Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:33 pm Post subject: Giving specific empires a leg up...
It would be interesting to be able to give specific empires more initial technology points than others (assume they are advanced races) sort of like the Shadows, Vorlons or Antareans...Say I'd like to give them a million or so initial research points, and the other empires only 100,000 research points in the start of the game. Back to top
The other way is to design empires yourself, I tend to hand build every single empire at the start and assign them to AI control. Mainly this is because I can then select exactly how many empires I have and I like to use a full compliment of 20 full races.
Doing this means you can simply set the tech points to a very high number then assign whatever you want for the advanced races and just don't spend all the points for everyone else. Back to top
A flaw in that type of setup is that the AI used for the empire ends up being one of three default ones (in BM) or just plain or default in stock. This reduces the variety in your opponents.
Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 1:13 pm Post subject: Giving specific empires a leg up.
Yes Captain Kwok, I am interested. I'm starting to doing scripting already. Could you give me some tips? (for initial tech points as above) Back to top
Joined: Jul 02, 2009 Location: Planet Hyrule, of the Hyrulian Federation
Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:53 pm Post subject:
CaptainKwok wrote:
A flaw in that type of setup is that the AI used for the empire ends up being one of three default ones (in BM) or just plain or default in stock. This reduces the variety in your opponents.
I would imagine you could make your own AI Minister Setup files.
Using Abbidon as an example:
..\Space Empires V\GameTypes\Balance Mod v115+\Data\Ministers
make a file named: Abbidon_AI_Main.txt
Code:
=======================================================================================
AI MAIN DATA FILE - Abbidon - Captain Kwok's Balance Mod
=======================================================================================
Minister Style Name := Abbidon
AI Script File := Abbidon\Abbidon_Main_Script.csf
AI Script Empire Setup File := Abbidon\Abbidon_Setup_Script.csf
AI General File := Abbidon\Abbidon_AI_General.txt
AI Ministers File := Default\Default_AI_Ministers.txt
AI Speech File := Abbidon\Abbidon_AI_Speech.txt
AI Strategies File := Default\Default_AI_Strategies.txt
AI Warp Transit Types File := Default\Default_AI_WarpTransitTypes.txt
And do that for each Empire.
I went ahead and did that already: http://files.spaceempires.net/user/2538/BM1.19_Ministers.rar
Extract to your "..\Space Empires V\GameTypes\Balance Mod v115+\Data\Ministers" folder.
Then you can select that Empire's minister AI settings when you make a custom Empire.
I did a quick test (~runturns 30) with 4 customed Empires with other Empire's AI Ministers, and they behaved just like those empires would have. Research preferences, build numbers, weapon preferences on ship designs, etc.
My usual response to this (when I want more tech for myself than for others) in a stock game:
1) Set Medium Tech Points
2) Change nothing for the AI
3) Start a game with max systems and 15-20 races
4) Spend only as much as necessary to open the main technologies (Physics, Astrophysics, Stellar Manipulation, etc...basically the most expensive ones) and dump the rest into Applied Research
5) Colonize every planet not useful for mining and put nothing but Research facilities on them. Save the best planets for shipyards, military bases, and mining. Use Monolith Facilities on any planet with all three values near 100%, to maximize resources.
6) Dump first turn's bonus on any useful technologies which would maximize defensive applications (i.e. weapons platforms, fighters, bases, etc)
7) Focus intensely on tech necessary for "catching up" to the other races, and hope like hell they don't find you first.
Realizing that stock is the McDonald's of SE V, whenever I play this way, I invariably meet my first race at about an equal number of tech levels, but easily 100-200% higher research points. Within about 10-20 turns, I've outmatched them on every level.
Researching Ship Capture and Intelligence-Sabotage Ships and Fleets comes in handy early on, since you can deconstruct and reverse-engineer alien technologies, thereby gaining those technologies for free.
I also like to capture alien populations of a different planet and atmosphere type, adding to the number of planets I can colonize without domes.
For races specifically designed to be "advanced", while others are not, the suggestion of custom AI files is best in my opinion.
Unfortunately I have the equivalent of a brown thumb, when it comes to modding. "The fastest path to defiance is the demand for obedience." ~Champion Blessed Wrath, Guardian Ministries Back to top
Joined: Jul 02, 2009 Location: Planet Hyrule, of the Hyrulian Federation
Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 4:49 pm Post subject:
Admiral99 wrote:
It would be interesting to be able to give specific empires more initial technology points than others (assume they are advanced races) sort of like the Shadows, Vorlons or Antareans...Say I'd like to give them a million or so initial research points, and the other empires only 100,000 research points in the start of the game.
One option to limit startup research is to make a custom "RaceName_Setup_Script.txt" file and edit the research options they pick. Just as an example from Abbidon_Setup_Script.txt file:
Code:
// Abbidon low tech start (50,000 Default)
if (research_pts > 0) and (research_pts <= 50000) then
call Add_Tech_area("Sensors", 3, TRUE, FALSE) // 50,000
endif
// Abbidon high tech start (5,000,000 Default)
if (research_pts > 1000000) then
call Add_Tech_Area("Rock Planet Colonization", 1, TRUE, FALSE) // 500,000
call Add_Tech_Area("Ice Planet Colonization", 1, TRUE, FALSE) // 500,000
// Sub-Total 1,000,000 (1,000,000)
... Cutting alot of the High Tech stuff out as to not take alot of room
// Sub-Total 480,000 (10,000,000)
endif
Not putting all the High tech pick here. You should get the idea with just those. If you only tell them to pick out 100,000 points worth, instead of the full 1,000,000 points, then they should only pick those to start with.
How to read that:
call Add_Tech_Area("Sensors", 3, TRUE, FALSE) // 50,000
"Sensors" =The name of the Tech.
, 3, =How many levels to add.
TRUE, FALSE) =Don't change those.
// 50,000 =Comment on how many points that cost. Computer does not read anything after the "//" markings.
You could copy the default scripts and name them "RaceName_Setup_Gimp_Script.txt" for the gimped race setups, if you also wanted to use some non-gimped races. Then set the "..Empires\RaceName\RaceName_AI_Main.txt" file to refer to the Setup_Gimp_Script.txt file for when you do random races.
If you don't want random races, but want to set them up yourself as a saved Empire.emp file, you can make a Minister (like my previous post) to refer to those gimped setups:
AI Script Empire Setup File := RaceName\RaceName_Setup_Gimp_Script.csf
Edit: This all works for Balance Mod. Taking a look at the default Stock scripts and they're quite different. I think you might be able to use the "if ... then" statements to pick techs there. Kwok would know better. Kontana's UI Mod | BM1.19-Ship Space Comparison Back to top
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You can download files in this forum
All logos and trademarks used on this site, all comments and stories posted for reading, all files hosted for download, and all art work hosted for viewing are property of their respective owners; all the rest copyright 2003-2010 Nolan Kelly.
Syndicate news: - Syndicate forums:
Page Generation: 0.24 Seconds
Files & Links
SEnet Content
User Content
SE.net Info
- Syndicate forums: