Simple way to improve AI colonization

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Tanaka
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Simple way to improve AI colonization

Post by Tanaka »

Fix AI exploration. AI goes all over the place and misses colonies close to home. Make them do what the humans do and start close to home and explore your way out slowly around and around the home planet.
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blastpop
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RE: Simple way to improve AI colonization

Post by blastpop »

I agree Tanaka. But since the Galaxy is randomized, I suspect the exploration routines are already complex. OToH- At least it brings folks into contact with other Species sooner and could lead to more interesting games...
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OJsDad
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RE: Simple way to improve AI colonization

Post by OJsDad »

You can assign recon ships to explore an entire sector. The way to do this is to start with seven recon ships. Assign one to your home sector, and one each to each of the six surrounding sectors. After assigning each, turn automation back on. When they are done exploring the assigned sector, they will move on. That should help finding the closer colonizable planets first.
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Tanaka
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RE: Simple way to improve AI colonization

Post by Tanaka »

ORIGINAL: OJsDad

You can assign recon ships to explore an entire sector. The way to do this is to start with seven recon ships. Assign one to your home sector, and one each to each of the six surrounding sectors. After assigning each, turn automation back on. When they are done exploring the assigned sector, they will move on. That should help finding the closer colonizable planets first.

Yep wish the AI would do this! But I find when I turn automation on they will fly WAY off to other places!
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Fishers of Men
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RE: Simple way to improve AI colonization

Post by Fishers of Men »

OJsDad's exploration plan is very good. But if you use it, don't turn automation on, and see if that works. They should not fly off to who knows where.
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Atlanton
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RE: Simple way to improve AI colonization

Post by Atlanton »

That's a great tip.

Perhaps I don't understand how coding AI works, but it seems that a script that follows OJsDad "explore sector" technique wouldn't be that complicated.

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Fishers of Men
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RE: Simple way to improve AI colonization

Post by Fishers of Men »

After each exploration ship has completed it scripted assignment of exploring its sector, the mission will end and you will need to manualy assign them a new sector mission. It will take awhile before each sector is explorered, depending on how many stars are in it. Keep checking the Expansion Planner to see what all has been discovered. Use can use the quick buttons on screen left to see this, too.
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OJsDad
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RE: Simple way to improve AI colonization

Post by OJsDad »

You can also turn on SHOW POTENTIAL COLONIES, this is the forth button above the mini-map. It will place a pulsing red to yellow circle around systems that have planets that you can colonize. As you research more techs that allow you to colonize more planets, more cirlce will appear. They will disappear when you colonize them.

As for turning automation back on after a scout explores a sector, i would say it depends on your play style. Iam currently playing even clusters. I also play cannot colonize beyond 2 sectors, abundant colonies, and I start the game building 9 additional scouts, for a total of 10. So if I assign 1 eash to my home system and the 8 surrounding sectors, leave two on auto. Again, depending on your galaxy map, that may give you a lot of systems scouted and take quite a bit of time. By the time your scouts are done, you may have your hands full with monsters, pirates, and other empires, not to mention running our own empire. You don't want to forget about those scouts and leave them sit for game months. If you want to make sure a certain area gets scouted next, then leave enough scout with their auto turned off so you can reassign them, just dont forget about them.
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