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AI v2.0
Jun 27, 2015 14:40:24 GMT -5
Post by Space Borders on Jun 27, 2015 14:40:24 GMT -5
Now that the vote is over, let's start focusing on the AI. I do have a few ideas, but I'd like to hear yours as well. AI design can be very tricky and requires a good understanding of so called heuristics, which loosely translated in this context means, how much weight the AI places on choosing a certain available move, for a certain available target, in a certain situation. Let me give you an example. In CM, the Crius is almost essential for defeating the enemy, so in this case the destruction of this kind of ship would give the aliens a great advantage. Another example from a "normal" game, would be securing the Masterminds. The players primary objective is to take out the Masterminds, to cut down on alien reinforcements, so they should be well protected and not in close proximity to one another. Obviously these are just a few examples of many, but it is essential to have a general overview before implementing anything. After we have collected enough of that sort of information, the search algorithm will be implemented, which basically chooses the best moves based on the provided heuristics. To contribute here, think of yourself as the aliens, playing against the EDF, essentially how you would try to defeat yourself.
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AI v2.0
Jun 27, 2015 15:37:44 GMT -5
Post by three3pryme on Jun 27, 2015 15:37:44 GMT -5
Id first probably make small groups and have the fast ships go around them to intiidate the EDF! then from one side i have the destroyers or corvettes rush from 3 sides. Then i RUSH with my full attack force from the front
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AI v2.0
Jun 27, 2015 15:56:18 GMT -5
Post by joe130794 on Jun 27, 2015 15:56:18 GMT -5
Well most of the time in CM I have. _______cerberus__________cerberus
_______crius____daedalus____crius
_______rep cen___hydra___rep cen _________________nuke ________________rep cen
_____________laser cerberus
So the sides attack would be a good idea for them. or take out the rear guard.
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AI v2.0
Jun 27, 2015 15:57:25 GMT -5
Post by joe130794 on Jun 27, 2015 15:57:25 GMT -5
that doesnt quite look how i thought. but you get the idea.
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AI v2.0
Jun 27, 2015 16:22:11 GMT -5
Post by Space Borders on Jun 27, 2015 16:22:11 GMT -5
Ok, but which EDF ships would you attack with which of your ships and why? For example, using the Corvettes on a Cerberus is only a matter of several seconds. A destroyer or battlecruiser will last longer, but what would you do during this time then. Surely you will lose them, so would you send in other ships at the same time to attack Hydras or Crius class ships? The problem is, that this is already way too complicated. That would be the last step in the AI design. First lets make a list of ships, which should not attack certain ships. For example. The fighter is rubbish against anything bigger than a Centaur really, unless it's an unarmed ship, like the Crius, Daedalus or Hydra. It is also very fast, so it could break through the enemy line, if there is a lot of confusion. Here is my initial brainstorming session. I truly believe the most powerful alien ship is the drone carrier. If you have several of those you could attack a Crius and make a real mess. It would blow up, damaging all nearby ships. You could also try to take our repair ships, repair turrets and other unarmed ships. We need a different approach here. Which EDF ships or subsystems do you believe are easily killed and worth going after, in order from best to worst? Example: Daedalus antenna, Daedalus radar, Daedauls, Crius, Hydra, ..., Also, keep in mind what the goal of the aliens is, just roughly: In campaign, survival, DSM: destroy the Odysseus. In CM attack: destroy the Daedalus. In CM defense: destroy main station. ...
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AI v2.0
Jun 27, 2015 16:25:33 GMT -5
Post by Space Borders on Jun 27, 2015 16:25:33 GMT -5
Yes, this is really a huge topic, but I'm glad we chose it before skirmish mode, because we can later on use it in skirmish.
