAVGoal@@AAViterator@?$list@VPlan@@V?$allocator@VPlan@@@std@@@std@@@Z + 0x17b]
  0x007d14c1  [?Match_Resources@Scheduler@@QAEX_N@Z + 0xf1]
  0x007ecf4e  [?GEVHookCallback@CtpAi_ProcessMatchesEvent@@EAE?AW4GAME_EVENT_HOOK_DISPOSITION@@W4GAME_EVENT@@PAVGameEventArgList@@@Z + 0x8e]
  0x0057a5f7  [?Activate@GameEventHook@@QBE?AW4GAME_EVENT_ERR@@PAVGameEventArgList@@HAAH@Z + 0x37]
  0x0057afb8  [?ActivateHook@GameEventManager@@QAE?AW4GAME_EVENT_ERR@@W4GAME_EVENT@@PAVGameEventArgList@@HAAH@Z + 0x28]
  0x005790dd  [?Process@GameEvent@@QAE?AW4GAME_EVENT_ERR@@XZ + 0x2d]
  0x0040c60f  [?Process@CivApp@@QAEHXZ + 0x1cf]
  0x00406f94  [?CivMain@@YGHPAUHINSTANCE__@@0PADH@Z + 0x394]
  0x004069f5  [WinMain@16 + 0x65]
  0x007fbafc  [WinMainCRTStartup + 0x134]
  0x7c816d4f  [__onexitbegin + 0x7be55217]

I don't have a save at the exact moment, but it would just mean starting the scenario again and saving before the crash, so I can get a saved .c2g again if needed.

Anyway, I removed all the transports from the game and tried again and it played fine through all the 15 turns I played. The AI didn't group big armies though, but they did attack with 5-8 unit armies sometimes after sieging. They were also constantly bombarding from the air now, which was very good.

I stopped there as I noticed the German player wasn't giving units far from the enemy any tasks. Could this be caused by something related to distance in strategies.txt? Or another internal problem I can't change?

Some were also still being fortified near the front lines, but not as many as the previous release. Many units attacked at least.

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by E
done.

Thank you very much, and I updated my posts.

Originally posted by E
...and honestly I've little interest in ctp2.

That's pretty exhausting, isn't it? Maybe you need some distance, buy a new game or some real life. I guess I have to fix the civ chooser.

Originally posted by E
I can talk to locutus if you want the forum power

That would be a good idea, so I could get some things done directly for instance updating the CTP2 mod section of Apolyton, besides of course putting up those latest versions directly.

Originally posted by Maquiladora
I don't have a save at the exact moment, but it would just mean starting the scenario again and saving before the crash, so I can get a saved .c2g again if needed.

I guess the normal autosave would be sufficient enough. Well if you haven't modified the scenario in the mean time extensively.

So how does the TurnsAcceptedForOnePop flag works? It should also fix the problem with the AI that disbands its units.

Originally posted by Maquiladora
he AI didn't group big armies though, but they did attack with 5-8 unit armies sometimes after sieging.

Maybe you should play around with the force match settings in strategies.txt. Well, at least this is my guest, otherwise I have to look more closely into that grouping thing.

Originally posted by Maquiladora
I stopped there as I noticed the German player wasn't giving units far from the enemy any tasks. Could this be caused by something related to distance in strategies.txt? Or another internal problem I can't change?

Actually I have no idea, if I remember correctly the distance stuff has only a small influence on the goal raw priority, and that only on the priority within the group of same goal type. But of course you can raise those settings and see whether you get any effect.

Of course the alternative would be to slic it completely.

-Martin

[Maquiladora]

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann

I guess the normal autosave would be sufficient enough. Well if you haven't modified the scenario in the mean time extensively.

Well I wasn't able to load a save of the scenario before, saying it couldn't find the scenario folder. I've also made some changes, so I would probably have to send it again. When/if I can repeat the crash, I'll upload the full scenario again with the crashing save as the .c2g. If you don't mind downloading it again anyway.

So how does the TurnsAcceptedForOnePop flag works? It should also fix the problem with the AI that disbands its units.

It seems to work perfectly. I've been able to control the AI's specialists easily again.

I didn't check on disbanding units yet though, but I will, in the new year most likely.

Maybe you should play around with the force match settings in strategies.txt. Well, at least this is my guest, otherwise I have to look more closely into that grouping thing.

Yeah I think I will try changing those first. I'm using Peter Triggs' strategies/goals from his Activision WW2 scenario changes, but he also uses SLIC to group and task units, which is probably why I'm seeing lots of small risky attacks, but basic movement has definitely improved.

Actually I have no idea, if I remember correctly the distance stuff has only a small influence on the goal raw priority, and that only on the priority within the group of same goal type. But of course you can raise those settings and see whether you get any effect.

When I changed to Peter's strategies/goals many of the units far from the front eventually moved some turns later, but some still remain un-tasked, like Submarines far from a target. Air units from a similar distance are eventually now tasked though for some reason.

Of course the alternative would be to slic it completely.

I tried to use FrenzyAI that was used in Dale's WaW mod as it was the most easily transferred, but it seems to be incompatible with the source code as I crashed to desktop. I also tried BureaBert's Frenzy code from his website with similar results. I'll try and give you more info on this crash later.

I particularly need to instruct the AI to attack the closest targets to it's borders first, instead of sometimes wandering deep into human territory before attacking. I changed some figures in goals.txt related to distance but with poor results.

