Smokeskin

Hi there

In one of the beta versions we had the aitrace logs enabled, how do I do that?

Thanks

Here's my list of suggestions for improvements. Some of them might have been fixed for beta 3 or 4 already, I haven't checked all of them.

I would appreciated if no one replied here before Arkhan, so he can get post #2 instead of somewhere down the page

I think the code team could mark them with
? clarification requested
I implemented
A agreed but not yet implemented
E examination hasn't been done yet
R rejected (it would be great if you noted why, for example because the AI can't do it, because you just disagree, or because coding it is outside of the scope of the project, or whatever the reason)



General
Squads should decap when they destroy an LP, then continue fighting
Effective AV? Is there a way for the AI to detect many opponent vehicles and build specific squads to counter it?
Tight teching Bos – go t3 with just 1 building is beneficial for several races (ie SM doesn’t go both Machine Cult and Sacred Artifact in t2)

SoB
Upgrade infantry with leaders ASAP, they are essential from tier 2 and on
Upgrade Celestians ASAP - they are rather useless without their weapon upgrades
Build early Celestians for AV
More upgrading of battle sister squads to heavy bolters (minor issue)
Seraphims don’t use Angelic Visage

Tau
Tau Commander should upgrade to missile launchers ASAP
Tau Commander should upgrade to plasma rifle ASAP
Stealth suits should built shas’vre, it adds double health to squad and EMP ability
TC places too many snare traps and does it in strange places
Kroots cannibalize under fire

SM
Should upgrade with missile launchers more often

Chaos
Needs to switch to mostly berserkers and some horrors instead of marines t2
Needs Obliterators in t3

Guard
Earlier Tactica Control needed, basic guardsmen are cannon fodder
More than 1 grenade launcher per squad in t1 needed
More heavy weapon teams in t2

Ork
Doesn't mass units, especially t1, plays passively

I've been looking at the AI play, and I think one way to make it stronger would be to have it play with a tighter strategy in mind, where it focuses on a few unit types and their related researches and upgrades, so it gets many of a few typers of powerfully researched units out instead of great mix with none or only average upgrades.

Overall, all types of research should be increased in "cost" so the AI is less likely to do them.

Then you modify these with a Strategy.

A Strategy has
- a favored research list that it is more likely to do.
- some buildings it builds
- a list of units it greatly prefers to get out

For example, space marines could have
- an Infantry Strategy that favors infantry upgrades and many tac squads
- a Tri-Hero Strategy that favors the Sacred Artefact, commander upgrades, plasma pistol upgrade, and the 3 heroes.
- a Vehicle Strategy that favors Machine Cult, many generators, the power research, and ofc vehicles.

Basically it would mean the AI picks one aspect to focus on, making it very strong instead of spreading it thin by having nearly all types of units and researches for all of them.

It would also let the AI play strongly in t2 and still go t3 earlier.

I unfortunately know only little of how the AI works and how difficult it would be to do something like it, but basically it is the t1 BO functionality extended for additional tiers, coupled with restricting the AI from researching everything in t2 and onwards.

Do you keep a list of issues somewhere?

Something like this perhaps:

Units high tailing - Known, please report these to help us identify the issue
Wandering idiot bug - Known, will be fixed, no need to report
360 jumps - Known, but impossible to fix
Mammals build too many lions - we're not sure this is a problem, please continue to report if you have games were there are too many or just the right amount of lions
Less air - we've tried lowering the amount of air, does it work ok?

It wouldn't have to accurate and updated at all times, but it could give you more feedback on stuff you want to look deeper into, and once an issue is known and goes on the list, we can stop including it in reports.