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AI v2.0
Jun 27, 2015 17:02:01 GMT -5
Post by Space Borders on Jun 27, 2015 17:02:01 GMT -5
Alien ships: - Light Fighter: (+) fast (-) weak attack, weak health - Heavy Fighter: (+) fast, fast projectiles (-) weak attack, weak health <- Best for targeted attacks on weak ships (in quantities) - Light Carrier: (+) long range, annoying (continuous output) (-) weak attack, weak health - Heavy Carrier: (+) long range, annoying (continuous output), medium health (-) weak attack <- Best for annoyance - Drone Carrier: (+) long range, annoying (continuous output), good attack, good health (-) ? <- Best for long range attacks - Light Corvette: (+) medium health (-) short range, weak attack - Heavy Corvette: (+) medium health, fast projectiles (-) short range, weak attack <- Best cannon fodder (in large numbers) - Light Destroyer: (+) good health (-) short range, weak attack, slow - Heavy Destroyer: (+) good health, fast projectiles, medium attack (-) short range, slow <- Best balance (multi purpose) - Light Battlecruiser: (+) very good health, fast projectiles, good attack (-) very slow - Heavy Battlecruiser: (+) very good health, powerful projectiles, good range (-) very slow <- Best diversion and best 1 vs 1 alien ship
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AI v2.0
Jun 27, 2015 17:11:44 GMT -5
Post by Space Borders on Jun 27, 2015 17:11:44 GMT -5
Alien defense objectives:
- protect Mothership - protect Masterminds - protect Factories
Alien offense objectives:
- destroy Odysseus - destroy Daedalus - destroy mission critical stations / ships (a long long list)
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AI v2.0
Jun 27, 2015 17:14:03 GMT -5
Post by Space Borders on Jun 27, 2015 17:14:03 GMT -5
Well most of the time in CM I have. _______cerberus__________cerberus _______crius____daedalus____crius _______rep cen___hydra___rep cen _________________nuke ________________rep cen _____________laser cerberus So the sides attack would be a good idea for them. or take out the rear guard. In this case taking out the Crius ships would seem most logical. Would probably destroy the repair ships and the Daedalus.
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AI v2.0
Jun 27, 2015 17:15:09 GMT -5
Post by Space Borders on Jun 27, 2015 17:15:09 GMT -5
It seems like the Crius will need a lot of babysitting with the new AI.
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AI v2.0
Jun 27, 2015 17:16:53 GMT -5
Post by Space Borders on Jun 27, 2015 17:16:53 GMT -5
If the aliens would make this their prime objective, they will most likely succeed. Just imagine all ships would go straight for your Crius ships in CM. Drone carriers, fighter and battlecruiser. If you can't keep up with repairs, they will eventually blow up, causing lots of damage to your fleet.
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AI v2.0
Jun 27, 2015 17:18:18 GMT -5
Post by Space Borders on Jun 27, 2015 17:18:18 GMT -5
Unless you guard them with your Cerberus ships and use the shield when necessary.
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AI v2.0
Jun 27, 2015 17:21:16 GMT -5
Post by Space Borders on Jun 27, 2015 17:21:16 GMT -5
We may have to decrease the effect of the Crius blowing up.
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AI v2.0
Jun 27, 2015 17:24:48 GMT -5
Post by three3pryme on Jun 27, 2015 17:24:48 GMT -5
I agree mostly, and we did need to do this before skirmish!
By estimation, when do you think skirmish will happen??
also is the AI only gonna be in skirmish or no??
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AI v2.0
Jun 27, 2015 17:32:13 GMT -5
Post by Space Borders on Jun 27, 2015 17:32:13 GMT -5
Getting back to heuristics though, we have to make a table for each alien ship vs EDF ship with a score (for example):
Drone Carrier:
Crius - 10 OreMaster - 10 Harvester - 10 Daedalus - 10 Hydra - 8 Behemoth - 7 Cerberus - 6 Aegaeon - 6 Laser Gladiator - 5 Laser Centaur - 3 Laser Cerberus - 1 etc.
Then we need to make a value table for every EDF ship (for example):
Odysseus - 500 Daedalus - 200 Crius - 150 Hydra - 100 OreMaster - 80 etc.
...you get the idea.
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