Buffin AI... a little

[Boaster]

I've been working on making tweaks to the AI today.

The one thing that I really wanted to get done was to force the AI to use stat potions if it had them. Such as Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom potions, etc.

I've come up to a way, so far, of using an existing function in the game, but have tweaked to to operate on two different levels.
      The first level is as originally intended.
      The second level is as I have intended to be used with implementing a smart/logical way of check for stat potions.

Instead of all potions being checked on the basis of "is the variable being called equal to X?" it dynamically checks stat potions where the check would be "is the artifact type equal to potion of strength?"

While this may not make sense, to anyone, just know that the AI will make use of Stat Potions if they have any in-hand. This could make one opposing Dwarven Warrior or Assassin more hellacious than before.

[Boaster]

Another buff being made to the AI. Not a combat buff, but certainly will make games more interesting.

On Hard Mode, Marauder units will actually attack/invade armies that are stationed in buildings and sprites!

[Boaster]

Does anyone notice the marauders behaving more aggressively, or notice them behaving dysfunctionally at all?


Dysfunctional would be Marauders walking up to a building, facing the building, but just standing there.

[orzie]

Not at all. Well, other faiths' forces behave more dangerously as well. Especially in comparison to unmodded 3.00 version, as I can remember it.

Marauder buff is extremely cool! Now, amongst other, I can take other faiths' capitals without attacking their lords and forces, as I just have done

[Boaster]

Nov 28, 2012 3:06:26 GMT -6 orzie said:

Not at all. Well, other faiths' forces behave more dangerously as well. Especially in comparison to unmodded 3.00 version, as I can remember it.

Marauder buff is extremely cool! Now, amongst other, I can take other faiths' capitals without attacking their lords and forces, as I just have done

So you notice them attacking parties stationed in buildings?

Do you notice them moving to buildings without attacking, or just standing outside buildings not going anywhere?



On hard mode, there's a 75% chance that Marauders will attack parties stationed in buildings. But also on Hard Mode, the AI start with strong security forces. For medium and easy modes, it's 50% and 25% respectively.

[orzie]

Yeah, a marauder party came to the Order Temple, and then the Cathedral, stayed there for a turn as usual, destroyed it and stood for a turn outside as not usual. They even did not attacked the recaptured temple holding only one Life Warrior as a guard.
Then they went to the Order Capital, where the forces of Fire were stationed. On the next turn marauder party kicked out all Fire forces attacking the Capital (not paying attention to barracks or magic tower) and capturing it.
I recaptured the Capital then.

I was playing Giganta256 on Hard Mode.
The only thing is that I started this game while playing GS5R3 from November, 20th, not current version, so capital defenders were not buffed still being Fire Wizard and three units.
I was Chaos with Orc Warlord and appropriate units.

[Boaster]

So, did you notice any Marauders trying to "merge" with or just stand outside of villages?

[orzie]

Nope. I think I should play further to check it out properly though.

[Boaster]

I put out another update with some AI tweaks that effect Marauder parties on the overland map.

For now, they will only attack parties that they see are weaker than them.

Also, they should try to merge with other Marauder parties in city buildings, cities or open dungeons. But they shouldn't be just be standing about for more than a couple turns at the most.

[Boaster]

Seems the only thing I can't do at this time, for whatever reason, is keep the Marauders from going suicide at Great Temples.

For whatever reason, I cannot get units stationed in a Great Temple to generate their barter values (which indicate how tough an army is).

[orzie]

Very strange. As I know, the temple is marked to AI like any other building to move in.

Maybe a proper solution is just to write temple's starting guarding army barter value manually?

[pardo]

It would be interesting if all religions malignant, were more aggressive and expansionist, forming complete armies, would be good if they also explore dungeons and towers.

[Boaster]

Dec 6, 2012 7:33:31 GMT -6 pardo said:

It would be interesting if all religions malignant, were more aggressive and expansionist, forming complete armies, would be good if they also explore dungeons and towers.

T'would be nice. I'm making small changes at a time. Figuring out how to manipulate Marauders to attack armies stationed in buildings, cities and sprites was a big step.

[mummra]

Dec 6, 2012 22:51:14 GMT -6 Boaster said:

Dec 6, 2012 7:33:31 GMT -6 pardo said:

It would be interesting if all religions malignant, were more aggressive and expansionist, forming complete armies, would be good if they also explore dungeons and towers.

T'would be nice. I'm making small changes at a time. Figuring out how to manipulate Marauders to attack armies stationed in buildings, cities and sprites was a big step.

