35 replies to this topic

[ArkhanTheBlack]

Okay, the first (official) beta should be ready. At least as soon as Thudo will upload it...

Changes:

1.) Inclusion of Sisters of Battle and Dark Eldar AI

2.) Harassing code was reworked to focus on a leader, which is usually the commander. This should make harassing less chaotic.

3.) Building and repair assist for allied buildings and vehicles in home range (Rem.: There seems to be a difference of which races can assist other races. DE can't help Necrons for some reason.)

4.) Countless performance improvements. It's still not perfect, but it should be a bit better now.

5.) Turrets and mines can be deactivated in the control panel.

6.) Force tech times change now with tech speed setting in the control panel

7.) Some adjustements to the build programs of the old races

8.) Kroot carnivores should now use cannibalize ability

9.) Some other improvements...


Custom content:

1.) Heroes Special mod adjusted to Soulstorm. It should also work with the campaign.

2.) NEW: Fortress mod included. Makes turrets, fortified posts and mines a lot tougher and stronger. The AI will react by building more turrets and mines.

3.) NEW: Massive Battles mod included. Increases army size of all players by 50%. (More of less taken from Cuttershanes original heroes mod)


For testing reports, please focus on new things, especially the new races. The general behaviour of the AI is more or less fixed since DC. Things like sub-optimal capturing routes and in general the path selection are annoying but we can't fix them since they are hard coded.
I'm especially interested if the campaign works, saving and reloading and multiplayer stability (with/without mods).

Edited by ArkhanTheBlack, 18 March 2008 - 11:00 AM.

[Inquisitor]

Amazing! You guys are just the best!

8.) Necron flayed ones and Kroot carnivores should now use cannibalize ability

Cool, but Necron FO cannibalize ability? what is that?

[ArkhanTheBlack]

Cool, but Necron FO cannibalize ability? what is that?

Flayed ones can't cannibalize?! Ooops!

[thudo]

DoW AI is smart enough that if we script an ability that as long as the game doesn't error or CTD, it will just omit the presence of an ability script we thought that unit had but honestly does not.

Ok.. will be inspecting AI quickly then sending the location to our designated testers!

Massive KUDOs to both Arkhan and Larkin for all your hard dev work on this first 3rd DoW expansion offering!

[Capulin]

Ok.. will be inspecting AI quickly then sending the location to our designated testers!

Not trying to be a nitpicky or rushy tester, but... I was curious if the location had already been sent out or if it was still in the process of being uploaded? As I hadn't received any information as such yet I was a little curious.

Also, I have a silly question...

With respect to "extra" mod races such as Steel Legion, Daemonhunters and so on... has any of the Advanced AI code been implemented to cover them as well as a catch all? (I recall slinking through the code once and seeing that it often is sneakily imbedded.) And if so, would you want us to attempt implementing them in as well too for beta testing to see if there is any conflicting problems. I imagine this is a no, but... I figured I would ask.

[thudo]

I'll be sending the note to the testers shortly..

With respect to "extra" mod races such as Steel Legion, Daemonhunters and so on... has any of the Advanced AI code been implemented to cover them as well as a catch all? (I recall slinking through the code once and seeing that it often is sneakily imbedded.) And if so, would you want us to attempt implementing them in as well too for beta testing to see if there is any conflicting problems. I imagine this is a no, but... I figured I would ask.

Trust me: it will work on the user faction mods. Its a given -- you just need to update the respective faction mod's AI. However, that isn't the intent right now -- we're fully concentrating on pure vanilla SS Advanced AI testing.

[Capulin]

I'll be sending the note to the testers shortly..

Its a given -- you just need to update the respective faction mod's AI. However, that isn't the intent right now -- we're fully concentrating on pure vanilla SS Advanced AI testing.

Aye, aye, Cap'n.

Also, are there any good examples of what you want / how you want the reports to be handled? I want to be as complete and efficient as possible. (I'll have all day tomorrow to run tests and I plan on it.)

[thudo]

I noticed some things in the current build that I am sending back to both Arkhan/Larkin **BUT** that doesn't mean the first SoulStorm internal beta cannot proceed.

[Zenoth]

I'll be sending the note to the testers shortly..

Its a given -- you just need to update the respective faction mod's AI. However, that isn't the intent right now -- we're fully concentrating on pure vanilla SS Advanced AI testing.

Aye, aye, Cap'n.

Also, are there any good examples of what you want / how you want the reports to be handled? I want to be as complete and efficient as possible. (I'll have all day tomorrow to run tests and I plan on it.)

