7 replies to this topic

[phordicus]

thank you for putting this project together. while making the AI better strategically will be great, i also hope some work will go into tactics as well.

* attack what's attacking you: too often a squad will run up and start shooting a structure, completely oblivious to the squad just behind the LP mowing them down. there are many variations on this theme that need to be addressed.

* the AI needs to "work backwards", so to speak, when deciding where to attack. just like they build up their own base and move outwards establishing outposts, so too does the AI need to do when attacking: take down an army's SP's, CL's, and relic's before moving in to the enemy base. it rarely fails that an attacking army gets wiped out at the enemy base because of the previous flaw listed and the enemy being able to produce new units because some of their req points are untouched.

* similarly, there should be some sort of test do determine if non-upgraded basic squads are really the best thing to attack an HQ. i would laugh if it weren't so pathetic when i see some ork mob dinking my HQ while i've got 2 squads reinforcing to take them out barely 20 yards away. perhaps full-on base attacks should wait until tier 2 when heavy weapons and vehicles are available and more suited to this role.

* the AI is absolutely clueless regarding its own base defense. no matter where its army is or how well it's doing, if its base is under serious attack (not just some scouts; maybe a -hp/min calculation) it should always retreat to defend. the only exception i see to this is if it's already close to wiping out the other army's own base and therefore achieve annihilation AND its own base can survive that long.

i see these issues as being far more basic and important than worrying about grander strategic fixes. this is just my opinion, though, and look forward to utilizing your much-needed mod. thank you.

[Corsix]

There was a plan to make a release today, but it all depends on thudo.

[LarkinVB]

Apart from point 1 which is low level AI targeting we can try to mod and improve the AI.

[thudo]

Sorry guys! Just finishing up the Ork AI.. had some minor issues with it but they are done! Yep.. we're ready for release! Corsix.. I'll be sending you DA GOODS in short order. Everyone on the team will get a copy of the final build-to-release candidate!

phordicus - Our AI actually does many of those things - try a 3 Human vs 3 Harder/Insane AIs and then see what GETTING BRUTALLY OWNED MEANS! However, the AI is still mature so such things as confined map startpoints, Take&Hold/Control Area, Engineers that repair buildings, different AI personalities, expert squad tactics are still in the offing.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised! Its amazing what happens when the AI is even allowed to research the tech-tree! OUCHH!!!!!

[Corsix]

The mod team have now received what will most definatley be our v1.0.0 release. I will be making the installer once I receive the additional files need for that (readme etc). Then I expect thudo will give it to the world.

[phordicus]

yeah, didn't mean to seem nitpicky . i went so far as to try designing maps that would encourage the AI to go after CL's more aggressively (with pretty good success on my favorite) but they still won't attempt a retake during a countdown. very much looking forward to this!

[thudo]

phordicus - Our AI should be far more aggressive BUT in regards to T&H and CA, thats still Work-In-Progress. It won't make it into this release but then again so much is in this final cut that its insane!

Btw, part of this release will remind both Relic and the community that *some* maps do not allow, say, the Eldar AI to function. If the StartPoint is set too close to a cliff or treeline then the Eldar AI won't build a thing. Move the startpoint further out and bingo - all is peachy. Maps like this include 4p_MountainTrail (StartPoint3) and 8p_Burial Grounds (StartPoint3).. hmm.. see a pattern here..

[giskard]

phordicus - Our AI should be far more aggressive BUT in regards to T&H and CA, thats still Work-In-Progress. It won't make it into this release but then again so much is in this final cut that its insane!

Btw, part of this release will remind both Relic and the community that *some* maps do not allow, say, the Eldar AI to function. If the StartPoint is set too close to a cliff or treeline then the Eldar AI won't build a thing. Move the startpoint further out and bingo - all is peachy. Maps like this include 4p_MountainTrail (StartPoint3) and 8p_Burial Grounds (StartPoint3).. hmm.. see a pattern here..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thats an excellent point.

Well spotted Thudo, it had me baffled.

BTW seem this happen to Chaos as well, always in the same start point on the same maps. But i think youve explained the why part now.

Giskard