I don't know if you altered the behavior of the marauding parties yet but I'd really advise against it. Simply put; the marauding parties that spawn mid-late game are usually too much for the AI controlled lords to contend with.

Just because you can change something does not necessarily mean that you should. I am playing a game right now with the latest version of the GS mod on the default map and each AI faith I have come across is alone with their lord frozen in place. All of their buildings and city have been captured and ransacked by marauders. Even though I totally dig the new spells, scrolls, and artifacts, the fact that it feels like none of the other faiths are even playing has made it seem like the least interesting single-player experience of LOM I have ever had.

I commend you for wanting to enhance the AI, but I really think you should focus on the AI controlled faiths and just leave marauding parties as the avoidable nuisance that they were.

[myrddin]

While I haven't played the updated version in a while, I largely agree with the ideas expressed above. Granted, the GS mod is a WIP, and is thus subject to bugs or balance issues as it is in flux, and is to a large degree a laboratory with which to try new things. Hence the creation of GS-Zero mods for purists (of which I am somewhat )

There are things that I have done in order to make marauders more challenging foes, but this more geography related, as in one map where I made an underground kingdom that could not be reached by normal methods (or until late-game, really), by which time there were strong marauder forces spread throughout.

So marauders have their place certainly, and sometimes as powerful antagonists, but the real challenge/fun for me as well lies in combating strong/intelligent-seeming AI faiths. (i.e. preferably so that they play as much like a good human player as possible, although I realize this is difficult to program.)

[mummra]

Feb 28, 2013 20:46:52 GMT -6 myrddin said:

While I haven't played the updated version in a while, I largely agree with the ideas expressed above. Granted, the GS mod is a WIP, and is thus subject to bugs or balance issues as it is in flux, and is to a large degree a laboratory with which to try new things. Hence the creation of GS-Zero mods for purists (of which I am somewhat )

There are things that I have done in order to make marauders more challenging foes, but this more geography related, as in one map where I made an underground kingdom that could not be reached by normal methods (or until late-game, really), by which time there were strong marauder forces spread throughout.

So marauders have their place certainly, and sometimes as powerful antagonists, but the real challenge/fun for me as well lies in combating strong/intelligent-seeming AI faiths. (i.e. preferably so that they play as much like a good human player as possible, although I realize this is difficult to program.)

I'd like to play the GSZ mod. Is there a working link for it? I can't seem to find it on the main site...

[Boaster]

Mar 5, 2013 21:04:51 GMT -6 mummra said:

Feb 28, 2013 20:46:52 GMT -6 myrddin said:

While I haven't played the updated version in a while, I largely agree with the ideas expressed above. Granted, the GS mod is a WIP, and is thus subject to bugs or balance issues as it is in flux, and is to a large degree a laboratory with which to try new things. Hence the creation of GS-Zero mods for purists (of which I am somewhat )

There are things that I have done in order to make marauders more challenging foes, but this more geography related, as in one map where I made an underground kingdom that could not be reached by normal methods (or until late-game, really), by which time there were strong marauder forces spread throughout.

So marauders have their place certainly, and sometimes as powerful antagonists, but the real challenge/fun for me as well lies in combating strong/intelligent-seeming AI faiths. (i.e. preferably so that they play as much like a good human player as possible, although I realize this is difficult to program.)

I'd like to play the GSZ mod. Is there a working link for it? I can't seem to find it on the main site...

GSZ mod is private and reserved. Not available to the public.

[myrddin]

GSZ mod is private and reserved. Not available to the public.

Granted that I have a version of the GSZ mod that you sent me, are there any plans in the sort-of near future to re-release it? I think between the GS5 mod and the GSZ, you will cover all bases as far as fans are concerned. I realize that there is plenty going on with the GS5 mod right now, but if it's a matter of working out bugs/finishing some items on the GSZ mod for which it is unavailable, I might be able to work on it a little. Or perhaps it is not made public for other reasons?

[Boaster]

Mar 8, 2013 21:58:41 GMT -6 myrddin said:

GSZ mod is private and reserved. Not available to the public.

Granted that I have a version of the GSZ mod that you sent me, are there any plans in the sort-of near future to re-release it? I think between the GS5 mod and the GSZ, you will cover all bases as far as fans are concerned. I realize that there is plenty going on with the GS5 mod right now, but if it's a matter of working out bugs/finishing some items on the GSZ mod for which it is unavailable, I might be able to work on it a little. Or perhaps it is not made public for other reasons?

Not necessary.

The GSZ is not open to the public at this time.