ROTS: Super AI Mod - v0.5 - 2/4/2011 updated!

[alexalexuk]

Current Version - 0.5 - released 2/4/2011

TUNED FOR 1.5.0.8 BETA.


This mod is focusing on modifying the races.txt file to give a more challenging game to the more experienced players.

Key goals of this mod are:

1) Get the AI to build more ships
2) Make the AI bloody hard to beat


Im constantly modifying and adjusting accordingly as i play games, and i also welcome your feedback!!!!


Download link:

Please post a thanks if enjoy this! A little goes a long way

http://www.filefrisk.com/download/super_ai_v0_5.zip

Installation notes:

1) extract into your customization folder
2) select super AI from your theme when you load the game
3) start a new game, enjoy!
4) please ensure you are playing with aggressiveness on unstable

Changelog
Version 0.5

updated for 1.5.0.8 BETA patch

please now play the game with maximum setting on unstable, NOT chaos.

- minor fix bug for Mechaniod secondary tech now ion cannon focus.
- all races now like other races that are the same species.
- all races now hate other races that are different species.
- the same races now love each other.
- no one hates the Mechanoids, except for insects.
- increased loyalty to all races.
- increased caution on insect races.


Version 0.4

updated for 1.5.0.6 BETA patch

- reset all settings to default
- adjusted all races primary tech to construction, their "old" primary is now their secondary tech focus
- increased all population growth on all races
- increased aggressiveness on all aggressive races
- increased caution on all cautious races
- replaced "speed" ship focus, with "power" focus.
- replaced "efficiency" ship focus, with "power" focus.
- all races except for mechanized and shakturi can be pirates
- increase to all races for ship maintenance savings

- insects are more most aggressive, followed by reptilian, humaniod, amphibian, ursidian then rodent.
- in reverse order above for the cautious trait.
- specific balancing to the above to suit individuality for each race to avoid red vs blue.






Version 0.3

updated for 1.5.0.1 patch

- Reset of all traits from previous superAI versions to vanilla.
- Adjustment of aggression and caution on all races, suited on a per species basis, insects are more aggressive etc..
- Slight increase on individual traits of each race - ie, Teekans mine more, etc
- Adjustment of intelligence on every race, to suit that race.
- Removal of "efficiency" ship design for the AI, changed it to balanced, found that efficiency ships are shit.
- "War Weariness Attenuation" increased, should lead to longer, less expensive wars.
- Construction is now every races second tech focus, this should lead to bigger ships
- reproduction increased to every race, should progress the game more quickly.
- friendliness decreased slightly on every race



Version 0.2

- moderately increased ship maintenance savings for all races
- adjusted races to focus on power and speed ship design only, the more aggressive the race = focus on power ships, else, speed.
- adjusted tech focus on all races - to none (testing to see what happens in this situation) / except mechaniod.
- increased caution on all races

Version 0.1

Changes from the vanilla of Return of the Shakturi:

- massive increase to aggression to all races
- massive increase to caution to all races
- minor increase to population satisfaction to all races
- minor increase to trade bonuses to all races
- slight decrease of friendliness to all races
- slight increase of loyalty to all races

[Igard]

This is a good idea. This is going straight into my general improvements theme. Thank you alexalexuk. [:)]

[alexalexuk]

no problem - i also welcome feedback on how races should be adjusted to strengthen their individual traits.

[alexalexuk]

ORIGINAL: Igard

This is a good idea. This is going straight into my general improvements theme. Thank you alexalexuk. [:)]

will you include my updates into your improvements theme?

[Igard]

When ever I start a new game with the theme, I'll come check if there's an update.

That's what I find so great about the theme system in DW. I can have lots of themes in my customization folder. Mostly I use My Star Trek themes, but now and then I'll start a new game with the vanilla races. For that I use an improvement theme with music, troop images etc...

[alexalexuk]

Ok,

Im just playing my first game with this mod, and already there are 4 races with a higher military strength rating than me. Im at war with a very close companion, and its very comforting and unnerving when the AI has a fleet bigger than mine

version 0.2 should be out in a couple of days...

[alexalexuk]

updated to version 0.2, please see the changelog

[Liquid5n0w]

How's it working with the new patch, or does it override the changes in the patch to AI shipbuilding? About to try it now with the patch.

