33 replies to this topic

[thudo]

Yep.. have a delta of whats different between SS 1.00 and 1.10 and there is so little needed to update the AI because the only real changes that would affect the AI are some minor cost changes. Updating the AI for the team then we can discuss.

[Inquisitor]

Cool!

I hope to be able to do some mp tests of the beta.

[thudo]

Cool.. glad you chaps are about.. Need to test things like:

- Harlequin Dance Bug
- Hellion Homing Device CTD
- Wych Combat Drugs cause squad to pause
- Necron bugs
- etc

I'll get that side of testing done to see where we first stand.

[jureidinim]

Definately great news!

Just confirming - the existing version 3 AI mod will work with the patch? I understand it won't be "streamlined" to take into account the cost/bug changes/fixes, but I would hope it would still give a better challenge than vanilla AI, and that can keep me going till the new AI is released.

[thudo]

Yes it will work 99% perfectly. The only real changes are the costs of some minor things (ie. Farseer costs less now than in 1.0 or Necron Power Researches cost much less). Its best to have the AI on-the-ball with these costs but the AI will be ok.

[Zenoth]

I'll be ready for testing whenever I have to.

As for the current A.I version's compatibility, indeed it will work well, for a simple reason, that right now I'm using it with the Bugfix Mod which by itself I believe already does everything if not even more than the official patch does in terms of bug fixes. Now of course the Bugfix Mod isn't a balance fix one, so the cost changes and minor balance tweaks that the official patch is doing is really the only thing that the team will have to look at when updating it for 100% compatibility.

Anyhow, as I said, I'm ready for testing of course, I've been waiting for this day since... well, like perhaps everyone else or almost since around day one of Soulstorm's release. So, Thudo, Arkhan, Larkin, any of you guys just let me and other testers know when you need us, I for one will be answering the call immediately.

[Haree]

Can't wait for the new version.
Had a little play using the 3.00 AI on the 1.10 patch and it generally performed excellently. I did see one or 2 oddities, like the IG General just stand there shooting at a Necron Lord that was meleeing him, not sure if that's to do with the game engine or the AI programming though.

If you need any help testing or anything let me know. I'm a software engineer and enjoy pitching the AI vs AI just to see how the games play out. I do play against the AI on occasion but I'm not very good at all the micro management needed

[thudo]

I doubt testing will be long - there are some fixes incorporated in 1.10 which I was glad to see although I think the Hellion Tracking Device CTD might still be there. Trying to substantiate it.

I'll have a build up soon for the testers VERY soon.

[Haree]

I doubt testing will be long - there are some fixes incorporated in 1.10 which I was glad to see although I think the Hellion Tracking Device CTD might still be there. Trying to substantiate it.

I'll have a build up soon for the testers VERY soon.

Did you change something in the 3.00 AI to do with using units jump / teleport abilities? I remember reading about a bug to do with Necrons that was to do with that but since 3.00 I've noticed the AI rarely uses the jump ability when he should be. For example I watch him mostly trying to run Warp Spiders away when fleeing, he never seems to teleport as much as he should.

[thudo]

Hmm.. odd.. unit jumping/teleportation should be ok in 3.00. Anyone else reporting this?

There is a builder bug where, for example, the Eldar Bonesinger flags an LP to be built on a capped strat but instead of warping to the LP to construct it it warps near to the yet-unbuilt LP and then proceeds to walk back to the main base. This is one of the issues to address in 3.10.

[jureidinim]

Hmm.. odd.. unit jumping/teleportation should be ok in 3.00. Anyone else reporting this?

Might be situational - i will look out for it. Played last night and saw the eldar get into a firefight with SOB and the warp spiders teleported away to safety once the SOB artillery opened up on them - so it seems ok there.

I also played 4-way FFA game which had Necrons in it - but thinking about it now - i don't recall seeing the Necron lord teleporting. However, he was trashing my units effectively and got his squads to help him make a retreat on foot (my troops were just glad he left so i didn't give chase.. lol) , so maybe the AI didn't see the need to teleport in that case. When i saw them again i had superior numbers and had him cornered in his base and took him out (and the base shortly after).