We are used to what eventually became our (originated by thudo) standardized testing report format, which looks as follows:

Players: - (here you can say for example "Me + Eldar Vs. Orks + SM")
Map: - (only official maps, with the likes of Mountain Trail, a favorite for testing, as long as 2 Vs 2's are concerned)
Difficulty: - (recommended to leave it to Hard but always good to test others if you want, or suspect a bug)
Resource Rate: - (recommended to leave it to Normal)
Resource Sharing: - (recommended to leave it to Off)
Heroes: - (as you wish, I personally usually leave it On unless I suspect a bug and need testing without it)
Extended Camera: - (could be good to mention if you're using that feature or not, I personally don't use it at least for out-of-testing matches)

Additional Comments: - (your observations go here, subjective comments are welcome but trying to stay objective and as corroborative as possible with details always help better for the coders to pinpoint the culprits)

With the new Fortress and Massive Battles features it could be good to add those two above before the additional comments, to just precisely let everyone know what you were testing exactly, obviously. Also, never forget to mention if you're testing a Skirmish (that's the main goal here) or the Campaign (also a priority as requested by Arkhan and obviously the fans of this mod overall, including myself, I can't stand the vanilla A.I in Skirmishes, I can't stand it either in Campaign, so this mod has to work properly in the Campaign too).

Hope it helps the new testers around (the others already knew all this).

Edited by Zenoth, 18 March 2008 - 04:42 AM.

[Capulin]

Hope it helps the new testers around (the others already knew all this).

Thanks, Zenoth. That helps a great deal.

[dreddnott]

Thanks Zenoth. I assume you guys will want the new Soulstorm maps tested a lot to see if there are any serious issues with them.

[Smokeskin]

Looking forward to it

Do you want us to review the replays to check what the AI is doing? It could be doing "wrong" things that you don't spot just by playing it, but on the other hand then you can do almost twice as many testgames if you don't review them.

Edited by Smokeskin, 18 March 2008 - 06:38 AM.

[Zenoth]

Looking forward to it

Do you want us to review the replays to check what the AI is doing? It could be doing "wrong" things that you don't spot just by playing it, but on the other hand then you can do almost twice as many testgames if you don't review them.

Watching replays has been a necessary part of proper testing since the beginning

[LarkinVB]

I only watch AI vs AI battles for beta testing.

Please reset the vehicle hurt level for jump retreats and make the check more effecient like this :

function VehicleTactic:Update()

if (self.m_bNeedRepair == true and self.squad_ai:GetHealthPercentage() > 0.99) then
		self.m_bNeedRepair = false
		self.hurt_level = 0.6	
	end

Still lots of cpu_manager.cpu_player:GetGameTime() / 8 calls which can be substituted.

Edited by LarkinVB, 18 March 2008 - 07:16 AM.

[ArkhanTheBlack]

Please reset the vehicle hurt level for jump retreats and make the check more effecient like this :

function VehicleTactic:Update()
CODE
if (self.m_bNeedRepair == true and self.squad_ai:GetHealthPercentage() > 0.99) then
self.m_bNeedRepair = false
self.hurt_level = 0.6
end


Still lots of cpu_manager.cpu_player:GetGameTime() / 8 calls which can be substituted.

Yeah, it's not everything done yet. Thudo also sent me a list of things to do. I will fix those things for the next beta.

[LarkinVB]

Don't want to push but was not sure if it did make it to your to-do list.

I'd like you to check the capping code too. Sometimes cappers continue under fire while just started. Often cappers continue while the small rest of the AI army is fighting for their lives just 20 nearby.

[ArkhanTheBlack]

I'd like you to check the capping code too. Sometimes cappers continue under fire while just started. Often cappers continue while the small rest of the AI army is fighting for their lives just 20 nearby.

This behaviour is entended. Last year I had some replays where the human player used one cultist or another looser squad for running around and disturbing capturing squads. Since then I included a unit strength comparison so they won't get interrupted so easy anymore. Capturing points is too important to let some joke squads with a swiss army knife interrupt them. Maybe the comparison factor could be a bit more sensible, but I really don't want an interruption anymore if just some clowns show up.

[thudo]

Location of internal beta going out to testers very SOON!

Testers.. if you do not hear from me in either PM from this site OR via email please send me a private PM.

Also take note that beta1 has some "issues" that are to-be-addressed in a big way in beta2

[ArkhanTheBlack]

Location of internal beta going out to testers very SOON! biggrin1.gif

Testers.. if you do not hear from me in either PM from this site OR via email please send me a private PM.

Also take note that beta1 has some "issues" that are to-be-addressed in a big way in beta2 thumbup.gif

Just delay beta 1. I think I can fix the stuff you and Larkin mentioned this evening and send you a new package. No reason to bother testers with stuff we already know...

[thudo]

Oh but the poor things -- the der weeping and da knashings? [goes back to playing vintage Warzone2100 kuzz its so mid-90s. *looks over shoulder for boss*]