[alexalexuk]

i haven't tried this out with the new patch - im going to be playing a quick game without this mod, seeing what the patch is like, then im going to adjust this mod accordingly

should be a new version out sometmie between xmas and new years

[Liquid5n0w]

I'm mid way into a game now, and it seems like I am super insane rich, my taxes are all on low and I can't seem to spend my money. I am playing the trader rats, so that might be it, but the maintenance reduction might be too much. I didn't use this before the patch though, so I'm not sure if that makes a difference.

[alexalexuk]

yeah seems that maintenance reduction also has a positive effect on being mega rich, but the assumption is, so is the AI

It seems that the new patch does boost AI ship numbers by a considerable amount - im going to release a new version of the mod and change things around a bit to suit this new patch - as opposed to throwing "cash" at it.

[Shark7]

OK, one thing I have noticed. I added 10 additional races to the game, most with INT, CAU and AGR over 105. As it sits, these empires are keeping pretty close to me in firepower terms...and way ahead of the default races. I think the caution combined with the AGR is really helping kick them up. This is also playing the beta patch.

[Liquid5n0w]

ORIGINAL: alexalexuk

yeah seems that maintenance reduction also has a positive effect on being mega rich, but the assumption is, so is the AI

It seems that the new patch does boost AI ship numbers by a considerable amount - im going to release a new version of the mod and change things around a bit to suit this new patch - as opposed to throwing "cash" at it.

Well, my issue is that I don't really have anything to spend the money on, except even more ships. If the only affect of less maintenance is that everyone has more ships, whats the point? Why not just normal maint and AI builds ships up to what they can sustain.

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: Liquid5n0w

ORIGINAL: alexalexuk

yeah seems that maintenance reduction also has a positive effect on being mega rich, but the assumption is, so is the AI

It seems that the new patch does boost AI ship numbers by a considerable amount - im going to release a new version of the mod and change things around a bit to suit this new patch - as opposed to throwing "cash" at it.

Well, my issue is that I don't really have anything to spend the money on, except even more ships. If the only affect of less maintenance is that everyone has more ships, whats the point? Why not just normal maint and AI builds ships up to what they can sustain.

How about giving the AI a bonus to reduce ship maintainence costs in the background not including the racial bonus (IE all AI empires get an automatic 50% maintainence reduction).

[alexalexuk]

ORIGINAL: Shark7

ORIGINAL: Liquid5n0w

ORIGINAL: alexalexuk

yeah seems that maintenance reduction also has a positive effect on being mega rich, but the assumption is, so is the AI

It seems that the new patch does boost AI ship numbers by a considerable amount - im going to release a new version of the mod and change things around a bit to suit this new patch - as opposed to throwing "cash" at it.

Well, my issue is that I don't really have anything to spend the money on, except even more ships. If the only affect of less maintenance is that everyone has more ships, whats the point? Why not just normal maint and AI builds ships up to what they can sustain.

How about giving the AI a bonus to reduce ship maintainence costs in the background not including the racial bonus (IE all AI empires get an automatic 50% maintainence reduction).

but wouldn't you have to get the human to choose a race without said bonus?

[alexalexuk]

infact, sounds like an interesting idea, box the human player into one race, then modify AI's to be v strong....

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: alexalexuk

ORIGINAL: Shark7

ORIGINAL: Liquid5n0w




Well, my issue is that I don't really have anything to spend the money on, except even more ships. If the only affect of less maintenance is that everyone has more ships, whats the point? Why not just normal maint and AI builds ships up to what they can sustain.

How about giving the AI a bonus to reduce ship maintainence costs in the background not including the racial bonus (IE all AI empires get an automatic 50% maintainence reduction).

but wouldn't you have to get the human to choose a race without said bonus?

No, its in the mechanics and would never apply to the human player. IE not a race bonus thing, but buried in the nuts and bolts of the code. It would be something Elliot would have to do.

[Sithuk]

Alex, any update on your playtesting your mod with the new beta patch (1.5.1)?

[alexalexuk]

yes, and ive got a new update coming out in the next 24 hours

its a major change from the previous versions, but ive got a nice candidate here for the mod, and im just finetuning it

secondly, ill be releasing another variant to this, where you can ONLY play the humans with various adjustment to the traits, AND the AI / races will have advantages ....

[tofudog]

Nice effort, but consider this:
As it stands now we don´t get our fingers on the real AI (codewise that is), so I think the mod title is a tad misleading.
Here is what I propose for an alternative:
Set up a game with AI races from the same family, and one that opposes yours to boot (to make them gang up on you). The "naturally aggressive" insects or lizards come to mind (lizards with haakonish bonus to finance the war effort). Add a headstart in whatever you like and voila - instant hard game.
No modifying at all involved.