[thudo]

Yeah we're compiling a small list of fixes -- nothing too spectacular this time round since SS Patch 1.10 isn't as elaborate as 1.20 should be *hopefully*

[Haree]

Played several games tonight and couldn't see any sign of the CPU not using teleport/jump moves so I'm not sure why I was seeing it before. What I am seeing is the CPU collecting crazy amounts of the power resource, about 15 minutes in it's got like way more than it needs but it's not really that bad a thing because Generators aren't too expensive and too much is better than waiting for it

I can't wait to see the Halequin kicking arse when the CPU can use the ability again The game feels like such a better product since the 1.10 patch, can't see any real balance issues.

[Zenoth]

Played several games tonight and couldn't see any sign of the CPU not using teleport/jump moves so I'm not sure why I was seeing it before. What I am seeing is the CPU collecting crazy amounts of the power resource, about 15 minutes in it's got like way more than it needs but it's not really that bad a thing because Generators aren't too expensive and too much is better than waiting for it

I can't wait to see the Halequin kicking arse when the CPU can use the ability again The game feels like such a better product since the 1.10 patch, can't see any real balance issues.

I'm surprised that so many DoS A.I fans around never tried to use it with the Bugfix Mod, no need to wait for Relic's patch to see the Harlequin in action without causing a mass economic crash on the rest of the production, that Bugfix Mod was (and still is) quite a miracle of a little mod, and even after Relic's patch the mod still fixes more things.

I never bothered playing the DoS A.I without the Bugfix Mod since vanilla Soulstorm is just too buggy to truly enjoy even with DoS at play. I do hope that the Bugfix Mod's author (or team) will update it to still include the fixes that the Relic's first patch "omitted" (speech/sounds/text related issues and a few others). I will certainly test the new DoS build for use with Relic's patch, but I won't truly play regularly until either 1.2 or until the Bugfix Mod receives an update as well.

[thudo]

Minor Update -- had a 5+ hr session with a 3vs3 all Hard DE AIs on 6p_Kasyr_Lutien (one of DoW's finest 6player maps of them all) as well as a 6player Garden Map trying to weed out a hidden game crash. I have not determined its solely the cause of the Hellion's Homing Device quite yet. I have, however, I think narrowed it down with the Hellion, Talos, or Dias' abilities so keep ya posted. Its real tricky trying to pinpoint it.

I've chatted with Arkhan so we're moving forward on the update of the Advanced SS 3.10 AI so the playtesters (u know who you are!) will be contacted.

[Haree]

I was totally unaware of a bug fix mod
Soulstorm was the first mod where I stopped playing DoW because the bugs made the game feel painful and going back to DC felt boring.

Out of curiosity did you guys ever get to the bottom of why the humuncleous, apothecaries and other leaders never seem to attach to squads whereas some leaders have no problem?
I laughed a lot the other day as I watched the AI used a Rhino to transport and drove a squad straight in to the enemies base. My draw dropped as I'd never seen him do it, so carried on watching as the Rhino sat there for 5 seconds in the base then eventually, *pow* he ejects the transport and it's a single Apothecary who promptly gets mowed down by bolter fire, hilarious.

[thudo]

Err.. SM Apothecaries ALWAYS attach to SM squads.. saw it last night among the thousands of times I've seen it. Its the DE Haemonculus I haven't. Its likely an issue with its tactic file so its one of those things to look at.

As for the Troop Transport code.. yea that generally works more than not. Now I look at it. the Apothecary might not be a good idea to be transportable on it own BUT I think the idea was so it could reach the front fast via the Rhino then auto-attach to a lonely front-line Marine squad to provide health bonuses. What you saw was a freak script thingy. It happens..

[Actaestfabula]

Necron Lord cost -25 energy

Edited by Actaestfabula, 25 October 2008 - 03:56 PM.

[thudo]

Necron Lord cost -25

Yes, and? Any SS 1.00 -> 1.10 changes have already been taken into account.

[Haree]

Necron Lord cost -25

Yes, and? Any SS 1.00 -> 1.10 changes have already been taken into account.

It's not in the patch notes, I think he was trying to help.