--

BTW E, I've returned to CtP2 so many times I've lost count It would be nice to see you come back as you kick-started lots of new modding options. I say started, as I'm still waiting for "MoveBonus" (among others) to be completed.

[LemurMadness]

Oi! Merry Christmass everyone!

Shame I see this part of the forums very slow nowdays

It's been over 4 years since the code got released! Cheers everyone!

[Maquiladora]

Merry Christmas all

[Protra3211]

Merry Christmas to all!

Still playing CtP2.Finishing up a 1.11 version which has its draw backs from the updated code but wanted to recall how the AI works.One ponit of intrest is the AI is more aggressive, harder to make peace treaties with than the updated code version.But lacks the skills to manage its cities and us its milatary to expand its borders.But of course as we all know the AI in 1.11 version starts many wars and stays at war till its hemed in by multi front battles.
The code work this past year has made many changes.
Thank you for work you have done.

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by Maquiladora
Well I wasn't able to load a save of the scenario before, saying it couldn't find the scenario folder. I've also made some changes, so I would probably have to send it again. When/if I can repeat the crash, I'll upload the full scenario again with the crashing save as the .c2g. If you don't mind downloading it again anyway.

Well, downloading isn't a big deal, but it's a problem if you cannot load the autosave if you didn't change your scenario at all. That would mean there is some work for left.

Originally posted by Maquiladora
I didn't check on disbanding units yet though, but I will, in the new year most likely.

Actually, I made sure that the message doesn't appear anymore, however I should look into it how the disbanding stuff is handled. And your AI shouldn't be forced to disband any units anymore, since it uses it specialist properly again, it has enough production to support its armies.

Originally posted by Maquiladora
I tried to use FrenzyAI that was used in Dale's WaW mod as it was the most easily transferred, but it seems to be incompatible with the source code as I crashed to desktop. I also tried BureaBert's Frenzy code from his website with similar results. I'll try and give you more info on this crash later.

Actually Frenzy shouldn't crash, so we have a problem here, but Frenzy isn't as effective as it should be. Well, for that I have something in pipe, I was working on it when the source code was released. I delayed its release to finish the AI sea invasion code, the land attack code was very effective, so with some tweaking you should have it. But first I have to find it on my hard drive.

And before I forget it: Merry Christmas By the way I thought we have for that a thread called E-Cafe, well we still have new year to come.

-Martin

[Maquiladora]

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann

Well, downloading isn't a big deal, but it's a problem if you cannot load the autosave if you didn't change your scenario at all. That would mean there is some work for left.

I tried it again and it's now loading the autosave and the manual saves (with blue text) from the scenario. I'm not sure what was wrong before, but I'll report if it ever happens again.

Actually Frenzy shouldn't crash, so we have a problem here, but Frenzy isn't as effective as it should be. Well, for that I have something in pipe, I was working on it when the source code was released. I delayed its release to finish the AI sea invasion code, the land attack code was very effective, so with some tweaking you should have it. But first I have to find it on my hard drive.

This sounds great Martin, especially if it's better than Frenzy.

BTW I was just trying the "UpgradeTo" flag in units.txt but it doesn't seem to be working now. I'm sure it was working when it was first introduced though.

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by Maquiladora
BTW I was just trying the "UpgradeTo" flag in units.txt but it doesn't seem to be working now. I'm sure it was working when it was first introduced though.

That's a user profile option and disabled by default. You can thank Fromafar that it isn't in the advanced options menu anymore.

-Martin

[LemurMadness]

I've noticed, I've got some weird "War Discontent" unhappiness... however, I am not at war with anyone (or anything).

I had a idea recently, how about "Population injection"? Like, moving a settler into a city to migrate populations? (Clicking a settler on a city would increase it's size by +1 -- same for the urban planner, but +3). This would be magnificent to establish strong positions on borders, or make successful far away settlements (the entertainers would remove any unhappiness).

[Maquiladora]

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann

That's a user profile option and disabled by default. You can thank Fromafar that it isn't in the advanced options menu anymore.

-Martin

So I guess it would be easier to just use the SLIC updater code from previous mods? Instead of changing the players userprofile.txt?

Originally posted by LemurMadness
I've noticed, I've got some weird "War Discontent" unhappiness... however, I am not at war with anyone (or anything).

Yeah, it's weird you can get "war discontent" if you have too many units outside your cities and forts, even at peace setting.

I had a idea recently, how about "Population injection"? Like, moving a settler into a city to migrate populations? (Clicking a settler on a city would increase it's size by +1 -- same for the urban planner, but +3). This would be magnificent to establish strong positions on borders, or make successful far away settlements (the entertainers would remove any unhappiness).

The refugee idea (or moving population) has been used in lots of mods, but as far as I know the AI has never been taught to use it at all yet. Perhaps because it's very situational.

[Ekmek]

Originally posted by Maquiladora


The refugee idea (or moving population) has been used in lots of mods, but as far as I know the AI has never been taught to use it at all yet. Perhaps because it's very situational.

I added to the code that you can settle in a city to add to its pop but as far as i can tell the AI doesnt know that

[Maquiladora]

Well it seems the bug I reported some time ago:

http://www.apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?postid=4637020#post4637020

about the sprite disappeared when moving onto barbed wire is because of units going into negative movement. At least it doesn't disappear when a fraction of the units movement is removed. I can't test if this happened in the orignal WW2 Activision scenario with CtP2 1.11, but I guess it didn't.