el cid again
Posts: 16922
Joined: 10/10/2005 Status: offline
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I am about to complete an initial turn for RHSMAIO for Japan: this can be used in leiu of starting a game the normal way, and IF it is used, it will permit the AI as Japan to benefit from settings which cannot be programmed into the data base files per se. This is Stage One of the Guided AI Service - for MAIO only - and it means the first turn will be more efficient for Japan. In addition, a few services will be performed for the Allied player: e.g. the aircraft lines which should have repair set to "no" will be set when you open the turn. If you open this turn with the program set to Computer Controlled Japan, you can play a normal Allied vs AI game - but have an opponent that is better in technical terms than any scenario of any mod has ever been before. I am contemplating a periodic (player controlled) update service for the AI controlled Japanese side (initially for MAIO only). IF on any date during a human vs Computer Controlled Japan game you will need to wait one or more days before you can do another turn, send the save game file to me. That turn will be given a basic review for fundamental AI flaws: task forces with irrational destinations or cargos or missions will be corrected, the most important air units will be updated, raids/attacks of opportunity will be exploited, potential or actual threats will be addressed by appropriate defensive measures, etc. And what was done will be recorded - to form a list of potential rules to automate the process. At first this service will be manual - by me or another member of the RHS team. If we get an automated update routine working we will run it - and then review what it did - to see what else it should have done - and correct anything that does not seem acceptable. Ultimately we may be able to offer the "service" as a function of the RHS Switcher/Installer program (which, by then, may have a different name). Alternatively, it might be a service offered on the RHS site - tun in generating a turn out by reply mail in a matter of a few minutes. IF this service is used, and if it is popular, we may expand it to include the almost identical RHSAIO scenario. Ultimately, if there were enough time and people still played WITP - we might extend it to RHSCAIO - which is quite different in several respects - and which most needs help for the AI because it is so much weaker in terms of Japanese unit values. As with everything else we are doing with RHS - we believe that this work should port over to AE some time after it is released. If the process of development is not completed - it will simply continue in a reformed way under AE - assuming we create RHS AE scenarios. Also in common with present RHS practice, this is a Level 7 scenario option only. Finally, we hope to demonstrate that there are ways to improve the way AI assigns units to do things - so that in the fullness of time some of these techniques (or similar ones) may be incorporated by Matrix. Finally - if we are able to actually read files and modifiy them automatically in the way I envisage - we will cut the Forum in on how we modify them: what principles/algorithms are used, should be used, etc. This will no doubt slow the process - but it also should result in a better product than any one person or small team could ever produce.
< Message edited by el cid again -- 2/12/2008 12:22:57 AM >
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